Disclaimer: Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto.
Cover art artist can be found on pixiv id=6342903
Yeah, when they knock you down, down, down
Kid, you gotta stand up, stand up
Yeah, when they gotcha down, down, down
Gotta make your own luck, own luck
― The Cab, Stand Up
swing left, swing right
Chapter One
"Naruto!"
"Man, are you guys really ninja? 'Cuz this is pathetic!"
The blonde-haired girl threw a mocking smile over her shoulder as she weaved through civilian and ninja alike in an attempt to escape her pursuers, leaving a trail of red paint in her wake.
"How dare you demoralize the likeness of our great Hokage!" shrieked a particularly furious chunin who's red face couldn't entirely be blamed on his temper.
Guess that one got a real mouth full didn't he… the girl snickered, skillfully avoiding the paint that was spat in her direction.
However, something fierce like heat settled in the pit of her stomach at the remark – she couldn't just not say it; her entire being practically demanded it.
"Heh, remember the name Naruto Uzumaki then!" She tipped her grinning face up towards Konoha's blue sky, not giving a damn how loud her voice rose, "'Cuz I'm gonna be Hokage one day!"
She would never stop saying—screaming, shouting, singing—it until every single soul across all five of the Great Shinobi Nations and beyond acknowledged her prowess.
Believe it!
She skirted past the glares and whispers that threatened to whip at her skin with the intent to hurt—
Naruto's whiskered cheeks scrunched up with the sincerity of her smile; heart hammering against her chest as she peeked around the corner she had just dashed behind, completely enraptured in her game.
"Huh... it looks like you've lost them, eh Naruto?"
"Well, duh Iruka-sensei!" Naruto unconsciously replied to the familiar voice to her immediate right, puffing up her chest with pride. "I mean, what do you take me for? Some kind of amateur?"
Naruto stood shock-still as realization dawned upon her and slowly—cautiously—turned her head to face her doom only to find her sensei's livid face inches from hers.
She squawked as her body jerked backwards to land in a graceful heap as dusty dirt projected around her.
Iruka sighed and rubbed his temples in exasperation. This girl will be the death of me, he thought, somewhat fondly.
"Naruto," he chided.
Iruka-sensei was using that tone of voice, the one that even she couldn't ignore. Unfortunately.
Naruto peeked up from under her lopsided goggles at her sensei, wearing a sheepish smile. "Whatcha doin' here, Iruka-sensei?"
Iruka's face suddenly twisted, like he had tasted something unpleasant. "No, what are you doing here Naruto? I know you didn't forget that we're reviewing today!"
She was pouting, her bottom lip pushed out stubbornly.
Iruka quietly sighed again – the struggles of an academy teacher.
I guess it's time to use drastic measures!
Naruto caught the somewhat devious look that crossed his face and panicked, rapidly making haste in retreat. Not the rope! I hate the rope, she thought in desperation.
Iruka was well practiced with dealing with her shenanigans and was quick on the uptake, "Ooh, no you don't…!" he burst out, body already moving.
Iruka-sensei knew her too well.
Naruto was still pouting, her paint-stained face turned away from her classmates. It was undignified for the future Hokage to be captured like this!
"Hmph, you got lucky!" she grumbled, attempting to twist her arms free of her restraints.
Iruka stood in front of her with his arms crossed over his chunin vest, exasperation clear on his face.
"I'm reaching the end of my patience Naruto," he said, crouching down to be level with her. "You've already attempted this test multiple times... you need to take this more seriously."
Her eyes suddenly narrowed as she mumbled something into the collar of her orange jacket.
"Speak up," he commanded. His patience was running thin.
Naruto abruptly snapped her gaze to his, bright blue eyes sharp and heated, "I said, I am serious."
Iruka paused, then sighed as he carefully freed her from her containment. "Then show it," he replied simply.
Naruto grumpily dusted the dirt out of her spiky shoulder-length hair as she stood – not that it mattered with the paint but that she wore as a badge of pride.
Iruka-sensei turned away from her with a huff to address the rest of his students, "It's thanks to Naruto here that everyone will be repeating the review of the transformation jutsu, so line up!"
