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This is a Challenge that I took from Dracohalo117.

This is not a SakuraXNaruto

Reviews and suggestions are welcome


Decision

Chapter One


A bundle of paper fell from the large barrel within the alleyway, stuck to a pair of ripped and dirty shorts that were considered useless to wealthy civilians. Crinkling objects and such could be heard from within the barrel as more items resumed being thrown out and into the small walkway. A tuft of bright blonde hair appeared from the opening within said barrel before it disappeared even deeper into the container.

A small sound of triumph was heard as the small figure found something worth keeping before it peaked over the edge of the barrel with wide eyes. The dim lighting caught brilliant blue orbs before they disappeared back into the barrel as the sound of light, running footsteps ran past his hiding place, followed by the sounds of heavier footsteps, tripping over perfectly flat ground, or followed by cursing.

The lighter footsteps came skidding to a halt as they finally realized that this place was a dead end.

Naruto, who had been the one to be searching for more clothing to wear, peaked over the barrels edge, staring wide eyed at the people in the night. They were just a couple of feet past his hiding place.

Two men stood before a young woman, who clutched her purse tightly to her form, looking beyond panicked and frightened like a cornered animal. One man took a sloppy, drunken step before staggering to gain his balance once more. His vision swam in and out as he tried focusing on the light brunette that continued to stare at them before her eyes darted for an escape route.

"You're making a mistake." She stated with a weak voice, hugging her purse even tighter to her form. Her eyes pricked with tears and Naruto, who was still watching the encounter, scrunched up his nose with anger and disgust. He hated the villagers, especially drunk villagers. He had his run-ins with plenty of those people before and this lady looked like she was having one of those encounters, just oddly different.

The man tried to speak to the woman, but it came out slurred and Naruto didn't understand anything that the man had said. The other male slid forward with a crazed look on his face before being followed by his partner.

"Scream and we'll kill you." He hissed, face scowling in a look that Naruto had no idea what it conveyed.

There was a commotion as the woman's purse was tugged from her death grip and Naruto's large eyes widened at the woman that was being cornered, her clothing gaining rips from seeking hands and a glint of metal in the horrible lighting. This wasn't a normal beating like Naruto had to deal with, and the utter fear from the woman's face stated it. Naruto knew how it felt to feel those emotions. Despair, hopelessness, anger, resentment because you couldn't do anything about the situation.

"Let go!" The woman shouted, tears finally streaking down her face as one of the men slammed his fist into her gut. Spittle flew from her mouth as she lost her breath, gagging and choking as she tried to get her bearings. Naruto's heart was pounding within his chest, his whole body frozen up within the barrel that he had so casually been digging through.

Clothing was being torn from the woman's body and Naruto felt something dark and primal shoot throughout his body. It was like hot liquid rising within his veins, unlike those times when he would be beaten. This was different. Naruto scowled as one of the drunken men slapped the woman with an open hand, knocking her to the ground. Almost on an instinctual level, that darkness snapped and Naruto found himself swiftly and silently scrambling from his hiding place and finding the closest thing near him, he felt a surge of foreign matter rush down his arm as he threw said item at the closest man.

A loud clang was heard as the lid to the trash can hit the man in the face, a sickening crack resounding throughout the alleyway. The man staggered back as the lid fell to the ground with a dent and rolled away, revealing the man's bloody, smashed in face before it hit the pavement beneath him.

The other drunken man turned sluggishly as Naruto's skinny form slammed into his legs, causing both to go down. The closest thing near the small boy was the pocket knife the man had dropped and clutching it in small hands, he slammed it down, repeatedly on the woman's attacker. Blood sprayed from the wounds with each new stab wound and when the man finally stopped twitching, Naruto stalled in his rabid frenzy, finding himself once again.

Blood smeared across his face, white shirt speckled with blood and small chunks of skin that followed the jagged pocket knife's blade. His blue eyes were wide in confusion as he dropped the knife like it was a vile creature. His face morphed into one of confusion, to utter horror as his eyes took in the blood staining his skin and then his vision flickered towards the man's gapping mouth, eyes blank.

Naruto made a gurgling noise in the back of his throat, his three year old mind not being able to take in what he did, so fast. The woman, who had been extremely quiet for the past couple of minutes caught Naruto's eye and as his head turned towards her, he scrambled off the body with wide, watery eyes before it finally clicked.

He was a monster, just like everyone had called him. He was that Demon that they claimed him to be, and he had just proven it.

His mind couldn't take the truth and Naruto gazed down at his hands, which were held out before him, with disbelief. A tear streaked down his face, followed by another, and another. It wasn't long before he started balling his eyes out, gripping his blood speckled face with equally bloody hands. His scream reached through the terror stricken woman and she flinched back as she found the small blonde melting down before her.

Naruto's voice pitched to a higher tone and his voice cracked a couple of times before fully cutting out. His mind, which had been running in circles as he looked at the two dead men on either side of him, finally snapped and he fell forward, eyes rolling into the back of his head as he lost consciousness.

The woman watched as the demon child fell before her, speckled in blood and two dead bodies surrounding them. She would have ran away screaming her head off if she wasn't frozen in terror, but actually letting her gaze land on the young child, slightly younger than her daughter, she felt her heart skip a couple of beats.

He had saved her, a mere stranger, and he had thrown his life on the line, just to save her from being taken advantage of.

