Naruko glared at herself in the mirror, not mad at anything, just confused. Naruko herself was not unattractive, she was usually the center of attention when it came to girls in class. She couldn't really see anything wrong with herself, but for some reason the villagers hate her, they are so hateful and terrified of her that they either throw things at her, spit insults, or run away when she gets close to them.
Naruko eyes were a red shade that was very deep, even deeper than the genjutsu mistress's eyes. Her hair flowed down her back most of the time but when she was in a good mood she put it in a ponytail or pigtails. The hair itself was sandy blonde and it framed her face really well. Naruko was currently twelve, she was short for her age but she was incredibly firm. She wore a horrendous orange and blue jumpsuit with a white collar that covered her entire neck. Under the jumpsuit was a sports bra covering her already defining chest.
She didn't like the orange jumpsuit, it was hideous but it was the only thing that seemed to stand out in her closet… she could always go in just a sports bra but that would never turn out well with Kiba in the class. Kiba wasn't unattractive either, nobody in the class was he was just what you would call a 'guy' if you would. He didn't have any redeeming qualities, he was an asshole to women and never gets reprimanded.
He wasn't nearly as bad as this one boy though, that Uchiha. Sasuke Uchiha is the literal worst person to talk to in the academy, he had terrible social skills, he's arrogant, egotistical, narcissistic, and an overall asshole. He ignores everyone that wants to talk to him, only giving a 'Hn' back on rare occasion. He was the worst case scenario, an Emo brooder. He was really lucky he's cute.
Naruko shook her head feverishly, not wanting to think about the Emo at the moment. Naruko let her hair fall down her back and sighed, walking to the front door of her pristine one bedroom apartment. Naruko walked out and locked it behind herself, starting down the road and ignoring the usual looks from the villagers. Today was the day, the day of graduation.
When Naruko arrived, she didn't even pay attention to any of the cat calls or girls that wanted to fight her. She just walked to her desk and sat down, waiting quietly for the test to begin. Begin it did, starting with Ino Yamanaka and going in reverse alphabetical order. Naruko's ninja skills were… lackluster.
When it came to skill as a ninja, Naruko was the dead last in the class, and that was saying something, she was behind Shikamaru the lazy bum of the class, but she knew he was actually incredibly strategic and intellectual.
When it came to taijutsu her abilities were awful, she had the raw talent and power but no form to use it. Her ninjutsu was useless, only being able to do the henge correctly and not being able to do the clone jutsu. Her genjutsu was decent, she picked up on some of the basic genjutsu really well, it was like her chakra bonded with the genjutsu and Naruko could cast them almost effortlessly, she also figured out that she couldn't be affected by genjutsu.
To her luck (Sarcasm), the test was on the clone jutsu. Needless to say she failed and was left alone as she made her way outside and onto her favorite swing. She sat there for hours, sulking in self doubt and regret as people filed in and out of the academy with their headbands.
It wasn't until the sun set that she realized just how late it was getting. She felt a gentle push on the swing and looked up, Mizuki was giving her a kind smile. "You really wanted to become a ninja this time huh?" Mizuki asked and Naruko sighed, nodding.
A little known fact about Naruko is that she had failed the academy graduation test, three times now.
"Well, there is one other way. I'll let you in on it if you're interested." Naruko's eyes widened and slowly a grin came onto her face, revealing her longer than average canines.
And that's how Naruko got to where she is now. Running from Mizuki in the forest of Konoha with a large scroll in her arms. She was used to fleeing from people and could even escape Anbu Black Ops, so it was no problem getting away from Mizuki and into the stump of a larger tree, completely hidden from view.
When she arrived at the destination with the scroll, Mizuki attacked her and she fled.
Naruko looked at the scroll, curiosity filling her entire being. She reached into her 'Ninja' pouch. She didn't have any weapons yet but she always kept some paper and a pen or pencil with her. She began to read through the scroll, writing anything down that seemed to interest her. She perfectly copied down a couple of genjutsu and ninjutsu, carefully reading whatever she could understand.
She crossed her fingers, whispering the first jutsu.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu." She whispered and with a poof of smoke a solid clone of herself appeared next to her. "Whoa…" She muttered and her eyes widened. A hand reached into the stump and pulled her out.
