The Nine Tails of the Heart
( ~ II ~ )
Chapter Two: To Try Your Best
The next few years trudged by at a dreary pace for Naruto. He was, however, with Miyoi's help, slowly getting better at all the techniques he had always been miserable at – or, that is to say, all of them except the clone jutsu.
And as the last few weeks of the academy approached the children, and the instructors were intensely glad. Most of the children were excited about the upcoming graduation exams, a few were worried – but all of them, and their families, were anxious.
The morning sun had just risen over the Hokage mountain, and as the city began to wake, one word tore open the silence, and peace of the early morning... "NARUTO!"
The Hokage mountain had been vandalized, again, by Naruto Uzumaki – the village prankster. And, after a chase that lasted for a good half hour – Naruto was back on the mountain once again, this time with a bucket of water, some soap, and a scrub brush, complaining about how unfair it was.
"All of the paint better be scrubbed off before class starts Naruto!" Iruka threatened as he glared at the boy, standing a little to his side, to make sure he worked.
"Yeah, yeah – whatever."
"You wouldn't have to scrub the paint off of the mountain if you didn't put it there in the first place, Naruto – you brought this on yourself."
"I also wouldn't have to scrub the paint off if I didn't get caught..."
"Naruto..." Iruka sighed, "Even if we couldn't catch you – we would know exactly who did it, and you couldn't run forever. You're only human."
Naruto huffed, "I wish the village would treat me that way..."
The wind tossed Iruka's hair about his face as those words struck home. Naruto had never really been treated like a human being had he? Iruka hadn't helped much in that regard. Hadn't he, himself, turned to pranks and mischief when he was a kid, and looking for attention? Isn't that just what Naruto had been doing recently? Iruka sighed again as he looked up at the Fourth Hokage's face and grimaced, "You never wanted us to treat the kid this poorly did you?" Iruka looked over to Naruto who was complaining, under his breathe, about how everything was so unfair as he scrubbed the paint from the face. "Even when you sealed Kyuubi inside of this kid – you knew that people wouldn't treat him right... but you hoped..." Iruka shook the thoughts out of his head, he was beginning to feel guilty.
He didn't want to feel guilty. He wasn't the only one who had hurt the boy. He wasn't the only one who had neglected helping him, even when they knew they should have. He wasn't the only one who had turned a cold shoulder to the child and his plight, or turned him away whenever he needed help. He wasn't the only one who had quashed the little voice inside of his head that told him what he was doing wasn't right. No. He wasn't the only one; which is why Naruto turned to pranks and mischief. He wasn't the only one; which is why Naruto lived in such a run-down apartment. He wasn't the only one; which is why none of the instructors at the academy ever taught him anything... or taught him anything correctly, anyway. He wasn't the only one; which is why most of the other students at the academy treated Naruto like he was something less than human... and he shouldn't have ever been treated that way.
No. He wasn't the only one, but that was no excuse.
"Naruto!"
The boy turned to his elder with a sleepy, frustrated, look in his eyes, "Yeah, Iruka-sensei?"
"I'm going to the academy now. We're honestly not going to be covering anything new today, so you don't need to come. I want you to be finished cleaning off the paint by the end of class today though, because there's something I want to show you. If you finish before class ends, go ahead and wait at the gate, I may even buy you a bowl of ramen; but if you don't finish..." Iruka shrugged, inwardly grinning that it was so easy to catch the boy's interest.
"Alright!" And with that, and ramen, in mind – Naruto really got down to the work at hand.
( ~ II ~ )
Several hours had passed, and Naruto was now sitting on the swing hanging from the tree-branch just inside of the academy grounds, waiting for class to end for the day. The final bell of the day rang, and almost immediately, Naruto was approached by Kiba.
"What's up dog-breath?"
"Oh, shut it Naruto-baka! I'm not here to fight." Kiba growled.
Naruto turned to look at Kiba, wondering if this was really Kiba, or if it was someone practicing their transformation. When Akamaru yipped and then turned to look up at Kiba, Naruto knew it was really him. But Kiba not trying to fight him? Strange!
"Then what are you here for?"
"I want to know, what you think of Miyoi-chan." Kiba stood in front of Naruto, blocking his view of the building, which was just fine – it meant that he wouldn't have to see a few people he didn't want to see.
Naruto glanced up at at Kiba's face to try and guess at what he was thinking, but he got nothing. "Why?"
Kiba sputtered for a minute before regaining his composure, which meant that he growled, "Does it matter? Just answer me."
Naruto chuckled a little, "Yeah it matters..." and then he shrugged, "But not enough."
"She's a good person, nicer than most." And again Naruto glanced up to Kiba's face to try to guess at what he was getting at, and again he got nothing.
"So you don't like her?" Kiba asked cautiously.
