How Low Can You Go?

The soft sound of the wind and the light drizzle made the whole ordeal even harder to accept in his mind. He looked over his shoulder to only see a line of black and pale pasty pink. The tears that had flooded his eyes mad the two colors blend more then they normally would have. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up at whom he knew to be Uncle Iruka. The young man was only in his mid-twenties while Naruto himself was nearly seventeen, but he had been so close to the family ever since he was small, the name stuck. The older man's brown eyes also had been overflowed with tears, but he managed to keep a semi-straight face while holding his young friends shoulder. He knew it had to be hard on him, since his parents were the only thing he really had in his life. Iruka cursed drunk driving as the blonde buried his head into Iruka's black suit, allowing his tears to leave freely. He hadn't cried the whole time the priest had been speaking, but now he couldn't help it. He didn't want to have to say good-bye to those so dear to him. Why did it have to be his parents? Two poor adults with only a child to keep them from feeling the pain of their lowly status. Naruto had always promised his dad that he'd become a wealthy person and buy them the house they deserved.

Now they laid six feet under with only marble stone to mark their graves. Naruto was so poor and wouldn't let anyone else help him pay for the funeral that he was the one who had to carve the names into the graves which were only a few feet themselves. Already, the stones had began to sink in the moist ground and Naruto was almost positive that they would be completely submerged after the week was up. His parents didn't deserve that. They deserved more then a few boards hammered together for coffins, a statue on each grave instead of the dull rocks. He wanted their graves to look beautiful at least. Iruka sighed as he began to try pull his nephew away from the sight, but Naruto wouldn't budge. It got to the point where Iruka had to leave him sitting there, in the rain with only the promise of the priest that he would return for Naruto later; his eyes were glued to the head tombs. Naruto sat there for hours on end, before the old man came back and gently coaxed him to leave. "Father Sarutobi…if I ever get the money, do you think they would mind if I put a better monument on top of their current ones?" He said barely above a whisper, as they headed back to the man's black Puma. For a priest, he was well off and though he offered to pay for all the expenses, Naruto wouldn't hear of it.

The question wasn't a surprising one and as they sat there for a moment in the car warming up, Sarutobi sighed. "Naruto, your parents don't care if they have diamond monuments. They are with God now. I'm sure they are happy enough that their little boy wasn't in the accident."

This didn't cheer him up and the rest of the trip was silent as Naruto gazed out the window. "You're going to stay with Jiraya, right? I'm sure you're grand-father wouldn't mind seeing you again. Besides, you'll be going to a new school so no one will know about your incident."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the thought of school. He had to move to the city of Tokyo with his grandfather Jiraya and didn't care for it one bit. Living out as a country boy and being home-schooled, he knew all the people and kids around him. Him and Konohamaru had promised to graduate together. When Konohamaru learned that he was leaving, he threw a shit fit, and it took five of the people from the service that afternoon to pry him away.

The thought only made Naruto's heart sway to cry again as he turned to look out the front window of the car. His stuff had already been moved, he had already gone through his parents belongings, already signed into the new school, and had his car parked in his grandfather's driveway. He had rode to the funeral with Iruka since he was in no condition to drive. By this time, the drizzle had turned into a heavy down pour and the teenager was tired from the long and sorrowful day. The hum of droplets hitting the windshield made him fall into a light slumber the rest of the way.

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"Look! It's him! The newbie!"

"I hear his parents killed themselves in, what was it? A car crash?"

"Why the hell would they kill themselves?"

"He was to much for them…drove his parents nuts."

"Yeah? Well, they think he cut the break line…he wanted them dead."

"Don't be so cruel…"

Naruto wasn't even inside the damn place yet and already he wanted to turn around and march straight back down the steps and go home. The whole ordeal with his parents had been broadcasted live, printed in newspapers, and now he was being pestered with rumors and news reporters. Not to mention they dug up the 'deeper' past to make the tale more juicy. Now people either thought he was an emo because he was in such depression, he couldn't talk; either that or that he was murderer wanting his parents dead. He's teeth threatened to break under the pressure he applied on them. Why the hell would he kill his own parents? Good question. One that no one knew, yet still applied the title of 'crazed killer' to him.

