I'm not really sure what to say... I don't own Naruto. Haku's backstory will eventually be explained so sit tight, okay guys? ^^ Oh yeah! A lot of people wanted to know why Kiba and co didn't recognize Naruto and vise verse. Do you remember a friend you had when you were six that you haven't seen in years? Well imaging meeting up with them on the street randomly. You would feel like you'd met them before but they would look so different that it would take you a long time to remember who they were. Make more since now? ENJOY DAMN IT!
Naruto stared at Ibiki in confusion. How had they passed? They hadn't done anything! And he was not the only person to think that. Pinky's hand shot up and she blurted out, "What do you mean? How can we have passed? You didn't ask us the tenth question!"
Ibiki smiled and Naruto's confusion increased. What happened to the hard-ass instructor? "There never was a tenth question," Ibiki said. "Or you could say that the choice was the tenth question."
"Hey! Then what was the point of the first nine questions!" The female sand-sibling, who Naruto had nicknamed pineapple-head, demanded. Naruto watched her in approval. This test was total bull-shit, a person could pass without answering any of the first nine questions! What was the point? Did Ibiki want to teach everyone that skills didn't matter?
"They were not pointless. They were designed to test your information gathering skills." Ibiki said with another smile. No shit! Naruto thought. He leaned forward in his seat until he was almost lying on the table. He's acting like an ugly Konan!
Apparently many people hadn't realized that they were being tested on information gathering, a.k.a. they didn't know that they were supposed to cheat. Naruto sighed in exasperation and rubbed his temples. "The test was designed so that a mere genin could never answer the questions. Most of you would have to cheat to pass. Those ninja that were spotted cheating lost points and were kicked out because at times information is more important than life and on missions way worse things can happen to you than failing the chunin exams."
As he spoke, Ibiki untied his head covering and reveled the scarred over burns, cuts, and screw holes that covered the top of his head. Naruto was unmoved. He had seen far worse things done to people. But he had to admit that the giant man got his point through to the young ninja in the testing room. Most of the genin looked sick or scared. Naruto reluctantly felt some of his respect for the scarred ninja return. Ibiki recovered his head. "This is one of the most important skills for a ninja to have," he finished.
"But I still don't understand the point of the tenth question." Haku said politely. Ibiki smiled and Naruto suppressed a shudder. I wish he'd stop that. It's fucking creepy.
"Question number ten was the most important part." Even Naruto was surprised by that. He found himself suddenly interested in what Ibiki was saying.
"What do you mean?" Pinky asked.
"Let me explain, the tenth question was designed to be the ultimate leap of faith. It is a classical 'take it' or 'don't take it' decision. Say you become chunin and you are given an assignment; you don't know anything about the enemy ninja. If you fail you and your teammates will die and if you refuse you and your teammates will not be put in harm's way. But even so you should not refuse. No matter the danger, do not back away from the unknown. Those who are not courageous and those who can't survive hardship do not deserve to call themselves ninja! All of you accepted the tenth question even though you knew that if you failed you would not become chunin are the ones that are worthy of becoming chunin. If you keep that kind of strength you will make it through any hardship the ninja world has to offer. You have all passed the first exam and I wish you all luck."
"Hell yeah! You can wish us luck but I don't need it!" The ever cocky Kiba declared. Naruto glance at the dog-ninja and half-smiled. Inuzuka Kiba… what an interesting guy. I wonder if I've met him before?
Suddenly a window shattered and a blur of black shot into the room. Naruto tensed for a second until he noticed that Ibiki wasn't reacting in a negative way. Naruto folded his arms over his chest and watched the strange occurrence unfold. Two kunai shot out of the blur and the black unfurled into a huge banner with the words 'Second examiner Mitarashi Anko' painted on it in white. The two kunai shot into separate points of the celing and the banner obscured the front half of the room (including Ibiki) from the genin. A purple-haired young woman wearing mostly all ninja-netting and an overcoat skidded to a halt and stood up.