Groans could be heard throughout the room in response, many participants shooting annoyed glares in Naruto's direction. She stuck her tongue out at them as she took her place in line. They'll be working for me one day!
"Sakura Haruno!" Iruka read, clipboard in hand.
Said pink-haired girl stepped forward with determination in her eyes. "Here I go! Transform!"
Sakura formed the hand sign when suddenly, smoke engulfed her form – as it cleared, a perfect replica of Iruka-sensei could be found.
Maaan, Sakura-chan sure is amazing, Naruto thought in awe.
Iruka smiled slightly in approval, "Good job."
Sakura's long pink hair swayed from one side of her head to the other as she bounced with joy. "Did you see that Sasuke-kun? Did you see me?" she squealed, eyes practically sparkling with idolization.
Silence was her only response... in her defense, she only seemed slightly disappointed.
Naruto clenched her teeth – what an asshole!
"Sasuke Uchiha, you're up next."
This was met with hushed squeals and whispers as the boy stepped forward nonchalantly, inky-blue hair pushed to the side in a show of arrogance.
His hands formed the sign in expert fashion, not even bothering to verbally announce the jutsu.
Iruka gave the transformation a once over glance, writing a note on his clipboard. "Excellent," he praised. More girlish squeals could be heard, seemingly accepting this as proof of sasuke-kun's supposed superiority.
Naruto sneered at the bastard as he retreated back in line, as uncaring of all the attention he received as ever.
"Naruto Uzumaki!"
Several students used the announcement of her name as a chance to whine and complain – hmph, crybabies!
"Like I care," she grunted as she strutted forward with her hands in her pockets.
Suddenly, as she stood in front of her waiting sensei, she had an idea.
Naruto always had excellent ideas.
Iruka had a bad feeling as he watched a mischievous smile slowly stretch across Naruto's face. He was moments away from forming the words but it was already too late – she quickly formed the hand sign.
"Transform!"
Silence reigned as the smoke evaporated… because in the wake of Naruto's jutsu stood a shapely older woman, completely naked, twirling a long strand of blond hair between her fingers.
Iruka never stood a chance.
Her sensei went crashing backwards against the chalkboard, sputtering with a flushed beet-red face.
Naruto let the transformation drop as she pointed and laughed,
"Gotcha! That's my sexy jutsu!"
Just as quick as he went down, Iruka-sensei was up once again, flustered and furious, "STOP WITH THE GOOFING AROUND! THIS IS SERIOUS!"
Naruto's ears would be ringing for days.
It was totally worth it!
This sucks!
Naruto could be found scrubbing paint painstakingly slow from the faces of the Hokage Monument, with Iruka-sensei supervising from above.
The sun was beginning to set, a warm glow blanketing over the village. "I'm so bored!" she complained as she tipped her head back.
Iruka held his head between his hands as he watched Naruto robotically move the scrubbing brush across the aging stone.
"Less complaining, more cleaning," he answered with a roll of his eyes. "You're not leaving until every drop of paint is gone… better hurry before it gets dark."
He saw her lips twist slightly, "Not like I got anybody waitin' for me anyway," she muttered.
Iruka's stomach suddenly felt heavy, his heart clenching ever so slightly because... he knew what that felt like.
"Naruto," he called out.
"Whatdya want now, sensei?" she grumbled.
He couldn't help but smile fondly at her pouting face. "If you hurry, I'll treat you to some ramen."
Naruto's eyes widened comically, smile stretching as far as it could reach. "Really?! Yes!" Her scrubbing became more frantic, like a little buzzing bee.
Ramen!
The night air was cool against Naruto's sweaty skin after an eventful day. She had her slightly too big jacket rolled up to her elbows, goggles set to the side.
Naruto took a moment to simply inhale her steaming miso ramen before diving in with her chopsticks; nothing beat Ichiraku Ramen!
"Naruto?"
"Yeah?" she replied, not completely paying attention.
Iruka frowned before gently flicking her whiskered cheek, ignoring her loud squawk in protest as he continued, "Why do that to the Hokage faces... I mean, you know who the Hokage are don't you?"
Naruto stilled her hands – the question seemed kinda funny to her... not know who the Hokage are? That's just crazy!
