AN: sorry it took so long to write this chapter, i was busy trying to catch up with my other stories.

please review,

Arty x

Chapter one: Unsettled

I cannot find a way to describe it

It's there inside, all I do is hide

I wish that it would just go away

What would you do, you do if you knew?

What would you do?

Take me away Avril Lavigne

In the slums of the village of Konoha, Uzumaki Naruto awoke feeling odd, it continued as he stepped quietly out of his shower ten minutes later. He got dressed slowly, wondering curiously about the odd feeling. Glancing at his clock, he noted that he was due at the academy in an hour, and as he checked his cupboard for something to have for breakfast, he finally realised what the feeling was he was…nervous? Shutting the cupboard a bit harsher than usual, he decided not to have breakfast, besides his cupboard was empty, except for one slightly dusty pot of ramen, which he was saving for dinner.

He quickly pulled on his sandals and headed for the door. Trying to be as silent as possible, he unlocked the several locks on his door and opening it a crack he peered out. Seeing no-one lying in wait outside, he quickly exited, locking the door firmly behind him. With a leap he took to the rooftops, as an academy student he was not technically supposed to have learnt how to climb on the roof tops yet, but he was too lost in his thoughts to care.

The nervousness, he guessed was due to the fact he was going back to the academy for hopefully his last year, or maybe the fact he would have a new teacher; a teacher unlike his previous one who he knew hated him and knew not to make eye contact with otherwise he would earn a detention, where he would have to do something either degrading or just listen to how worthless he was. This new teacher would either treat him better…or worse.

And knowing his luck probably worse.

Coming out of his thoughts, he was surprised to see the academy ahead of him. Jumping down to land quietly in a nearby alley he glanced at his watch. He was fifteen minutes early! He shifted nervously as he glanced down the street and at the grounds of the academy. There was only a few students that were waiting in the academy's small training ground slash playground, so he quickly walked out of the alley with his head down so as not to draw attention to himself.

As he approached the doors, he flinched feeling the eyes boring into his back. He let out a sigh of relief as he entered the building and the door shut behind him. Taking a deep breath he headed for his classroom.

The room was silent thankfully, and a quick glance revealed only two people seated in the class room.

Naruto felt himself relax slightly as he saw who they were; Aburame Shino; a brown haired boy wearing a high collared coat and sunglasses and Hyuga Hinata; a girl with blue hair that was so dark it seemed black and the pale white eyes of the Hyuga clan. He was safe with them. Hinata was a polite and gentle girl, often to shy to speak, but had, on occasion spoken to him. Shino was a quiet boy who had never said a cruel word to him…never said anything to anyone really.

He flashed them a slight smile, for some reason unable to summon his usual sunny fake grin, and watched as a worried frown flitted across Hinata's pale face and one of Shino's dark eyebrows raised ever so slightly. They were sat at the back of the class, there were three empty seats between them and Naruto found himself settling himself between them, leaving an empty chair on each side of him, between him and them. He buried his head in his arms and found himself sighing.

"U-um…n-Naruto-k-kun a-are y-you o-o-okay?" he raised his head to look at the young Hyuga, and was surprised to se concern in her eyes "um yeah I'm fine Hinata-Chan just…" he trailed off slightly "tired I guess" the small girl nodded and turned her eyes back to her fingers which she was twisting nervously in her lap.

"It is unusual to see you in class this early Uzumaki-san" Naruto jumped in surprise as Shino's emotionless voice came from next to him. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously "Yeah, I know but I set my alarm early by mistake and couldn't get back to sleep" he lied, and as he watched the boys eyebrow raise higher he got the feeling that Shino did not believe him for a second.

An uncomfortable silence filled the room Naruto was thankful when the door slid open, but swallowed nervously when he saw who it was…Nara Shikamaru a boy with hawk like black eyes and brown hair in a short ponytail onto of his head and Akamichi Choji ; a kind brown haired boy, who was chubby like the rest of his clan. The two boys spotted him quickly and exchanged surprised looks before to Naruto's horror headed up the stairs toward him and sat in the empty seats either side of him.

"Hey, Naruto" Choji said cheerfully but with a hint of uncertainty as his eyes looked the boy over something glinting in his eyes, something that looked a lot like worry. Shikamaru copied Naruto's pose and rested his head on his arms and looked at him curiously "How you been over the holidays, Naruto?" he asked looking generally interested.

Naruto forced a happy grin over his face, "It was great, I got to prank loads of people, and come up for loads of new ones!" he said trying to sound happy, he managed it slightly due to the fact he did actually enjoy pranks 'Its in my nature after all…' he thought bitterly, not noticing that his expression darkened and the calculating look that appeared on Shikamaru's face.

