A Corpse By Evening
Chapter 1: Change
Part I : Von
AN: Hi There! A little note before you start reading. I will be first to admit that my writing is rough, and by no means is my vocabulary great, but I began writing because of the nagging urge I had to write what I was envisioning. I am still not used to writing, and this will be a slow climb for me. Thanks for understanding.
Naruto was alone.
'Not that it's a rare happening' He thought idly. He was undoubtedly scared, for anyone on the verge of starvation and dehydration would be.
He wondered in context if he was truly alone. Sure he was surrounded by children his age, but that was all. He had no contact, and the feeling of isolation got worse. Oddly enough, he never felt more lonely then when he was in school. All other times, he was at home, and there was no one there to invoke the feeling of isolation. But when he was out, and the incoming crowds steered clear of him, then it really hit him.
'I'm being judged' But, judged for what? What he wouldn't give to find out. After all, though the animosity and disgust the General Population felt for him was painfully obvious, it's reasoning was discreet. So closely shushed and hidden that Naruto would never get any hint about it from anyone.
No, the Villagers might hold mutual hate for him, but they didn't let that cloud their judgement of him. They were intelligent, well, bordering animalistic sometimes, but, still intelligent. They never let anything slip and didn't do anything to him which was plainly against the Law. They quietly made his life a misery.
Over pricing everything he bought by a couple ryō. The water, gas and electricity bill for his rented apartment always seemed to be a bit over what he could afford openly.
They were little things. The averted eyes upon his glance, and the clicking of the tongue and gritting teeth in annoyance and frustration upon his presence. Shooing him away from their children by the lame old excuse of, 'He's a delinquent dear, don't get involved with people like that'.
'DId the children honestly believe that?' He thought. He supposed that even 12-Year Olds had some sort of suspicion, but that was clouded by their respect for authority and love for the formative figures in their respective lives. What bad luck, in his case. There was absolutely nothing.
Today was the Team Placement Day. What he hoped for, was a good team. God could at least bless him with that much, no? But he supposed that getting his hopes up was a bad thing. Terrible thing, in fact. What he understood, was that most of the Placement Teams were rather predictable.
His was perhaps the most predetermined, as he held a distinct position in the Class. Lowest scoring of all the Graduates. Keep in mind, lowest of all the graduates. There were plenty of students who failed, and thus, were worse than Naruto, which he himself would admit, no one with any self respect would want to be. Anyhow, the placement for his team, would be Highest Scoring Male Graduate, Highest Scoring Female Graduate, and Lowest Overall Scoring Graduate. He let himself sigh loudly as he looked towards two certain people. This would be frustrating.
His first teammate, would be one Uchiha Sasuke. Now, Naruto, whether or not he could admit it out loud, respected the Rookie Of The Year. He had gotten a glimpse of the boys training Schedule, and was sure that the guy ran himself into the ground, and ruthlessly picked himself back up. He respected his strong will, but what he practiced was also incredibly dangerous, and his Long Term Goal wasn't all that healthy. Anyone who could listen to the monotone boy would know that Sasuke's reason to exist, was to kill a 'Certain man' as he put it.
Aside from that singular goal of constantly getting stronger, Sasuke had no personality. He was as emotionless as an ANBU, or perhaps more, as even ANBU, who Naruto was well acquainted with, were expressive and he had a good time with them. He could honestly say that they were his true 'Colleagues' as he was often the Client of their D-Rank Missions.
Moving on to his other teammate, he repressed a sigh and a barely contained twitch of the hand. Haruno Sakura was one of many 'admirer's' the Rookie Of The Year had, and was as intelligent as an aggressive, sleep deprived Ape in the presence of said boy.
Else ways, she was someone who could be considered 'intelligent' but was mainly a booksmart girl who didn't want to disappoint her parents and thus studied the Material for each year relentlessly in an attempt to keep them happy.
All in all, this team wasn't functional by any standard. Sakura possessed a rather tasteless dislike for him, and Sasuke felt agitated with him for some god forsaken reason. Sasuke was ambitious, but not for others, and didn't see reason in any sort of companionship. And well, Sakura was disturbed when Sasuke was around.