Biting back the urge to turn around and scream at the rude assholes, the blonde just hurried up the steps. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad inside. People would be too busy talking to their friends to notice a silent kid like him. 'Well, that blows that theory.' Naruto's mind hissed as he swung the door open. It seemed like every kid in the hallway turned to look at who had come in, and now couldn't stop staring at him. 'Now I know why the animals at the zoo are so upset. What's wrong with me? Do I have killer stamped on my head in an ink only prissy dumb-asses can see?' He was starting to become very irritated with the whole situation. Practically running down the hallway, he hurried into the principles office and slammed the door shut. "Other kids need to get in too, you know?" He heard a voice hiss behind him.

That was the day he met Orochimaru Sannin and dreaded the day ever since. The tall man reminded him of something he had seen in a horror move called 'The Grudge.'

His long black hair and deathly pale features reminded him of the things that went bump in the night and his accent like that of a viper; ready to strike at a quivering mouse, such as he. The worse feature was his green-yellow eyes, that narrowed angrily at him. Side stepping out of the man's path, he watched Orochimaru walk over and open the door with a rough jerk and then walk back into the room and down a hallway to the teacher's lounge. He sighed and leaned against a wall, having survived the moment. 'I'm never gonna ask to feed the snakes at the pet store ever again.' Naruto vowed as he walked over to a cushioned chair to wait for the principle. He didn't have to wait long either since she walked about the second he sat down.

He stared at her too. She was a woman in about her mid thirties and with a package that most girls would have died for. She looked, to Naruto, like a chick from Bay-Watch for the love of God. Her summer light blue tank top didn't hide them, either. He was a guy, so it was natural to stare and though it flattered the woman, she didn't find it appropriate for students to have such habits. "My face is up here, Uzumaki. Boy, I see I'm gonna have trouble with you already." She said sternly but then winked at him.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to sta-"

"Everyone does, just don't make it a habit, or by woman's rights I get to slap you." She said in a over sweet voice.

She spoke so bluntly, that for a moment Naruto didn't get the joke. "Slow aren't you, son? Well, welcome to my wonderful school of delinquent students. Here we have the lazy asses, know it alls, and punks. Start a fight and be prepared to get your head ripped off by me…."

Okay, maybe he should have been a drop out.

Following the strange woman around the school on a tour, he kept silent as the bell rang and kids went to class. He could still catch stares and whispers from here and there but nothing major. They obviously were afraid to miss class in front of the principle and with good reason as far as Naruto was concerned. After getting the basic layout of the three story building, the woman began to write him a pass from a slip of paper she pulled out of her jeans pocket. "Okay, you'll be going to History first…what was your first name?"

"Naruto…Uzumaki." He said, wanting to evacuate the building instead of going into any of the rooms.

"Name's Tsunade. Don't you dare call me Madam. Makes me feel too old. Just Tsunade."

After things were said and done with, he now trudged down the hall to go to the one thing he dreaded most…class, itself. Naruto was never a shy boy, but being in a real class for the first time was a bit…intimidating. Usually he would have been cheerful and maybe have fit in the jock group because of his amazing body for only seventeen but alas, he looked like a depressed, wrist-slitting freak to everyone and thus he was treated as such. After being introduced to the class by his teacher Mr. Genma, which he really disapproved of since now they all knew he was 'the' Uzumaki boy, he could feel the tension in the room directed at him from his seat in the very back. Too bad he didn't play hookie today either, because there was also a see-what-you've-learned-History quiz.

Naruto looked up from the test, finding it fairly easy for being senior material. His parents hadn't been lenient with his studies and had once mentioned how far ahead he was, but never that he knew collage material. He had already blown by the questions having learnt the text before coming to this school. His eyes shifted to catch a pair of light blue eyes looking at him. A young girl with black short hair was gazing at him with a sort of, blush on her face. With no girls around his old home, he didn't really know how to react. Did playing bad ass and smirking or giving into the unusual emotion to look away, sound good? He wasn't going to jump the gun since he had just made himself seem like a little kindergartener when coming into class. Still, he smiled as he looked down. When he took a peek back up from his desk, he saw her glance back and return the gesture. It was a turning point in the day. One person didn't hate his guts, and he could only thank-god that there was a good moment in this hell. Naruto looked up at Genma, who now stood beside him with a small grin on his face. " She's cute yea?"

The question made him blush and he checked to make sure that no one was spying on them before nodding quickly and with little motion.It made him look more like a bobble head more then anything. Genma suppressed a laugh inside his throat and it came out into a rough cough.

