Gosh, so sorry about the ridiculously late update… I had a writing camp, so I was writing original stuff instead of fanfics. Again, sorry, I'm going to try to keep updating, but I get too many ideas for stories and I just have to start them all. ^.^ Maybe you know what I mean… So Chapter 6 is here…. can you take the excitement? And if you survive the exciting, gut-wrenching, not-so-fun-filled chapter, will you review it? Sorry, no. I'm probably making it out to be better than it actually is, but at this exact time in the story, it's going to be dang climactic. So if you feel it's lacking, I NEED TO KNOW. ASAP. So, enjoy!
I woke up early the next day. I got dressed and ate quickly, staring out at the morning Konoha. During the day, it was busy, loud and exciting. But in those early morning hours, there was a sense of peace and quietness filling it. I stared out at the city. My city. As of that day, I was going to be a Konoha Shinobi, protecting the village and doing what is right for the universe. Kiba and I would. I hopped off of the windowsill, and walked slowly to class. I could feel butterflies rolling about inside my stomach as I approached the school. Today is the big day! I thought excitedly. I ran into the classroom and did something I had never done before, and never would do again. I ran into the classroom, pumped my fist in the air, and shouted, "ARE YOU READY TO BE A GENIN?" I then proceeded, still with a straight face, over to my corner, where I started practicing the Transformation Jutsu. "Oh my Kami… I think she's really gone off the deep end this time!" Ino whispered. I smirked, and continued my work. "Are you alright?" Kiba asked, pacing over to me. I grinned, saying, "Never been better!"
"Wow, Zula-chan, you're insane!" I leaned my head on his shoulder after nodding slightly. "You ready, Kiba-kun?" Kiba cracked his knuckles, and said, "Never been better."
"Haruno Sakura!" Iruka-sensei called out. The pink-haired girl ran off looking like she was about to explode. This was only increased when she ran right into Uchiha Sasuke, the terrible conceited 'prodigy' wearing his shinobi forehead protector. She swooned, her cheeks pinker than her hair. "Oh, Sasuke-kun! I knew you would pass! You're so brilliant!"
"Hn," the new genin replied, unfazed. Sakura ran away, off to complete her test. I continued trying out various jutsus, not wanting to fail any of them. I then heard a voice beside me. "You should not keep doing that. You will run out of chakra."
"Yes, thank you." I nodded my thanks and sat down. The boy who had given me the advice was Aburame Shino. He wore dark glasses, and the collar on his jacket covered the bottom half of his face. I had rarely spoken with him, only once.
I sat on the hill, staring out at the grey sky. A single light yellow butterfly fluttered about in front of me, and I held out a hand. The butterfly landed on my hand.
"It likes you," a voice said behind me.
"It seems that way." I turned to see Shino, staring at the butterfly. "Isn't it beautiful?" I asked quietly. Shino nodded once. The butterfly flew off, away from my hand. We both stared after it.
I glanced down at my hand that the butterfly had landed on. "Yes, thank you."
"Aburame Shino!" Iruka-sensei called. "Hey. Good luck," I called after him as he left. "Same," he nodded and left. Haruno Sakura returned as left. "OH YEAH! Take that, INOPIG!" she called loudly before running off, forehead protector in hand.
Shino had passed. So did Ino, Hinata, Shikamaru and Chouji. Only Naruto and I were left, Kiba in the room, taking the test. I watched the clock nervously, listening to it tick. Did Kiba-kun pass? Did he pass? I asked myself over and over again. It was a long while before he showed up again. When he did, he was wearing the forehead protector. "YES!" I screamed for the second time that day. I hugged Kiba and said, "I knew it! I KNEW IT!" He smiled, hugging me back. "But who says you will pass? Couldn't stand being below your boyfriend, could ya'?" Naruto, who had been in the back of the classroom the whole time exclaimed, "Ha! I knew you two were dating!" I glared at the yellow-headed boy, throwing a kunai that landed several feet from him, and said, "Shut it, Uzumaki." I was still smiling though, grinning actually. Iruka-sensei had been watching this whole exchange, though. "Alright, there are still two people who haven't taken the test yet. Uzumaki Naruto, go." He nodded lazily and left. Kiba, too, had to leave. I sat alone in the room. Time seemed to slow down. Alone, in the room, I wondered. Iruka-sensei had left to grade Naruto and see if he would pass. I was alone in the room. I wanted to practice the clone jutsu, or do something to take my mind off of the impending exam, but I had not options. I just waited. And waited, for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Iruka-sensei came back in, and read off the list, though it really wasn't necessary, "Anlo Zulaan." Not for long I won't be Anlo… I thought smugly. I just had to pass the test, and then I could cast off that name, and just be Zulaan. Maybe some day I'd even be Inuzuka Zulaan, I really didn't know. But what I knew was this: I was not going to be Anlo after this test. Kazecho-san had been important to my growing up, but it wasn't what I needed. I needed freedom, the one thing he didn't allow. And I was going to get it.
