The Tale of
Kotetsu
By
Robert J. Mosentoff
Chapter I
Kotetsu's Childhood
"Hey Kotetsu! Wanna join?" Shikamaru Nara a classmate of Kotetsu asked. "We could use an extra player!" Kotetsu looked at Shikamaru, he acted how he looked, he called everything a drag. A slacker, and rather irritating to Kotetsu, but Shikamaru was very smart, the smartest kid in the class.
"Sure." Kotetsu said running over to them. Shikamaru introduced him to the rest of the kids playing.
"That's Choji Akamichi," He pointed to a short, chubby, red-headed kid eating snacks. "Kiba Inuzuka," He moved to a kid with spiky brown hair and had a white dog on his head.
"And this is Akamaru!" Kiba said, Akamaru barked to make sure Kotetsu knew he was there.
"And finally that's Sasuke Uchiha." Sasuke didn't even look Kotetsu's way.
"It's nice to met all of you." Kotetsu said, "I'm Kotetsu." Kotetsu looked at Sasuke expecting him to say something but he didn't. Then he noticed someone hidden in the bushes.
"It's ok to come out." He said walking past Sasuke. "No one is going to hurt you." Then a yellow haired boy with what seemed like whiskers on his face walked out.
"Oh, hey Naruto." Shikamaru said, "Will you join us too?" Naruto gave a quick glance as Sasuke and then looked at Kotetsu.
"What's the matter with you?" He asked Kotetsu. "What's with your eyes? And your teeth?" Kotetsu felt his teeth with his tongue behind the cover of his lips.
"Well I was born like this. What's with the whiskers?"
"I was born like this." Kotetsu knew the reason why, and he knew Naruto knew the reason why Kotetsu had red eyes and sharp teeth.
"Your both such losers." Sasuke said turning his back at them.
"Why you-" Naruto was about to jump but Kotetsu stopped him. Then he turned to Sasuke.
"You shouldn't say things that may hurt other peoples feelings. After all, the three of us have no family to watch after us anymore." Sasuke gave a sharp glance.
"I'm going." He said then walked away.
"What a drag." Shikamaru said rubbing the back of his head. "Well at least we have the right amount of players. Let's get the game started."
They played games for a few hours until the sun showered the village in a ray of orange and red. Shikamaru, Choji, and Kiba's parents came and picked them up. Naruto and Kotetsu were left alone.
"Well Kotetsu, where are you going next?" Naruto asked as they walked down the dim streets of Konaha. "I live in a apartment thanks to old man Hokage. Where do you live?"
"Don't worry about me, you should get home. It's getting late." Naruto nodded and smiled,
"Well then see you tomorrow at the academy." He said waving as he hurried into his room. Kotetsu smiled until Naruto was gone, then he sighed and walked away. He approached the Hyuga clan's part of town. Neji Hyuga and Hinata Hyuga were sitting outside the walls. They saw him approaching and stared at him.
He smiled and waved at the two, then Hinata's father walked out.
"Get out of here!" He shouted taking a fighting stance. "I will not allow you to hurt my daughter!" Neji stood up and urged for Hinata to get up and come with him but she walked towards Kotetsu. He fell to one knee and bowed his head.
"Lady Hinata, I am sorry if I caused you any disrespect. I am sorry." Her father kept a close eye on him with his Byakygan ready. But was impressed with his formality.
"Um...please, you can stand." She said timidly.
"No, I do not deserve your kindness. After all I am just a burden to the village."
"Please...c-come inside." She put a hand on his shoulder and he looked up at her. "You have been by here every day for a while and...well...I know you have no place to stay, and we have plenty of rooms. Right father?"
He gave Kotetsu a nasty look and Kotetsu put his head back down.
"Please sir, forgive me for bothering you." Then he ran in the direction he was heading. Hinata watched as he turned down and alley and vanished from sight. Her father walked up to her and grabbed her arm.
"Don't interact with him in any way. He's dangerous." Then they went into the safety of the Hyuga walls. Kotetsu stopped running once he had rounded into the alley and walked. His black hair hung past his eyes and covered the tears until they rolled down his cheeks.
"This monster..." He said holding his chest. "It's the source of all of my problems." He walked to the lake and saw Sasuke sitting on the docks. The sun had set a while ago and he knew Sasuke had a place to sleep. He approached him,
"What do you want freak?" Sasuke asked knowing who it was by the shadow Kotetsu cast on the lake from the lights behind them.