Naruto forced the dark thoughts to the back of his mind and flashed another smile before burying his head once again into his arms mentally hitting himself round the head, what was wrong with him today he couldn't keep his mask up today, he had a bad feeling something big was going to happen today. Maybe it was Choji and Shikamaru choosing to sit besides him, when usually he made sure to sit as far away as he could. It wasn't that he disliked them at all, no, completely the opposite in fact they used to be his best friends, when he was younger.

Shikamaru began to notice things…Things Naruto didn't want anyone to know. Like how everyone over twenty despised him, how he always had bruises and cuts. How the younger kids had started to avoid him, he began to look for answers. Naruto wanting his secrets just that secret began distancing himself for both him and Shikamaru, who being one of Naruto's only friend gained the attention of people who wanted Naruto to be miserable and alone for ever.

Choji while not able to be as calculating as Shikamaru, had his own reasons to be suspicious of Naruto's life. Being an Akamichi, Choji had two abilities granted by Akamichi bloodlines, Choji needed to eat to gain chakra for the large attacks his clan used that used up amazing amounts of chakra, and another less known one, they could tell if people were malnourished. Naruto when he first meet Choji had been still living in at the orphanage, and while not having much to eat it wasn't too noticeable.

But then he was thrown out when he turned six and was unable to get much food and when he did it was often ruined by people. Choji began to notice and drew attention to himself by bringing Naruto food. So he had to leave him as well.

He didn't understand how, after five years they were still trying to figure him out and still tried occasionally to help usually stepping in when other people decided to rough him up a bit.

"-ruto! NARUTO"

Naruto jumped violently and turned to Shikamaru, who was looking worried as he gazed at him "Are you alright Naruto?" Naruto smiled at him almost kindly "I'm as good as ever Shika" he said quietly, Shikamaru looked startled but happy at the old nickname.

"Anyway I was asking whether you know what our new teacher is like?"

Instantly Naruto felt the nervousness he'd felt all the worries of the morning drop back onto his shoulders, he didn't have time to dwell as the door slid open. His eyes darted to the door where a man was entering, he had a scar across his nose and brown hair up in a high ponytail reminiscent of Shikamaru. Brown eyes scanned the room before spotting them, the man smiled at them in surprise.

Naruto swallowed nervously when he noticed the smile fade slightly when the man met his blue eyes, the flash of recognition.

He quickly averted his eyes.

The man cleared his throat "Er hi, I'm Umino Iruka your teacher for this year" Iruka said cheerfully, as he headed to his desk and began emptying his surprisingly large rucksack. He seemed oblivious to the five pairs of eyes studying his every move. By the time he was finished unpacking the rest of the class had arrived.

Iruka waited till they were all seated before reintroducing himself sounding much more confident "This will be you last year in the academy, and as such your toughest. You will be test to your limits, some of you will pass with flying colours and some will not pass at all" Naruto tried to ignore the snickers as most of the class turned to him.

"That will do."

Silence fell over the room as Iruka's cheerful voice turned cold "The time of childish teasing is over for you, when you finish this year, you will be adults. You are the future ninja of Konoha, you are to respect each other, in the future you will fight by each others sides, you will see each other die and you will protect each other to the best of your abilities!"

The class stared at their desks his words seeming to effect some of them. Naruto stared at the man in disbelief…he had defended him? His eyes unintentionally met Iruka's overseeing gaze once again and he saw curiosity and looking deeper maybe a hint of pity directed at him. He broke eye contact quickly. Out of the corner of his vision he saw Hinata smiling softly as her sharp eyes studied the teacher and Shikamaru grinning into his arms.

"Okay today will be fairly easy for you we will be going over ranks and details of some of the jutsu's you've learnt about in your previous years here. Sometimes I may through out a jutsu you have not learnt about" he began to write on the chalkboard.

"Okay Uchiha Sasuke, what rank is the Kawarimi no jutsu?"

"E-rank, sensei." the pale dark haired boy answered with a smirk, Iruka moved on to the pink haired girl sitting besides him "Sakura, what are the hand signs of Bunshin no jutsu?"

"Ram, snake, tiger." she answered, looking sideways at Sasuke blushing slightly.

This continued for over an hour and the whole class began to notice the questions get harder. Naruto had found he had surprisingly gotten fairly easy ones. Shikamaru had gotten several extremely difficult questions, but the genius was unfazed and answered everyone correctly while looking seemingly asleep.

"Naruto, what classification does Hiraishin no Justu come under?" the room went silent at the mention of the secret technique of the Fourth Hokage. Naruto narrowed his eyes at Iruka noting the challenging gaze that was aimed at him, Naruto found himself wondering if this man was one of the few who figured out the connection between him and the fourth.

