ReyDelSol- Second "chapter" of the first story I ever wrote and posted.
Chapter 1- Naruto and Ruki.
In Konoha's Ninja Academy Makino Ruki sat with her friends and fellow Tamers, as they chatted away about tomorrow's Genin Exam.
"I'm so going to pass it!" Hirokazu boasted with a smug look, "in fact I bet they'll make me a Chuu- No, a Jounin on the spot!"
"Sure they will." Jenrya said with an amused smile at his classmate as the others gave him skeptical looks, expect for Ruki who just rolled her eyes.
"Okay maybe not, but I'm going to pass the exam and become one of the greatest ninjas the village has ever seen," Hirokazu proclaimed full of confidence. "And then I'll get all the girls and leave Uchiha in the dust. And send a few Kenta's way."
"HEY!" Kenta snapped at his friend's comment. "You got it backwards Kazu, I'll become a great legendary ninja and get all the girls. And maybe if you beg me, I'll send some your way."
"Will you two stuff it?" Ruki cut in to stop the - in her mind - moronic duo from fighting over a shared delusional future. "Even if you pass the exam, I doubt you'll become 'great' or legendary ninjas easily, let alone get any girls."
"You don't know that!" Hirokazu growled back as he shot the girl a glare. "Besides I have a better shot at it than Naruto."
"Tch." Ruki immediately felt extremely aggravated at the mention of the class clown. For some reason she could not figure out, everything about Naruto just seemed to bug her to no end. But at the same time…
"Say where is Naruto anyway?" Takato asked as he looked around the classroom for the hyperactive boy, effectively snapping Ruki out of her thoughts and aggravating her even more. She liked how quiet the class was without Naruto.
"You think with the Genin exam being tomorrow, he would be here," Jenrya commented, slightly disappointed at the blonde. "He keeps on yelling that he'll become Hokage, but he still doesn't take class seriously."
"The idiot is probably out somewhere pulling some stupid prank," Ruki snapped as she rested her chin on an arm, eyes shut in annoyance. The less she thought about Naruto the better.
"You said it!" Hirokaze and Kenta laughed in agreement as the others just smiled or laughed quietly, as they remembered some of Naruto's past antics. Even the stoic Alice, whom they sought out and befriended after Dobermon's sacrifice and the D-Reaper's defeat nearly two years ago, joined in.
While none of them were friends with Naruto, they did enjoy most of his pranks from time to time; not that Ruki would ever admit it to anyone.
"Alright, settle down!" Iruka-sensei called out as he came into the room, effectively silencing the students who didn't want to face Big-Head Iruka's yelling.
"Now then, roll call!" Iruka began to call out names from his attendance sheet. While this was going on, Ruki couldn't help but let her eyes wander over her classmates and future shinobi.
Her opinion varied from person to person. Her fellow Tamers were very dependable, yes even Hirokaze and Kenta, and she could trust them with her life.
Others like Ichijouji Ken, Takaishi Takeru, Minamoto Kouji, Kimura Kouichi, and Aburame Shino were guys she could tolerate and work with if needed. The others boys in her class were too goofy, incompetent or weird, in her opinion, to be of any use as teammates; clan or no clan. Nara was too lazy to move, Chouji ate most of the time, and Kiba usually stank like a wet dog.
Uchiha Sasuke was also on her 'Hell No' list of possible teammates. The loner just ticked her off, in a different way than Naruto did. One reason was that Sasuke was simply arrogant and another was that he reminded Ruki of how she used to be. That gave her a third reason to hate the Uchiha. After she and her friends defeated the D-Reaper, Ruki tried to befriend Sasuke- despite his fan girls' threats and jealous acts- since he reminded her a lot of herself in the past. But he merely brushed her off.
It was the way he coldly told her to leave him alone and that she was no better then the rest of his fangirls that cemented the fact in Ruki's mind that Sasuke was just a little prick.
The forth and final reason Ruki hated the Uchiha was that because of him, the Academy had a surplus of useless, love-struck girls and downright embarrassments to women and kunoichi.
Girls like Juri, Alice, Yagami Hikari, Orimoto Izumi, and Hyuuga Hinata would no doubt make great kunoichi someday and great comrades. She had respect for them all, even the shy Hinata. At least she didn't go gaga over Sasuke like the pink-banshee Haruno Sakura and the blond-flower girl Yamanaka Ino.
Seriously Ino was from a clan famous for their mind-based jutsu yet instead of training she spent most of her time fighting over and flirting with the uncaring and uninterested Uchiha-prick.
And don't get her started on Haruno Sakura. Seriously what does Naruto see in that ponk head banshee and pathetic excuse of a kunoichi? And for that matter why did SHE care in the first place?
"Oi! Hinata, Sensei's calling your name!" Kiba loud yell along with Akamaru's bark from his place on the Inuzuka's head startled Ruki from her thoughts. She turned to see Hinata jump, startled by the loud outburst, and turned around to see Iruka and the entire class staring at her. She seemed to shrink slightly, and blushed in embarrassment before bowing her head to Iruka.