Didn't he know she was gonna be Hokage one day?
She'll just have to say it more then! Because everyone should know – everyone will know.
Believe it.
"'Course I know," she smiled smugly into her warm jacket. "They were the greatest shinobi of their time, right? The best of the best?"
That's gonna be me, she promised. Absolutely nothing was going to stop her; she'll be treated like a somebody. Somebody important.
Everyone will see me.
"And the Fourth!" Naruto suddenly burst out, ramen bowl almost tipping over. "The Fourth Hokage was the most amazing, he saved the village from the Nine-Tailed Fox!"
The Fourth Hokage was her hero.
"Then, why did you..." Iruka trailed off, confused.
Naruto suddenly smiled – so wide that it looked like it hurt, "'Cause I'm going to be greater than any of them! Me! Naruto Uzumaki!"
She said this with such certainty that it took Iruka's breath away for a moment.
This girl really is something, he thought, a smile tugging at his lips.
"By the way," Naruto started shifting in her seat. "I kinda wanna ask a little favor sensei..."
"What? You want another bowl?" he asked, amused.
"Nah, not this time… I wanna try on your headband come on…! Please?" She blurted the words out in a rush, excitedly bouncing on her bar stool.
"Oh, this?" Iruka ran his thumb over the leaf insignia of his headband. "No way! You can only wear our village headband after you graduate from the academy and become a ninja."
Iruka-sensei's sly smirk made Naruto nervous.
"You've gotta pass the test tomorrow!" He laughed as he ruffled her hair.
"Stingy!"
Naruto had that warm feeling in the pit in her stomach that only ramen could bring as she stepped inside her dark apartment, her quiet footsteps the only greeting she received.
"Today was alright, I guess," she verbally replied.
"Tomorrow will be better," she promised herself before taking off her navy blue sandals and placing them by the door.
Naruto took care not to step on any empty ramen cups, spare kunai, or long forgotten homework as she dashed to the bathroom – the result of a face plant into that mess was never pretty.
After changing into her cotton pajamas, Naruto stood in front of her bathroom mirror glaring fiercely at her reflection.
"I will be a ninja!" she swore, eyes burning even brighter.
Being anything else was unthinkable.
Her walrus nightcap had no opinion on the matter… she took that as encouragement!
She nodded her head once in satisfaction before returning to the main room of her apartment.
She flipped off the lights, took a running start and jumped into bed. After getting comfortably settled she propped up her pillow against her open window, letting the cool breeze tickle her bangs.
"I will be Hokage," Naruto whispered to the stars, eyelids already beginning to flicker shut.
"The final exam will be on the cone jutsu!"
Naruto let her forehead hit the table with a hard thump, attracting annoyed glances from her closest classmates.
It just had to be clones, my absolute worst technique!
One after another students were called into the exam room, and one after the another they left with a shiny new forehead protector on their person.
...
She wasn't getting nervous or anything!
"Naruto Uzumaki!"
She slowly took a deep breath and exhaled before rising from her seat. I can do this!
She puffed up her chest arrogantly, footsteps never faltering as she followed Iruka-sensei into the exam room.
Naruto took position at the center of the room with her fists clenched at her sides, eyes staring defiantly ahead. Only when Irkua-sensei flashed his encouraging smile her way did she feel her erratic heartbeat slow to a more steady pace.
"Now, show us you can perform the clone jutsu," Mitsuki-sensei requested, tone neutral, if not slightly bored.
Naruto widened her stance, closed her eyes, and brought her hands together – just breathe, she told herself.
Suddenly she felt it; so much of it that it made her head spin. She put all she could into this single jutsu.
"Clone Jutsu!"
Then, a popping sound could be heard throughout the room. Naruto snapped her eyes open excitedly.
Did I do it...?!
She had already stared grinning before the smoke cleared—that headband is mine!—that is, until it finally did clear.
Her clone didn't resemble a person, let alone her; it looked sickly... and just plain wrong.
Naruto felt her stomach twist as she turned to face her instructors – maybe it'll be enough...?
She couldn't stand the look on Iruka-sensei's face: disappointment clear as day.
It stung at her skin like needles.
