Just a few more days, a few more days and I can quit playing the idiot. "Naruto are you okay" a pale lavender eyed blue haired girl named Hinata asked me walking into my house. "I'm fine Hina. You know me" I said giving her a small smile, I knew if I gave her big smile she would know it's fake. "Don't lie for my benefit Naru. I can tell when your hurting. This isn't helping you at all hun" Hinata said hugging me. My long blonde hair was cascading down my back tomorrow was the graduation exam. Originally I had waited to graduate with Hinata because it gave me more time to train and help her confidence. Even being ANBU her father got to her head and her damn loveable cousin got in her head. I also did it because the villagers didn't need to know I was smart, not yet. If any of them knew I was the daughter of the fourth Hokage and his wife Kushina Uzumaki it would be a disaster. They would suck up to me and treat me how my father wanted them to the first time, idiots. I don't need their appraisal right now I had those close to me and that's all that matters.
"You know if Neji ever finds out who you are he's going to flip. That'll be a good show" Hinata said breaking me out of my thoughts. "Uhh noo! I don't plan to tell any of them I'm a girl yet. It's safer being a boy" I said sighing. Pulling my hair to the side Hinata stood behind me and pumped her chakra in the seal activating it for the day. "Why do you act this way Naru" she asked sadly. "Because this village needs a wake up call. I was just born when they turned on me and at almost 3 years old I found Neji in training ground 9 by the lake sad. He told me everything about his seal and his father, Hina I'm doing this to help you change them. At the finals of the Chuunin exams I'll show everything we'll enter or exit with a bang" I said sighing. "Once we get our teams we start dropping our mask, Shika too" Hinata said as a troublesome was said from the shadows. Laughing I agreed, "Depends though to be honest. If I can sneak in to ANBU wearing this what can't I do" I asked lightly. "Come on you two or we will be late" Shika said pulling us into the shadows and appearing in the classroom.
"Naruto! You were the one that snuck into ANBU" Kakashi asked his expression stern. "That was a long time ago Kaka nii. I was bored" I whined pouting at him. Kakashi huffed looking at me, "It was fun" Hinata lightly whispered to me but Kakashi heard and started at us. "Do you know how hard it was to do missions in neon colored clothing" Itachi asked sighing. "Uh do you not see the jump suit? Really" I asked rolling my eyes while smiling. "It was totally worth all that planning. Besides if you had followed the clues you would have gotten your clothes back sooner" I said smirking. "Clues? You were 5 for crying out loud" Shisui said watching us, "Hey I was 5 and bored but you guys learned not leave your stuff un protected again" I said smirking before it fell. "No you didn't I snuck in several more times after that" I said shaking my head. "We had seals and traps up. How in the world did you get in after" Kakashi asked rolling his eye. "Magic" I replied looking at the screen again. Hinata snickered beside me knowing we had snuck in as genin as well. Everyone eyed the two of us in concern, the ones that were in ANBU shivered.
I could practically feel the glare from Yugao, "I didn't do anything. Quit glaring at me Neko nee" I said rolling my eyes. Everyone in the room besides those of us from our time except Shika were shocked, he turned and saw a much younger Asuma who smiled at him warmly. Sensing danger I jumped up as high as I could before a purple blur head butted me and brought me down, "Damn it Yugao that hurt dattebayo" I said hugging the soon to be ANBU back. "He's alive. How did you even do this? I don't understand, Naru" she said in a hurry. "He shouldn't have died in the first place. Baachan isn't leaving the village this time because when I'm born and she isn't there no one will stop me from finding her and dragging her ass back home. Oh Sakura figured out a way to cure him from his chronic illness he catches later on. We'll make sure baachan has it before you guys go back, now go he needs you" I said pushing her towards a flustered Hayate. Hayate nodded at me in thanking and I nodded back smiling at them.