"H-Here sir," she replied, cheeks still stained crimson, and Iruka just chuckled along with a few of the class. Ruki noticed Koji scowling as he glared and growled at a few.
Iruka continued with the roll call, but Ruki kept her eyes on Hinata, who resumed looking out the window again. Curious and just in the right place to see, Ruki shifts her position over the table and followed the shy girl's gaze. And got the shock of her life, outside of digimon that is.
"Makino Ru-"
"THE HELL!" Yelled out Ruki, nearly falling out of her seat as she shot right up. Completely ignoring Iruka's scowl and scolding, she walked over and passed the startled Hinata right to the window. The look of shock and disbelief never leaving her face.
"What's wrong Ru…ki..!" Iruka asked with his voice losing volume the moment he stood behind the girl and looked out the window himself. Immedialty the rest of the students gathered around the window and saw what had shocked the Ice Queen and Iruka-sensei.
"What the?"
"No way!"
"How'd he pull this off?"
Comments like those filled the class as they looked upon the now vandalized Hokage stone faces in signature orange. Iruka looked out at the monument as all the color drained from his face. But soon it returned full force as he positively glowed with anger. And let out a furious roar as he vanished in a swirl of wind and leaves.
"NARUTOOOOO!"
The class fell dead silent for several moments, until Sasuke said what was on everyone's mind and broke the silence.
"The dobe's in for it now."
"This is stupidest stunt of all time," Ruki muttered as she rubbed her temples to sooth the pulsing headache that ailed her that very moment.
She was proven wrong, when Naruto used his Oiroke no Jutsu in class.
-Break-
Classes have been dismissed and the Tamers were heading home to rest and relax for tomorrow's Genin exam.
A task easier said than done for Ruki, who was still furious over Naruto's latest stunt in class.
"Of all the stupidest…. perverted…. moronic… I'm GOING TO STRANGLE THAT LITTLE PERV!" Ruki repeated over and over, failing to do so earlier, because Iruka beat her and a few other girls to the punch.
Her friends all wisely gave her space to vent to avoid her wrath. But sadly one of them seemed to have a death wish.
"It was kind of funny," Takato whispered to his male friends, barely audible to keep the girls from hearing him.
"WHAT WAS THAT!" Ruki screeched as she snapped around and made a beeline towards Takato, who was mentally cursing the all-hearing ears of a scorned woman.
"IN WHAT WAY WAS THAT FUNNY! HUH!" Ruki screamed as she grabbed him by his shirt and was barely able to keep herself from shaking him like a rag doll. "WELL! ENLIGHTEN ME GOGGLE-BOY!"
"Did I say funny?" Takato meekly asked as he broke out in terror induced sweat. With a weak smile he tried to appease the fiery redhead. "I meant to say… stupid…perverted and uh…. Offensive! Yeah! Offensive and demeaning to all womankind! It should be a forbidden jutsu."
"…" Ruki just continued to glare at Takato, not really listening to a word he said. Her mind went back to Naruto and what possessed him to do something as stupid as inventing such a perverted jutsu.
A shoulder found its way to Ruki's shoulder and brought her back to reality. She turned to see Jenrya, looking both nervous and concerned.
"Uh Ruki, don't you think it's time to let Takato go?" Jenrya asked as he looked said boy.
Ruki looked back and saw a ready to pass-out-and-wet-himself Takato, blue in the face as he stared into her still raging eyes.
Taking a deep, deep breath to calm herself Ruki let Takato go, the boy nearly falling on his rear when she did so.
"Sorry Takato." Ruki apologized sincerely, not meaning to take out her anger on her friend.
"It's alright." Takato reassured her as he waved off the apology, still a little shaken and sure he had seen his life flash before his eyes.
A few awkward moments of silence later, Jenrya spoke. "Well, I'll see you guys tomorrow for the exam."
"You bet!" Takato said enthusiastically, recovered somewhat from his brush with death. "And even if some of us don't pass, we'll all still get together, right?"
"HAI!" chorused the Tamers, well the more vocal ones that is.
"Alright, see you guys tomorrow!" Takato waved goodbye to his friends before running off home. The rest of the Tamers followed suiteand went their separate ways for the day.
All except for…
"Ruki-san." The redhead turned to see Alice looking at her in concern, due to the fact that Ruki had yet to move from her spot. "Are you alright?"
"It's nothing really." Ruki sighed, trying to reassure both Alice and herself. "It's just that Naruto gets under my skin. And I don't know why, aside from the pranks, that is."
"Uzumaki-san is a real enigma." The girl stated, pausing momentarily to consider her next words. "My grandfather once told me that he deeply respects Uzumaki-san, as much as he respects you and the others, but he never gave me a reason why."
Ruki's eyes went wide at that statement. What the hell? One of the Monster Makers, the creators and researchers of the digimon card game, respected Naruto? Held the village prankster and dead last of the Ninja Academy in the same regard as Takato, Jenrya, Ryo and herself?
They saved the entire village and the world from the D-Reaper! Granted no one knew thanks to the power of the digimon Sovereigns and all. Besides the Hokage, the people of HYPNOS, and their families, no one else knew that digimon were real. Let alone the fact that the village had been in danger of complete annihilation.