"You fail," Iruka stated plainly.
Naruto clenched her teeth together painfully, anger bleeding from her pores to her toes; not directed at anyone but herself.
"Maybe we could cut her a break Iruka," Mizuki suggested gently. "Her moves weren't horrible, and she did, in fact, replicate herself."
Naruto willed her fists to relax… maybe she wasn't a failure after all…!
However, that brief hope evaporated as quickly as it came.
"No," Iruka rejected sternly, his hands laced together on top of their table. "It's required for each student to duplicate at least three copies of themselves in order to pass."
"Naruto can only make one and look at it... It's pathetic."
He looked straight into her eyes, his tone tired and final:
"I can't in good faith pass you. I'm sorry."
Naruto bared her teeth in a show of defiance – she wasn't DONE!
Did they ever for one second believe that she could?
Her chest ached at the thought, and before she knew it her feet were already moving quick with adrenaline out of the suddenly claustrophobic room, passing by the lingering laughter of her classmates on her way out of the building.
"I'm so proud of you!"
"I'll make your favorite for dinner tonight, okay?"
"Man, that was easier that I thought it'd be!"
Naruto tightly clenched her fingers around the braided rope of the swing as she slowly rocked from side to side. She stared dully at the sight of family members and friends alike giving their congratulations to this year's graduates, the gentle breeze ruffling the bangs of her hair.
"See that girl?" murmured one particularly snobby looking mother to another, "I hear she was the only one who failed."
"Good riddance! It's that girl," spat the other in response. "I mean, just imagine what would happen if she became a ninja…"
Naruto was silent as she adjusted her goggles over her eyes, lips never so much as twitching.
Stop looking at me... with those eyes!
Naruto started violently when a hand suddenly shot out and gripped her shoulder tightly, the swing twisting along with her body.
Her gaze snapped to follow the stretch of pale skin that made up the person's arm, almost sickly in color… only to find Mizuki-sensei smiling down at her.
"Why don't we have a little chat, Naruto-chan?" he suggested with a casual gesture over his shoulder.
Naruto could still feel the sting of failure under her skin; she wanted to thumb her nose up at the academy instructor, tell him that she had better things to do.
But the lingering effect of those distrustful eyes wouldn't let her.
She obediently followed Mizuki as he lead her through the sluggish, late afternoon marketplace.
He brought her upon a balcony that had an amazing view of the setting sun; the village mood was almost tranquil after a busy day.
Mizuki sat with his legs hanging over the edge, motioning for Naruto to do that same.
She sulkily flopped herself down, her much shorter legs dangling limply over the streets bellow. Naruto glared at her sandaled feet.
"I know Iruka-sensei can be tough," Mizuki began, his voice soft to match the village, "But he's not against you."
Naruto gently kicked her feet in the air as she watched the villagers scurry from one place to another. Sometimes, it seemed like the whole world was against her.
She curled her lip up at the thought; whining never got you anywhere.
Naruto clenched her fists together inside her lap. "Then why… why only me?"
Mizuki's silver hair curtained his face, hiding it from view as the wind blew. It was starting to get chilly.
"He desperately wants you to be strong… but that will never happen if he's soft," he murmured, eyes on the setting sun. "He's like you, y'know?"
Naruto jerked her head up at that, curious despite herself.
Like me…?
"No parents, no family… he's an orphan, too."
She bit back her frustration, leaving only crippling disappointment in its wake. Naruto gripped the fabric of her jacket above her heart, clutching at herself like she was physically wounded.
"But this time I really wanted to graduate," she admitted quietly. She really, really did.
Mizuki breathed out a quiet laugh, his gaze fixated on the goggles strapped to her forehead. "I guess I'll have to tell you then, hm?"
Naruto felt her pulse quicken; no one ever told her anything.
"It's a secret but… I suppose I could let you in on it." He voice was silvery.
She was captivated by his words, attention completely focused on what he was weaving together for her.
"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu…?" Naruto quietly read out loud.
"Ugh, clones again?! I'm freakin' horrible at this jutsu!" She pressed the palm of her hand to her temple, rubbing at it furiously.
