Second Chance
Ch 4
Gaara was nervous that night as Hinata slept peacefully.
Miko was now twelve years old. He looked like Gaara but had a heart and personality like his mother.
Tomorrow was the graduation Exam.
Miko was nervous as he sat on the roof top.
"I hope I can pass. My father never got to take it because of his demon,
But I can't master jutsu like other kids. It's hard.
But what if I fail? That would make the people of the Village hidden in the Sand confused that the Kazekage's son failed the exam.
I know Uncle Naruto failed it three tines but he graduated in the end.
I wonder what Ziko's doing now?" Miko thought as he went to bed.
Ziko had snuck out again.
His father had been trying to make him like him again and he hated it.
He looked like his father but wasn't like him.
He didn't want to destroy villages and take demons.
He just wanted to be a ninja.
"Why can't he see that being evil isn't for me?
I just want to be a ninja and protect those precious to me.
Only… I wish I knew who my mother was.
My father said she abandoned us but when I look in his eyes, I can see he's lying.
Miko is so lucky to have parents who care for him and love him." He thought as he headed for Miko's house.
It was sun rise when Miko woke up.
Hinata noticed her son was quiet as he ate breakfast.
"I know why you're nervous.
It's the exam, isn't it?" she said in her soft voice.
Miko nodded as he ate.
"I…. Just don't want to let Dad down. He's a legend in our village." Miko replied sadly.
Gaara watched as Miko left for the ninja academy.
He felt sad that so much pressure had been put on Miko.
He hoped his son would do well no matter what happened…
Later Miko watched as the other kids in his class were showing their parents their head bands, the sign that they'd passed.
Miko was on the swing sad and feeling like a loser.
He saw two women stand there.
"Look! Do you see him?
He's the only one who failed.
Good. Just imagine if someone like him was a ninja.
He'd be trouble like his father." he heard them say.
Naruto saw the pain in Miko's eyes. He understood that pain too well.
He watched as Miko ran off.
He saw worry in Gaara's eyes.
"What's up?" he asked him.
"I'm just worried... about Miko. He failed his exam, didn't he?" Gaara replied.
Naruto nodded to him.
"Yeah but it wasn't his fault. His demon... sort of messed things up.
I think he feels bad because he wanted to make you proud the way you did with your Dad." Naruto answered.
Miko was in the forest hiding. He was upset about what happened at the exam.
"Why am I a freak like my father? If it wasn't for this demon in me, I would be a Genin and my father would be proud of me." he thought looking at his hands as tears fell down.
He slipped his goggles over his green eyes so nobody would see.
Ziko then landed on a tree beside him. He saw how much Miko wanted to make his father proud.
"Your father will still love you even though you're not a Genin. Like him, it wasn't your fault.
Your demon accidentally messed it up.
My father... wouldn't let me take the exam for some reason so I feel the same way." Ziko told him.
They were unaware that Kabuto was watching them along with Mizugi.
He wanted revenge against Naruto for getting him kicked out of the Leaf Village.
"What's so special about Ziko? He's not like Orchimaru." Mizugi asked Kavuto.
"Orchimaru wanted a child to carry on his hatred and obession with mastering every jutsu known in the world but realised he would never have a child.
So he used forbidden jutsu and created a child out of his own chakra. But Ziko is a reject to him.
He told me not to kill him. I've a feeling Ziko will join Naruto and his little friends." Kabuto answered.
Mizugi gasped hearing that. He wondered if Ziko knew the truth about himself.
Hinata watched as Miko returned that night but was quiet as he locked himself in his room.
"It didn't go well, did it?" she asked Gaara.
"No it didn't. His demon interfered with him making him fail.
I know how badly he wants me to be proud of him but I already am.
Maybe if I tell him about me at his age, he might understand." he replied softly.
Hinata smiled but was hiding her fear at that idea.
She knew Gaara had been unstable at Miko's age but if Miko knew... he might snap himself like his father and do things he'd regret later...