"Of course I like her! She's a good pers..." Oh! So that was what Kiba was getting at! Naruto grinned, "But that's not what you're asking is it?"
Kiba immediately went on the defensive and glared at Naruto, "Wha... What do you mean?"
Naruto laughed, "Yes, I like her, but not the way you do..."
Kiba planted his feet and growled at the blonde, "Naruto! What are you trying to get at?"
Naruto laughed again, and then stood up, seeing Iruka come out of the building. "Treat her right Kiba, otherwise I will kick your ass – she's a dear friend to me. Do you understand me?"
Kiba nodded, returned Naruto's grin, then smiled, "Yeah, I get ya, Naruto. Thanks!"
Naruto shook his head and rolled his eyes, Kiba had better treat her right, otherwise there would come a day when he and Kiba would have a little chat... and Kiba would not like it.
"Oi! Naruto! Get over here!" Iruka called and waved the boy over.
"Coming, Iruka-sensei!"
( ~ II ~ )
Naruto and Iruka pushed aside the cloth screen that covered the top half of the entrance to the small store, and we're immediately greeted by an ageing man wearing a white chef's apron and a hat. "Ahh, welcome to Ichiraku Ramen, what can I do for..." He then turned around and noticed who the two customers were and grinned, "Oh! Hey, Naruto. Hello, Iruka-san. What can I get for you two today?"
Iruka smiled at the older man and lifted two fingers, "Two bowls of Misu Ramen, please."
Teuchi returned the smile, "Two bowls of Misu Ramen! Coming right up!"
A short while, and a few empty bowls later, Iruka turned to Naruto. "Hey, Naruto. I want to tell you what we went over in class today..."
Naruto stopped eating for a moment before turning towards Iruka, "But... I thought you said we weren't going to be covering anything new..."
Iruka smiled at Naruto, "We didn't – we just told everyone when to show up for the exams, and what would be on them."
Naruto looked at Iruka's face, slightly confused. "The exams?" Then the realization hit him. "Wait! The genin exams?"
Iruka laughed as he rolled his eyes, "Yes, Naruto, the genin exams. You've only spent the last several years preparing for them..."
Naruto had been enthusiastic, up until the point, where Iruka mentioned the clones. "Hey, Iruka-sensei? Would you help me work on my clones?"
Iruka nodded, "Sure, Naruto – but the exam is only three days away, are you sure that clones are the only thing you need to practice?"
Naruto returned the nod, a grin plastered on his face, "Yeah! Miyoi-chan has been helping me with everything else – I think I've gotten pretty good at the rest of it too."
A young brown-haired woman stepped out from the 'employee only' area in the back and grinned at Naruto, "Miyoi-chan? Does Naruto-kun have a crush?"
Naruto just shook his head slowly, "Nah, she's just a good friend Ayame neechan." He glanced over to Ayame and grinned at her, "Besides. Kiba has a crush on her."
( ~ II ~ )
Naruto leaned against the tree, exhausted. He hadn't really done much direct clone training, but Iruka said that this would help. So Naruto would trust him... for now.
"Are you giving up already, Naruto?" Iruka asked. He too was leaning against a tree, heavy of breath himself. He had been going over chakra control exercises and the clone technique with Naruto for the last several hours, and was about ready to call it a day.
"I can keep going." Naruto paused for a moment as the breeze tossed his hair about his face, "Iruka-sensei?"
"Yeah, Naruto?"
"Why are you helping me?" Naruto didn't look over to Iruka, he just gazed straight ahead, his eyes glossy and unfocused.
Iruka hadn't expected that question and stumbled on his words for a few seconds, "Teachers are supposed to help their students, Naruto."
Naruto then looked at him, his face emotionless and blank. "Why did you wait until now to help me?"
"Because I hated who... because I hated what I thought you were, Naruto. But, you're just a kid. Just a lonely kid, who's faced more in your short life than most people have in their entire lives..." But Iruka wasn't going to say that, "Because I thought you didn't really care about training, and all that you were doing was goofing off." It wasn't entirely a lie, and it was answer enough for the boy.
Naruto grinned, his trail of thought forgotten, "Will you continue to help me tomorrow, Iruka-sensei? You look bushed."
Iruka nodded, ready to go home for the night, "Sure, Naruto, why not. Maybe we'll even get you able to do a proper bunshin by the exam."
Naruto looked up at the fading light from the sun and sighed, "Maybe."
( ~ II ~ )
The next two days Naruto trained endlessly, driving himself to the point of collapse more than once. He wasn't about to give up when he was so close. This was his chance. This was his chance to be a ninja. This was his chance to finally be worth something. This was his chance to make everyone notice him. This was his chance to make something of his life, and to become the greatest ninja that the world had ever known.
( ~ II ~ )
Naruto grinned as he walked into the room and took a seat, almost everyone else was already there. Well. He took a look around and grinned sheepishly as the occupants glared at him. He was the last one to show up, and just in the nick of time too, because Iruka came in right behind him and closed the door.