Smirks were being sent his way again, they thought he was going to fail, Naruto didn't know what annoyed him more; the stupid smirks, the challenge in Iruka's eyes or the fact he was pissed off enough to answer it right just to get them to shut up.

"Jikükan ninjutsu"

Mutterings broke out around the room the students looking between Iruka and Naruto waiting to see if he was right, Shikamaru who had sat straighter and stopped pretending to sleep as soon as Naruto had answered, stared at him in surprise.

A smile spread across Iruka's face, his eyes victorious "Correct Naruto, I knew you could do it" he said happily. Naruto sighed and dropped his head onto the desk with a thud "What the hell am I doing?" he muttered to himself angrily. The bell for lunch rang thankfully and Naruto waited till half the class had left before bolting for the door.

He ignored Iruka calling him back and just ran.

Shikamaru exchanged a look with Choji before they both leapt over their desk and followed Naruto. Shikamaru spared a glance for Iruka and noted the pity in his eyes. They found Naruto in his usual place sitting sideways on the swing that hung from the large oak in the playground. He was staring at the floor his hands gripping the ropes tightly, as a group of kids surrounded him.

As they approached they could hear what the kids were saying to him "I can't believe you got away with cheating so easily Naruto-baka" Sakura said with a annoyed huff, while her best friend Ino glared at the boy coldly "And don't think your going to get away with making Sasuke-kun look bad!" she snapped reaching out and slapping the boy on the back of the head, knocking the boys head forward to hit the rope of the swing, he stayed like that, not even blinking.

"Oi! Ino back off!"

The group of girls jumped and scattered. Sakura and Ino only staying long enough to shoot them a glare and for Ino to kick some of the dirt that lay around the swing at Naruto. Shikamaru and Choji stared after her in disgust "Geez when did Ino become such a bitch?" Choji muttered, Shikamaru snorted as he dropped down to lean against the tree "Since she set her eyes on that prick Sasuke" Shikamaru turned his gaze to Naruto who had continued to stare at the ground "Are You alright Naruto?"

Naruto remained staring, his eyes blank. Shikamaru frowned as he felt the worry from earlier appear again, it wasn't normal…the way he was staring like that, something was wrong with Naruto, he had known it since he was six, but still he couldn't figure it out.

"Naruto? Naruto are you alright? He asked again, nudging the boys leg with his foot, causing Naruto to jerk in surprise, wide blue eyes snapped up to stare at him and Shikamaru felt himself freeze as he took in all of the emotions swirling in Naruto's eyes and watched as the emotions were banished with a single blink "I'm fine Shikamaru, just thinking." The smile on the boy's face was obviously faked again.

"What's going on with you lately? You keep zoning out and you actually answered the teachers without some sarcastic comment! And you let Sakura and Ino push you around!" Shikamaru growled, he was almost happy to see the anger flashing in those blue eyes "I wasn't letting them push me around!" the boy snapped, Shikamaru raised an eyebrow "She hit you round the back of the head and you didn't even try to retaliate!" Naruto snorted in annoyance, a slight grin appearing on his whiskered face "I didn't even notice actually"

Choji let out a snort as he opened a three layered bento "Only you wouldn't know if someone had whacked you round the head" he said, as he separated the three sections and handed one too Shikamaru, and the other he held out to Naruto.

Naruto gripped the rope of the swing so tightly his knuckles turned white, he glanced at the food quickly before looking away "I'm not hungry, Choji" he muttered, only to inwardly curse when his stomach let out a loud growl as the smell reached his sensitive nose. Choji frowned at him "Naruto will you just take it…please for me" Naruto looked up at Choji and watched the boy bite his lip worriedly, with a sigh he reached out and took it. Choji continued to stare, so Naruto sighed again and picked up a rice ball and took a bite and a second, he was so focused on the food he didn't notice three pairs of eyes watching him. Choji and Shikamaru exchanged grins, before digging into their own food shooting glances at their friend as he devoured his food.

Iruka called them back in just as they were finishing their meals and all three quickly ate the remaining food before heading in. They sat in the same seats the had before, both Choji and Shikamaru were happy to note Naruto seemed a little more energetic. The class continued as normal, the only disruption was when the class ended, Sakura and Ino had somehow become glued to their chairs.

Shikamaru noticed a mischievous smile that bordered on evil appear on Naruto's face, as he watched Iruka tried to pull them off. It didn't take long for them to be freed, but both girls came free with an loud ripping sound as the bottom of their skirts stayed firmly glued to the chair. Both girls started screaming and trying to clamber over desks and people to get to Naruto, who gave a lazy salute to the two. Iruka finally yelled for the class to leave, his voice leaving no room for arguments, causing the whole class to stampede out of the room.

