Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story
It all started when I was around eight, my earliest memories are of her. She was the first to show me any kindness, she thought I was just like any other boy our age, and treated me as such, which I appreciated more than she could ever understand.
So, there she was, the most beautiful girl I had ever seen and she was smiling at me. But, why would anyone smile at me? All I could recall were frowns and glares headed my way, and that is what I had come to understand as normal. This girl, though, with golden hair that shimmered more beautifully than any metal or gem and cerulean eyes that bore into my soul and saw me for what I was rather than what everyone wanted me to be.
I didn't get it then, but I understand why everyone hated me now. Humans, by nature, look for something to blame rather than leaving things up to chance. This is why all the villagers hated me, because I now contained the monster that killed their kin and destroyed their homes, who stole their protector, their hokage from them. But I'm getting a bit ahead of myself now, back to the story of the girl, that's what was really important to me, not stupid villagers and their primitive ways of thinking.
She was right in front of me, and she knew me in that instant, she saw the real me and didn't turn and run from me. She smiled at me and my heart left me in that moment, and became hers right then and there. I knew at that moment that there was no point in fighting it, because she would always be the first to make me feel that way, like I was normal and wanted. She turned and left a couple minutes after we first looked at one another, her friends were calling her over. That's when I first heard that sweet name, Ino-chan. That name stuck with me and engraved itself on my heart and her face behind my eyelids, every time I closed my eyes I saw her and I'd start smiling, despite the pain I felt from everyone's hatred of me.
I started attending the academy the next day, as old man hokage asked me to, and I saw her again in all her glory. She was laughing, a beautiful smile dancing in her eyes as her pink haired friend stood by her side. She turned toward me and smiled once more, only she wasn't looking at me, but passed me, just over my shoulder at the child who has been talked about a lot lately, Uchiha Sasuke. He looked angry and sad, yet all the girls stared at him and watched his every move.
Upon this realization, I also realized that I had no friends and I had to sit on my own on the first day, which is never a good indication as to the overall experience of a class. I spent the whole class period secretly staring at her, trying to learn something about her. All I learned was that she did the same, only her target was also every other girls'.
That day I walked home by myself. Big mistake. I was brutally beaten by some genin and left in the street, no one caring to help me up or stop them. I had to pick myself up am hour later and stumble the rest of the way home. That instance taught me that the people of Konoha need a monster to hate in order to grow, and I will continue to fight on so they don't die out and get left behind by the world. Not like I was by my parents, as far as I knew they just abandoned me once they realized what the Yondaime did to me by sealing the Kyuubi inside me. I was a sacrificial lamb and a scapegoat for the village after that day in every meaning of the phrases.
I knew, even at the young age of eight, that I had to endure the pain and give them the best of me, I had to hide behind a smile even when all they give me is a cutting insult or a knife itself. I gave up on seeking Ino-chan's heart, but I always looked after her. I secretly walked her home, unbeknownst to her, of course, and I practiced my stealth in that way while I distracted known rapists and murderers from her by offering up myself as their punching bag. I always watched her, cared for her, and took care of her when she needed it. She might've thought me a guardian angel if she knew about me even being there, but I didn't give her the chance to determine whether I was a protector or stalker.
The next notable memory is the team selection day, I was paired with Ino-chan's ex best friend and her crush, which, speaking of crushes, delivered a blow such as one that would break every one of my ribs and cause them to pierce my lungs and heart, which I had already experienced at the hands of drunk ANBU on my tenth birthday. She was so disappointed and I was too, underneath my excited scream and grin was a broken heart longing for the acceptance that only she could give. I pretended to be ecstatic about the pairings and fooled everyone, I even made myself think, on some small level, that I was happy about it.
I not only pretended to be happy all the time, but also hopelessly behind In my skills of taijutsu, ninjutsu, genjutsu, and all other important fields for ninja. I pretended to be the lowest of the low in order to allow the villagers their revenge that they deserved on the Fox, despite my body's attempts to stop me from just taking their rage. I knew that they would know something was up if I didn't act like a happy go lucky idiot, and I didn't want their suspicions to go to the daimyo and they have no choice but to kill me. That wouldn't solve anything, but a short term problem of the villagers' hatred of myself and my existence, but another would arise soon afterward. I couldn't allow anyone else to have to endure what was my battle, my struggle to survive a miserable life of hate and loneliness.
The next significant memory in regards to this story comes when she breached my walls, she entered my mind. I was told she was dared to by a friend of the family. I guess her family must've been extremely important to her if she would approach me, the "demon brat." Anyway, she got inside and I couldn't do anything about it. We'll pick up there, I guess, there isn't much of a better spot to begin such a twisted tale as the beginning.
There I stood, in my innermost corner of my mind, cowering in my eight year old form as she approached. I hadn't let anyone in and didn't intend to at any point in my life, as it seemed an unlikely possibility, and was afraid of what she would say once she saw the real me.
"What are you doing, Naruto?", she asked as she closed the distance between us. I simply let myself fall back into the corner further and suddenly, I couldn't hold the cage back any longer and the Kyuubi forced himself into our current room, grinning menacingly at her. She narrowed her eyes at him and stopped her advance.
He liked that a bit too much. "So, you're the brat's", is all he can get out before I yell at the top of my lungs for him to shut up or I would tighten his cage again. He did for a moment, but soon found playing with us more amusing.
"Are you frightened now that you've found out the brat's secret? He holds the beast that wreaked so much havoc on your precious little village and has power beyond your wildest dreams because of it", he said, pausing for a moment before continuing his speech. "You know he's protected you, don't you? All he's ever done has been for you and the village that hates him so very much. No matter what you said and did, he always protected you from the scum of the village, even on your missions. He was always watching over you, ensuring your safety above his and especially above his own happiness. He has only ever wanted you to be safe and happy, ever since you were but little children. He would never tell you and he especially would never expect anything in return for his service", he smirked and I simply looked at the ground as she stood silently for a moment, confused and surprised, before she ran out of my mind, not once looking back.
That's the last time I saw her, she started avoiding me after that, but I have a feeling that would soon change. Things would soon be back to normal, but completely different. I have some training trip with Jiraiya-sama coming up very soon, and it should take somewhere around two and a half to three years before I return, so Ino-chan will either reveal my secret to all the others and I will become the demon I have been holding back all this time, or she will keep my secret if she realizes that I'm not what the adults and elders say I am.
Sorry for the multiple edits, guys. I couldn't quite get the end of the first chapter down right and there were a few typos due to me writing this on my iPad at first, but I fixed all I saw. Hopefully you all enjoyed it, and I will be coming back with more chapters. Thanks for your time and God bless.