Umm…So I kinda just realized what a big undertaking this is under my original plan…I actually started writing this fic just because I thought of the whole "pulling the plug thing" (and more that goes with that) and it seems no one is ever able to incorporate the whole murdered clan thing into a AU story organically, so I wanted to give it a try. Then I was thinking I'd just kinda continue to do the same thing…follow along major events and present them as realistically and inventively as I could in a modern western world (with a *slightly* more narusasu angle—only slightly because I mean, common. We all know it's practically cannon. xDD)…but I was just looking through a few possibilities for opening quotes and I realized…a freaking lot of shit happens in Naruto. Oo So now I'm not really sure…You tell me, what angle should I take with this? And, most important, =p, how slowly can I take this before you all get pissed at me and start begging for some action? (Because I'm about 70 percent on taking this fic to an M level at some point, though I've decided to leave it T for now because I like lots of development (sci-fi/fa nerd at heart. xDDD), but do be advised. =p) Sorry, this is so long. =p I'll shuddup now, and if I have more meaningless things to say I'll just throw um in at the end. xDD Hey, at least it's making this chapter look longer right? xDD
Disclaimer: As of now, I do not own any part of Naruto. But when Kishi-sensee and I are married (we're soul mates yah know. And that's not creepy at all. xDD) I'll make sure he signs over some of the rights to me. xDDD
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Chapter Three: Another Born of Hell's Clean Flame
"No, I loved watching you. Because that's who you are, Zuko: Someone who keeps trying even though it's hard." – Ursa, Avatar, the Last Airbender
Five years later…
Dear Sasuke, please stop staring at me like I'm something you'd like to scrape off the bottom of your shoe, 'kay thanks.
Naruto Uzumaki, 13-years-old and damn well determined to make it to high school rather than get held back again, did not need this kind of fucking pressure from that damn prick across the room staring at him like he was some particularly bizarre beetle with two heads. (Though, actually, that was a lot better than the looks he got from everyone else).
"Narutooo, hello? You can start anytime."
Naruto swallowed hard. He could feel Mr. Iruka staring him down—it was making all the hairs on his neck stand up for crying out loud!—and he could see all the snickering faces of his so-supportive peers. And as much as he wanted to tell them to stuff it up their asses by whipping out the most amazing oral presentation any of them had ever heard, he couldn't remember a damn thing.
I am so screwed.
"We're waiting, Naruto," Iruka commanded from his desk, voice all teachery. (But Naruto could still pick up the notes of concern and he found it extremely comforting. At least Iruka had his back).
Urgh—for crying out loud! He had practiced this speech for hours, honestly! Why couldn't he think of anything to say? Maybe if he just winged it…
"Naruto! Come on already, just fail so that the rest of us can go!" Not you too Sakura-chan! "I know I would really like to hear Sasuke-kun's speech…" Her eyes all big and flirty while she says that, getting all up close to him…Who the hell does that bastard think he is anyway? Always so high and mighty like he's better than everyone else! And what's with that cold look anyway? Somebody should teach that bastard a lesson…
So Naruto, of course, got right up in said bastard's face. He narrowed his eyes up real tight and stared that cocky son of a bitch right into those cold eyes. And Sasuke just stared back with that blank poker-face stare.
Dammit, doesn't this guy have any emo—
Well that got him to widen his eyes at least.
Naruto's arms pinwheeled wildly as he was suddenly thrust forward by a very ill-timed and far over-dramatized gesture from one of his classmates—for crying out loud, Tobie! We all heard about the damn fish, and no it was not "this big," besides, shouldn't you be paying attention to other people's presentations right now? (Not that he was actually presenting but that was beside the point)—and landed smack against none other than that Uchiha and his slimy worm lips (why couldn't it have been Sakura-chan!).
"Get off me you weirdo!"
"God bastard it wasn't like I did that! It was this freakin' dumb ass's fault!"
And ensue chaos. The entire class was in a glorious uproar of laughter, shouts, and general childish glee. And through it all that bastard Sasuke was just glaring away like it was all completely Naruto's fault while that freaking Tobie had the balls to sit there and look like he had no idea why Naruto was shaking him by the front of his stupid shirt, the whole while Mr. Iruka standing up front flapping his hands and calling out in his soft-voiced effort to calm things back down. Though of course, it did not take Iruka long to reach his breaking point, and the whole room finally quieted as "SHUTUP AND SIT DOWN!" echoed alarmingly throughout the classroom.
As everyone resumed pretending to pay attention, most still snickering and whispering crude comments under their breath, Iruka ran a tired hand over his face and looked at Naruto between his fingers with one weary eye.
"So Naruto, do you have anything for us or is it going to be another year of wonderful antics from you?"
Naruto glared at his teacher for a moment, his eyes scrunched up and his mouth drawn down in a sulk.