"Alright everyone!" Iruka looked at the assembled students, "I've done all I that can to teach you, whether or not you pass is up to you!" Iruka paused for a moment, before nudging Naruto forwards, towards an empty chair. "Make me proud!"
Iruka then disappeared into a side room for a few minutes before returning. "Alright! First up is Aburame, Shino!"
Shino stood to his feet wordlessly, pushed his sunglasses back into position, and walked over to Iruka. Shino looked up at the older man, nodded, and then went into the other room – returning a few minutes later with his hitai-ate wrapped around his forehead.
"Next is Akimichi, Choji!"
Choji handed his bag of chips to Shikamaru, stood to his feet, tugged on his green jacket, took a deep breathe and then walked over to Iruka. Whether Shino was nervous, nobody could tell, but Choji? Choji was visibly nervous, his hands shaking as he tried to calm himself, taking breathe after deep breathe, but he had every right to be nervous. They all had every right to be nervous.
"Haruno, Sakura!"
Sakura took a deep breathe of her own and then followed Iruka into the other room, when she came back she had a grin on her face and a twinkle in her emerald eyes. She made a comment to Sasuke, which he ignored.
"Hidetoshi, Miyoi!"
Miyoi stood to her feet and muttered something under her breath. Brushing her hair out of her face she sent a smile to Kiba and Naruto before following Iruka into the other room, and when she came back there was giddy twinkle in her blue eyes as she retook her seat, her hitai-ate clutched tightly in her hands.
"Hyuuga, Hinata!"
The poor girl almost fainted when Iruka called her name, but she quickly got to her feet, her hands fidgeting nervously with the bottom of her creamy, beige colored, jacket.
"Inuzuka, Kiba!"
Kiba stood to his feet, possibly the most enthusiastic of any of the students there, and walked over to Iruka, a large grin on his face. A grin that only grew when he came out a minute later, his hitai-ate in his hand. He nodded in Miyoi's direction before returning to his seat.
"Kagiri, Seku!"
The boy stood to his feet slowly, brushing a hand through his silver-white hair. He huffed, stretched for a second, and then walked past Sasuke with a sneer that only the Uchiha could match. When he returned with his hitai-ate he glanced towards Sasuke, issuing a non-verbal challenge with his dark eyes. A challenge that the Uchiha was more than willing to accept.
"Nara, Shikamaru!"
Shikamaru groaned as he rose to his feet. He re-arranged his ponytail before walking lazily over to Iruka, a pronounced slouch in his stride, and a bored, almost put-upon expression on his face, like this was messing with his afternoon nap... which it probably was.
"Raiyune, Akata!"
The girl rose to her feet, and walked over to Iruka. She said something so quietly that Iruka was probably the only other person to hear her. He blushed, and she laughed. Her small studded earrings reflected the light from the other room as she followed Iruka inside.
"Uchiha, Sasuke!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes as he stood to his feet, ignoring the comments from his fan-club. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and then entered the room, not saying anything to Iruka as he passed. He glanced at Seku as he returned, a silent reply to his prior challenge. The challenge had been met. Sasuke's face had the smuggest expression anyone had ever seen on his face as he took his seat.
"Alright! Uzumaki, Naruto! You're up brat, let's go!" Iruka smiled at the boy and waved him over.
Naruto grinned and stood to his feet, amazed that he was able to stand at all, his feet felt so much more like a liquid than a solid at the moment. He swallowed the lump in his throat and grinned at Iruka, "Don't worry, Iruka-sensei, I've got this!" He had tried to sound confident, but to him it didn't sound as confident as he had wanted it to.
"I hope so, Naruto!" Iruka said seriously as he returned the grin, "Because if not, then the last three days that I just spent with you was a waste – don't mess up, alright?"
Naruto could only manage a nervous smile as he let Iruka guide him into the room. "What is Iruka trying to do? Adding more pressure right now isn't going to help anything!"
A white haired man with an all too sweet smile looked Naruto over before nodding, "Alright..." He looked down at the clipboard in his hands, "Uzumaki, Naruto – first off, let's see your aim." He then waved his hand towards a target dummy, and expected Naruto to miss most, if not all, of the shots. His eyes widened in surprise when all thirty of the shuriken and kunai hit the target dead center.
"Good job..." He looked over to Iruka who only shrugged, Iruka had said that this kid had been training really hard recently – but the reports of what he could do were abysmal. They were worse than that even. But here this kid was, and even if he had been training really hard over the last month he shouldn't have... he couldn't have, improved that much!
"Now, we need to see your kawarimi technique..."
Naruto grimaced but nodded his head. He took a quick stock of the room and saw a free chair – he could switch with that. When he wondered why they weren't doing anything it hit him... they weren't going to throw stuff at him like they did in practice. He then switched with the chair, and a few seconds later, switched back.