Everyone was staring and taking in the appearance of the newcomers this time around. We had several more join from all the villages including Mei the next Mizukage who joined Yagura and told him she was sorry. She didn't know he was manipulated until it was to late, he apologized to her as well and asked if she wanted to train to be the Mizukage again. Mei agreed as long as Yagura promised to be her ANBU and stay with her. He blushed looking at me, I shrugged smirking at a young Utakata. Tsunade was frozen in happiness the girl that is her grandchild was willing to do the unimaginable as a child if she left, she had no reason to leave this time. But some things needed to be done in the village. I went to baachan with two storage scrolls already unsealed and handed them to her. "What is this brat" Tsunade asked me fondly, "Money to do the improvements on the hospital and begin your training of the new medical ninja. Here are the plans that we had made over the years between me and Sakura with your old designs incorporated as well. I was going to implement them tomorrow but you can now a lot sooner. Just save Katsuyu and the seal for Cherry" I said to a shocked Tsunade. She flicked my headband off and kissed my forehead before almost everyone stared in shock. "You actually did it" baachan said impressed smiling at me. "Had it for a long time only used it discretely a couple times though" I said shrugging. My mom laughed. "I'll be home when your born Naru" baa chan said smiling at me.
"Guys you know I have to fail tomorrow right" I asked looking at the two of them seriously. "Why now Naru" Shika asked his shadow dangerously close to my feet, jumping away from him to the other side of Hinata I sighed. "Because Mizuki is a traitor and planning something revolving around me. He will pay, I promise and I'll graduate dattebayo" I said making them both smile at me. "You better. Now if you don't want to be stuck in class you better hurry troublesome girl" Shikamaru said stretching letting out a yawn and laying his head down. Nodding I bid them farewell before jumping to the Hokage Monument and painting it with supplies I had stored in my arm. Laughing as I was done two chuunin and two Jounins caught sight of me and my henge. Laughing I took off quickly away from them including my 3 ANBU escorts who had just found me.
"Tell me again why you must always ditch the ANBU squad I had appointed to you" Jiji asked. "Uhh they didn't let me have any fun" I said smirking at him. "But really they were there for your protection Naru" Jiji said. "And I was there to cause mischief and fun" I replied rolling my eyes. "We know" Shikaku said a smile on his lips. "It was more so you didn't have to attend the academy troublesome blonde" Shikamaru said yawning. "Hush Shika. I was there almost everyday" I said smirking at him. "A shadow clone does not count as being at the academy" Hinata said rolling her eyes. "Really? Because I don't remember you two acting this way when we all left clones" I retorted shocking Hiashi behind us.
Creating a clone discretely, I swapped with it and had it hide for Iruka Sensei. Changing into a random civilian I went shopping for supplies and the groceries I needed to survive off of beside Ramen. Stopping in Ichiraku's Ramen stand at lunch they both greeted me, flashing my eyes blue they both chuckled giving me my usual before I head off to finish my shopping. "N.U. the Hokage wishes to speak with you" a cat ANBU with long purple hair said bowing her head to me. "Nee-chan, long time no see eh? Well grab my shoulder, I have groceries to put away first" I said catching myself before yelling out dattebayo. Nodding she was grinning behind her mask at me, shunshining us to my mother and fathers compound, I dropped my own henge stretching. "As me or the idiot" I asked cat nee chan who laughed "Yourself Naruto" she replied as I quickly put the groceries away and stepped back in front of her.
Grabbing my shoulder again she shunshined us to the Hokage office. Walking away from her gracefully "Naru my child. I thought we had an agreement" Jiji said eye smiling at me lightly. "Uh Jiji" I said flicking my wrist and senbon needles stuck out of a blank ANBU masked man's neck. Slumping to the floor with a thud, I rolled the body facing me and opened his mouth pulling his tongue. Running through hand signs I broke the seal before nodding at Jiji.
"How did you even know that he was there or about the seal" my father and mother asked impressed as they looked at the silencing restriction seal on the tongue. "I had my fair share of run ins with Danzo's root. There was one in there that I convinced not to be an ass and have emotions. He let me see his seal, I removed it. Faked another one just to help him. But I was or am an amazing sensory ninja as well, no one even completely suppressing their chakra can hide from me" I said shrugging like it was no big deal. Everyone turned and stared at me contemplating my skills as a child, "Torune" Shibi said in understanding from the Danzo incident. "Yeah Torune" I said smiling lightly.
"Inoichi can go through his mind now" I said standing back up and facing him. "I won Naru" Jiji said puffing on his pipe diligently, "But but but" I said at a loss for words, he was right. I loss to him, aww damn something bad was going to happen I thought to myself. "Nope, you wear what I pick out for your ninja registration picture hime. I know we agreed to this game of deception but your parents would be proud of the young woman you've become" he said genuinely.