"Sorry, I don't mean to be a pest but your sitting on my bed." He said, Sasuke chuckled a bit then smiled for a second.
"That's a good one. Now what do you want?" A sharp pain shot through Kotetsu's heart.
"I'm serious, this is where I sleep. I have no home to go to." Sasuke stopped smiling,
"Stop joking around, where's your apartment?" Kotetsu didn't answer but just pointed to the deck he was sitting on, "You're not joking are you?"
"No, I'm not. Please don't tell anyone in school, I don't want to bother anyone with a extra mouth."
"But you have no pillows, who do you get food? What if it's cold?"
"Thanks for the concern but, those things don't bother me too much. Now you should get to bed, we have a big day tomorrow." Sasuke was about to say something but Kotetsu shook his head, Sasuke knew nothing he could say would get through, so he got up and left. Kotetsu laid down on the most soggy part of the deck and went to sleep.
"He's dangerous." Those two words echoed throughout Kotetsu's nightmares the entire night, he dreamed he fell into a pool of sorrow and was drowning in his own misery. Then a splash of water hit him and he woke up in the lake. He coughed up some water and stood up, he looked at his clothes. They were soaked completely, he sighed and then looked around to make sure no one was watching. When he was sure he was alone he decided to do it. His shirt seemed to unfold off his body and change form. It went from a soft cloth to cold scaly wings that extended to their full length, two of him could fit if he stood on his shoulders.
Patterns crawled up his stomach and chest and ended at his eyes. Then his regular irises were replaced with slits. He folded his wings and walked out of the lake. A tail swung from behind him it moved free from it's bones but strong enough to snap them. He breathed in and then sighed and a small puff of fire escaped his mouth. He stretched and yawned a forked tongue darted in and out tasting the air. He flapped his wings and flew onto the deck. The claws extruding from his toes clicked at they landed on the wood. He smelled something, he looked around with his heightened senses and located the source of the smell. It was a rabbit that hopped along quickly. Then he decided to go for a fly, he took a few steps back and sprinted towards the water. He pushed off the wood with all his might and flapped his wings. He wobbled for a second then gained his balance. He chuckled then flew higher into the night sky.
He circled higher and higher until he could see the entire village. He noticed the sun was starting to rise and descended, he returned to the dock within minutes. He checked the area from a height that made him look like a hawk and saw no one. Then he slowed and landed on the docks. His pants were fully dry now, he felt happy and free when he flew. He turned his wings and tail into his shirt and the tattoos vanished, his eyes returned to normal and his claws were normal fingernails.
He sat on the docks for a few minutes before falling back to sleep. He woke up to something poking him in the back. He rolled over and looked at the culprit.
"Hey." A soft and girlie voice said, "Where's Sasuke?" It was Sakura Haruno. One of many of Sasuke's devoted followers.
"He's at home I guess." Kotetsu said irritably, then rolled back over and closed his eyes. Then the poking continued.
"What is it?" He asked,
"Why are you sleeping out here?" She asked, "Where's your parents?"
"Sakura!" A deep and manly voice boomed over the silent lake scaring the crickets and their sweet lullaby away, "Get away from him!" Kotetsu sat up just in time to receive a kick to the stomach that sent him flying into the lake. "Are you ok? He didn't hurt you did he?"
"I'm fine father, I was asking him why he was out here." Kotetsu broke the surface of the water gasping for air, he slowly swam back to shore and collapsed on the sand. But not before emptying his stomach of what little was in there, then he coughed up blood and lake water but mostly blood.
"He's a monster, he doesn't deserve a house." Sakura's father said picking her up and walking over to Kotetsu.
"If you ever talk to my daughter again, next time I'll be worst." he then kicked sand in he face and walked away with Sakura looking at him with confusion. Then the sound of feet landing on the street kept Kotetsu conscious, he looked up and saw the Anbu Black Ops standing around Sakura and her father.
A ringing in his ears kept him from hearing but Sakura was put on the ground and her father was shouting at the leader who had spiky gray hair, but Kotetsu knew he wasn't old. Then her father was arrested and Sakura was probably taken to her home with two Anbu escorting her. Two others took her father away while the leader waked up to Kotetsu. His hearing had returned to him but he still couldn't see strait or stand.