I walked into the room, feeling super nervous. Iruka and some guy with silver hair, what was his name, Mizuki? They were both in the room, and I was positive they could hear my heart bursting out of my chest. Did they have any idea how nervous I was? I have no idea. I pushed all the thoughts out of my head, and prepared myself for the clone jutsu. I blanked out for a little while, but when I came to, Iruka was smiling, and holding a Konoha forehead protector. "Very nice! 10 clones? That's great!" I smiled too. I gratefully took the forehead protector, and slowly tied it around my forehead. "Arigato, Iruka-sensei," I said quietly, and then left. "Anlo Zulaan was a good student," I heard Iruka say as I walked out. I turned back to say, "Anlo no more, Iruka-sensei." And then I left. That was the last time I spoke to him as an ally, little did I know.
"KIBA-KUN, I'M A GENIN!" I shouted as I ran out. I hugged him, and in front of all those people, kissed him. Just a quick, happy kiss. I didn't really care who knew, and Kiba wasn't the type to care either. I hugged him, and whispered, "I love you, Kiba." Then I hopped up, and said, "Well, I've got to go free myself from Kazecho. I'll see you tomorrow, ne?"
"Hai, good luck with that!" I walked away from him, from my now-genin friends, for the last time before everything ended.
I packed my bags. My ninja tools, a few changes of clothing, my toothbrush. I also brought a notebook where I had written random drabbles, about how much I loved Kiba, how much I loved school, how much I… random things. There were chibi drawings of Akamaru in there, too. I loved drawing Akamaru, he was so little and adorable. I smiled lightly at them, and placed them too into my olive green bag.
"And just what are you packing for?" Kazecho's deep voice boomed across the room. I threw the bag over my shoulder, and turned to him. His eyes widened slightly as he saw the forehead protector on my head. "What is that thing?" he asked. I shook my head, and said, "I've lived this life long enough. Yes, you were very nice, and took care of me, but I'm a Konohagakure Shinobi, now, and I need to go have my own life. I know you've tried to stop it, and have me to work for you. But now is my time to grow up, and do what I want to do." I tried to walk past him, but he put a rough hand on my shoulder. "No. You aren't going anywhere. That's what your mother told me would happen before she left." At the mention of my mother I became enraged.
"My mother also told my she loved me, she told you to look after me, and do what was best, right? Right?" Kazecho was silent.
"I was a Konoha shinobi, a long time ago. So don't try to fight me. I was a Chuunin, I'll have you know!"
I was surprised, but I didn't let it show. "I don't care. I don't care if it kills me, I'm getting out of here." I ran past him, but he was there in front of me, in a Taijutsu position. I prepared myself to fight if it came to that. "Stay, Zulaan," he whispered. I said no. I said it sternly, seriously, and sure of myself. I could see he got mad, and soon he started hurling insults about my mother at me. "She's still alive. She's just to careless and lazy to take care of you. Don't end up like her, some stupid and lazy shinobi!"
"My mother was strong, brave and great! Don't say anything about her! Her reasons were sound, that I know. So don't say another word about her, and get out of my way." I know I was terrifying in those moments, glaring daggers at him. Kazecho backed away, and I pushed past him. "You'll regret it!" he called after me as I roamed into the empty streets. I knew I couldn't stay there, maybe I'd stay with Kiba. I knew he wouldn't mind. I wasn't ready to see anyone yet, though.
I didn't know how long I walked for. I didn't encounter anyone out there, it was strangely empty. I saw a pool of light, coming from a street light, with a bench underneath it. I sat down there, staring out at the street. My home, or so I thought. I sensed an unusual chakra nearby, so I looked up. There was a man in ANBU uniform, a panda on his mask. He was walking in a strange, crooked manner. His head was bent to the side, one of his arms twisted strangely. He looked like he should be in pain, but he wasn't showing any signs of it. "Hello…" he said in a rasping voice. It sent shivers down Zulaan's spine. "Um... h-hello?" It came out sounding more like a question.
"You look like a good one, you have enough skills… young… the pain will hurt you most!" The thing, if it could even be called human, laughed, and I was terrified. I tried to run, but found myself rooted to the spot. The monster slowly lowered the ANBU mask, to reveal a man with chalky skin and long, untamed grey hair. The strange thing about him, though, was his eyes. They were completely black, not a trace of white or any other color. It was terrifying, as a strange black fog surrounded the both of us. It wrapped itself around my arms, going up my body. It then shot into my eyes, out of the ANBU's. He then had his eyes closed, and slowly fell to the ground. When he hit, he vaporized, and was nothing but a mask.
And that is how my entire life, which I had so carefully put together, came shattering down. That is how, though I still breath, and exist, and technically live, I say I died in Konoha. It was the end of everything I thought I knew. So that's how I died, and how I was born a monster.
Excited? Sad? Disappointed? Well, I hope you liked it, but I NEED reviews. Heck, flame away if you want. I just want to know if it was good enough. I listened to the Cranberries while writing this. Very good stuff, you know. Well, I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. I can't make any promises, though.