"Found you brat!" Mizuki yelled and he threw her to the side. She rolled to her feet and glared at him.
"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruko yelled and thousands of herself appeared in the treeline. Mizuki began to laugh. The Naruko's began to rush at him but he effortlessly dodged everything and dispatched the clones with well timed punches and kicks. He pulled out a kunai and threw it at the real Naruko who's eyes widened and she covered herself.
The kunai hurt, bad. But she knew she couldn't submit. She pulled the kunai out with her other hand and winced at the hole in her arm. The blood was pouring freely and there was a hole in her jumpsuit now. She knew he was a chunin and she didn't even have the skill to make genin, what was she supposed to do? She carefully did hand signs, biting her thumb.
She slammed her hand down with a yell. "SUMMONING JUTSU!" She screamed and she poured all of her chakra into the jutsu. It seemed to not work as she ran out of chakra and fell over, losing consciousness while her thousands of clones fought Mizuki.
Naruko awoke with a gasp for air as she was under water and she had emerged. 'W-Where am I?' She thought and she looked around. It was dark but not so dark that she couldn't see. What she could see however was what made her heart stop. 'I-Is that the… THE KYUUBI!?' She screamed in her mind, ready to run away. She wanted to run but she couldn't her body wouldn't move. She could feel his breath as he seemed to size her up with just his massive red slitted eyes. The eyes were the only things visible behind the bars. 'I-I gotta leav-'
"Will you shut up!" The beast yelled. Naruko scowled.
'Have I been speaking out loud the entire time?' She thought and made sure it was just a thought.
"No, I can hear your thoughts." The fox said in a deep voice filled with malice and anger. "You are wondering why you are here. And where 'here' is. The answer to that could be two different things. For where this is, we are in your seal." Naruko was about to ask but then it dawned on her, she was the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. It all made sense.
"As for why you are here, as I said, there are two reasons. One is that you are completely out of chakra and I'll have to lend you some to keep your body going. As for the second, and this is the reason you were summoned directly to the front of the cage, when you use the summoning jutsu without a contract, you are reverse summoned to the leader of the creatures which you are most attuned to. Unfortunately I accepted and I became the leader of the fox's a long time ago."
Naruko processed what he said with wide eyes. "R-Really? So am I going to be able to summon foxes then?" Naruko asked and the Kyuubi nodded. "WHAT!? WHEN CAN I START!?" Naruko yelled with excitement, completely forgetting who she was talking to, the one responsible for the death of the fourth hokage and Red Death of Konoha.
"You should already be able to summon the foxes but I suggest you do quickly, as that silver haired chunin is almost done killing your thousands of clones." Naruko nodded and the fox raised its head, before blowing Naruko back with a heavy breath.
Naruko and stood up, immediately going through hand seals again. "Summoning Jutsu!" Naruko yelled and there was a large poof of smoke. Mizuki finished the last clone and growled, jumping into the smoke at Naruko but his eyes widened and the tail of a fox slammed into his stomach harshley, making him fly back into a tree.
When the smoke cleared he was greeted with the sight of Naruko standing behind a fox that was his height. The fox itself had snow white fur with blue tips on its tails and blue feet. It was standing protectively in front of Naruko who was staring at it with wide eyes. The fox turned and looked at her. "Are you ok?" She asked and Naruko's head nodded up and down dumbly with still wide eyes.
"Y-Yes… I'm ok. You can deal with him right?" Naruko asked, pointing at Mizuki who glared at the fox.
"Yes, I can make quick work of him, then we can talk ok?" Naruko nodded with hesitant tears in her eyes. "Now." She turned to Mizuki. "It's been a really long time since we've had a summoner so I can't let you kill this little girl chunin." Mizuki laughed.
"You can't beat me, you're just a dumb fox." The fox shook her head with a noticeable smirk.
"You foolish human, I already have." Mizuki frowned. He looked around and his eyes widened. He held up his fingers and yelled 'kai'. To his dismay he was, in fact, impaled on his own large shuriken, stuck to the tree. He groaned in pain and tried to pull the shuriken out but it was so far into his abdomen in the tree that he couldn't.
