AN: Okay, okay okay okay, I really shouldn't be uploading yet another story, but all these completed first chapters are just sitting around on my iPod, and I feel like if I upload them, it'll motivate me to keep writing the next chapters :L. This one's kinda short, but I hope you like it anyway :).
Disclaimer; Naruto does not belong to me, nor do any recognizable characters or plotlines. (Apply to every chapter, because I always forget about it).
"UZUMAKI!"
The short little blonde haired child cackled madly as they ran, golden locks waving wildly in the breeze created by the speed they were racing at across the rooftops of Konoha.
"Get back here, you little brat!"
"How dare you!"
"What do you think you're doing, defiling the Hokage Monument?!"
The child turned around to face their pursuers, only long enough for them to poke their tongue out at the approaching chūnin, and for said chūnin to note the gleeful mischief dancing in bright blue eyes. That, of course, only enraged the group of shinobi further, and they collectively increased their pace.
However, it was for naught. The little blonde head abruptly dropped out of sight, startling the chūnin who had been catching up and who had expected the child to continue their trend of jumping rooftops. Instead, the little punk had dropped down into the alleyway below, scampering away into the crowded marketplace. The unsuspecting chūnin were taken completely by surprise. The majority of the group was forced to complete the jump over to the next rooftop.
Needless to say, that little stunt did nothing to endear the Uzumaki child to Konoha's residents. Especially considering the brat had just given all four heads on the Hokage Monument a makeover; an especially unattractive one. The civilians were casting dark looks at the iconic monument, muttering to themselves and to each other, but the shinobi were almost apoplectic with rage. For anyone to show that much disrespect to the four shinobi who had given their all to Konoha was an affront, but when it was that child in particular!
A fair distance away, the child who had caused so much ruckus was sitting on a stool in a ramen stand, messily slurping up the salty noodles, and completely oblivious to the danger behind them.
"NARUTOOOO!"
Blue eyes widened dramatically and tan hands froze in place, ramen only centimeters away from pink lips. "Oh shit-" was all that the child managed to get out, before suddenly being separated from the wooden stool, unceremoniously dangling in the air in front of an irate chūnin.
"Eh, heh heh, hi there, Iruka-sensei?"
The sheepish greeting did nothing to calm the ire of the scarred male. His dark brown eyes were narrowed on the little brat that he held in one hand.
"Naruto…" he drew out the prankster's name ominously. Iruka watched in satisfaction as the irrepressibly mischievous grin slid off the whiskered face and the child seemed to lose all fight in midair. Even the blonde locks looked as though they were drooping. "Do you know what day it is, Naruto?"
The child scowled up at him, defiant even in their undignified position. "Of course I know what day it is! That's why my masterpiece had to be done this morning!" A tan hand flailed about in the direction of the Hokage Monument, visible from every corner of Konoha.
Iruka resisted the urge to shake the little punk. "Masterpiece?" he scoffed instead. "It's disrespectful! And…" Iruka drew himself up to his full height, glaring. "YOU'RE LATE FOR YOUR GRADUATION EXAM!"
And with that, he stalked off back to the Academy, still carrying the grumbling little prankster and leaving behind two very amused ramen chefs.
Mizuki smiled in satisfaction, patting himself on the back for a plan well done. Of course the Uzumaki brat couldn't do a bunshin, and of course it had just lost its final chance at becoming a genin of Konoha. Why it had been allowed to enter the Academy in the first place was baffling, but in the end…
Everything was working out perfectly.
The demon had done all the hard work for him; all Mizuki needed to do was kill the beast (making it look like an accident of course, the scroll likely had protections on it, or jutsu in it, that would kill any Academy student), and take the scroll to his true leader.
Orochimaru-sama would surely reward him for this, Mizuki thought giddily. The Hebi Sannin was known to gift his most useful followers with absolutely delicious power boosts, and Mizuki was nearly breathless with anticipation. But first, he had to get the scroll off the demon brat.
There was just one problem with that.
Mizuki snarled under his breath. "Iruka."
Umino Iruka couldn't help but smile at his most exuberant student. Naruto's wide blue eyes were almost luminescent in the darkness, joyful tears held back only by force of will. Iruka hated to admit it, but Uzumaki Naruto was his favourite student; the child's determinedly cheerful attitude and never-give-in philosophy was magnetic. Tonight had only highlighted how precious the young jinchūriki was to him. No way in hell was Iruka going to let that bastard Mizuki touch his student.
'Even though in the end, it was Naruto protecting me,' Iruka thought ruefully.
"Sensei? Should we be going to the hospital?" Naruto's delayed concern brought another smile to Iruka's lips. Typical of Naruto to ask after Iruka had already been on the receiving end of a flying tackle hug, on top of the injuries that he already had.
He placed a hand on Naruto's blonde head, grinning softly. "Don't worry about it. The ANBU will probably be here in just a minute. I'll be fine."
Right on cue, four masked figures dropped into the clearing, two immediately moving towards Naruto and Iruka where they sat at the base of a tree. The other two set about collecting Mizuki's prone body and the discarded scroll.
"Umino-san?" One of the ANBU, Tori, Iruka thought, said. "We have orders from Hokage-sama to assist you to the hospital, and escort Uzumaki-san to his office."
Naruto turned panicked eyes on him. "Don't worry about it," Iruka assured Konoha's newest genin. "Sandaime-sama probably wants to talk to you about what Mizuki said."
Naruto's face fell at the reminder, and Iruka's heart ached for his poor student. A giant, nine-tailed bombshell had been dropped on the child tonight. Iruka only hoped that the Hokage could explain the situation in a way that the young jinchūriki could understand.
He smiled, gently tapping a finger on the downtrodden genin's nose. "It'll be fine, Naruto. Go talk with the Hokage, while I go get fixed up at the hospital, and then I'll see you at the Academy for team placements tomorrow, alright?"
The little blonde nodded, face fixed into an endearingly determined little frown.
Iruka chuckled. "Good girl."
AN: So how'd ya like it? I feel like I completely failed at using genderless words/phrases until the final line, and it was totally obvious anyway, but hopefully it didn't sound too bad? Lemme know what ya thought :).
- Kelly