'But Naruto? That didn't make any sense at all. What was there to respect about a little brat that spends most of his time being loud and obnoxious, wasting energy and skill on pranks,' the girl thought over and over trying to make sense of it all.
"Did you try asking your parents?" Ruki asked her friend but Alice merely shook her head, shattering Ruki's hopes.
"I have but I didn't get a real answer. All they said was that I'll learn for myself one day and decide for myself whether Uzumaki-san deserves my respect or not."
"I see." Ruki stated with a frown trying to wrap her mind around the whole confusing and vexing situation. Letting out a tired sigh as her hand went to sooth her aching head.
"I'll see you tomorrow Alice." Ruki mumbled, exhausted from thinking about Naruto and her complex feelings for him.
"Likewise Ruki-san." With that the conversation was dropped as both girls headed to their respective homes.
On her way home Ruki let her mind wander away from thoughts of Naruto and onto other things. Like looking forward to some of her grandmother's cooking and seeing how Renamon was doing.
Ever since their digimon returned the Tamers have been on cloud nine, until they learned about the price and risk that came with it. The digimon ran the risk of disappearing completely if they were apart from their partners for too long or were out of a digital area's range, like Guilmon's Hideout or for some reason Ruki's house.
The other price was their ability to merge with their digimon into their Ultimate levels. That had been a heavy blow to them all, since it meant losing a part of themselves- for both Tamer and digimon.
They could still evolve into their Perfect levels but it wasn't the same. Ruki wanted to help Renamon fight and not be a burden to her partner and closest friend. If not as one then alongside her, able to hold her own against any kind of possible enemy. That was why she was determined to become a great and powerful kunoichi, to reduce the chances of losing Renamon because of her weakness.
Soon the red head was home and was removing her sandals before going in to search of her family.
"I'm home!" Ruki called out as she picked up the aroma of her grandmother's favorite tea.
"In here Ruki-chan," her grandmother, Hata Seiko, called out from the living room and Ruki went straight for it.
The girl couldn't help but be amused at the scene before her. 'Looks like Renamon is getting her butt whooped again.'
Ever since she came back, Renamon found she had a knack for Go and loved to play whenever she could. She had played and bested everyone of their friends until she played against Seiko and lost…Badly.
And it seemed that today was no different either.
"Welcome home, Ruki-chan," Seiko greeted her granddaughter with a smile before turning back to the game.
"Welcome home, Ruki," Renamon greeted her Tamer without looking up from the board, completely focused on her next couple of moves as her blue eyes stared intensely at the black and white stones.
Ruki held back a laugh at Renamon's scrunched up face. It was almost like she was pouting. An expression that just looked weird on her digimon. Getting a hold of herself, Ruki then noticed that someone was missing.
"Say, where's mom?" the red head asked, already knowing the answer but still hoping that she was wrong. But the look on Seiko's face confirmed it.
"I'm sorry Ruki-chan, but she got called away by the studio for an emergency shoot," she said to her granddaughter with a sad smile. "They said something about a masked man riding a giant toad stealing all their other model's pictures or something like that."
Hearing that Ruki's face scrunched up in disgust. "Gross and I don't even want to think about what kind of guy would do with something like that!"
Elsewhere a certain Gama-sennin sneezed all over his manuscript and several of his 'notes'. Eyeing the mess, he reached for and found that he had already used up his tissue papers.
Ruki continued to shudder in disgust for a few seconds before regaining her composure. She turned to Seiko to ask her a very important question.
"Will she be able to make it tomorrow then?" The kunoichi-to-be asked with a hopeful look in her eyes. Seiko stood up and gave Ruki a hug as she looked down on her fiery granddaughter.
"Definitely. She told her agent to keep your graduation free, so that she could be there the moment you came out a genin. Isn't that right, Renamon? Renamon?"
The two turned to see Renamon was still completely absorbed on the Go game, awaiting Seiko's next move and devising counter measures. With an amused sigh Seiko went back to play and set the fox digimon free from the game.
Within less than a minute and four moves, virtually all of Renamon's stones were captured and the fox's shoulders slumped down in defeat.
"I yield," Renamon said as she bowed once again at this master Go player. "You're just too strong, Hata-sama"
"That I am," Seiko said with a laugh as she began to put the Go set away. "No even old man Sarutobi can beat me at this game."
Normally Ruki would have thought that her grandmother was exaggerating, if she hadn't see it first hand. She was certain that the Hokage had a crush on Seiko, since he always found the time from running the village to visit. For as long as Ruki could remember the old man had been dropping by, to simply chat or play and lose against Seiko. The young redhead had come to see him as the grandfather she never had.
The old man also knew about Renamon and her higher forms, but thankfully he didn't view her as threat or thought that she was connected to the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Unlike a few in the past who asked if Renamon was the Kyuubi reborn as a digimon. Ruki knew differently, after IF Renamon was the Kyuubi's reincarnation then they would've been the strongest of the Tamers, instead of Takato and Guilmon.
"So then Ruki, how was class today?" Seiko asked her with a knowing and amused smile, and Ruki knew right away what she wanted to know. Naruto.