As he noticed Iruka, his Class Teacher enter the room, he got up and headed towards him. Luckily, he seemed to understand that Naruto wanted to talk about something, if nodding his head towards him was anything to go by. So, he followed Naruto out of the Classroom he had just entered.
Once they were out in the hallway, Naruto began, "Iruka-Sensei…...are there any Classes with a bad Number of Students, or rather, where the Teams are in need of a spare, I know I'm asking for a lot, but….?" He asked, monotone, but Iruka noticed the small hint of hope in his voice. He didn't want him and his student to get caught up in a mess, but he had never been able to deny Naruto, the physically weak student with no one to help him but himself. He sighed.
"Yes, Naruto...In Class V-C, there is a team with only two members. I believe it is Team-27" He said.
"Then…!" Naruto averted his eyes. He knew Iruka-Sensei went out of his way to help him, and despite his carefree nature, he did not want to take advantage of the only stable bond he had formed with anyone over the years. Whether he liked it or not, Iruka held the position of his Best Friend, and he felt guilty trying to use that to his advantage.
"Then, I'll draw a favor and get you into the team, I know you have already figured out what team you would have otherwise" He said.
Despite his guilt, he had a small smile, a real one. But Iruka wanted to express his seriousness.
"Naruto…." He said, getting the excited boy's attention. "Your new teammates would not know about you, or your previous history. Use this fact. Take the high ground. You have to introduce yourself, and not as the lazy, goofball Uzumaki Naruto, but as the deviously observant Uzumaki Naruto, and the one I believe in" He finished with a smile.
Iruka would not know how much his words weighed on Naruto. Finally, he could start anew. With new companions. What anyone would give to get this kind of treatment. He had been offered a chance. He would take it. He had developed a bad name for himself over the years, first when he was too young to know what kind of impression he would have on others. As a child, he had thought being cheerful and constantly energetic would draw others to him. It didn't. All it did was make him viewed with barely contained disgust. Even as an isolated individual, Naruto started worrying about others impression of him. And by the time he sought to stop the act, it was already far too late. Everyone but Iruka shelved him as an arrogant good-for-nothing.
Of course, Naruto's plan was not finished. He would not just be starting a new journey. He would be starting as a new person. He could not stop his hands from twitching in excitement.
"Iruka Umino-Sensei, I can only ask for one more favor. You are possibly the only person who I can trust. When you go to Class C to get me instated, I would like you to not tell them my actual name. I'll tell you my fake, or in this case, real name. Tell the Class Teacher there that there is a newcomer in your class who took the Genin Exam and passed, but there is no space for him in any of the new Genin teams, and ask if perhaps there is a incomplete team. That way, Naruto Uzumaki will have disappeared from the Village." He said.
Iruka looked like he wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Naruto.
"If you are wondering what the Hokage will say, then don't. I will go inform him now, so that he can set up a new living place for me discreetly, and obviously, when I'll return in about two hours, yes, only two hours, I won't be Naruto Uzumaki." He said.
"Yes, but Naruto, how will you stop people from recognizing you? Your appearance is very distinctive, and you'd get caught immediately" He said.
"I will change my appearance. Of course, I'll apply many permanent changes, since Henge can't be maintained permanently. Trust me Iruka-Sensei, when I return, you won't recognize me. No one will" He said. Iruka had to admit being impressed with Naruto's determination. He couldn't stop him if he tried.
"Okay Naruto...one last question, what will your new name be?" He asked.
"Hmmm…...I wrote a few ones I wouldn't mind having, but I suppose…..How about Sora? Yes, Sora. As for a surname, hmmm, well, I suppose Ryota? Yes that will do good. Ryota Sora." He said, nodding his head in a rare show of enthusiasm.
"Clear Sky Naruto, or Sora? How poetic." Iruka said, sharing the moment with his student, both wearing maniacal devious grins, though Sora's was less expressive then Iruka's.
"Why, thank you" What a sly bastard.