Imperfection

(AU – No Sakura. Supernatural Occurences)

Aiyuri was the only female member of Team 7. When Sasuke's glances become a little more than friendly, and Naruto's attraction to her becomes more than , she decides that the Konoha shinobi life is not for her. Enter Itachi, who introduces her to Akatsuki, and a new life full of supernatural oddities she never imagined were real.

Chapter I

"Enter Hajime Aiyuri!"

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Electric green hues, hooded by thick eyelashes, were bright as the young woman entered her classroom door. Aqua hair – a trait that made her stand out as always – fell neatly to her mid-back, decorated in small braids that at the end of each her a miniature kunai, about an inch long. She was dressed in a mesh bodysuit that covered her entire body, with a black tube top and black mini shorts underneath. On both of her thighs she had a kunai/shuriken holster, showing that she was ambidextrous.

"Aiyuri-chan!" Naruto was yelling to her from the third row of seats.

"Nani, Naruto-kun?" Her eyes met the ocean hues of her best friend, as he waved for her to join him.

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"Are you okay," She had only been six, she hadn't known. "Little fox boy?" The whiskers, that was why she had said it. She though they were cute.

The sniffling little boy looked up at her, eyes wide. "You… You're talking to me?"

"Of course I'm talking to you!" She smiled. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Nobody else does…" He looked down, a tone of intense sorrow lacing his voice.

"Well, I'm not anyone else! I'm Aiyuri!" She plopped herself down next to him, ignoring the shocked whispers that came from the group of bullying children around them. "Wanna be friends?"

"But your parents will…get mad, won't they?" The blonde was confused. The group around them parted, words like "demon" and "loser" traveling back to the pair. None of the kids had any clue what they were talking about, all their anger had been picked up from their parents.

"My mommy and daddy are dead… I was just a little baby. I wouldn't listen to them anyways, you're my best friend!"

"I am?" The concept was foreign to Naruto, but once he grasped it, a large grin swept across his features. "Really?!"

"Yup!"

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"I saved a seat for you!" He smiled widely, eyes crinkling in mirth.

"Arigatou!" She bounded up the steps, sitting in a seat between the blonde and Uchiha Sasuke.

That didn't go over too well.

"Freak! Get out of that seat! You don't deserve to sit next to the amazing Sasuke-kun!" The voice was a wheedling girl's – Ino. The blonde kunoichi screamed at the other girl, her eyes narrowed to slits.

"Hey! Stop being mean to Ai-chan!" Naruto stood up in front of his friend, blocking her from the angry glares of every female in class class, save Hinata.

"Naruto-kun… Let's just move. It's too cold over here anyways…" She glared at the Uchiha next to her.

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Now eight, the little girl bounced happily along the road on her way to her apartment. In her hand she held a ball – she had just come from playing with Naruto in the park. Not watching where she was going, she ran into another body and fell on her rump. "G-Gomen nai!" She looked up and was met with a flat gaze.

"You're clumsy." Sasuke looked down at her, like one might at a homeless man who had just bumped into them. "Baka."

"Nanda?!" She got up, dusting herself off. "You're a jerk!"

"And you're stupid. I really don't care." He turned away and began walking as he was before, his back to her.

"… Che – teme."

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Indifferent eyes flicked to meet hers, and the ebony-haired prodigy scoffed and looked away.

Standing, the blue-haired kunoichi grabbed Naruto's arm gently, and pulled him into the center aisle. From there they proceeded to the top row, and sat in the corner, both casting disdainful eyes upon the rest of the room.

Their empty spots soon were fought over by the Sasuke-fans.

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It was their final exam – doppelgangers. Naruto's favorite (note sarcasm, please.) jutsu.

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Of course, he was the only one who failed.

After the graduation ceremony, Aiyuri couldn't find him. She had tied her headband over her forehead, but it wasn't comfortable, so she switched it to her left thigh, just above her holster. Soon she reached the group who were whispering and pointing at the lone boy who failed, as he sat forlornly on a swing.

She walked over, quiet. "Naruto-kun…"

"…Congratulations, Ai-chan." He tried to force a smile for her, but it didn't work. The attempt was noted, though, and she threw her arms around him.

"You'll make it next time, Naru-kun! I know you will! It was just because it was doppelgangers, is all!"

His voice was muffled against her shoulder. "I'm a failure, Aiyuri…"

"No you're not!" She held him at arms length. "Look – I'll help you work on them, okay? Once we're done, Iruka-sensei will have to let you graduate!"

"A-Arigatou, Ai-chan…" He smiled, weakly.

"No problem, Naruto. We're best friends, remember?"

"Always."

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Okay, how'd you guys like it?

Please review, or I'll cry…