"Just give up, Looser," from the ice-cold bastard, "how could a hopeless failure like you ever hope to graduate anyway?"
Naruto opened his mouth to make a totally quick-witted and brilliant reply to Sasuke when, from across the room:
"Yeah, we all know what you really are, yah freak!"
"Now please—" Iruka tried to regain order, but the cruelty of children, once stirred, is hard to reel back in.
"That's right! With parents like that, how could he ever be anybody?"
"Everyone! Think about—"
"What parents! They're dead—got what they deserved, my mom says!"
"What you're saying!"
"Pah, it's no wonder he acts like an untrained dog!" Sa…Sakura-chan? Naruto could feel the betrayal and the years of buried pain and hate beginning to work its way to the surface. "He never had any parents to tell him how to behave himself. He's just like a spoiled brat!"
Naruto was standing very, very still. The world was spinning in strange ways around him, whooshing at his eardrums. Iruka's face was a dangerous red, his mouth was open and he was about to scream some respect into these ungrateful brats, when aid came from an unexpected source.
"You're annoying," the Uchiha said, softly but in a voice laced with enough murder to make the room dead silent in an instant. "You're all so annoying. You have no idea how he feels. You don't know anything." Several students in the room audibly swallowed. Iruka blinked, taken aback by the sudden burst of words from the usually silent boy.
Around Naruto, the world seemed to still again. He looked up slowly and met the eyes of Sasuke Uchiha, a vague memory stirring in the back of his mind as they locked gazes for a brief moment before Naruto looked away, embarrassed.
"Thanks, Sasuke."
"For what? I didn't say it for your sake. They were making too much noise."
"Whatever bastard."
"Shut up looser, who would do anything for you?"
"That…That's enough you two," Iruka interjected awkwardly, trying to redeem his position as authority figure. "That's enough for today. Everyone who hasn't gone yet prepare your presentations for tomorrow." As the room became a swell of chairs scrapping and chatter, Iruka added "Naruto, my office."
Dammit.
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Tick, tock. Tick, tock.
Naruto sat in Iruka's small little crappy middle school teacher office swinging his legs back and forth and listening to the clock strike a rhythm on the wall.
"Naruto. How many times have we been through this? Do you really want to stay in middle school forever?"
Naruto stubbornly glared to his left, refusing to look towards Mr. Iruka sitting behind his desk. Iruka sighed, long and tired.
"Naruto…" Iruka drifted off, staring at his most troublesome student for a long, quiet moment. Flames licked uncontrollably at the teacher's memory—but at the same time he saw a lonely little blond punk facing the ire of the world without a friend at his side. Iruka had long ago come to terms with what had happened all those years ago. Such a pity the rest of the world did not seem to be able to do the same.
"Can I go yet, Mr. Iruka?" The sulkish boy asked, and the man too old for his age sighed deeply.
"Fine Naruto, but this time tomorrow I want you to present your project to me—And it'd better be the best damn thing I've ever heard."
"Butt Mr. Irukaaaa," the boy whined, "tomorrow is Saturdayyy."
Why did he even bother giving this brat more chances? A vein in his temple twitched as he raised his voice, "Look you little ingrate, you should be on your hands and knees thanking me for even giving you this chance after all the trouble you cause me!"
Naruto looked callously to the side, still sticking his lip out in a pout, but Iruka caught the hint of guilt and apology in his muttered "Fine."
"Good," the teacher breathed, hoping he might have finally, finally, made some progress with the little brat, "Now go home, don't do anything stupid, and please, please be prepared for tomorrow."
An arrogant "yeah yeah yeah," was, of course, the only reply he received, thrown over his shoulder even as Naruto pranced right out of the room without even a "thank you" or "see you tomorrow" or at least a "goodbye…" Iruka rubbed his tired face and thanked God he had made it through another day as a middle school teacher.
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Sasuke Uchiha knew the story of course. The fire, all the dead bodies adding up, the suspicion. But even more, he knew his own story. His own dead bodies. And one living person that should have died back then too.
What could the rest of those idiots possibly know about the pain of not having a family? But Naruto…maybe he understood. Maybe just a little…
Maybe…just maybe…they were the same.
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Sakura blushed fiercely as she assaulted the pavement with her feet on her way home. How dare that blond-haired looser embarrass her in front of Sasuke like that! Everyone knows he's just as worthless as his no good parents. The world's better off with them dead…
…Sakura swallowed, feeling the guilt creep up her throat. No, no fine, I take it back, She thought glumly as she kicked at the pavement. Stupid Naruto, making her feel bad for other people…
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Naruto stared intently down at the small, dark-haired figure hunched over at the end of the dock, his face scrunched up in concentration. Why had that bastard defended him? Personally, Naruto had always thought they had a lot in common and had wanted to be friends…but that bastard had made friendship impossible! So Naruto had decided to become rivals instead…but now Sasuke was sticking up for him? In all Naruto's life, no one had ever stuck up for him, except maybe Mr. Iruka, and it just did not make sense! Especially not from Sasuke. Sasuke was selfish. Sasuke was anti-social. Sasuke did not help other people.