How could a demon have a meltdown? How could a demon not love the actions of spilling blood upon the floor? Yet, this child, right before her, had acted like any normal child would have when it came to having killed someone.

Her hand trembled as she reached forward, hesitating and pulling back before she finally laid her hand upon red speckled blonde hair. She recoiled, but when nothing happened, she finally realized just what the boy was.

"Demon my ass." She finally snorted, adrenaline still pumping through her veins. No demon would waste its time saving a mother.

With trembling limbs, she finally stood up and scooped the boy into her arms, body quivering as she tightened her hold and stepped over one of the dead bodies. She grabbed her ripped purse, scowling at the useless creation and sighed heavily as she finally staggered out of the alleyway and into the deserted street.

Demon be damned, this was a child that needed her help, and she owed him that much.

She needed to get to the hospital.

The doors swished open as she stepped within range of their sensors and the mother staggered in, bloody lip still lightly leaking as she came to a stop before the front desk. The nurse that was looking down at a couple of fill-out sheets, put down her pen and with a glance up at the new arrivals, she suddenly bounded out of her seat, pressing a button that caused a ring to pierce the air.

Instantly, a doctor and another two nurses appeared.

"Get the Hokage-sama!" one nurse shouted as the woman was relieved of the boy and another nurse started leading her in another direction.

"What is your name, miss?" she questioned, eyes wide and searching the poor woman before her.

"Haruno Mao…" she murmured and the nurse jotted down the name on a clipboard, looking worried as she finally had her seated in a room, on a hospital bed.

"Did… did the blonde attack you?" she questioned and Mao scowled harshly at the woman before her. Had she really been like one of these people? Disgusted that the Demon was still out there to harm? That the boy, no older than her daughter, was a Demon and out to kill them?

"That boy saved my life." She snapped, jade eyes narrowing at the nurse, who looked frightened at the change of behavior. "I was about to be raped and he came out of nowhere. He… if he hadn't been there, I don't want to know what would have happened." Mao finished and looked away, her gaze cast to the side. The nurse sighed and jotted down something more before walking out of the room.

"The doctor will be right with you." She murmured and Mao was left to tend to her own wounded pride at the fact that she let two drunks almost rape her. Sakura must be worried as to where her mother was. Mao was always home by six, but a late night at work had caused the mother to end up leaving the store at nine thirty.

With a sigh, she sat and waited for the doctor to hurry up so she could head home to her three year old daughter.

Mao sat at her kitchen table, staring at the mug of tea, jasmine reaching her nostrils and calming her down somewhat. Her daughter had been up, watching a movie when she had walked through the door and she had almost burst out crying as she looked at her daughter. She might have never come home tonight if it wasn't for that supposed Demon. Tears welled in her eyes as her nerves finally settled and sobs started wracking her form.

Small feet hit the ground near the kitchen doorway and Mao looked up, wiping at her tears with a small, halfhearted smile.

"Kaa-san…" Sakura muttered, eyes shining as she watched her own mother weeping. "Did I do something wrong?" she questioned, eyes wide as she attempted to figure out what made her mother cry. Mao choked on some spit and took a sip of her tea, clearing her throat before her eyes fully took in her daughter.

Holding her arms out, she shook her head. "Sakura-Chan, of course not." She said, taking the child into her arms, pink locks messy from not being brushed all day.

"Kaa-san, I don't like you crying." She murmured into her mother's neck, small arms wrapped around her mother and squeezing tight.

"Of course dear." Mao said, pulling her daughter back and gazing into similar emerald eyes. "Let's put you to bed, shall we?" she questioned, smiling through her stressful night. Sakura scowled, but then nodded her head while yawning.

"Yes, Kaa-san." She mumbled and Mao stood up, putting her daughter into bed and leaving the door slightly open, knowing that her daughter hated having her door closed. Mao stood there before the door with her lips pursed, though. She couldn't figure out what was nagging at her, but with furrowed brows, she found her gaze upon the floor. That child, that blonde haired kid looked too much like the Fourth Hokage, and Mao would bet anything that he was his kid. With a sigh, she rubbed her temples, knowing that she might regret the direction her thoughts were heading towards.

Haruno Mao stood before the Hokage, hands balled up at her side as she stared at her leader. Her heart was pounding in her ears, but she kept a straight face as best she could. Little Sakura was standing right next to her, looking around the office with curiosity before her eyes fell upon the old man sitting before them.

Mao knew that Sakura would adjust to what she was about to do, and if anything, she hoped her decision was the right choice.

"Haruno-san." The Hokage murmured and Mao straightened up even further. Her simple white shirt and black pants a dull contrast to the lighter colors within the room. Sakura was in a red outfit, having fell in love with the color. Mao took a deep breath to calm herself down, looking worried that this might cause a disturbance throughout the village.

"Hokage-sama, I know you might refuse to take this into consideration, but with Sakura being three years old, and with the happenings of what happened last night, I'd like to ask a question." Mao calmly said, palms starting to sweat, causing Sakura to look up at her mother with big, emerald eyes.

"And what would you like to ask?" he pondered, eyes watching the young woman look down at her daughter and back towards him with determined eyes.

"I would like to adopt Uzumaki Naruto as Haruno Naruto."

Silence greeted the office as mother and Hokage stared across the room at one another.