"I am Kakashi Hatake, leader of Anbu Black Ops division 12. Are you ok?" he help Kotetsu up and supported him, "You're beat up pretty bad, let's take you to the Hyuga Clan for their ointment." Kotetsu was about to protest but he only ended up coughing up more blood.
Kakashi carried him to the Hyuga clan, he knocked on the gates and Hinata's father answered,
"Why hello Kakashi, why are you here?" He looked at Kotetsu who had blood all over his chin. "What is he doing here?"
"Koanda assaulted him after a night of drinking and he needs your medical treatment. We'll happily pay for his fees and compensate for any losses, but I don't think some ointment and a place to sleep for a bit wont hurt huh?" He clenched his fists but did nothing.
"He'll be able to go to the academy today but just heal him and let him rest in a warm bed."
"Of course, right this way." He said stepping to the side to let them in. Kakashi nodded and walked in. Kotetsu didn't look up at him, once they entered Hinata could be seen trying to hide behind a corner but she revealed herself,
"Is he going to be alright?" She asked.
"Yes, so long as he has you to watch over him." Kakashi said Hinata gave a slight nod and followed. Kakashi set him on the healing table. Two other Hyuga clan members and Neji appeared, the two to help heal, Neji to watch over Hinata. Kakashi was there to watch the two clam members heal and set Kotetsu in a room. Hinata was there the entire time. Neji and her father left when they started healing him, but he did complain about Kotetsu being a waste of resources.
"I hope you'll be better to attend the academy's graduation ceremony tomorrow."
"I feel better already." He said, Kakashi nodded and left. Kotetsu turned to Hinata, "Lady Hinata, you do not have to worry over someone like me, get some rest and prepare for the ceremony tomorrow.
"But um...i want to watch out for you, Kotetsu...after all...you are very nice."
"Why thank you Lady Hinata." Kotetsu closed his eyes and rested,
"Lady Hinata?"
"Y-Yes Kotetsu?"
"Can you get me another blanket?"
"We're out, I'm sorry."
"Ok, then never mind." Kotetsu closed his eyes and fell asleep almost instantly due to the medicine's effect. He dreamed his favorite dream, he was standing high over the Hidden Leaf Village wearing the robes of Hokage, with everyone respecting him and accepting him for him, both sides of him.
Kotetsu opened his eyes and felt warm. He looked but their was only the sliver of a torn old blanket they had gave him earlier. He looked behind him and Lady Hinata was sleeping next to him.
He quickly rolled out of bed and bowed,
"I'm so sorry my lady, if you had just asked I would have slept on the floor." Hinata sat up and her face was red,
"You were so cold when I touched our arm it was like touching ice. And we have no other blankets to I..um...shared with you..." Kotetsu's face went red and hot.
"T-Thank you Lady Hinata." Kotetsu noticed there was a spare change of clothes by the bed, he picked them up and a note fell out.
"These are for you, hope to see you graduate."
Kakashi Kotetsu smiled.
"Thank you Kakashi." Kotetsu moved behind the changing wall and switched his pants and shoes, he changed the appearance of his wings and wrapped around his body to make it look like that he switched shirts, he threw his old clothes in the trash. He walked from behind the wall and stood in Hinata's view.
"How do I look?" He asked looking at himself. Hinata smiled and clapped,
"You look great." Kotetsu blushed and felt his stomach. It no longer hurt and he felt fine,
"Hinata! Wake that trash up and make sure your not late because of him!" Her father's voice boomed throughout the house. There was a knock at the door and Neji entered.
"It's time for you to get ready my lady." He said stepping to the side to let her out. She nodded slightly and went for the door. She stopped outside then looked back at him, she smiled as Neji closed the door leaving him alone with Neji. They glared at each other until Kotetsu broke it.
"I thank you and your family for this hospitality, I know I am nothing more than scum and I do not know how to repay you." He bowed, Neji was not impressed in the least bit.
"I know your scum, it is your destiny to remain scum until the day you die." He kept a close gaze on him,
"I'm so sorry to speak back to you but I beg to differ." Kotetsu said raising his head and looking at Neji. "I do not believe in destiny, I believe anyone can change their fate with will and hard work. I will become Hokage one day and then I will show everyone."
Neji gave a ignorant laugh,
"That's more garbage than you," He stopped laughing and Kotetsu stood up. "You will live in the piles of heap in the Villages allies and streets, even the notion of you being Hokage is enough to label you as a traitor and kill you. Count yourself luck that you are able to even gaze at the Hyugas."
