How's it going bros and bras? My name...is VioletDemon! I am back once again to write the next chapter of The Red Mystery. I am so happy to see that I have gotten some reviews for this story! That makes me happy you guys! Alright, since I've gotten Akane going to the Academy for the first time part down, I'm just gonna fast forward the story to like three years later, where the main plot begins. It's what you've been waiting for guys! Hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. I only own my awesome OC, Akane Mizu.
Chapter Three: Three Long Years Later
'Ah the dreaded graduation exams. Watch me fail Iruka-sensei! For the second time in a row...'
My twelve year old self thought as I sat in my seat next to Hinata-hime. Who knew three years could go by so quickly? Being in this hellhole called the Academy has certainly changed me quite a bit. The one that has changed the most was my vocabulary; being older, I speak more intelligently I guess. But being around Naruto for so long has sort of caused me to start using foul language, but ONLY WHEN I GET MAD THOUGH! I don't use it like an ignorant person would.
Sakura and her ex-best friend, Ino, constantly get on my nerves with their stupid shouting about who does or doesn't get Sasuke-kun. I wish I could just strangle them now, but I don't wanna go to jail. I'm too skinny for jail man!
"A-Are you alright Akane-chan?" Hinata asked, bringing me out of my thoughts. "Y-You l-look upset."
Noticing her concern, I smiled and grabbed her hand, intertwining our fingers. "I'm fine Hinata-hime. You have nothing to worry about!"
She seemed to believe me as she returned her attention back to staring at Naruto. She had told me of her crush on the boy, but being Naruto, he was too oblivious to notice. Feeling bored, I took out my sketchbook from underneath the desk and began drawing. Ever since I 'moved here,' the Third Hokage had always bought me a sketchbook to ease my boredom whenever the doctors checked my head.
'It's been three long years and yet, the doctors can't do anything about my memory loss. Did somebody place some kind of memory jutsu on me? Stupid doctors can't come up with anything!'
I was once again brought out of my thoughts when Hinata tapped on my shoulder. I looked at her and she pointed to the front of the classroom. I gazed forward to see that Iruka had just stepped into the room, a clipboard in his hands. I sighed and rubbed my temple; that damn graduation exam. If I take this again, I'm gonna be dropped out of the Academy because I can't do a simple clone jutsu.
"As you all know, today is the day you attempt to graduate and become ninjas that will protect and serve the Leaf Village. In order to pass, you all must perform the 'Clone Jutsu.' Once I call your name, please head over to the next room."
I saw Naruto slam his head down on his desk and I sighed. Like me but worse, the 'Clone Technique' was one of Naruto's weakest jutsus, if not any others. I reacted the same way he did, except in a different fashion.
Silently, I latched onto Hinata's arm and cried anime tears. "Hinata-hime, this is bad! I might fail again! And by the way Naruto-kun's reacting, he might fail too!"
"HEY!" he shouted, interrupting our conversation. "I'm gonna pass this time no matter what! Dattebayo!"
Hinata and I smiled at him; Naruto never ceased to amaze me. After our little moment, Iruka had begun calling the names of the people coming first. I sighed as I watched Shino Aburame, the creepy dude that is literally a bug infestation, left the room.
"Here comes the testing..."
This stupid procedure had went on slowly for the rest of the school day. The class took an hour break before going back to their seats and we waited for our names to be called one by one. I was dozing off for the most part, my arms covering my head. I felt someone shake me and I groaned, ignoring the person.
"Hey get up Akane-chan, you're next," was the sound of a familiar voice.
I groaned in frustration as I fluttered my eyes open, my vision blurry before clearing up. I looked up and smiled to see Naruto standing above me.
"Hey Naruto, did you go yet?" I asked, my voice groggy.
He laughed and shook his head. "No Akane, don't you remember? We're going in alphabetical order. Kiba just went so you're next."
"Oh yeah..." I stood up and stretched, hearing the satisfying crack in my back. "Pray to God that I actually pass for once?"
"I pray to Kami, but I'll try," was his response.
With that, I walked down the stairs and left the classroom. In the other room, it was mostly empty except for a desk that Iruka and his companion, Mizuki, were sitting at. On the desk top were an assortment of headbands, some in shades of red, but mostly were blue.
"Alright Akane, you may perform the 'Clone Technique,'" Iruka said.
I knew I was gonna fail, so I didn't show any emotion as I made the necessary hand signs. "Yes sir...Clone Technique!"
A poof of smoke engulfed the room as a moment of tension entered the area. Once it cleared away, I opened my eyes and looked to my left. I only sighed in disappointment as so did my teachers. Standing next to me was two white, dead-looking clones.
Iruka gave me a sad look as he broke the news to me. "I'm sorry Akane, but you failed. Try again next year."
I nodded numbly as I walked my way out the room. As I left, I could feel one of their eyes staring at me.
Naruto sat on a swing that was mounted on a low branch of an old tree, his eyes never leaving the ground. I sat on top of that branch, my back against the tree, listening to my IPod, something that I bought on my own. The two of us watched from afar as kids were being praised by their parents for a job well done. Not one person even bothered to give us any sympathy whatsoever.
'But who cares though?'
After a little while, I've learned to stop caring about how the village thought of me and Naruto. Once the village knew of my association with Naruto, they didn't want anything to do with me. I can understand Naruto's desire to become Hokage, but I don't like his reasoning behind it. If the village doesn't respect him now, how does becoming Hokage change that?
I looked up and took out one earbud, only to sneer in disgust. Two women were eyeing hatefully at my friend, whispering to one another. "You got something to say, you ugly ass whores?!"