"Y-You bitch." Mizuki said and the fox's tail suddenly began to glow blue. She waved it at him and his eyes widened. Mizuki was covered in blue flames. His screamed were audible for a moment before they died down and the smell of burning flesh filled the air. Mizuki was effectively dead.
"Now, girl, what is your name?" Naruko looked away from the charred corpse of Mizuki and at the fox.
"M-My name? It's Naruko…" Naruko said and the fox smiled kindly at her.
"Naruko huh? That's a pretty name, my name is Amarath." The fox said and Naruko nodded. "From now one, we are partners. Feel free to summon me at anytime Naruko, I enjoy being in this world, I have a smaller form I can use if you so wish but as for now I will stay in this form, would you like a ride to wherever you have to go?" The fox asked and there was a plume of smoke across from them suddenly.
"That won't be necessary." Said the Hokage as the smoke cleared. "Naruko, you have shown that you are more than ready to become Genin of Konohagakure no Sato. With the defeat of the traitor Mizuki, you are promoted to genin Naruko, congratulations, here." He handed her a headband. "You are to go to the school tomorrow and wait for team assignment." Naruko nodded. "And thank you, Amarath was it?" Amarath nodded.
"Dog." The hokage said and a silver haired Anbu appeared next to him. "Escort Naruko home and see to her injury." The Anbu nodded and Naruko was picked up bridal style in one motion. Amarath was covered in smoke for a moment and when it cleared she was much smaller, like a chibi version of herself with huge blue slitted eyes. She jumped up into Naruko's arms and they disappeared. The Hokage walked over to the scroll and sealed it away. This wasn't the scroll of sealing.
He chuckled. She had taken the wrong scroll, she had taken Kushina's scroll, containing some of her most used techniques. He was just glad that she hadn't taken Minato's scroll, he really didn't need her using the Hiraishin. He then turned to the dead Mizuki and snapped his fingers. More Anbu appeared. "Take care of that please."
"Of course Lord Hokage."
Naruko awoke with a weird weight on her lower body. She looked down to see a full sized Amarath laying across her legs, covering the whole lower portion of the bed, completely asleep. Naruko carefully removed herself from the bed and got ready, peeling off her pajamas and going into the bathroom. Her jumpsuit was on the sink and she put it on. She brushed her teeth and noticed the hole in the jumpsuit. She frowned and sighed. Maybe she should just cut the sleeves off. She decided to do just that. She cut the sleeves off and smiled at her handiwork in the mirror. She looked down at her stomach and frowned. Maybe she should just cut the who thing in half.
She spent the next thirty minutes polishing her look. She cut the top into a crop top, leaving her stomach visible and she left it open, just revealing her sports bra. She went into her closet and pulled out a mesh top and put it on under the now cropped jumpsuit shirt. She grinned in the mirror. She then did her hair and went to leave for school… or team assignment… as she had technically graduated right? Whatever.
"Where are you going?" Amarath asked, she was in the living room on the couch, her small form once again active.
"I've got to go get my team today." Naruko said and the fox nodded. "Well, I'll be seeing ya Amarath." Naruko said and Amarath nodded.
"Naruko, after you get home, we will be going over what you need to know as the fox summoner, but be warned, my training methods are a little extreme." Naruko nodded. "Good now go." Naruko left in a hurry after that, rushing to school while tying her headband on simultaneously.
Upon arrival, she ignored the cat calls from Kiba and took her normal seat by Shikamaru and Choji. "Yo, I thought you failed yesterday Naruko." Naruko nodded.
"Troublesome." Shikamaru said and Naruko nodded.
Iruka came in shortly after that and started to announce the teams. Naruko took note of the fact that the first six teams consisted of people that she had barely ever talked to or talked to her. "Team Seven!" Iruka called. "Naruko Uzumaki. Sakura Haruno. Sasuke Uchiha. Your jounin sensei will be Kakashi Hatake." Naruko's eyes widened slowly and her head hit the desk, actually cracking it.
"Sasuke~!" Sakura yelled and he gave a 'hn'. The rest of the teams were announced and Naruko was left to herself as Sakura sat next to Sasuke. Naruko thought about all the better teams she could have been on like Shikamaru, herself, and Choji. She groaned. She could almost feel the fox inside herself mocking her.