For some reason her grandmother was always interested in the boy, asking occasionally about his antics and well-being. When Ruki asked her why she was interested in Naruto, Seiko just told her that she found him interesting and would often urge Ruki to be polite to the boy.
Easier said than done, especially after the boy's latest stunt in class.
Ruki's face morphed into a fierce scowl as she recalled the event, slightly startling both Seiko and Renamon as a dark aura surrounded the red head.
"I take it that Naruto-san did something else?" Seiko asked already knowing the answer, remembering the time Naruto pulled a prank in the girl's restroom. Ruki being one of several victims and the head of the mob chasing the boy all over the village.
"That little pervert." Ruki muttered darkly as she shook with renewed rage and told Seiko and Renamon about Naruto's newest creation and its intended purpose. She didn't get much of reaction from Renamon since she was a digimon and her default form was technically naked all the time. (Not to mention genderless.)
Seiko's reaction on the other hand surprised Ruki. Even though she knew her grandmother to be calm, kind, and fairly easygoing Ruki still half-expected her to show some disgust or even disapproval of Naruto's actions.
Instead she laughed!
"He certainly is a creative one," Seiko said still smiling, shaking her head in mock disappointment and disbelief, yet her eyes had a look of understanding.
"CREATIVE!" Ruki yelled agape, gawking at her grandmother. She couldn't believe she had just said that. "How in the name of Konoha is that stupid, poor excuse for a jutsu 'creative'? It's perverted and demeaning is what it is!"
"Calm down, Ruki," Seiko calmly told her, still looking amused. "Back in my day, kunoichi training involved what you would consider perverted and demeaning. Not like what they seem to be teaching you girls today."
That shut Ruki right up, her mind shutting down at the very notion of Seiko learning to do such….. Things!
"Ack! Too much information! Let's never bring that up again, alright grandma!" Ruki pleaded, feeling very uncomfortable and sick at that very moment. "Still, he should know better."
"How can he, Ruki, if Naruto-san is all alone?" Seiko told her, making Ruki look up at her and see the sad smile on her grandmother's face. "He has no one to teach him manners, what's right or wrong, let alone to take care of him. If anything the reason he pulls pranks and does the majority of things he does is so that he doesn't have time to dwell on it."
Ruki looked down at her feet, feeling ashamed of herself. She was well aware of Naruto's situation but her complex feelings towards the boy blinded her to it; especially when he angered her in some way. She felt even worse when she recalled how she behaved in the past.
"But the way he acts." Ruki half-heartily argued, remembering Naruto's day to day happy-go-lucky attitude.
"That just proves that Naruto-san has a strong spirit."
"…" Ruki stayed silent and not a sound was made in the room for several minutes until Seiko spoke up.
"How we go out tonight, Ruki? Just you and me." Seiko offered in hopes of getting the girl's mind off of Naruto. "A friend of mine gave me two tickets to see a play, how about it Ruki?"
"Alright." Ruki said in a quiet voice, not really caring that the play would be acted by some of the worst actors of Konoha. If anything their god awful acting would keep her mind off Naruto. "Let me get changed into that kimono you got me."
That surprised the two other females as they watched the redhead walk out and head for her room. Ruki would only wear the kimono for special occasions or when she was feeling guilty and went out with Seiko to clear her head. Seiko had a look of regret on her face as she turned to Renamon. The fox digimon understood Seiko's silent plea and fazed out of existence.
In seconds she reappeared in Ruki's room just as the girl was getting ready to change. Her kimono was her trademark blue with sakura petals flowing all over it in an elegant design.
"Ruki," Renamon said, silently asking her Tamer if she was alright.
"I'll be fine, Renamon," Ruki reassured her digimon, not bothering to turn around and face her. She paused just after putting on the kimono. "Its just complicated for me when it comes to Naruto. Really complicated."
Somehow Naruto just got under her skin and annoyed her like no other. Yet at the same time Ruki felt herself drawn towards him in a way she just couldn't understand, let alone explain. There were times, when she allowed herself, she thought about the possibility of never seeing Naruto again or losing him for any kind of reason. The very notion felt like a stab to her heart, one that coursed through her entire being and sucked the life out of her.
And she just couldn't understand why. Why did the idea of Naruto dying or disappearing from her life hurt her? Why does she feel anger towards Sakura when she hits and hurtfully rejects Naruto? Why does she want to be close to him, comfort him, protect him and never let him go? They hardly knew each other and yet Ruki felt like she has known him all her life? That's where her anger towards Naruto stemmed from. It weren't the boy's actions or personality, but the feelings he invoked in her were what made her so hostile towards the boy.
Did she like Naruto in some way? No, that couldn't be it. Just thinking about kissing him felt wrong to the redhead, at least in a romantic way. By Azulongmon's sake this was simply driving her insane!
"I could keep an eye on him for you, Ruki," Renamon offered, feeling her partner's distress. "I might even learn something that would help explain your feelings towards him."
Ruki immediately shook her head. "No, it's too risky. I don't take the chances of you getting caught by a chunin or jounin chasing after Naruto. Or god forbid an ANBU."