This sent the women running away and I laughed in victory. Suddenly, a noise alerted the two of us; standing next to Naruto was Mizuki-sensei. He smiled at him, me staring at him in suspicion as he motioned us forward. Naruto got off the swing while I jumped down from the branch. 'What could he possibly want?'
"Look, Iruka cares for the both of you. He just wants you to take the right path and get strong the true way," the white head told us. "You three are the same, no parents to look out for you and no friends. Just try to understand Iruka's feelings guys."
'Hinata's our friend, so I don't understand what he's talking about?'
"Yeah but still..." Naruto started off.
"We wanted to graduate," I finished for him, putting up a sad face. I liked making faces; helps deceiving the enemy, you know.
Mizuki looked at us before chuckling, catching our attention. "Well if you two are so headstrong about it, I know a little shortcut that can help you."
Naruto gasp while I only stared blankly at the man. Being the good observer that I was, I caught a glint of mischievousness in Mizuki's eyes. The dude was up to something, I just knew it.
"Akane?" I jumped and faced Naruto. "Are you in?"
Regaining my composure, I shrugged. "Sure why not? But you don't have to sound like you're about to commit a crime, you know?"
Mizuki smiled, but again it looked devious. "Alright, here's what you have to do..."
Sneaking in and stealing the scroll wasn't as hard as I had anticipated. Naruto and I were sitting in the clearing Mizuki had instructed to come to with the scroll on the ground in front of us. I decided to take a look inside the scroll and surprisingly, found some pretty awesome jutsus.
"'Multiple Shadow Clone Technique?'" I questioned. "Hey Naruto, this sounds like the 'Clone Technique,' but way more awesome. Wanna try it out?"
"Hell yeah!" was his reply. "With this, we sure as hell can pass!"
With that, the two of us got to work. Once I began, I realized that this was way better than any of the jutsus the Academy ever taught us. It said that we could probably make hundreds of shadow clones, but being in the scrolls, this is a kinjutsu. Something about how our chakra is evenly distributed to each and every clone, possibly endangering the user.
'Does it matter? The more jutsus, the better!'
After about half an hour of practicing, I could do it without falling on my ass in exhaustion. I was about to look up another technique when we heard rustling from the bushes. I grew on the offensive side and whipped out one of my Butterfly Knives. The rustling grew louder until out came Iruka-sensei, an obvious sign of anger yet concern on his face.
"Naruto? Akane? What do you guys think you're doing, stealing the forbidden scroll?"
Naruto groaned in frustration as he held the scroll. "Aw man Iruka-sensei! We only had time to learn one jutsu. Oh well, do we pass now Iruka?"
"What? Who told you that?" Iruka stared at Naruto oddly.
"Mizuki-sensei told us," I answered for him. "He said that if we could master one jutsu from this scroll, we could graduate."
"Why would Mizuki tell you-?"
"Iruka, I'm surprised you made it here before me. No matter, I'll just kill you both." Mizuki stepped out onto a tree branch and launched a large, four pointed shuriken at Naruto. However, Iruka jumped in front of the blow before it could land and deflected it with his kunai.
"Run Naruto and Akane, take the scroll and go back to the village!" Iruka called out.
"Don't you guys; he's just lying to you. He just wants you to help him. He thinks badly of you just like the other villagers."
"That's not true," Iruka answered, but we had already taken off running. I heard the two teachers chasing us and I sprinted faster, jumping over a thick log. I looked over to my right to see Naruto stumbling while carrying the scroll, sweat covering his forehead. A brief time later, we took refuge against the trunk of a tree, out of sight.
I believed we were safe in the meanwhile until I heard that dreaded voice. "Oh there you are, you little demon brats!"
I grabbed Naruto's hand and quickly backed us away, my knife never leaving me. Iruka suddenly appeared out of nowhere and stood in front of us, a kunai in his hands. Mizuki saw this and reached behind his back, pulling out a large shuriken.
Mizuki smiled. "Naruto, do you know why everyone hates you? Why everyone shuns you and isolate you?"
Iruka could see where this was going and shouted, "Stop Mizuki! It's forbidden!"
"Shut up Iruka! The decree is that no one is allowed to tell you Naruto that the Nine-Tail Fox lives inside you! You are the Nine-Tailed Fox! And the reason as to why everyone hates Akane is because of you!"
I immediately froze up, like Naruto. 'Naruto is the Nine-Tailed Fox? No way...That's not true...'
The pieces where started to connect. The glares, the disrespect, the shunning, everything; all of that happened because Naruto was the Nine-Tailed Fox and people considered me one because of it...
Anger soon engulfed me as I stood up and shouted, "So what if Naruto is the Nine-Tailed Fox? That doesn't change the awesome and caring person that he is! The only demon here is you Mizuki, harming innocent children!" With new found confidence, Naruto and I both shouted, "Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
Smoke engulfed the area and once it cleared, at least hundreds of Naruto and my clones filled the area. Before the traitor could even retaliate, the two of us jumped him and beat the living hell out him. After awhile, Mizuki was left bloody, bruised, and in an unconscious manner. I smiled and high-fived Naruto, cheering in victory.
"Naruto...I have something that I want to show you," Iruka said. Naruto's eyes widened and motioned forward. "You have to close your eyes in order to get it, though."
Naruto did so without question and I gasped in excitement when Iruka tied a blue headband around his head. "Ok Naruto, you can open your eyes now."
Naruto did and once he saw the headband, he pounced on our sensei. The girly haired teacher smiled and then looked over at me. "Akane, would it be alright with you if I gave you your headband tomorrow morning?"
I nodded and hummed to myself. 'Finally...we're genin!'
And that's a wrap! Hope you guys enjoyed this as much as I did and will review/favorite/follow this story. So until next time, I will see YOU...in the next chapter. Ja ne~
