Hey everyone! I hope you enjoy my new story Insignia, and if you haven't already please go read my existing one.

Reviews are what I live for, so please please PLEASE review- even if it's a silly one-worded thing!

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING. NOT NARUTO, NOT THE CHARACTERS, NOT THE EARTH NADA.

I hope you enjoy.

Everyone is born with a mark, a tattoo, an Insignia. Technically you could say that their Insignia's define who they are, but that's not how I see it. Everyone is born normally, their feelings and personalities or tastes aren't affected by their Insignias, it's just that you could say they determine who you are; or will be.

You see, people aren't born with fingerprints. Evolution has decided that we don't need them. Our marks are the only thing that can properly identify us in the Justice system, the Medical department, and just about anything else you can think of. Blood, over time, has been unfaithful to the testing. It's always been this way, people being born with Insignias, but now is the time that scientist have decided it was reasonable. Well, now being within the last century.

Each individual's Insignia is special, unique to their selves. The only thing is that your soulmate, the being you will spend the rest of eternity with, shares the exact marking as you. It's a fact that being in love and having a soulmate is most likely the best feeling and happening that occurs in our lifetimes, but it's not as simple as 'Oh, I think I'll ask Medical to look up my match and then we will be in love forever and ever!' People cannot just ask our Medical system to match our Insignias', well, unless they had a very large amount of money. They have to earn it.

You could find out who your soulmate was, but that doesn't mean you would instantly fall in love. It takes time, just like any normal friendship, and the hard thing is that the closer you get personally, and this accounts for a little of the physical side, to your Mate, the more hurt and pain you feel.

It's quite a terrible experience, if you ask me. Hardly worth it. I would be perfectly content with being alone for the rest of my life, it's just that I wouldn't want to experience death before necessary.

I checked my phone, knowing already that there would be no missed calls or text messages, waiting for my Uncle to text me back. I paced back and forth in my room, my ADHD kicking in and my need to fidget becoming extremely strong.

Jumping at the sudden vibration in my hand, I quickly unlocked my phone and hastily read the message. 'Naruto, I'm sorry for such a late reply. Jiraya said that he was able to convince your Granny Tsunade to get you the spot at the State's finest dance corporation, UDA. I hope you know that it stands for United Dance Attractions.' I sighed, slightly annoyed at his condescending comment towards the end but so very relieved that I was able to get into UDA. It has been my dream, no, my goal for the past three years.

Replying with many 'Thank you's to my Uncle Kakashi I went into my bathroom to look at myself in the mirror. I frowned in disgust at the sight of myself, but smiled gently at the known fact that I was finally good enough for more than just my Grandma, Uncle and not-blood-relative.

"That's enough for you today Mr. Uzumaki." I whispered to myself as I frowned once more at the sight of my body. I began to turn away, my eye catching on my mark and stopping me. The outline of what looks similar to a ping-pong paddle was filled with a swirl covering the circular area of it. I wish Insignias were colored and not just black and white pictures that I will never understand. My Insignia was located on the back of my right shoulder, although they can be located anywhere.

No matter how much muscle I gain or weight I lose I'll never be happy. I wish I could get rid of this darn mark. I hate it.

I grazed my fingers over it, the skin underneath the mark darker and more sensitive than the rest of my body. I shuttered at both the feeling and memories it gave me, pulling out of my thoughts and quickly leaving to rest.

I should never have tried to burn it off.

Oh my God.

I looked up as soon as I got into the concert hall, my eyes catching all of it in one big swoop. "I-Is this really where I'll be performing? It's not even close to the area I had to cover before I came here!" I said aloud to no one in particular. The assistant next to me confirmed that yes, this was a big change, and yes, if I was Naruto Uzumaki I would be performing here tomorrow night. "I can't believe this man..." I muttered in reply.

He let me up onto the stage, opening his arms as he stood out to the open area where the crowd would be to state the obvious that this stage was to be mine for the rest of today. They had cameras on every angle of the million dollar structure to record me. It was not for public use, it was simply so that the background dancers could go with my flow; they would just dance around me, they would not actually come into any contact with me. I was solo, and I always would be.

I stepped up from the steps on the side of the platform, my golden Nikes soundless and slow as they stepped down. I was wearing worn and faded maroon jeans, special for dancers as it was baggy in the thigh area and very slim towards my ankles, a plain white tee accompanied by a navy vest that had a hoodie and my usual diamond stud in my right ear. A lot of people ask me why I always dress so professional for something as simple as practicing, but I say the same thing every time; I need to look my best whenever I'm dancing.