Especially now since the digital fields that used to conceal digimon were all but gone. If not for those then all of Konoha would've known about the existence of digimon.
"Let's just forget about it, alright Renamon?" Ruki stated with no room for argument as her hands moved to finish dressing herself. Renamon nodded in understanding. She would drop the matter, for now anyway.
"Good, now can you help me with this thing?" Ruki said as she gestured to her kimono's sash. Renamon fought down a laugh at the sight. The redhead just couldn't for the life of her figure out how to put on the sash. If the others knew they would never let her live it down. It would be worth the bodily harm.
Meanwhile in her own room Seiko stood in front of a mirror, having just finished changing into her own kimono. The garment was a shade of green that went well with Ruki's blue and a similar sakura pattern ran across it. However her eyes were not on her own reflection but that of a portrait. A portrait of her late husband, Hata Hiro, who had died years ago from a rare and fatal lung diseases.
He had been a kind, caring, and very loving man, Seiko falling for him the moment they met. He was a great husband and father, not to mention a strong and talented ninja who up held the ideals of Konoha and believed in the Will of Fire. He had even served as Sarutobi's right hand man during the Third Shinobi War.
That was why the Third had entrusted them with another fiery redhead many years ago. One that they've come to love like their own daughter and Rumiko loved like a sister, despite the fact that she was an outsider.
'Kushina.' Memories of the hot-blooded girl haunted Seiko and the elderly woman felt a tremendous guilt welling up inside her, for she had betrayed her adopted daughter in so many ways. And like so many times before, Seiko wondered what Hiro would've done.
'If you were still here Hiro, would you have followed Sarutobi's orders? Or would you have done what was right by Kushina?' Seiko wondered, consumed by inner turmoil. 'On the one hand I don't want Naruto to fall into the hands of the Namikaze clan. But on the other I want Naruto to know the truth.'
"I'm ready grandma!" Ruki called out to her from the living room.
'The whole truth…'
"Be right there, Ruki-chan!" Seiko responded, moving to close the cabinet doors that housed Hiro's picture. Giving one quick silent pray for her husband, Seiko turned to walked out of her room and went to meet up with Ruki.
-Break-
"Another bowl please!" Demanded one Uzumaki Naruto as he has just finished his third bowl of the night. "And extra pork with it!"
To his side Umino Iruka let out a sigh of annoyance at his student's sudden insatiable appetite. Maybe he should've let him wear his headband after all.
"Alright Naruto this is your last bowl for tonight, got it." Iruka stated with a firm tone and look at Naruto.
"Ah? But I can still…" Naruto began but stopped seeing the look on his teacher's face. He meant it. And Naruto couldn't help but pout as he waited for his last ramen bowl.
"Now don't give me that look." Iruka said kindly but Naruto pouted even more. Luckily the seasoned teacher knew what to do. "I'll treat to all you can eat tomorrow IF you pass the genin exam."
As expected Naruto face went from pouting to surprise before breaking out into a big bright smile. "REALLY!"
"Yes, I promise." Iruka affirmed with a nod, knowing it would help motivate the boy and take his mind of his loneliness as well.
"YATTA!" Cried the orange ninja as he pumped his fists into the arm.
"My my Iruka-sensei you sure know how to motivate your students." A woman's voice said behind the two. Turning the two males came face to face with two kimono clad feamles. In green was Hata Seiko and in blue was Makino Ruki.
"Good evening Seiko-san! Ru…ki…RUKI-SAN!" Iruka greeting went from polite to outright shock as he and Naruto took a good look at Ruki. Or at least they thought it was Ruki, just a much more feminine version of the cold tomboy.
The girl before them had the same features of Ruki. Red hair with highlights, sharp and slightly cold violet eyes, pale and fair skin. What was different from the two Rukis was that this one was wearing a beautiful blue kimono with sakura petals flowing all over it. But what really stood out, to Naruto at least, was the fact that this Ruki let her hair down. And he couldn't help but be entranced by her current appearance.
She was beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Not even his precious Sakura-chan could match this level of beauty. And yet he didn't feel that way about Ruki nor could he picture them together as a couple. Even with the way she looks now. It just didn't felt… right.
Still, since the moment he first laid eyes on Ruki, Naruto felt drawn to her. He wanted to be close to her and had tried to become friends with the redhead. But sadly it didn't happen.
The first time he tried talking to her, an adult had chased him away and yelling at him that a monster like him had no right being near Ruki. Her family was highly respected in the village due to her grandparents' past deeds and her mother's social network.
The second time had been in the Academy but the girl kept everyone around her at arms length and treated everyone coldly. Expect for Naruto, she had been outright hostile towards him every time he tried getting close to her. So he had backed off and tried to gain her respect by other means.
Doing well the Academy didn't work, as he hated to study and his others skills were lacking. He had tried his had at that card game called Digimon but had a real hard time getting any cards, let alone good ones since most stores didn't want to serve him or overcharged him.
So he had all but given up and befriending Makino Ruki. Even after seeing the change in her nearly two years ago, as she had opened herself up and now had a group of friends. Close friends. Something Naruto wished he could be a part of and hoped that by becoming a ninja he would have a shot at it. Especially with this beautiful girl before him.