Kotetsu simply smiled at Neji,
"I'm glad you believe that, it's good to have goals and expectations for yourself and the people you see. I'm sorry, you were right. I did not want to be Hokage. I've been hanging around with Naruto a bit too much. Do you want to hear my real goal?"
Neji looked away and smiled,
"Why, even talking to you makes me feel dirty. Your goal is not even worth a slugs time."
"Well, if you don't want to hear I won't tell you." Kotetsu smiled and the door opened, Hinata stood there in her clothes ready for school.
"O-Okay, lets go."
"I'm coming lady Hinata." Neji said,
"I was talking to Kotetsu...Neji." He froze mid step, "He promised if he felt better he'd walk me, I know how you complain about me being so slow, so you can be as fast as you like. Don't worry he wont let me be late." Kotetsu walked past Neji and out the door with Hinata. Neji clenched a fist and scowled.
"You...you..." He looked up and ran out the door. He ran out the gates and looked down the street, he saw Kotetsu and Hinata talking, then Hinata laughed. Neji charged at Kotetsu and tackled him to the ground, people near by gasped and moved.
"You!" Neji said, he pulled a fist back and hit Kotetsu across the face. "You! You!" He repeated. "You are nothing! You are worthless! You are a monster! You are garbage! You have no family! You are scum! You must die!" Neji shouted throwing a blow with every after ever insult.
"Neji stop!" Hinata shouted, he ignored her, then Hinata slapped Neji across the face. He fell to the ground in shock, Kotetsu was bleeding from the corners of his mouth and from two cuts on each side of his face. Hinata helped him up,
"Are you ok Kotetsu?" He spit blood out his mouth and wiped what was away from his lips.
"I'm bleeding but used to the pain. Otherwise I'm fine." Hinata was on the verge of tears, she looked at Neji with disappointment and anger, she grabbed Kotetsu's arm and lead him towards the academy. Neji sat on the ground in shock holding his cheek.
"You have to see the nurse." Hinata said as they entered the academy, "Come on, she's this way."
"I'm fine Hinata, I'm a quick healer."
"But it looks bad." She said in protest,
"I just need some ointment, do you have any?" She nodded and pulled some out of her jacket pocket.
"Get on your knees, I'll apply it." He did as she said and got on his knees. He want from looking at her hairline to her stomach. She bent down and put the ointment on his cut on his face and lips. "T-There, anything in our mouth will need to heal on it's own."
"I feel better already, thanks."
"Hey Hinata! Kotetsu!" Naruto said walking up to them, "How's it hanging?" He looked at Kotetsu, "Oh man what happened to you? You look worst then usual." He laughed and so did Kotetsu.
"Neji Hyuga attacked me for walking Hinata today. I'm sleeping in the Hyuga Clan's house for a bit."
"That Neji..." Naruto said clenching his fists. "He thinks he's better then me and you. Let show him a thing or two!" Kotetsu put a hand on his arm,
"Don't worry about it, lets get to class before we miss it!" He turned to Hinata and grabbed her hand. "We can't miss graduation!" They started running down the halls and into their class.
"Sorry we're late Iruka sensei!" Naruto said, "Hope we're not late."
"Ah, Naruto and Kotetsu. And Miss. Hinata as well? You two shouldn't make other people late as well."
"I'll take the blame for the both of them Iruka sensei." Kotetsu said, "But can we still take the graduation exam?"
"You can, we were just about to start. Take your seats."
"It won't matter , their just gonna fail!" a kid shouted from the sea of kids.
"The never pass! This is their third time!" another said, they left Hinata at the front of the class so she could take hers seeing she was the smartest in the class and she was first. Her and Iruka headed into the other room where all of the other teachers were and the door closed behind them.
"Losers!" They said,
"Freaks!" another shouted. They ignored all of them and sat in their seats. Kotetsu sat next to Naruto on his left and Shino Aburame on his right. Sakura Haruno was on Naruto left and Sasuke was next to Sakura.
"You pass." Iruka said, Hinata looked up to Kotetsu and smiled, he gave a thumbs up and she headed to her seat. "Ok, next is...Sasuke Uchiha."
Iruka went down the list of kids who were ahead of Kotetsu and Naruto which was all of them, after most of the day had gone by finally the two of them were called in together.
They received more insults as they entered the room.
"Ok, who's going first?"
"Me." Naruto said stepping up Kotetsu sad down in a chair next to the door.