She sat cross-legged on the floor of the forest along the outskirts of the village, the scroll she had successfully stolen spread out across her lap.
Mizuki-sensei said I only had to learn one secret jutsu from this thing to become a ninja...
Naruto didn't know if there was a time limit to this test, or if she'd even be able to pull off attempting more than one technique from the scroll. She wasn't going to risk it! If she didn't succeed here…!
She shook her head fiercely – she didn't come this far just to chicken out at the last second!
I can do this!
She chanted this in her mind as she got to work.
Her breathing was strained as she tucked her head between her legs, hair damp with sweat plastered to her skin.
Naruto was grinning as she strapped the scroll to her back, feeling boneless.
The sound of approaching footsteps had her snapping her head up, her heartbeat still thumping like crazy.
"It's all over, Naruto!"
Iruka-sensei!
Her sensei hunched his shoulders until he was looming over her, grinning in triumph.
She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly with an awkward laugh. "Man, ya got me already? Not bad sensei, I only had time to learn one technique!"
Iruka couldn't keep the surprise from his face. She's been out here all this time practicing? I can tell how hard she's been working.
Naruto spread out her arms wide, gesturing frantically at Iruka, "Listen to this, sensei! Imma show you this amazing jutsu, and you're gonna let me graduate! That's how it works, right? Learn a jutsu from this scroll, then you pass!"
Iruka's eyes widened. "Where did you get an idea like that?"
"Mizuki-sensei told me about it! Where to find the scroll, this place…" Naruto trailed off abruptly, seeing how pale her sensei had become.
Iruka felt knots form in the pit of his stomach. Mizuki…? No! It can't be!
Naruto was about to open her mouth to demand her rightfully earned headband, when suddenly she was being roughly pushed to the side by Iruka, "Get down!"
Her body went sliding across the grass as she heard the telltale sound of kunai knives hitting their target; Iruka-sensei with his body pinned to the wooden wall by kunai digging into his flesh, blood staining his uniform.
"I see, so you found our little hideaway, hm?" Mizuki shadowed himself in the trees.
"So, that's how it is… I should have known!" Iruka clutched at his injured thigh.
Mizuki focused his gaze on her now, unhinged and slightly desperate, "Naruto! Give me the scroll now!"
"Hold on a minute! What's going on here!?" She shook her head from one sensei to the other, so confused, so lost.
Iruka pulled out the kunai that had been buried deep in his thigh, his breathing irregular. "Naruto, don't let Mizuki get that scroll! It contains forbidden jutsu that could put our village in danger!"
"He used you to get the scroll for himself!"
Naruto dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands; anxiety was flooding the area, nipping at the fine hairs on the back of her neck.
Mizuki's smile was sickeningly sweet as he held out his hand to her, "Iruka is just trying to scare you because he doesn't want you to have the scroll."
"Stop lying, Mizuki!" Iruka hissed.
"Oh," Mizuki's voice was suddenly breathless, "I'll tell you who's really lying."
Iruka felt a chill go down his spine.
"No!" he shouted, the blood inside his mouth spraying.
"They've been lying to you your whole life," he continued as if Iruka had never spoken, "Since the decree twelve years ago…"
"Decree? What… decree?" Naruto couldn't keep her voice from cracking, couldn't hide her desperation.
Mizuki wore a cruel smile like it was meant to be there, "Everyone knows except for you. Irukas' trying to hide it from you even now! He'd say anything to shut me up!"
"What's this decree? Why does everybody else know about it!?" Naruto demanded. She could feel fire lighting up her insides; something big was happening.
"Don't tell her! It's forbidden!" Iruka was screaming now, desperation clawing at his bones.
"The decree is no one call tell you that the Nine-Tailed Fox is inside you!" Mizuki couldn't contain his giddiness.
Naruto couldn't breathe; it was like someone had punched her in the gut.
What is this? What is happening?
"The fox-spirit that killed Iruka's parents, that destroyed our village… has taken over your body!"
She was grasping at herself again, hoping to find something to prove that she was real; that she was whole. She was shaking from the force of her own emotions.
"You are the Nine-Tailed Fox!"
"STOP IT!" Iruka was still screaming, his voice cracking with the force of it all – Naruto's fear whipped at his skin, so brutal that it made his head throb.