"Wh-what a-are you staring at you ero-baka!" The stuttering accusation snapped Naruto out of his thoughts and noticed that Ruki was now blushing as she looked away from him. Her eyes turned to give him a quick glare before dashing away again.
It was Naruto's turn to blush as he realized that he had been staring at the girl for who knows what long. "S-sorry. It just a little… uh, you know."
"Know what?" Ruki couldn't help but ask, despite herself.
"Well it's just weird." Naruto said, ignoring or simply unaware of a little voice telling him to shut up.
"What's weird?" The redhead asked, even though she had a feeling what Naruto meant by 'weird'.
"You in a kimono, I never thought I'd see you of all people wearing one." Naruto replied honestly, oblivious to Iruka's not so subtle gestures telling him to shut up along with the now screaming voice telling him to run and never stop running until he reached Suna.
Ruki and Seiko remained silent. Ruki because she was currently clenching her jaw and fists as rage built up inside her. Seiko because she was trying not to laugh at the pair's exchange and wanted to see how it would go. But would intervene if things got out of hand.
"I mean only girls wear kimonos after all." Naruto said with a straight face, wondering why Iruka, Teuchi, and Seiko were giving him such weird looks and if Ruki was sick because her face now matched her eyes.
"I AM A GIRL YOU BRAIN DEAD BLONDE BAKA!" Ruki screeched at the boy, the sheer volume busting a few ear drums and shattering glass.
"OW! So loud Ruki-chan." Naruto cried as he covered his poor ears, failing to see Ruki's shocked face at what he justed called. "I meant girl-girls, not girls like you."
Whatever strange, warm, and complex feeling Ruki had felt before was squashed by a blazing rage. "And what does that mean?"
"I mean you act more like a bo-MMMMPH!" Naruto couldn't finish as Iruka had covered his big mouth with both hands. Keeping the troubling making mouth shut, the teacher turned to the fuming girl with a nervous grin.
"Sorry Ruki-san, I sure what Naruto meant to say was that it is rare seeing you wearing such a beautiful outfit, right Naruto." Iruka rephrased to the girl before looking at Naruto with an odd, strained smile. His reply was a nod, muffled cries, and flailing arms as Naruto tried to pry his hands off. Seeing his face try blue Iruka let Naruto go, who took in a lung full of much needed air.
"W-what he said. Huff." Naruto said between breathes, sweating a little nervously from both the lack of air and the look on Iruka's face.
"Your ramen's ready!" Teuchi announced, breaking the tense atmosphere.
"Yatta!" Naruto cried instantly as he spun around in his seat and dug right in, completely over his previous predicament.
As both Iruka and Ruki stared at Naruto in dumbfounded disbelief, the latter with some anger, Seiko just gave him an amused smile and quietly laughed to herself.
"Sorry about Naruto Ruki-san, he doe-." Iruka began to apologize but was cut off by Seiko, who waved him off.
"It's quite alright Iruka-sensei." Seiko said, much to Iruka's and Ruki's shock. Naruto completely focused on enjoying his ramen to hear anything else.
Ruki was about to say something but Seiko stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder. "After all there was no one there to teach Naruto on how to compliment a beautiful girl, wouldn't you agree Ruki-chan?"
"…" Ruki was speechless, blushing red at what her grandmother just said. Her anger evaporating at the mixed, conflicting feeling of embarrassment and guilt. She didn't know which she felt more.
"She sure is a beauty." Iruka agreed with a fatherly/brotherly type smile before turning away in a small blush and added. "Just like her mother."
None of them noticed Seiko flinch at those words before masking her unease with a weak smile. "Hai, Ruki is sure to grow up into a beautiful goddess."
"Could you please stop it already." Ruki muttered, furiously blushing at their comments and praise. When she pouted the two adults broke out in light laughter, making Ruki blush even brighter. 'Kill me now.'
Soon enough, for Ruki's sake, their laughter died down and the two offenders composed themselves. As he watched Seiko apologize to her granddaughter for her behavior, Iruka had an idea.
"Seiko-san?" He called out to the Hata widow who turn looked at him. "Would you and Ruki-san join us for some ramen?"
"Why we would love to, wouldn't we Ruki-chan!" Seiko accepted instantly, preventing Ruki's instant decline and excuses. When she turned to her with a sweet smile, Ruki lost her will to fight and caved to her crafty grandmother's whims. Still she didn't want to be here with Naruto. It would just end up confusing her even more.
Reluctantly Ruki allowed Seiko to guide her over to the ramen stand and sat down on a random stool. The one right next to Naruto! What the!
The boy apparently had been slowly eating and savoring his ramen. So engrossed in eating his ramen, he had failed to hear or notice the latest turn of events.
Ruki wanted to bolt out and sit far away from Naruto as physically possible but Seiko sat on her other side and gently kept her in place with a hand on her shoulder while she ordered two bowls of miso ramen.
It was then that Naruto finally noticed them.
"MHMPH?" Naruto spoke with a mouth full of ramen as he stared at the two new, sudden customers. Noodle bits and broth falling and landing on Ruki's cheek.