"Ok Naruto, you know what to do." Iruka said sitting down next to the other teachers. Naruto looked back at Kotetsu who smiled and then back and the line of teachers.
"Clone Jutsu!" He said crossing his fingers. There was a puff of smoke and a Naruto look alike laid on the floor pale while and on the verge of death. It vanished in a instant leaving Naruto alone again.
"Sorry Naruto, but you fail again for the third time." Kotetsu stood up and walked to the teachers as Naruto sat down on shame. Mizuki, the teacher on Iruka's left watched carefully.
"Clone Jutsu!" He said, his results were the same as Naruto's. A pale imitation appeared and vanished.
"You fail as well Kotetsu." Iruka said getting up and opening the door. Naruto and Kotetsu walked out with their head down, the kids laughed and mocked. Then the bell rang and they left. Naruto and Kotetsu head strait for the tree with a swing set outside the doors. Naruto sat on the swing and Kotetsu leaned up against the tree. The other kids were greeted by their parents and received oceans of praise and glory while Kotetsu and Naruto sat in the shadow of the tree and their fellow classmates,
"Are those the two that didn't graduate?" A parent asked,
"Yeah, one has the fox and the other has the dragon."
"Good thing too."
"Freaks."
Kotetsu and Naruto had enough, they got up and left. They headed to the top of the Mountain of Hokages and laid on top of the Thirds head. They didn't say a word, they just looked up at the sky in silence. The sun was setting bathing them in rays of orange and yellow. Then Mizuki approached them.
"Hey guys." He said waving, they didn't bother to look over at him, "Look, I'm sorry you didn't pass." They still looked into the twilight sky but listened. "But I know a way that you can."
They finally sat up and looked at him.
"It involves breaking into the Hokage's mansion though." Kotetsu looked at Naruto and Naruto nodded,
"Good," Mizuki said, "Here's what you have to do..."
"Ok Lord Hokage," Iruka said, "I'll go to the graduates and tell them."
"Thank you Iruka." The Third Lord Hokage said, "That is all." Iruka left and then he yawed, "It's time for bed." He blew out the candle to the room and left.
"If we're going to do it, we need to do it now." Kotetsu said,
"Yeah, lets go." They jumped out of the tree and landed on the Hokage's window stand. Kotetsu picked the lock and Naruto jumped in.
"Hurry!" Kotetsu whispered.
"Got it!" He said jumping out the window with a massive scroll in his arms. Kotetsu closed and locked the window and followed Naruto. They went to the forest and opened the scroll.
"Wow," Naruto said, "This is the next level of the Clone Jutsu. The Shadow Clone Jutsu. If we learn this we'll defiantly graduate!"
"You first." Kotetsu said he looked back at the Village and then back at Naruto. "I have to go."
"But if we don't learn this we'll never graduate!" Naruto said,
"I know but...I'm living with the Hyugas now and...well..."
"You like Hinata don't you?" Kotetsu's face went red,
"N-No, I don't!"
"You do, you like Hinata Hyuga! You don't want her to worry about you!"
"That's not true! I'll stay here and prove it!" Naruto gave a cheesy smile and went back to reading the scroll. He read it for five minutes,
"Ok, im ready!" He said, "Read me the hand signs and how to make my chakra flow." Kotetsu smiled and read him what to do. Naruto did it and a clone came into existence but it was sick and pale like all the other times. Then it vanished.
"Damn, so close. One more time Kotetsu!" He nodded and read it again. Naruto tried it again, and again the same results. "Again!" Naruto demanded, Kotetsu did and this time the clone wasn't pale or sick looking, it looked like Naruto did now, almost solid even.
"Wow, that's pretty cool." Kotetsu said poking the clone, his finger didn't go through it and the clone said,
"Ouch, hey watch it with that claw of a finger of yours Kotetsu!" They both jumped back, Kotetsu looked at Naruto,
"Shadow Clone Jutsu..." Then the clone vanished and Naruto fell to one knee.
"You've used a lot of chakra." Kotetsu said helping him,
"Well done you two," Mizuki said, "You've got the scroll, now hand it over."
"But what about us graduating?" Naruto asked,
"A lie to get you two nitwits to get the scroll for me," He pulled a giant shurikin off his back and spin it, "And do us all a favor and die!" He threw the shurikin at them, they flinched and braced for it to hit. But it never came, they looked up and Iruka had jumped in front of them and stopped it.