They were waiting for three hours before their sensei arrived. "Sorry I'm late, I got lost on the road to l-" Before he could finish a kunai flew past his head and imbedded into the wall. He slowly turned to Naruko who's hair was flowing behind her much like a redheaded woman he used to know. He gulped. "U-Uh… battle ready is good." She turned away and he sighed. "Let's go to the roof and introduce ourselves, it's really stuffy in here."
They all made their way to the roof and sat near the edge.
"Can you give us a demonstration sensei?" Kakashi Hatake nodded.
"My name, you already know it. Or you should. My likes… I don't feel like sharing them, same with my dislikes… my hobbies… eh… I have a lot of hobbies. My goals for the future… I never really thought about it." Naruko deadpanned and Sakura frowned. "You first Pinkie."
"Ah… uh… My name is Sakura Haruno, I like... " She looked at Sasuke and blushed. "I dislike Ino-pig... My hobbies..." She looked at Sasuke and blushed again. "My dreams for the future?" She looked at Sasuke and screamed with steam coming out of her ears, falling backward.
"Ooook…" He looked at Naruko. "Pigtails." He said and Naruko grinned at the name.
"My name is Naruko Uzumaki! I like instant noodle ramen and I really like the ramen that old man Ichiraku makes for me. I don't like the thirty seconds I have to wait for the ramen to be ready and I don't like Sasuke teme or Sakura." Sasuke frowned at her and Sakura growled with scowl. "My dream for the future?" She looked at the monument behind Kakashi. "I'll be the greatest Hokage!" She yelled. "So that people respect me and treat me like I'm somebody, somebody important."
"A good goal, although there is a lot more to being Hokage than being powerful or being respected, you have to be able to protect every person in the village until your dying breath." Kakashi said and Naruko nodded. "Ok then Emo." Kakashi said and Sasuke glared at him.
"Sasuke Uchiha. I don't like anything and I hate a lot of things. I don't have a goal but an ambition, I am going to kill Itachi Uchiha and restore my clan to its previous status." Kakashi frowned and was about to speak up but Naruko beat him to it.
"Doesn't that seem kind of counter productive?" Sasuke's eyes flared with rage as he looked at her. "I mean, no offense, your goals are completely sane… I mean revenge isn't my cup of tea but… anyway… maybe killing someone from your clan isn't the way to go about restoring it. Just saying. That's like me killing everyone in this village so I can become Hokage, what's the point of being Kage if you have no village and no power? Plus, revenge is never a good thing, it leads to things like Orochimaru of the sennin or y'know… Itachi Uchiha." Sasuke was up in an instant, throwing a punch at her face.
Kakashi got in the way. He caught Sasuke's fist and twisted it behind his back. "Attacking your teammates is never a good thing Sasuke. Calm down before I have to hurt you." Kakashi said and Sasuke grunted.
"You don't know anything dobe! I have to kill him, to restore honor to the clan and avenge my parents!" Naruko didn't respond.
"Sensei, when's our next meeting?" Naruko asked.
"Tomorrow in the morning at dawn." Naruko nodded and she turned, walking away, leaving Sasuke, Kakashi, and Sakura to an awkward silence. "Dismissed I guess." Kakashi said and Sakura nodded, waiting for Sasuke. Sasuke turned and jumped off the roof after Kakashi let him go, landing on his feet and ducking into an alley to lose Sakura. He needed to blow off some steam and do some thinking.
Naruko walked through the town toward her home in a pretty decent mood, not mad and not too happy, but that soon changed remembering that she was going to be training today. She excitedly began to run and soon she arrived at her home. "Welcome home Naruko, eat then we'll begin. Also I would bring clothes that you don't care about, this is going to be intense." Naruko nodded and swallowed down a bowl of instant noodles before running out of the apartment toward the training field behind the hokage heads.
She re-summoned Amarath there and they began.
"What's the universal rule of the ninja?" Amarath asked and Naruko gave her a confused look. Amarath sighed and responded "What is one thing that all ninja do?" Naruko frowned. "All ninja take lives." Amarath said and Naruko slowly nodded with a serious look on her face. "You must be prepared to do this when the time comes, in this world, outside the village, it's kill or be killed."