"DON'T TALK WITH YOUR MOUTH FULL YOU BAKA!" Ruki yelled/scolded him in disgusted anger, snatching a napkin and wiping her face. "Kimono are expensive and hard to clean. Plus this one is a gift from my grandmother!"
Naruto nearly choked for moment, at both Ruki's volume and anger followed by her revelation. After a quick drink of water Naruto turned back to Ruki with an ashamed look on his face.
"Sorry." He said uncharacteristic meek tone, surprising Ruki and the others. His earnest shame showing on his face as he rubbed the back of his neck, snuffing out Ruki's anger.
"Hmph, as long as you're careful and don't eat like a pig then it's fine." Ruki huffed out as she turned away from Naruto, nose up in the air and not really acknowledging his apology.
This just made Naruto feel even more ashamed as he slumped in his seat, hating the fact that Ruki was mad at him. Iruka wanted to do or say something but knowing his two students, it would be difficult to handle.
Ruki, while not showing it, felt her own share of shame but her stubborn pride just wouldn't let her simply apologize to Naruto. Her thoughts were then cut off by a gentle nudging at her side and turning she saw it was Seiko who held a napkin towards her. It took a split second for Ruki to know what it was for.
'Please kill me now.' Ruki pleaded to the powers-that-be as she took the napkin.
"HERE!"
And she all but slapped right into Naruto's broth dosed face. The boy nearly falling back at the napkin's sudden appearance. Slowly he looked at Ruki, perplexed at the offering. Seeing his look, Ruki let out a low growl of frustration.
"Wipe your stupid face baka!" The red head muttered out, as a small blush colored her cheeks and looking away. Hesitantly Naruto took the napkin and obeyed her order.
An awkward silence ensued as the two genin-to-be sat side by side, feeling increasingly more and more uncomfortable. Iruka and Seiko shared a look and a sweat drop at the kids behavior.
"Order up!" Teuchi called as he placed Seiko's and Ruki's bowls in front of them. The Hata woman properly thanking him while Ruki just mutter a small thanks.
The silence went on for several more minutes, the kids hardly eating and picking at their meal. They would give each other the occasional quick glances, blushing and looking whenever their eyes met. This adorable behavior went on for quite a while until Seiko thought of something.
"Say Naruto-kun?" Seiko called out to the boy, who turned towards her while he slurped some noodles. Much to Ruki's disgust.
"Hai?"
"Why did you paint graffiti on the Hokage monument?" Seiko asked, genuinely curious and without the slightly hint of anger or distain towards the boy or his antics. To Seiko's and Ruki's surprise, Naruto responded with a huge, boastful grin.
"That's because someday I'll be the Hokage! I'm going to surpass everyone before me and become the greatest Hokage the village has ever seen!" Naruto declared with so much passion and confidence that the two females couldn't help but feel awed at the boy. Ruki however squashed down that feeling of awe, reminding herself of all of Naruto's faults.
Seiko gave Naruto a kind and encouraging smile. "I'm sure that yo-"
"That's never gonning to happen!" Ruki sharply cut in, arms crossed and a tight scowl on her face. "I mean really how can the Dead Last and worst student of the Academy, who has failed the genin twice in a row I might add, possibly hope to become a Hokage?"
The entire stand looked at Ruki in either shock, disappointment, or anger. Especially for the three that knew her. Sure she was a harsh person at times but never this harsh.
"Ruki-chan that's very rude of you to say." Seiko said with an underline tone that hinted for Ruki to stop and agologize to Naruto. A hint that Ruki failed to pick up on.
Naruto on the hand just glared at her in defiance.
"Hey now Ruki-san just because Naruto-" Iruka began to say but was cut off.
"So what! That doesn't mean anything, I'll become Hokage even if I have to do it through sheer stubbornness!"
"Oh please! You can't even do the most basic of ninjutsu, you suck at taijutsu, and have no talent at genjutsu. At all! Hell the Moronic Duo have a better shot at being Hokage then you do!" Ruki ranted on just as her scowl turned into a mocking smirk. "Maybe you should just quit and open up a joke shop or ramen stand, instead of wasting your and other people's time and energy with your delusional ambitions."
"Ruki!" Naruto growled and glared at the redhead, feeling both anger and hurt at her words. Especially since they came from her of all people.
"And don't waste your breath with anymore of your boasts, it's annoying and everyone is sick of hearing them!" Ruki ranted on, caught up in the moment of venting her frustrations on Naruto. "I mean really it's no wonder you're all alone, no one can stand you!"
"RUKI!" Seiko snapped in utter shock at her granddaughter's words, while understanding they stemmed from her complex feelings toward Naruto. But still that didn't justify any of them.
Ruki then realized what she had just said and felt a wave of disgust towards herself followed by dread as she looked away from Naruto. But not fast enough as she caught a glimpse of his face. A face she had only seen once by chance. His heartbroken face, revealing just how much pain and loneness he had welled up inside. And she hated herself for it. For adding more to his pain.
No one said anything in the uncomfortable silence, either too shock or unsure of what to say. Naruto was silent as he looked down his eyes shielded by his bangs and was slowly starting to tremble. Without a word he sat up and ran out of the stand, leaving his ramen and goggles behind.