"We are very proud" my mom and dad said smiling at me. Blushing I thanked them. "If you lost a simple bet why would something bad happen" Hitomi asked quietly looking at us. "She is really lucky kaa san. If she loses something bad happens normally" Hinata said smiling at her mom.
"I know Jiji, thank you. So the guy that I knocked out is a Root operative and I am sure your not going to like his memories" I said trailing off while looking out the window over the village. "Naru, if something's wrong you can tell me hun" Jiji said standing beside me, "I just wonder sometimes what it would be like if they had survived. My life isn't one I would ever wish upon another, you know that. But are all of the other jinchuriki treated like I am? Anyway you know I have to fail tomorrow right" I asked Jiji who was staring at me sadly seeing his granddaughter hurting.
"Naru" he said exasperated but worried as he looked at me, "Don't worry about it Jiji. I have you, Hinata, Shikamaru, Iruka, Kakashi, most of the ANBU, the clan heads, Teuchi and his daughter Ayame. You guys are family even Sasuke, even if he doesn't want to admit it were technically brother and sister. We have a traitor in the exam, if I dont fail and find out what's happening then he will take actions into his own hands" I said sighing a small smile on my face as I looked over the village.
"Even then you remembered" Sasuke said wide eyed, "Yep. I knew you needed a rival and I wasn't comfortable enough to be a female around everyone yet" I said petting Kurama.
It was dark and my clone popped after going home as its memories of class and Iruka sensei filled my mind. Rolling my eyes at the immature levels of fangirls, something needed to be done about the academy soon or we would be having major issues with death rates. "Hey Jiji there are something's in the Academy that we will need to change soon or our next few years of shinobi will be dying off before making Chuunin" I said watching him sigh and smoke on his pipe as he stared at the pile of paperwork on his desk.
"You're the one that started the implementation of our new shinobi curriculum" Shibi asked impressed. "I am. I knew that after the clan children's class the next few years would get really messy. We needed to improve our academy even if we're in a peaceful era. Which Jiji, dad, I have all of the improvement's we did back then and the ones we added to the curriculum after the 4th ninja war. It will help them decide what field they eventually want to work in and it will make it easier for those that want to specialize in taijutsu like Lee who can't use chakra to graduate. Also, here baachan, it is what happened to Lee's chakra system when he was just born, you can help him so that Guy may pass on his summons to his mini me this time sooner" I said nodding at them. I handed Jiji and my dad the academy reconstruction for after the war and baachan the problems with Lee.
"I know but there are something's we will have to be patient on, right now the civilian council has to much power" he said looking his age. "We aren't going to let them dictate this. I'll help you figure it out but I must go for the test tomorrow. Hinata is staying at my house and I think her cousin's following her around" I said before leaving his office through the window. "I have a door for a reason" Jiji yelled out the window towards me making me laugh as I headed towards my parents compound. "Were shinobi Jiji! We have no use for a door" I yelled back smiling.
"What the heck is the point in a door were shinobi. That's for civilians" my father asked laughing. "See, it's not just me. Besides I never saw pervy sage use the door" I said smiling. Jiji shook his head smiling at me.
Neji was standing at the gates to the compound that Hinata had just walked through, he sure had grown up.
My breath had left my chest as I stared at the younger version of the man I feel in love with. My heart ached and yearned for him to be real, alive and with me. My parents were watching me in worry and shock as they took in my broken expression as I stared at Neji. Biting my lower lip, the girls held me close to them, 'Oh Naru no matter where life takes you. I will always love you my sunshine' his voice said whispering around me.
Silently jumping over the compound walls, Neji was stuck staring at my back as I landed. He got extremely quiet as he examined my blonde hair flowing down my back. "Naru? Is that you? What are you doing here" Neji's voice asked softly from behind me, "It's me Neji. I live here. That's all I can tell you right now. I might be able to tell you soon. You've changed" I said blushing while looking forward and away from him. "So have you Naru. I thought you forgot about me, what happened" Neji asked as the lights inside the main house flickered on. "I could never forget my first friend Neji. Bad things happened, I don't get out much. That'll change soon, I promise" I said shivering as memories tried to assault my mind. "I could have protected you. I will protect you Naru" he said stiffly as I looked back at him a sad genuine smile on my face. "I know you would have Neji. I didn't want you to hate me like they do, I'll tell you what we'll meet where we met all those years ago and I'll tell you some things Saturday" I said softly my heart beating sporadically in my chest. "Midnight Naru. I'll be there" he said a tear falling from his usually cold eye as I walked quickly into the comfort of my house.