As the teacher went over the tests, Naruto could pick out his when Genma began to read. He had doodled all over the page because he had an hour to waste while the rest of the students tried to complete the task. He wasn't bad either, Genma noted. He had drawn flames under the header, a beautiful dragon's head from a side shot, and had the time to draw a hand reaching out in detail; as though it were leaving the page. More impressive were his answers. Naruto had a knowledge that was suppose to be taught this year, though the teach figured that he hadn't taken collage because of the recent incident. Still, for the boy to be so smart and in high school would have been a joke in the teacher's lounge if he hadn't seen the work himself. Naruto had wrote two paragraphs for even the simplest questions, and all in deep detail. Suddenly curious, Genma flipped the pages to the last question which had been, 'How do you like this school? Why/Why Not?'

Naruto had taken the time to cross out 'How' and put in 'Why', 'Like' and 'Hate', 'This school' turned into 'Yourself'. It was then left blank. Seeing that Genma was casting a sympathetic gaze, Naruto instantly knew what question he was going over and stared at his desk as though he were ashamed. He couldn't instantly recover from the devastation he had undergone. If they expected that from him, they would be very disappointed.

Genma placed the work aside and began to finish grading the rest of the documents. After fifteen minutes of just staring at the wall; he'd ignored the kids that got up and were now in clusters with a few glares and glances here and there, the teacher announced for the students to take their seats. "Well, it seems we have a brain in this school."

Immediately, Naruto noted that a young man with brown hair tied back sat up straight and proud. He had to be the class genius. Naruto also noted his eyes and face resembled that of the young girl that had gave him such a sweet smile. "I must say, I haven't seen anyone work so hard. Naruto Uzumaki. Congratulations for starting this year off with extra credit." Genma said, starting to clap.

The class joined in, some staring with amazement or smirks. So, he had switched from the emo boy to 'the person people could copy answers off of'. Great, a whole level up in school ranking. Slumping down in his seat, he glanced out the window as the bell rang. 'Good, now I can get the hell outta this school.' Naruto said, having been plotting about how he could leave without getting in trouble with Jiraya or Tsunade.

The old fashion, 'I'm sick with a stomach ache' would work. They'd understand that right?

Naruto picked up his crimson sack-pack and began to walk out of the room, nodding to Genma's "Have a nice day."

He wasn't even five steps out of the door when someone grabbed the back of his jacket hood and threw him up against a locker. Naruto let out a loud groan as his head connected with the metal. Holding him by the shirt collar now, was the young man he had saw strike such a pride pose only to be beat down when his name was called. "Can I help you with something?" Naruto grunted as he grabbed the pale wrist that held his new shirt and ripped it off.

A few people gasped and he heard the name 'Neji' and 'Hyuuga.' So the guy's name was a combination of the two? What was so special about him, that made people seem terrified? "I'll tell you what my problem is." Neji said slamming his hands on either side of Naruto's head, bring his face close, to look intimidating.

"I saw you watching my cousin, that's my problem. Stay away from her, you freak." Neji hissed, spitting in his face.

Naruto wiped off the spit with the back of his hand and rubbed it on the side of Neji's American Eagle. "And when did you become my mother? Or, her mother? Thanks for the warning, but I'm not too terribly worried. If she has a problem, she'll tell me."

Pushing Neji away from him, Naruto began on the path to the office again. A smirk twisted on his features as he heard Neji scream something, though he didn't really pay attention. He wasn't dumb enough to not know that there was a fist soon to connect with the back of his hand. Leaning his neck to the side just a tad and yawning, he looked up at the knuckles that grazed his cheek before snatching Hyuuga's outstretched arm and beginning to nearly snap it over his shoulder. "That's enough!"

Naruto released his grip as the very girl they had been fighting over, appeared from the crowd. Her face was fixed with fear when Neji's eyes caught hers. "H-he didn't do anything wrong, Neji Ni-san!"

"Hinata-sama! Do you know who this boy is? He's that freak that-"

This kid knew too much and before he knew what he was doing, Naruto slammed him into the locker. They had switched positions. "What the hell…."

His voice was cold as he continued. He hated showing such an ugly face in front of a crowd but this boy had gone to far. "Do you get your kicks off of looking up shit about other people? I have two words of advice for you. Back. Off. Or I'll show you another tragedy." He finished, releasing Neji's collar and walking down the hall to the office.

He had more then a stomach problem now. His anger had gotten out of control. He needed to go home and just sleep. After calling Jiraya and telling him that he needed to 'cool down', the adult agreed to come get him. It was a families key words for when Naruto called home sick. His temper wasn't something to be tampered. Though he never had trouble holding it in, when he was pissed, he could really kill someone without feeling anything. 'Just like that night…' Naruto kicked himself as he watched for Jiraya to pull up.