"They've all been sneaking around, hiding things from you your whole life!" Mizuki couldn't stop, didn't want to stop, "Didn't you think it was strange how they treated you? Like shit, like they hated you for just being alive!"
Naruto clutched at her ears; this isn't what she wanted, this was never what she wanted!
"No!" she screamed over and over and again, until fiery blue enclosed around her.
"That's why you will never be acknowledged in this village! Even your beloved sensei hates your guts!"
Iruka tightly clenched his eyes shut.
"Iruka, Naruto never had a mother or father to care for her," Lord Third was gentle with his words, "She's shut out of everything and doesn't know why. Most people won't even look at her."
"How would you feel if everywhere you went people turned their backs on you?" The Hokage's gaze was heavy, comforting. "That's why she gets into mischief; so people will notice her."
"It may not show, but she's always thinking about the family she doesn't have."
"She's hurting inside."
Mizuki gripped the giant metal shuriken with both hands from where it had been previously strapped to his back, throwing it with all his might. "Die, Naruto!"
Naruto had her hands over her head, eyes wide open as she pressed her face into the dirt under their feet. She heard the sound of the impact; a terrible, horrible sound that had her shuddering.
The forest was deadly silent following the aftermath.
Naruto twisted her body to gaze up at the shadow that had blanketed her— that had protected her. She couldn't tear her impossibly wide eyes away from this truth, because even if she did, the blood that dripped to stain her cheek would remain.
"Why…?" she whispered.
"Because we're the same," he said through pain-clenched teeth.
"When I lost my parents no one seemed to care. They didn't have time for me, they just forgot I was there. My grades dropped. I became the class clown."
"I just wanted them to see me; I wanted them to know my name," Iruka opened his eyes to gaze down at her.
"My schoolwork wasn't enough to get their attention, so I did stupid things."
"I know that's how you feel, Naruto." She stared up at him in wonder as tears filled his eyes.
"You're lonely and it hurts inside, isn't that right?"
Naruto was feeling so much, just so much of everything that could ever be.
"I'm so sorry, Naruto," Iruka whispered. "No one should have to suffer like that. No one should be alone like that."
Mizuki's childish laughter broke inside their bubble, "Don't make me laugh! Iruka always hated you... he was orphaned because the Nine-Tailed Fox killed his parents!"
"That being is inside of you… he'd say anything to get that scroll from you."
Something inside of her cracked, like maybe she was made of glass somewhere deep inside herself. Naruto scrambled to get away, choosing flight when the shame threatened to overwhelm her. Naruto's desperation was quick as she dashed away from the scene, disappearing into the trees.
"Naruto!" Iruka was screaming for her to come back, tears choking his throat.
But she couldn't— not when her body screamed at her to never stop moving. She was flying through the treetops, the leaves blurring into streaks of green as she literally threw herself forward with every push off thick branches.
Only when she felt she was far away enough did Naruto stop, her panic dropping slightly. She let her body slide down a trunk of the many trees that surrounded her. She wrapped herself around the scroll as she fought to catch her breath.
Is this the real deal? Am I really…
Something inside of her still ached terribly.
Naruto froze when she heard and felt the rumble of someone crash landing to the ground from above.
"How did you know, Naruto?" hissed the battered voice of Mizuki, "How did you know it was me and not Iruka?"
She wouldn't move, she wouldn't even peek.
"Because I'm Iruka," was the rather pleased sounding reply.
"You're a fool!" Mizuki barked. "Why are you protecting that freak? She's the one who wiped out your family!"
"I don't care what you say, you're not getting your hands on that scroll!" Iruka's voice held absolution.
"As if you could stop me!"
Naruto narrowed her eyes, gripping the scroll tighter against herself. Mizuki's voice was like a sickness that churned her stomach.
"Naruto is just like me."
"How do you figure that?" Iruka asked calmly.
"She wants the scroll for her own power and her own vengeance! That's just how beasts are!" So vile, so silvery that it made her want to vomit.
"You're right," Iruka agreed instantly.
Naruto bowed her head until her goggles slipped over her eyes. So, it is true… Iruka-sensei never truly believed in me.