"Naruto! Wait!" Iruka yelled after his student as he chased after him, giving Ruki a quick glare as he left.
Ruki however did not register her teacher's glare, as she was distracted by something that had landed on her cheek when Naruto ran off. With a hand she wipe it onto her fingertips and tasted it. They were tear drops. Naruto's tears.
The fact that she had made Naruto cry, something that didn't seem possible for the cheerful boy, made her feel horrible like nothing before. It felt like her heart had been stabbed by a rusty kunai and was now being ripped apart at the wound.
"I think it's time we head back, Ruki." The girl flinched at Seiko's disappointed and cold tone. Never had she heard her grandmother speak like that but Ruki knew that she deserved it. She nodded silently, unable to speak.
The two stood up and Seiko turned to Teuchi.
"We're sorry for the disturbance Teuchi-san." Seiko said to the ramen chef, who gave her a courteous nod and a glare to Ruki. Seiko then handed him a rather large sum of ryo.
"I know this doesn't make up for what was said," Seiko began and gave a cold glare to Ruki. "But please take this as an apology to both you and especially Naruto-san."
Teuchi took the money and counted it, realizing it was quite a sum. It was enough to not only to pay for the meals but also buy Naruto a month long supply of ramen. The chef respectfully bowed at Seiko.
"Thank you, I'm sure Naruto will appreciate this."
"It's the least I can do." Seiko stated while glancing at Ruki. "However there is someone else who must apologize for what she has said."
Ruki just stayed quite as she held her head down unable to look at either of her elders. Remorse and disgust churning her stomach. Nothing more was said as Seiko bid farewell to Teuchi and beckoned Ruki to follow, the girl feeling the intense glare no doubt from the ramen chef.
The march home was silent and felt like a torturous eternality for Ruki, every step and second of silence eating away at her along with the guilt she felt. She then made a decision.
"Grandma?" Ruki called out meekly, getting only the cold shoulder before going on. "C-can we have Naruto over for dinner sometime?"
"!" That made Seiko's head turn and looked at her granddaughter in shock, at both the submissive tone and the fact that it was the stubborn girls suggestion. She couldn't help but smile.
"Alright you can invite after you apologize to him." Seiko stated firmly.
That was going to be difficult but still she was the Digimon Queen and soon-to-be ninja. How hard could it be?
Next time: Chapter 2: The Truth
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Survey Question please answer:
1. For the next chapter I want to have Hinata see Mizuki take Naruto aside and then follows Naruto after he steals the scroll. But should I have one of the Chosen girls, specifically Ruki follow as well?
2. How should I make up the genin teams? To built up friendship and potential love interest and what not. Should I make every Chosen a ninja, student, or have them drop out for some reason?
My Team Ideas:
Touma/ Naruto Ruki Hikari or Naruto Ruki Sasuke
Kakashi/ Sasuke
Chosen Shinobi's Genin Teams:
Team 2-Takuya Takeru Ruki Team 3-Kiba Ken Izumi
Team 5-Takato Shino Juri/Masaru Team7-Naruto Sasuke Hikari/Kakashi
Team 8-Hirokazu Kouji Hinata Team 10-Daisuke Jenrya Ino/Asuma
Team 11-Kenta Chouji Raiko (the OC) Team 12-Shikamaru Kouichi Sakura
Team Gai-Lee Neji Tenten Team Anko-Ryou Junpei Miyako
Teams and Jonin Suggested by S4ik0ryu:
Team 3-Chouji Alice Kenta/Yoshino Team 4-Ruki Takeru Hirokaze/Chika
Team 5-Ken Kiba Izumi/Ikuto Team 6-Shino Juri Takato/Masaru
Team 7-Sakura Sasuke Takuya/Kakashi Team 8-Kouji Daisuke Hinata/Kunerai
Team 9-Hikari Kouchi Naruto/Touma Team 10-Jenrya Ino Shikamaru/Asuma
Team Gai-Lee Neji Tenten Team Anko-Ryou Junpei Miyako
If you count Alice from Tamers there should be enough to make even teams.
3. Who should I make into be the Jounin sensei for the Genin teams? The Savers Chosen come to mind and I know some of the other Chosen have older siblings that could work as Jounin instructors.
4. Pairing ideas and suggestions?
Aside from NaruHina- with maybe another girl that doesn't mind sharing Naruto or Hinata. (Jiraiya giggling in the back of my mind.)
I welcome all other suggestions along with some reasoning.
However please don't bother to suggest a Naruto-Ruki pairing. I have a reason for it and you'll find out or maybe guess what it is in the next chapter or two. Depending on number 1's answers.
Nothing against the pairing but it wouldn't work for this story.
5. For the Naruto genin and younger cast, who should get a digimon or spirit?
Naruto-Dorumon
Sasuke- "BlackAgumon OR Dorumon(virus)
Shikamaru- the Spirits of Steel.
6. I got nothing else…. Just ask me questions about this story.
Ex- In what order did the seasons go in Konoha?
Savers Zero 1 Tamers Frontier/Zero 2