I started doing some simple exercises, testing how the floor tangoed with my shoes and getting used to the feel for the place. It was a lot of area to cover, but it wasn't something I couldn't accommodate to. The great thing about being solo is that I can change my routine whenever I want to anything I want with no worries of other people. It allowed me to do a different routine every single time; hence the need for the cameras.

I ran from the middle of the stage to the post on the far left side, running very quickly, propelling myself up as far as I could go, flying back off of it and flipping before I landed softly onto the ground.

I'm gonna like this setup.

I did a few more practice stunts to help myself adjust to the area, working on actual steps after I plugged my headphones in and moved to the rhythm I was showing off for.

After about five hours of practice with a few breaks I was sweating a tad too much for comfort, the scars on my face more visible as more moisture collected on my face. I sat against one of the pillars to the far sides of the stage and closed my eyes for a moment, opening them to spot the technical part of everything behind the side.

Well, sticking in a cord to the speakers and blasting it couldn't be too bad, right?

I put on something completely opposite from the house music and dubstep that normally played on these types of stages and let my head fall back at the comfort of Sleeping With Sirens, my favorite rock band.

I jumped around and played air guitar to the music, forgetting that there was a camera and that some members from the Japan section of UDA were coming at any moment to watch my practice before the concert in the coming hours.

I was jumping and doing something most rockers would know as the Lucker Stomp when my shoulder twitched violently and I spazzed out and onto the ground.

What was that? I should really stop trying to do these moves I look stupid doing.

Turning off the music after losing my harsh buzz I sighed and decided to practice my routine once more before calling it a day and heading home.

"Now make room in your hearts because baby, you're gonna love me!" My intro played, a simple female robotic voice that was followed by background dancers appearing on stage and music beginning to play; it was my cue to get out there.

Naruto, don't make yourself seem like a loser. Show them that you can do what you say you can.

I sprinted onto the stage, closing my eyes and jumping in the center as I prepared myself for the amount of people I was about to perform in front of and waited for the beat to drop. As it came, my final jump turned into a front flip that ended in a very heavy and strong landing, something I called a pound and was perfectly in sync with the boom of the song. I kept my smile up, my performance beyond stellar compared to the practice I tore up yesterday.

The stage is where I belonged, where I lived, where I thrived. I saw enough people here that the whole in my heart was temporarily filled by their love for me, their want for me. Even though most of them didn't know who I was, it was enough. It was the reason why I would trade any 'Mate' for their love, the reason why I don't mind being alone. No matter what anyone else would offer me, I would give anything to have this feelings all the time.

The feeling that I really am loved, wanted. That I am a person, a someone. That I am enough.

My performance was almost over, my finale coming up as I walked back slowly, grinning and keeping my hands out to the stage as I always did to show my love. My eyes scanned over the crowd, something catching my eye as I did so.

Is that... a ping pong paddle?

As soon as the thought popped up into my head my vision swirled slightly, a headache coming on as I forced my smile to remain strong.

I can't worry now, I have to continue. This is your biggest show yet, Naruto. You can't mess it up; not for you, not for them.

I went through the last of my routine, my breathing easy as the relief and happiness shrouded all of my concerns and worries. I was, for once, in complete and total bliss as I stared out to the people I liked to call my strange family. Everything seemed so...perfect.

Yeah, I'll take this over any Mate instantly.

Once the lights went dormant and the minor dancers scurried off into the black I walked back stage, my headache coming back into mind and my eyesight swimming again. I almost tripped over my foot, gracious for the wall next to me as some random assistant handed me my water. I tried to swallow it down in attempt to hopefully wash away what I thought to be dehydration, the act not helpful in the least. I closed my eyes as I now panted in attempt to keep up with my body, whatever overcoming me too strong to be changed by my pure will.

I fought against my instincts and peeled my eyes ajar, immediately regretting the choice as soon as I made it.

The ping pong paddle...

The view of the tattoo or mark that looked way too familiar popped into my brain, my senses on alert as I began to search around frantically for something I wasn't yet sure of. With the movement pushing my limits, I attempted to waddle over to take a seat to cool off when my shoulder twitched yet again, the sudden jerk forcing me to fall and rest in the black.

Wow, please review!

IT MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME.

Thank you AngelBunnyluvr for being a good beta~