Damnit they will probably see what happened Saturday as well I thought to myself as I groaned.
Hinata was already there and waiting for me as she held me close to her body and let me cry, "Hina. I can't tell him everything…he'll hate me" I said falling into her arms. She held me tighter as I cried for the first time in a long time, I was broken and only select few knew it. This wasn't the secret ANBU Fox Naru U.N. this was me that I hid from everyone.
Everyone looked at me sadly as Sakura and Hinata both had their palms resting on my shoulders in comfort. No one noticed how truly fake my childhood was until that moment. "You were never a kid? Were you" Yagura asked quietly his gaze meeting mine. "I didn't know how to be a normal kid after a while. I made the facade and let it act idiotic while pulling pranks but I didn't have a normal childhood" I replied. The adults were all whispering with Shikamaru.
"Naru he needs to know. He needs to know everything but not until he let's go of his hate. You know what would happened if I had to fight him I wouldn't win on purpose but I wouldn't give up either" Hinata said not letting me go.
"You lost the chuunin exams on purpose" Hiashi asked Hinata seriously. "Yes I did. Naru is extremely lucky and I knew that he would face her. The only person that could make him change his mind was Naru" Hinata said like it was obvious. Jiji was smiling at us sincerely as he noticed Hiashi's shock.
"I know, I know besides until the finals I will not show who I am" I said lightly above a whisper. She chuckled laying her forehead against my own, "Naru you have helped me in more ways than you could ever imagine. Now why didn't you tell me you have a crush on Neji" she asked making me blush. The two of us linked arms as she brought me to my bedroom, "I don't. I can't. Hinata" I whined a blush on my face. "It's a good thing. I told my dad a couple years ago before he could give in to the orders to brand me that I was hiding my strength and why. I told him about you Naru, about our training and your parents. He told me your mom didn't care if your dad and him were at a disagreement that she would barge in like she ran the compound. Your mom was not afraid to go head to head with the elders and my grandfather about the curse seal saying it was hideous. He says you are always welcome but your prankster side is not" Hinata said smiling at me. "I can't believe you told him dattebayo. Oh well, Hina I'm going to be placed on a team with Sakura and Sasuke. Kakashi asked for me and the council pushed Sasuke on to him. But about Neji, I don't even know what to tell him. How can I tell him that they tried to kill me for hugging him when he told me his life story. That the villagers tried to rape a 3 year old and that my ANBU protection squad killed them in front of my eyes. Or that Sakura my teammates mom has led a mob after me for years. I can't tell anyone" I said throwing myself back into the warmth of my bed.
Everyone in the room stiffened at my confession and stared at me wide eyed in bewilderment. "Why didn't you tell me" Sakura spoke quietly. "Because I didn't want your mom to dictate our friendship and then she and everyone else thought I was a boy so. Who wants to hear about abuse, torture and almost rape" I trailed off. Sakura hugged me close to her crying as she held me, wrapping my arms around her I held her close to me. "You never blamed me once" she said through the tears. "Why would I blame a child. You were innocent Cherry. Never would I blame you for her actions" I said sincerely.
Hinata followed suit giggling, "No one is going to care who you are girl or boy or your past because you have something others don't. You are the daughter of the fourth Hokage and the red hot habanero girl, Naru your fiercely protective and loyal. As long as you put your mind to it there is nothing you can't do, no one knows the real you but a few of us. But underneath all of that energy, pranks, fake smiles is a girl who was lonely for a long time, a girl who just wanted to be accepted. I accept you 9 tails and all Naruto the rest of the village is stupid not to see you for you. You'll be one hell of a Hokage" Hinata said seriously.