"You guys! This is no time to be celebrating!" She announced to the stunned genin, "I am the second test examiner, Mitarashi Anko! Now let's go! Follow me!" Dead silence greeted her words.
Ibiki moved the banner so he could stage-whisper, "Can't you sense the mood in here?" Anko's face colored slightly as she realized that no one had been celebrating. She quickly scanned all the students and blinked a couple times in surprise.
"What's this Ibiki! How are there seventy-nine people?" She turned her head and whispered so none of the genin could hear.
"The blond Iwa kid with the three scratch marks on each cheek is a one man team." Ibiki whispered back. Anko glanced at the ninja out of the corner of her eye. A one man team? Those where exceptionally rare and there never were one man teams for lower class ninja! He must really be something; I bet he'll be a lot of fun. Kukukukuku…
"So there's still twenty-seven teams? I think you're going soft!" She said in her normal voice, "Eh, whatever. My test is guaranteed to cut them in half, Kukukuku! Everyone! I'll explain the rules once we change location so follow me!"
Anko led them through the streets of Konoha, randomly bursting out in laughter and ignoring the looks civilians were giving her. The nine Konoha rookies had wisely placed themselves far behind both Anko and Naruto and were having a quiet conference.
"Look, I know that we know him! …I just don't know from where!"
"Oh give it a rest, Kiba!" Ino snapped. Kiba had really been pushing the issue and it was getting on her nerves.
"Arf!"
"Maybe you met him on a mission?"
"No way Haku. I would remember someone like that." Sasuke said and Haku frowned.
"Besides, Akamaru would have remembered his sent." Kiba added.
"Arf!"
"Unless we met him before you had Akamaru." Shikamaru said.
"I got him when I was nine and I didn't know anyone outside of Konoha until I was eleven!"
"Ino, Choji, Shino, Haku, Hinata, and I don't recognize him! I think it's all in your heads."
"U-um, actually I think he seems kind of familiar too, Sakura-san." Kiba grinned and threw an arm around Hinata so he could hug her while he made a rude gesture at Sakura with the other hand.
"See! Sasuke, Shikamaru, Hinata and I remember him!" Shino cocked his head to one side as he considered the evidence and Haku bit his lower lip as he thought. There was very little evidence for anything but if even Hinata agreed... "Arrrrgh! Why can't I fucking remember him?" Kiba bellowed and he rubbed his hair franticly as if he thought that would help him think. Naruto, who was a few yards ahead of them turned a looked back at Kiba. The nine of them shut up and held their collective breaths until he turned away.
Kiba and Sakura began their argument again but in much lower voices so that their subject wouldn't hear them. Sasuke, on the other hand, continued to watch Naruto. The blonde was walking next to Gaara of the Sand and talking animatedly. Gaara was ignoring him and the two other sand siblings were a few feet behind and looking nervous. No one had ever dared to get that close to Gaara before and no one had ever talked to him like that before.
Sasuke strained his ears but he still couldn't hear what Naruto was saying. But it was interesting enough to watch the conversation. Naruto threw his arms up and waved them like he was animating an explosion and then he brought them close and drew tiny swirls in the air with his fingers. Gaara glanced at him and Temari and Kankuro cringed but the red head made no violent action and no sand gathered. In fact, Gaara seemed vaguely amused although Sasuke couldn't see any reason as to why he thought that. Gaara's face remained blank while he watched Naruto draw a couple of domes, spires, and circles in the air.
Sasuke's attention was brought back to the conversation of the people he was with when Sakura shirked, "Look! Even if we ever did know him at one point he's a dangerous monster now! We should stay far away from him!" Sasuke wondered about that. It was true that Naruto had nearly broken his and Kiba's shoulder but Sasuke doubted that Naruto had actually wanted to cause them lasting harm because if he had they'd probably be dead now. And the way Naruto was acting now…
"I don't buy that! We need to find out who he was and how we knew him!" Kiba retorted.