Naruko's eyes widened as a tail slammed into her gut, shredding the mesh she had on her stomach and sending her flying back, coughing up blood. Naruko rolled to a halt on her back before slowly standing. "Come at me with the intent to kill Naruko." The fox said, getting into a ready position. Naruko nodded and ran at her, jumping and kicking down at her.
Once again the fox slammed into her gut and sent her back. "That's not attempting to kill! You're holding back!" Naruko stood up and dashed at her and punched at her face. The fox moved to the side and hit Naruko in the back with a tail, making her fly forward and slide on her face. Naruko stood with blood now trailing down her head. "You lack the urge to kill, the urge to harm me, you are coming at me like this is a spar, I told you to attempt to kill me! Are you even listening!?"
Naruko glared at her and pulled out a kunai, running at her and stabbing at her chest with all her might but the fox deflected her hand with her tail and headbutted Naruko softly, making her land on her butt. "Good, remember to always aim for the kill when fighting a real opponent Naruko, a moment of hesitation could lead to the death of yourself or a comrade. Now stand up, we are going to begin the taijutsu training. If I am correct you know the 'Shadow Clone Jutsu'?" Naruko nodded, standing back up.
"I want you to make ten clones and-" She sat down and a scroll appeared in her paws before she handed it to Naruko. "I want you to have those ten clones to go over the basic katas until you have it completely mastered. Begin, I will be supervising the entire time so no slacking." Naruko crossed her fingers and ten clones appeared.
Naruko yawned as she entered the training field. She sat down next to a nonchalant Sasuke. Sakura hadn't arrived yet. "Hey… about yesterday…" Naruko said and Sasuke seemed to stiffen up a bit. "I-I was out of line… your clan matters and honor are your own business and I have no right to give my input… I'm sorry." Sasuke just gave a 'hn'.
A couple minutes later Sakura arrived and they began waiting for Kakashi which actually didn't take long as Naruko had seemed to scare him the day before. Kakashi arrived and they all stood up. "Ok, so I know that all three of you are probably curious as to why I brought you to the field." Naruko nodded and Sasuke shrugged. Sakura just remained silent.
"I am testing you. Because you aren't actually officially genin yet, you have to pass my survival test first." Naruko frowned. Sasuke mimicked this and Sakura's jaw hit the floor. "You are to take these bells before noon." Kakashi said and he held up the bells. "You should come at me with the intent to kill." Naruko's eyes widened.
Before Kakashi could say anything else Naruko rushed him. She pulled out a kunai and his eyes widened. He avoided a stab and she spun, throwing a roundhouse at him. Kakashi caught her leg and turned to the other two. "Begin." He said with an unnoticeable smile under his mask. He threw her back and she landed with a glare focused on him. She rushed him and jumped, throwing the kunai at him. Kakashi caught the kunai and sheathed it in his own pouch as she descended toward him.
Kakashi slipped to the right to avoid a stab like jab with pointed fingers. Naruko then spun the opposite direction and kicked at his back. Kakashi ducked under the high kick and her eyes widened as he appeared behind her. "You shouldn't let your enemies get behind you." He said and he formed the tiger seal. Naruko quickly jumped away from him, throwing a volley of shuriken at him as she went.
Kakashi jumped back as well and she rushed at him again, she jabbed at his head and he went to dodge it but it was a fake and she caught him in the chest with three jabs to his abdomen. Kakashi felt a weird jolt go through his body with the jabs and his eyes widened. She was using chakra bursts. He couldn't let her get direct hits.
Kakashi parried a jab at his face, pushing it to the side with his forearm but as he looked at it she hit him in the chest. He jumped back and frowned at her under his mask. She was in an unfamiliar stance. She seemed a little robotic in the movements like she didn't completely have them down yet but she seemed to have the stances memorized. Like she had tried to master them in the last few days. He could also see the holes in her mesh and the blood and grass stains on her clothes. She had been training intensely the day before.
Naruko rushed him again and faked a kick that he went to block which she took advantage of, ducking and sweeping at his feet. Kakashi jumped over it and briefly got a flash of when he fought Obito as a kid. He grinned under his mask and jumped back. Throwing a kunai to the surprise of the two hiding ones.