"She's absolutely right. I understand Naru but were family. You and the rest of our friends are closer to the real me than my mother ever was" Sakura said sincerely hugging me. "You do make a damn good hokage though" Sasuke said smirking. "Our bi-annual Kage summits are enjoyable" A said chuckling. "Are you sure? I feel like you just say that, so others are forced to listen to B rap" I said ducking the slaps to the back of the head. B laughed first jumping me again. A shook his head laughing with a smile on his face, Onoki was grinning at us. Mei chuckled, "You know that you enjoy them. I don't know about your game of chase with A though. Seriously you guys why do we have to have contest to see if she is still faster than you" Mei asked. "I forgot about those dattebayo! Man, we only need Gaara now" I said smirking at the other three Kage's that were in on our meetings. "So he can attempt to sand bury you again" Onoki snorted in his hand, "Hey that is like a greeting between us" I said defiantly making everyone laugh.
"You always know what to say Hinata, thank you" I said hugging her close to my body as she giggled. "We should probably get some rest we have test in the morning" I said quietly to her and she giggled. "More like training Uzumaki style before breakfast. Hey do you think anyone knows your living here" she asked quietly. "Only select few people know. Kakashi is one and he's opted to stay here when he is in town. So if we find him making breakfast before he goes to the memorial stone in the morning I wouldn't be surprised" I said giggling as we succumbed to the darkness.
'I was running away from a group of people at 3 years old. "We have to kill it. Didn't you see it hugging that Hyuga boy not long ago, the clan head would congratulate us" a woman sneered, she had pink hair and was glaring at me. "Yeah but we could have fun first" a man said causing shivers to run down my spine. "I heard that she was playing with the Uchiha heir and his younger brother and their cousin" a woman yelled from the back of the group.
Itachi and Shisui stood up pissed both had active sharingans, "Weasel, Crow. Chill out, it's just a nightmare" I said knowing that I would be the only one able to get through to them. Closing their eyes, the two six year old's took deep breaths before crushing me to them. "You're so selfless" Shisui said sadly looking at me with a broken expression, "I wouldn't be me if I was selfish Shi" I replied hugging them back. Sasuke smiled at how close I was to two of his clan members. Fugaku stared at us while the other adults smiled. Suddenly remembering I whispered in their ears "You two get mentioned soon for teaching me to cuss. Play innocent and use the puppy eyes jutsu." The two nodded before going back to their couch.
Running faster I hoped they wouldn't catch me, "You will die demon" the woman in the front said a rock in her hand. 'What the hell is wrong with these people' I thought to myself as ran quicker from them. The woman flung the rock and it hit me in the back of the head making me lose my balance.
"You let her live after all the things she did" Sakura exclaimed wide eyed at me. "What do you mean she let her live" Sasuke asked. "When you were with the pedosnake Naruto reformed the council, the advisors and Danzo. My mother was kicked off the council and she was granted to live because Naru requested it. But she obviously shouldn't have" Sakura said pissed. "Cherry stop, you know as well as I do that she wouldn't have let her die" Hinata said shaking her head at Sakura. The adults that didn't already know this and knew of Mebuki leading the groups didn't know the extent of her involvement.
Curling in a ball the group descended on me kicking and punching me, one was slicing my legs and arms and back tearing my clothes. A man came over unzipping his pants as he approached me, I stayed quiet contemplating how to get out of this as a hand roughly grabbed me by the top of my hair.
He was pulling me up just to throw me down on my back hard, ANBU Inu stepped in impaling the man with a blue lightning technique. The chidori it must be Kakashi, "Why did you do that" a man screamed at Kakashi who glared at him in return. Shikaku Nara came out of the shadows and draped his jacket around my body, "My son said he had a bad feeling that I needed to find you. I'm sorry little Naru" he said holding me in his arms, "Is my imouto okay Shikaku" Kakashi asked his hand band up, "You arrived just in time Kaka-Nii" I said smiling at them briefly as I felt myself losing consciousness. "Tell me young Naru is okay Shikaku" Hisashi asked his dojutsu active as he struck the mob with his gentle fist. I gave into the darkness around me'.
I shivered as the memory of that hunt happened, Kurama stroked my cheek with his tail. "We're right here kit. That's a bad dream, it's not real" Kurama said as all the siblings gathered on me and Shikamaru stood behind us wrapping us in his and Sasuke's arms. Kakashi stared at us sadly his hand on my head.
