Chapter Eight: Learning Something New
-s-s-s-s-s-
A different point of view…
Mizuki was having a very bad week. And, he concluded later, would continue to have bad ones for the next four years. It was all that demon child's fault, of course. It always was.
First he'd been told that Uzumaki Seishi, that annoying blonde woman who smiled too much, was taking his place as Umino Iruka's secondary teacher. Sure, she was alright, but the newly arrived teen had only been interning for a few weeks!
Then, on his way home that evening to another night of frozen dinners, an orange tabby cat jumped in front of a woman heavy bags full of food. Fruit went rolling everywhere, including under a civilian man's foot, who just happened to be carrying buckets of water on a pole across his shoulders. Being a chunin (and a good one too, if he did say so himself), he dodged both fruit and water, but had forgotten the angered cat.
Covered in cat scratches, mud and fur, he trudged home. The mud came from falling in a ditch after being knocked over a while distracted by the cat.
The next morning, Hokage-sama informed all the teachers and their secondaries that the Kyuubi, currently known as Uzumaki Naruto, attend his cousin and Iruka's class at the start of term. There were general complaints, such as taking a student a year younger than most were accepted at when the year had already begun. No one dared directly voice their hatred of the boy in front of Sandaime for fear of punishment.
Mizuki had never hated the grandfatherly man so much in his life.
During lunch break, while the sensei were voicing contempt for the demon in the comforts of their lounge, Iruka spoke out. He tried to convince his fellows that Naruto wasn't Kyuubi but only the container. They should be thanking the boy for keeping the demon at bay, he said.
Everyone laughed at him, Mizuki included, and went on with their hate filled conversation, ignoring the dejected dolphin named chunin.
Seishi came behind him and offered her partner a drink when conversation lulled. "Konoha shinobi may have a Will of Fire," she commented, staring at the laughing group, "but most have heads as dense as the forests that surround their Village."
Iruka laughed and finally smiled.
Mizuki glared at them, uncomfortable with the exchange. Maybe it was time to say 'yes' to that group's offer and become a spy...
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Ninja Academy…
Then came the day Naruto was to join the Academy. He shifted nervously as Seishi walked calmly beside him, a comforting hand on his shoulder. He appreciated her support, but his mind still ran rampant with doubts.
When the classroom door opened, all gathered students full silent turned to stare curiously at the eight year old, a year younger than even the youngest in the class. Noticing who it was, however, set most of them on edge.
The blonde felt the hostility directed towards him, and scowled at all glaring down at him from their pyramid-like desks. Their parents, the majority of the students thought, would be mad if they didn't stay away from him as they'd been told. But it would be almost impossible if they shared a classroom.
Two, seated in the back and horizontally across from each other, held no negative feelings for the blonde. Ginjo Tenten, whose family had only called Konoha home for two years, knew nothing of the Kyuubi save what was said in (incorrect) history books. Rock Lee, the lowest scoring of Iruka-sensei's class, was an orphan and outsider from a Fire Country town on the border and therefore had no one to tell him polluting lies.
"Class," Iruka called. Everyone gave their teacher full attention, knowing well his temper already. "We have a new student joining us. Uzumaki Naruto, please introduce yourself."
"Yes, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto said, fox smiling. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage! I love ramen, and am having to have miso tonight!"
Most laughed at the now-dubbed 'baka'. He did too, falling comfortably into his mask of careless cheerfulness. Seishi frowned as she watched him, and silently swore to have his fake smiles replaced by genuine ones by the time he graduated.
"Please take a seat by Hyuuga Neji, Naruto-kun," Seishi cut in. Her cousin nodded and walked to the back middle desk, discreetly jumping the legs stuck out to trip him.
The seat next to the silent Branch member was in between Rock Lee and Tenten's tables, their classmates glaring hatefully at the seemingly oblivious boy. Neji ignored Naruto for the moment, not even sparing him a glance. The blonde huffed and muttered about stuck up brooding no-good loners.
Morning lessons in history and theory went well enough, only interupted by Naruto shouting insults at Neji once. Since Seishi covered physical lessons after lunch, she mostly graded papers while Iruka lectured and (most) students took notes.
During lunch, Naruto ate his 'nee-chan's homemade bento alone. That is, he thought he would. One of his classmates, a black haired girl with twin buns, sat next to him under the shady tree-swing the others avoided because of him.
"Hi, Uzumaki-kun! My name's Tenten. Are you related to Uzumaki-sensei? Is she your sister? Or your mother?" she asked enthusiastically, oblivious to Naruto's bewilderment until he spoke.
"You're... talking to me?" The blonde, confused and uncertain, could only stare at her.
"Yeah. Sorry if I go on and on and on. Otou-san says I talk too much. Do you think so? The other kids said I was a chatter box and ignore me now. Since you're new, I thought we could be friends." She smiled at him.
"Friends...?" he repeated. He smiled truly, mask cracking, and shook the girl's extended hand. "That would be nice, Tenten."
"Good," she agreed, smile becoming even bigger than before. 'I have someone to talk to!'
"I'll call you Naruto-kun, then."
"Only if I can call you Tenten-chan."
"It's a deal."
They continued their conversation, for all it was one-sided, and didn't notice Seishi smiling as she watched. It was nice to see Naruto finally making friends his own age and laughing at something besides himself. She hoped more would join the twosome, and soon. He would need friends and allies in the distant future.
During physical lessons, students were partnered with someone nearest their skill level. Since Naruto had transferred late, he was partnered with the dead last, Lee.
Rock Lee was a very self-conscious person, but gave his all into whatever he did. Since the Rock Clan was known for having little aptitude for chakra, his only option was taijutsu, and he had yet to meet a specialist willing to train him.
Naruto wondered why he had so much hair on both his head and above his eyes. It was kind of creepy to see someone with eyebrows like hairy caterpillars. They seemed to almost move on their own whenever Lee's expression changed.
"I'm Rock Lee, Uzumaki-kun. Do you know what to do?" giant eyebrows asked.
Naruto shook his head 'no'. Though Seishi had shown him a few kata to practice and exorcises that built up certain areas of the body, he didn't know what to do now.
"Right! First, stretches, then thirty sit-ups, twenty push-ups and a run around the track twice. Uzumaki-sensei will show you what to do after that," Lee explained. He began to stretch as Naruto watched and mimicked his movements.
'It sounds tiring,' the Kyuubi carrier thought as he tested his flexibility. 'I hope it gets easer soon.'
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