So why had he stuck up for Naruto? Why, when everybody else hated him? Naruto did not know why he was hated, why people looked at him with that painful expression in their eyes, but he knew that was how it was—and he knew it was up to him to change it. That was why he was going to become someone important, so everybody would look up to him and acknowledge him!
But why did Sasuke, of all people, already look at him as if he were a person? Not a particularly desirable person, but, still, an actual person.
"Jeeze, what's that guy's problem anyway?" Naruto muttered as he threw his hands behind his head and turned away, remembering that first time he had seen Sasuke, sitting all alone on that pier. Or had that been the first time? He could not remember very well, but it seemed like he had been running into that Sasuke kid his entire life. Well, if that was the case he definitely was not going to let Sasuke move on to high school and leave him behind! That would be like letting Sasuke win—unacceptable! Naruto picked up the pace and jogged back to his apartment, determined to write the best damn speech in the history of mankind that was even better than the first one (never mind that he had been unable to even memorize the first one anyway…)
"Hey it's that kid…"
Naruto continued straight ahead, refusing to let it bother him.
"Oh yeah…weren't his parents the ones?"
"Yeah that's the one. The bastard son that this whole town has gone through so much trouble for."
"God, some people think that just 'cause they have money they can run us around however they want—even from the grave!"
"It's really for the best they died, even that kid is probably better off withou—"
"Shuddup about my mom and dad!" Naruto shouted as he spun around. Normally he would never say anything, but today he was at his limit! Mocking him was one thing, but when people brought up his parents! The old man had told him they had died like heroes, and he was not going to let some ignorant ass holes ruin their name, dammit!
The people around him faced him with surprise at his sudden outburst, but one cocky, booze-addled fellow had the balls to smirk in his face.
"Ah that's right," the guy said, his breath reeking. "You don't even know about that do yah? Why, half this town lost their lives because of you and your damn parents, and more of us got to stand by and watch our homes burn, nothing to do about it! You know what it's like boy, watching your house, the home you spent years building, burn? Having to redo everything from the beginning, but now your family's dead and you ain't got nobody? You have any idea what that's like? What we all went through for your sake?"
"Miki…You'd better watch it. He's just a kid after all…" the drunk's companion warned gently, but Miki continued undeterred.
"And it's all their faults, the rich bastards! Just couldn't get enough, so had to do business with them gangster revolutionary folk! Look what came of it! Nuthin' good ever comes of greed and murder. You remember that kid, maybe you'll turn out better than your good fer nothin' parents."
"What…are you talking about?" Naruto asked softly, feeling fear uncoil in his belly. People had died because of his parents?
"Miki, lay off 'im."
"Nah! Doncha hear him? The kid wants to know! 'Bout time someone told him the truth of his heritage. Truth is, Brat, you had people that hated you from the day you were born. Why? You've got a demon in you, Boy, a demon gift from your parents. You know what it is, Kid? It's your legacy. Blood money. All of it. That's what your parents left for you."
"Really, Miki, that's enough…"
"I don't get it…"
"Alright then, I'll say it real slow. Your. Parents. Killed. People. To get their money. Innocent people, people with lives and homes and families. Killed 'em dead!"
"Miki! Stop!"
"Then they brought their troubles on us! Had a kid, and, yah see, these unsavory types they'd been working with and probably ripping off, they saw this kid as a chance to get even. Kidnapped him. Your parents, they didn't like this much and, yah see, in their world nothing was more important than their own brat. Not a care for other people's kids and other people's families. They saved your scrawny little ass somehow, Kid, but it cost them their lives to do it…and somehow this fire got started…"
"There was this dinner that night…" It was Miki's friend telling the story now, his face distant and pained. "It was so hyped as this everybody-who's-anybody thing…" He drifted off, remembering talk of presidential candidates, expensive wine. The glitter of diamonds. His wife in her new designer dress. "There were way too many people in that house; when the fire spread they panicked, the doors got blocked, people were trampled as everyone started to panic…"
A crowd was gathering, solemn and still.
"They burned boy! People burned alive because of you and your parents!" Miki was crying now. Sobbing as he remembered the night that haunted a little affluent suburb town.
"There were cars parked all over the place, the fire trucks couldn't get to them in time…We never thought…We never thought something like that could happen…"
Faces, all around, from all sides. Watching him. Condemning him. The taste of their memories burning on their tongues.
"And it only did because of them!"
The world was shaking, the world was burning. Because of his life, in order to save his life, others had died.
"That's ENOUGH!"