Naruko watched in slow motion and slowly she reached up and caught it, redirecting it and throwing it back. Kakashi eyes widened and he leaned his head to dodged it. He lost sight of her for literally one second but that was just enough time for her to cross her fingers.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruko yelled and twenty of herself appeared, jumping in the air toward him. Kakashi sunk under the ground with his headhunter jutsu and came out by the water, already weaving through hand seals.
"Ninja Art Two: Ninjutsu. Water Release: Water Dragon Jutsu!" Kakashi yelled and a dragon came out of the water behind him, rushing at Naruko with a bubbly roar. Naruko's clones began to run and they were all consumed. Kakashi sighed and he realized that he was in fact standing on the water. He didn't even realize it, he was so caught up in the fight.
Kakashi looked around for Naruko and his eyes widened. "Wh-!" He was cut off as she burst up toward him from under the water, grabbing at the bells. Kakashi caught her hand and she twisted, throwing a kick at his head. Kakashi blocked it with his free forearm and twisted, throwing her away. She landed on the ground and she crossed her fingers again.
"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" She yelled and hundreds of herself appeared in the sky. Kakashi's eyes widened as they began to dive at him like bullets. He weaved through them, opening his eye under his headband, just to make sure as his reaction time would still be better. He closed it afterward and he raised his hand with a single digit.
"Ninja Art One: Taijutsu." He said and Naruko's eyes went cold as another Kakashi chopped the back of her neck. Naruko collapsed, falling to her knees. Kakashi jumped back to dodge a fireball and Sasuke jumped down, grabbing the falling Naruko and jumping away with Sakura in tow. They arrived on a branch hidden in the middle of the trees.
Sasuke shook Naruko awake and she frowned at him. "What happened?" Naruko asked and Sasuke smirked.
"I figured it out."
Kakashi stood waiting in the middle of the clearing. He was currently reading his book, Makeout Paradise. He put his book away, making a mental note of his page and he closed his eyes, listening to the atmosphere, hearing a twig snap. He turned his head toward the sound and it stopped immediately. Sakura's breathing hitched as Kakashi looked at her, it was like he knew exactly where she was. "Sakura. Remember the plan." Sasuke said and Sakura nodded, not wanting to disappoint her crush.
Sakura ran out and threw a kick at Kakashi which he effortless dodged and looked at her with a look that said. 'Are you serious?' Kakashi shook his head and she threw a punch that he caught and threw her over his shoulder. Sakura smirked to herself as a volley of shuriken came from both sides of the clearing and she turned into a log. Kakashi's eyes widened and he pulled out a kunai, carefully parrying every one of them. Sasuke came down on top of him with a kick that he caught and Sasuke twisted in his grip, throwing a punch at his face. Kakashi caught that hand as well but Sasuke continued his assault by twisting again and kicking at the top of his head with his other foot. Kakashi blocked it with his forearm but that left Sasuke in the perfect position for Sasuke to grab at his bells.
And he did. Kakashi threw him back, sliding back himself. Sasuke landed with a glare but it soon turned into a smirk. Kakashi was enveloped in a full nelson. Kakashi looked back and saw naruko was holding him. He looked back and Naruko was coming at him as well from the air. Kakashi shought quickly and he switched places with the clone behind him. Naruko punched it in the face and Kakashi sighed in relief as the bell rang, signifying the end of the test.
"And that signifies the end." Sakura hung her head and Naruko frowned. Sasuke's stare hardened. "It also signifies another thing." He said and he looked at the team with a harsh look. "You pass." He said and it took a moment to sink in. Naruko hit the floor with Sakura's jaw and Sasuke's glare turned into a happy smirk. "Team seven begins work tomorrow morning, meet me at the bridge by the hot springs at nine in the morning, don't be late." He said and he vanished.
"ALRIGHT!"
Naruko glared at Kakashi as he watched them pick weeds. "What the hell Kakashi-sensei! This isn't work! It's chores!" Kakashi chuckled.
AAAAAAND Thank you for reading this chapter. I enjoyed writing the test a lot. Next chapter will either begin the wave or a different C-Rank mission or it will begin a new arc altogether? Who knows.