Chapter Nine: "Learning is..."


The day was finally here!

He awoke that morning with a sense of excitement and anticipation. He rushed Midori and Mayumi out of the front door as soon as he could, his little legs could not carry him fast enough.

"Naruto-kun, there's no need to rush." Mayumi reminded him. She was apprehensive about his choice- her own husband died during combat, and she wasn't keen on losing another family member to war. This time of relative peace could only stay intact for so long, and she feared the worst. The child, however, looked up at her and declared he wouldn't die.

Who was she to say no to his dreams?

"There's always a time to rush!" Naruto countered.

Midori had no such ill confidence in her heart. She looked at her adopted son and repeated over and over that he could do anything if he tried his damnedest. If he kept going then he would make it, she knew that. "Mother, there's no stopping Naruto." Midori tsked. "Let him keep up what he's doing. Like, running without looking where he's going. Oh- Naruto, pole ahead-"

Bonk. "Oops."

Mayumi sighed as she offered him her hand, which he gratefully took. "I meant do that!" He proclaimed.

Midori couldn't help but to roll her eyes. "Sure thing, sunshine, sure thing." He was certaintly proving something.

The Shinobi Academy was big and imposing, it held a sense of adventure and mystery. He was caught up in the sights and sounds until the Hokage arrived, cleared his throat and spoke. The Third Hokage spoke that morning with a sense of pride. His speech was short but it had an effect on everyone who heard him. The Will of Fire will blossom in our youth, he had said. The power of the village and its people would fuel the young shinobi in their path to become full fledged ninja and kuniochi.

Once he had finished, the head Chunin announced the classes and they were on their way to their new classes to start their studies!

He took one last look at before he continued following his new sensei to his classroom, she was smiling in his direction. That was a good sign. He knew that she would have his back no matter what happened and with that reassurance, he grinned, waved, and went on his way.

...

"My name is Umino Iruka, and I will be your sensei."

A tan man with a scar upon his face announced from the front of the classroom. He was young, many of the students were aware of this fact. Naruto knew he was younger then his mother- erm, Midori. He seemed to radiate nerves before he spoke but now he appeared to be resolved and confident. This clan was filled with many future Clan Heads, and... his eyes wavered the moment he set eyes onto Uzumaki Naruto.

They had to place him somewhere, because there was no way that he wasn't going to become a shinobi with that... thing inside of him. He just didn't understand why the Third had to place him in his class, did he expect something special out of him? There was no way this wasn't a coincidence.

"We're going to start out with the some basic techniques and history today, but first, why don't we all take a moment to introduce ourselves. You'll be in class with many of these faces for the next few years, so it's important to know your comrades." He gestured to one girl in the class. "Why don't you start us off?"

"...H-Haruno Sakura," A girl with pink hair announced her name with fumbled words. Iruka offered her a smile, and it turned onto the next child in the row, who spoke "Shino Aburame." and onward it followed until they reached him.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto! I'm going to be the best ninja in all of Konohagakure- and one day after that! I'll be declared Hokage!" Naruto announced. Everyone stared at him, at his declaration. It seemed unbelievable to these children, that Uzumaki Naruto would be anything more then what the grown ups thought of him. So, they burdt into rapturous laughter. Naruto grimaced.

Maybe this wouldn't be as great as he had hoped.


Midori had wanted to pay a moment of respect to Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, and it was the one place she knew should be vacant this time of day given the ceremony going on. Naruto was going to have tough years ahead of him, and she felt like she needed to promise to the both of them that she would see him through that. After all, they never intended to leave him alone. They had just been in the wrong position.

However, when she approached the stone, she knew that it was not vacant. That mop of silver hair in the distance let her know that it was Hatake Kakashi. Perhaps he had left Anbu already, the Third had let him resign from the hard duties that lay in Anbu, in Root. He was better off away from that. She knew.

"..." Would he be paying respects to Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin? She knew how Obito had passed, but Rin was a mystery. Her last memory of Konohagakure was blasted into pieces by... Akatsuki, all she could remember was the village was blown to pieces and many died in the process. Naruto had been fighting... She grimaced. Pain? She didn't even remember how that fight had been going. It was better to avoid the memories of a future that may not even come. Still, the thought that Kakashi would- might die- among many others left her feeling rather drained.

Many people did not deserve such violent ends, or turbulent situations in their lives in the first place. The shinobi world cared not for its young, and weakest at heart at the very core of it now. This is why for so long she tried to avoid it. To keep away from ninja and their lives. If she got too attached... they might just die even sooner. She knew it was feeble to even think about these things, but they just hit Midori at times when she was alone with her thoughts.

Naruto could change things, she believed with her heart. That's why she was trying so hard for him- so hard to make him try harder and learn more then ever. If she could make a difference in him, she knew change could help the future she once saw somehow. But even her grasp on Naruto was weak, she was well aware that Sarutobi Hiruzen had her back when it came to Naruto. He allowed her to adopt him, despite arguments from Danzo, and the cillage elders, Mitokado Homura and Utatne Koharu. They had argued a simple civilian caring for the 'village weapon' was blasphemy, that if anybody should take him in it should be shinobi.

Hiruzen had fought back against them, and his argument kept her with Naruto. The fact Midori could take care of him without fear, and keep him under control from rage or anger was a huge factor. The beast was considered a being of hatred, and Naruto had to have positivity to combat that. Midori provided that. Danzo even offered the idea of taking the boy in himself. But, again, Hiruzen refused.

Midori was beyond grateful.

But if she ever slipped up, made a mistake, he would be back where he started. The conditions were serious to keeping him and she had kept them all. The wind brought Midori back from her thoughts as she made up her mind that she would say her peace and return to her mother's shop to get back to work.

When she turned her attention back in front of her, she couldn't see him anymore. Maybe he had left then? Midori merely shook the thought from her head as approached the memorial stone, letting a soft sigh. "Sometimes I feel like he's a lot to handle, and I'm going to fail at what I set out to do." She mumbled. "There's just so many people against me that I'm scared I'm not handling it right, that I'm failing him. But I promise that I'm going to keep trying no matter how defeated I feel." Bowing her head, she turned to leave.

"You've more or less proven you can handle yourself, you do realize that?"

The reply was weak, distant on the wind but he knew that she had heard him. Her eyes flickered back in where she assumed his direction as she followed the path back to the village. "Thank you for saving me that night, I never did get the chance to say that." was all she said.