Iruka shook his head and sighed his hand covering his face as he massaged his temples, it never took Naruto that long to do it during practice, what was wrong with the kid?
The white-haired instructor grimaced, as if he had just bitten down on something with an unpleasant taste, "Ummm... Naruto, you need to be able to do it faster than that – on the battlefield you won't have that much time..."
Naruto laughed nervously, "I can do it a lot faster than that ... I was just waiting for you to throw something at me..."
"Why would I throw something at you Naruto?"
Naruto looked at the white haired man in front of him and shrugged, "Well..." he looked to Iruka, "That's always what the instructors did during practice..."
The white haired man rolled his eyes and sighed, "Alright. How about your hengen technique?"
Iruka butted in, "Now, Naruto." Iruka glared at the boy, "This is serious, no fooling around like you usually do." Iruka, of course, knew all too well that Naruto was good, very good, with his transformations.
Naruto nodded at Iruka and closed his eyes, thinking about exactly what he wanted to transform into. Akamaru crossed his mind. He opened his eyes, formed the seal, then looked up at Iruka from the floor, wagging his tail behind him, his tongue hanging out from his mouth. A few moments later he transformed back and grinned at Iruka.
Iruka nodded, then closed his eyes, only one skill left to test. The clone. He had been watching Naruto work so hard over the last few days trying to get that skill mastered. Iruka had seen Naruto fail at least a million times, but Naruto had succeded. He silently hoped that Naruto would succeed again.
"Alright – last thing. How's your bunshin?"
Naruto grinned, all of his hard work was about to pay off. He made the hand sign and then glanced to his left... then down. Lying on the floor was the palest, most sickly, and malformed clone any of them had ever seen.
The white haired chunin almost looked sick, but there was a queer look in his eyes, and what could almost be called a smile on his face, as he looked at the pathetic clone.
Iruka shook his head – it looked like all of that work had been worthless after all. "Naruto! You fail!"
Naruto couldn't believe what he had just heard. He knew, of course, what the words meant, but his mind didn't want to believe them. He didn't want to believe that all of his hard work over the last few weeks was for nothing. He didn't want to believe that he had let Iruka down. He didn't want to believe that he had failed. He didn't want to believe all the words that he had been told, time and time and time again, were true. He didn't want to believe, so he did the only thing he could think to do, he ran.
He burst back into the room where everyone else was waiting. He heard Iruka call for Ino, but he didn't care. He didn't want to go take a seat. He didn't want to just sit there, and know that everyone would see that he was the only one that didn't have a hitai-ate. He didn't want to just sit there, wallowing in his own self-pity while he watched everyone else gather together, congratulating each other. He didn't want to just sit there and see everyone else happy, and smiling – preparing to take the next step in their lives, while he was being left behind once again. He didn't want to just sit there and be forgotten.
Naruto tore open the door to the hallway and kept on running, disappearing so quickly that no one could stop him.
( ~ II ~ )
Kiba had always known that Naruto wasn't the best at most of the techniques they practiced at school... but he had always been just good enough to get by. Year after year, somehow, Naruto managed to get, just enough, points in the tests to graduate to the next year, and not be held back. Year after year he managed... until this year.
Shino, Shikamaru, and Choji were all surprised. They hadn't expected Naruto to pass with flying colors, but they had expected him to pass. When they saw him tear out of the room they were almost worried about him, but when Iruka called Ino, and made no move to go after him they just shook their heads.
"What a drag..."
Sakura felt bad about how happy she felt when she saw Naruto fail, but she quickly squashed the pity bug and turned her attention back to Sasuke, who was watching the door Naruto had disappeared down. "Why does he care about that baka...?" Sakura thought with ire as she scooted a little closer to her Sasuke-kun.
Miyoi and Hinata watched Naruto go, each girl wondered if he was okay, each girl wondered if she should go after him, and each girl, for her own reasons, didn't.
Ino honestly hadn't expected much out of the other blonde, he had always been the troublemaker in class, and he always managed to barely squeak by... but... she had never wanted him to fail. She had never really cared, to be honest, but she had never wanted him to fail. She just sighed and stood to her feet as she was called into the other room, she could worry about Naruto later. She had three much more important things to worry about first. One being what she'd do to that Sakura-teme once she got back into the room, nobody was allowed to touch her sasuke-kun, except her of course. Two being her own test. Three being worrying about which team she'd get placed on, she hoped it was with her Sasuke-kun.
Chapter End
Alright! Chapter 2 is finished and posted! ( September 25, 2010 )
Enjoy!
Author's Notes: Warning - please don't expect a chapter a day. It's the weekend, and I don't have any papers due.
As always, I'm open to criticism and advice.
~ The Arms of Blood