Naruto jumped at the sudden shout and spun around to see a very angry looking Iruka standing behind him. The world grew still again.
"Mr. Iruka?"
"Wuzza matter Iruka? Your parents died that night too, didn't they!"
Naruto's expression must not have been very good, because Iruka winced apologetically as he looked down at him.
"Sorry Naruto…"
"Whaddare you apologizing to him for? He should be the one that's sorry!"
"No, you're wrong." Iruka reached down and rested a gentle hand on Naruto's head. "This kid here…He's had to deal with a lot of pain, and all alone. Partially because of people like you, who don't understand anything. Moreover, I guess it's my fault too: I should have been around a lot more. I should have done a better job of making sure you weren't hurting all alone, Naruto. I'm really, really sorry."
"What are you talking about? That kids the one that caused suffering, not the victim! You hate him too, don't you?"
Naruto swallowed hard. Could Iruka…actually hate him? Just like everyone else?
"Naruto…Had nothing to do with that. How can you really blame what happened back then on someone who was just born? Whatever kind of people his parents might have been, whatever life Naruto might have been born into, Naruto is Naruto. Nothing else defines him other than what he wants to be!"
Naruto looked up to his teacher with wide eyes. "Mr. Iruka?" Those words…They had not sounded like hateful words.
"It's alright Naruto, why don't we go grab some ramen before you get started on that speech for tomorrow?"
"But Mr. Iruka…your parents…all those other people…"
"Don't even worry about it Naruto—You are one of my most precious students, and that's what matters, not the mistakes other people have made in your name in the past. Right now you're you; and although you're slow at times and not very diligent, I know that one day you'll become greater than anyone. Because you're Naruto Uzumaki."
Naruto blinked slowly as he stared up at his teacher, slowly breaking into a grin, feeling wet on his cheeks. "Yah really think so?"
"Well…If you ever manage to graduate my class I suppose," Iruka assured, with a grin of his own (and maybe just one or two tears).
"Awww mann!" Naruto threw his hands into the air in frustration and Iruka could not help but laugh a little. He felt very sure, somehow, that Naruto was going to make it this year.
Miki stared after the boy for a long while, remembering and thinking. Forgetting is a very, very hard thing, he decided. But at the same time, there had been a nice spark in that kid's eye…something that made Miki feel a little bit hopeful for the first time in a long time. Maybe it was all about passing on the world to the next generation like that mayor was always preaching…Well, with that Naruto kid around, the kids would not just be sitting on their asses waiting for things to happen, that was sure! Yeah…Miki smiled, just a little. Maybe we'll be able to trust the world to those brats after all…
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From across the street, Sasuke Uchiha frowned. No. No, Naruto was not like him after all.
Sasuke walked home, alone.
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The start of a new school year! Naruto was rocking back and forth on his heels, finally in high school! He did not actually even remember what his speech had even been about (probably ramen) but Iruka had passed him! Now he was waiting with all the other incoming freshmen to read the list of service project groups…He did not even know what the groups were for, but he was about to be part of something high school-related! As if it mattered what it was.
Uzumaki…Uzumaki…Uzumaki…There!
"Mr. Kakashi's Team Seven: Uzumaki, Naruto…"
And right under his name…Sakura-chan! Naruto could have cried for joy. Could his life get any bett—dammit. Just like always that bastard had to go and ruin everything…
"Don't get in my way, looser," Sasuke commanded icily, having also just read his name under Sakura's.
"As if I would!" Naruto retorted. "You just try and keep up with me!"
It was going to be a long four years.
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P.S. To the lovely greenbeach4, yaaay~ I'm so happy you liked my story at least a little. xDD It'd be more helpful if you reviewed, but that's alright. =p And to you over 100 amazing visitors and the over 150 hits you have given me for just two ridiculously short and stupid chapters, I love you all as well. xDD
So here's the deal guys: Whoever breaks the ice and reviews first gets to be my best friend forever, even if they just tell me I suck at life. xDDD
Oh and I'm allowed to drop the eff bomb just once or twice with a T rating right? Oo
And I know I'm babbling way too much, but…I was reading old manga chapters for events to base this chapter around…the drawing style used to be so different! xDD like seriously, everyone should go look at Sasuke from the first volume right now. Go, go! It's so cuuuuteee. xDD Buttt anyway, I reallllyyy have to practice my hiragana now, so I'll stop wasting everyone's time. xDD Do please give me feedback on what you want from me though, I'd love to hear it. =)
BTW: That white haired guy that actually tells Naruto about the kyuubi annoys me (whatever his name is. xDD)…so I cut him. xDD enter random drunk guy that I named Miki because he was originally Mike, but that looked weird next to "Naruto" so I changed it. xDD but...is Miki a girls name? I have no idea. xDD well…if it is, just use that for motivation of why he's such an angry guy I guess. xDDD