"That is how beasts are…"
Naruto shakily opened her eyes when Iruka continued.
"But that's not who Naruto is!"
What is this?
"She's nothing like that. Naruto is one of a kind, works hard, puts her whole heart into it— sure, she messes up a lot and everyone jumps on her, but her suffering only makes her stronger." She could hear his soft smile as he spoke, healing what was broken inside of her.
Her whole body was shaking now, tears she couldn't contain blurring her vision.
"But that's what separates her from being a beast… So, you're wrong, she's nothing like the Nine-Tailed fox…"
"She's Naruto Uzumaki of the Village Hidden in the Leaves!"
Her tears flowed freely down her face in streams as she clenched her teeth against the tide of her emotions. She had never known a feeling like this in all her life; it burned a fire in her heart that was so bright, so full, that she was certain that it would never go out for the rest of her days.
Mizuki was silent as he stared at Iruka in disbelief. "You really believe in that bullshit? I was going to take you down later, but I've changed my mind!"
"You're finished!" He pulled out another giant shuriken from his back, twirling it with dangerous speed, before once again hurling towards a beaten Iruka.
She was out from behind the tree before anyone could so much as blink, her footing connecting to Mizuki's head with a satisfying crack, sending him flying.
Naruto?! Iruka's eyes widened.
"Not bad… for a little punk." Mizuki was panting for breath when he finally came to a full stop.
Naruto stood tall with the scroll firmly propped up with her hand.
When she spoke, her tone was low, threatening, her face as deadly serious as it's ever been:
"If you ever lay a hand on my sensei… I'll fucking kill you!"
Naruto was full of light, and she would never let anyone hurt Iruka-sensei.
"I could completely destroy you with a single move!" Mizuki was laughing, some of that hidden anger seeping into his voice.
"I dare ya to try it, asshole!" she mocked, bringing her forefingers up into cross. "I'll give it back to you a thousand-fold!"
"Show me what you can do, Nine-Tail Fox!" he screeched.
"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
She had never preformed a technique that felt as right as this one did.
Naruto… Iruka watched in amazed astonishment as literally hundreds of copies of Naruto filled the area. These aren't just images but actual clones! She's mastered an extremely advanced jutsu!
Mizuki stood in the middle of it all, panic completely taking over as he twisted his body in different directions. Naruto's shadow clones were all taunting at once: "What's the matter?" "C'mon!"
"If you're not comin'…" said one clone.
"We'll come to you!" grinned another.
All at once Naruto's army of clones created an attack pile on top of Misuki, his screams echoing across the night as he got an ass kickin' like none before!
Mizuki could be found bruised and beaten at Naruto's feet after she had dismissed her clones, not moving any time soon.
Naruto herself was standing over him rubbing the back of her head, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, I kinda got carried away."
"You okay, Iruka-sensei?" she asked worriedly. He was still slumped against a tree trunk.
"Yeah, I'm alright," he assured, silently observing her from where he sat. She's amazing! She wants to surpass all the previous Hokage…
And I'm starting to believe that she might just do it.
Iruka smiled gently at her. "Naruto, c'mere a minute. I've got something I want to give you."
He had her sit in front of the tree he had just vacated with her eyes shut tight. She could hear shuffling from behind her eyelids that made her ears twitch. She never could sit still for very long.
"Sensei, how much longer?" she whined impatiently.
"Alright, alright, you can open your eyes now." He was laughing.
She did just that, her eyes squinting against the newly risen sun that illuminated Iruka-sensei until he appeared to be glowing.
But something was missing.
"Congratulations, you graduate!"
Naruto felt her throat close up as she gazed at her sensei's bare forehead, while at the same time bringing up a shaking hand to touch the cool metal tied to her own. She ran her thumb over the leaf insignia.
"In celebration, we'll have ramen tonight, okay?" Iruka was looking at her with pride in his eyes.
Naruto tackled Iruka's midsection with such force that both of them fell backwards, her face nuzzling his stomach with her beaming smile.
"Thank you, Iruka-sensei! " She lifted her head up to look at him. "I'll make you proud!"
Thank you so much… for believing in me!