"Iruka?" Mizuki said in shock.
"Iruka sensei!"
"Kotetsu, Naruto, take the scroll and run!" Iruka shouted pulling the shurikin out of his back,
"But Iruka-"
"No buts Kotetsu, run!" They grabbed the scroll and did as he said,
"So I'll have to go through you first, big deal." Mizuki said, "A Demon Fox and a Dragon Demon, what a odd pair of freaks to protect Iruka. You know the just used the scroll to gain more power. And now they Fox and Dragon will be unstoppable unless we kill them."
Iruka said nothing, he stood there looking at the ground, then he looked up at Mizuki and said,
"Yeah… the Demon Fox would use the power of the scroll to do whatever it wanted…but Naruto is different. I've acknowledged him as…one of my excellent students. He may not be the hardest worker…and he is clumsy and no one accepts him…but he already knows what it is to feel pain inside your heart. He isn't the Demon Fox. He is a member of the Konohagakure. He's Naruto Uzumaki!" Kotetsu looked over at Naruto and he was in tears.
"And Kotetsu my be the Dragon Demon, but he shows so much promise as a great shinobi that I believe and obstacle in his way will be obliterated, sure he's like Naruto, a little socially awkward, secluded, and keeps to himself, but those two will never be stopped so long as they keep to their ninja way! Kotetsu will become a great leader one day, and when that day comes he will be the most powerful ninja this world has and will ever see!"
Kotetsu wiped tears from his eyes as well and put a hand on Naruto's shoulder, he made his decision and he knew Naruto had the same thing in mind.
"Look at that, poor little orphan Iruka protecting two poor little orphan monsters. How pathetic." Mizuki pulled a second shurikin off his back. "First I'll kill you then the two demons."
Before he threw Naruto kicked him in the face and the shurikin went flying into the woods.
"Don't you ever lay a hand on my sensei ever again." Naruto said, a very eerie and ominous chakra surrounded him, only rivaled by Kotetsu's.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu." Naruto said, then 100 clones appeared in a cloud of smoke. "Because I'll pay it back 100 fold!"
"And don't count me out." Kotetsu said, "You should worry more about me than Naruto." Then Kotetsu stated weaving hand signs. Boar, Dog, Horse, Serpent, Dragon, Money, Ox, Hare, Tiger. There were two that neither Mizuki, Iruka, or Naruto have seen before between Dog and Horse. "Behold the power of the Dragon Demon! Dragon Style: Winged Nightmare!" Naruto and his clones jumped forward at Mizuki and so did Kotetsu.
"NOO!" Mizuki shouted.
Once every clone got a hit in and Kotetsu did his damage the clones vanished. Mizuki lay bloodied and beaten on the ground. Kotetsu returned back his normal human form.
"Kotetsu," Iruka started to ask, "What was that?"
"Yeah, can you teach it to me?" Naruto asked excitedly, Iruka hit him on the head,
"You numbskull! This is serious. I've never seen that jutsu or two of the hand signs before. What was it?"
"Oh that, it's my Kekei Genkai. My clan, the Isvalian Clan. Were a clan devoted to the study of possibilities, the greatest breakthrough is shape shifting. They tested it on newborn babies, I was the only survivor. And having the Demon inside me, made me even more powerful. As for the hand signs, they were from my clan as well."
"Y-You're from the Isvalian clan?!" Iruka stammered. "They clan died out about the same time as the Uchihas. But they were in the Village Hidden in the Sand."
"They were, but...when they were all killed off I fled. I hid in a wagon headed here and never looked back. There was one other survivor though, his name is-"
"There over here!" A voice shouted, "I found the two and Iruka is with them!"
Iruka smiled and tapped on their shoulders.
"Naruto take this." he said handing his a leaf ninja headband. "I'd give you one Kotetsu but I don't carry them." They looked and his headband was missing. Naruto jumped on him and hugged him,
"It's ok Iruka sensei, I don't like headbands anyway." Kotetsu said, "I's prefer one around my neck." There was some rustling in the treetops and then Konaha ninjas appeared,
"Tell the Hokage we've found them and send for a medic squad!" The ninja said, Iruka smiled at them and patted their heads.
"You two have proved to me that you will become powerful Shinobi. I trust the future to you two." Kotetsu and Naruto grinned.
"Don't worry Iruka sensei, I promise to protect everyone!" Kotetsu said,
"And I'll become Hokage to double that!" Naruto said.