"Naruto stay!"

Naruto froze in the doorway. He saw Choji glance back worriedly, before he disappeared in the crowd. Naruto turned and with a lot of effort pulled a smile onto his face. "Yes Iruka sensei?" he said politely, avoiding the mans eyes. He could feel the man studying him "Sit down" Naruto swallowed nervously and edged around Iruka to sit at a desk in the first row.

"Naruto…why are you scared of me?"

Naruto's eyes snapped up in surprise to glare at the teacher "I'm not scared of you!" he snapped angrily, Iruka just continued to stare "Oh really? Then why have you only met my eyes twice today, and flinch away straight after? Why are you still not meeting my eyes?" Naruto forced himself to meet the mans eyes "Why do you give a shit!" He felt the nervousness he had felt all day turn to anger, as he stared at Iruka, who looked taken aback.

"Naruto of course I care, I just want to know why you're scared of me. I'm not a threat" He seemed to realize he had said the wrong thing, Naruto stood up his eyes flashing angrily, his hands curled into fists "You are a threat! I can see the hate in your eyes, its hidden but its there! So don't pretend to be some caring teacher who wants what best for me! You want the mistakes of this village erased just like…Just like everyone else!"

The room was completely silent for a few minutes, the only sound Naruto's heavy breathing. Iruka stared at the boy in horror and understanding, realization in his eyes "You know." Naruto met his eyes with a twisted grin, as he tapped the side of his head "Of course I know!"

He let out a half hysterical laugh "Everyone loves to remind me!"

Angrily he pushed past Iruka and headed for the door "Naruto wait!" Naruto glared at the hand holding his arm "Don't touch me! Just leave me alone!" he snarled, pulling free and bolting out the door.

At the back of the class room, Shikamaru Nara lent back against the desk, a frown on his face. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but neither of them noticed him picking his pen off the floor where it had fallen. They had already started talking. But now he was intrigued.

What the hell was going on with Naruto? Closing his eyes he thought back through the conversation between Naruto and Iruka, what could Iruka, a man none of them knew know about Naruto? And Naruto was angrier than he had ever seen…

He was pulled from his thoughts by yelling and a painful yelp. Peering back round the desk, he stifled a gasp of astonishment.

Naruto was being dragged roughly back into class room by another teacher…by his hair.

The man was staring down at Naruto with obvious hate "Iruka, I caught this little bastard running away from here. What did the little shit do now, I heard you shouting?" He said as he shook Naruto a bit making him hiss, Shikamaru had to bite his cheek from letting out a growl. He glanced at Iruka-sensei and was glad to see his sensei looked just as outraged. The other teacher didn't seem to notice as he began to talk coldly to Naruto.

"You should show respect to your betters, brat. You should know that by now-"

"Let him go."

Both Naruto and the man looked startled by the request "Let him go? Oh do you what to punish the bastard yourself?" The man said stupidly, oblivious to Iruka's clenched fists "Me and the others could give you some tips on disciplining his kind" he continued, almost gleefully.

"Just shut up and let Naruto go!" the man seemed to finally notice Iruka glaring furiously at him "No need to get angry, I was just offering advice" he huffed, before, with a shrug he shoved the boy forward roughly. Naruto tripped and would have fallen if Iruka hadn't caught him. Naruto looked at him in surprise and Iruka flashed him a quick smile.

"Naruto detention is cancelled for today, why don't you go home and relax. I'll see you for class tomorrow" he said softly, Naruto watched him for a second before nodding and edging past the man who looked suddenly furious. As soon as the door slid shut behind him, Iruka had the man pinned against it by his throat "Don't ever talk to one of my students like that again Mishima" he said coldly, the man choked angrily "its no more than he deserves Umino" Iruka seemed to fight the impulse to punch idiot in the face.

With a deep sigh Iruka let the man go "Just get out of my sight" he muttered heading to his desk. The man left muttering under his breath. Iruka sat at his desk and put his head in his hands, he took a few calming breaths before speaking again "Shikamaru…Please don't tell anyone about this" Shikamaru let out a sigh of his own "troublesome" he muttered as he stood up, Iruka looked up at him curiously "I saw you at lunch you and Choji care about Naruto, right?" Shikamaru nodded, wondering where the conversation was going.

"Naruto is a strange person….he wants attention…he needs it! yet shies from it…he needs friends like you and Choji…he needs someone to care about him. Could you make sure he's alright if you see him?"

Shikamaru nodded and Iruka put his head back in his hands.

Shikamaru took this as a dismissal and left.

End Chapter.

AN: so please tell me what you think

:D reviews inspire me :D

thank you to all my reviewers you keep me writing :D

thanks for reading,

Arty