"If you want to know so badly then you should talk to him." Haku said evenly. Sasuke looked at him in surprise and Kiba looked nervous. Then he cracked a grin.
"Fine, I will and I'll…"
"Welcome to the second stage of the exams, practice arena forty-four, also known as the forest of death." Most people had already stopped before Anko had started talking and so the nine of them stumbled to a halt. They stared up at the massive trees being held back by a flimsy-looking chain link fence and a few of them shifted nervously.
"It's so creepy." Sakura said softly but evidently Anko heard her.
"Bah, creepy doesn't cover half of it," The cocky purple haired ninja said. "You'll soon find out why it's called the forest of death. I can see that we have a few blood thirsty people with us so…" Anko stuck her had into her overcoat and pulled out a hefty stack of papers.
"Everyone who wants to participate in the second exams must sign a waiver. There will be deaths and I don't want to be responsible!" She shoved the stack of papers into a random ninja's hands and continued to talk. "Pass those around and before you sign them I will explain the rules. Then you will turn them in at the booth behind me one team at a time. Alright! So this test is the ultimate survival test! Arena forty-four is a large area surrounded by a circular fence with forty-four gates. Inside is a forest, a river, and at the dead center there is a tower. The distance from the gates to the tower is roughly ten kilometers. Inside anything goes. Each team will be given one of two scrolls." Anko held up a white and black scroll as she spoke. One had the kanji for heaven and the other said earth.
"Your goal will be to obtain one of each scroll and make it to the tower with all of your teammates alive and within the time span. The number of scrolls among you will be roughly half and half of each type. The time limit is five days exactly."
"But what about food!" Choji asked in alarm.
"The forest if full of food, figure something out or go hungry. But be sure to avoid all the poisonous plants and dangerous animals. The rules are; no one will be allowed to leave the forest for five days no matter what the reason and no one may look inside the scroll until they are inside of the tower."
"Why? What happens if you do?" Kiba asked.
"That's for those who look to find out." Anko said with a slight purr. An uncomfortable murmur swept through the gathered genin but Anko silenced them when she opened her mouth again. "This is to test your trustworthiness as Chunin are often asked to handle classified information. That is all for the explanation! Come to the booth one team at a time, turn in your waivers, and receive your scroll!" Anko turned on her heel and marched to the booth. As soon as she was inside another ninja drew up a curtain and then disappeared inside himself.
Sasuke was close enough to hear Naruto say, "Well then! I guess I'll be seeing you at the tower. I bet I can make it there first." to Gaara. Gaara just watched in silence as Naruto walked off and did not rise to the challenge. To be honest, Gaara didn't know how to react. There was someone who wasn't afraid of him, who wanted to be his friend. But his face showed none of his inner conflict.
"Let's go." He instructed his siblings and they followed him to the booth.
"Well, now's your chance." Ino told Kiba and the brunette ninja grinned. Naruto was walking away from the large group and Kiba ran after him, determined to find out who exactly he was.
Naruto was very pleased with himself. Contact with the one-tail had been easy and Naruto was positive that they would become 'friends' before the exams ended. He might not even have to complete the exams! Naruto rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. He wanted to be back at the Akatsuki base among his real friends! Though he was a little worried about what he should do, the last time he had seen them he had been really unpleasant. Naruto sat down with his back against a random tree and signed his name without bothering to read the paper, when was he not risking his life?
He closed his eyes and rested his head against the tree trunk. He was jerked at of his tranquility by the sound of rapid footsteps coming towards him. He kept his eyes shut until the footsteps had stopped. He cracked open an eye and looked critically at the person before him. "Isn't it a little hot for a parka, Inuzuka?" Naruto said as he closed his eyes again.
Naruto was surprised to hear Kiba sit down with a thud and he opened his eyes completely and watched the brunette pull his dog off his head and drop is in his lap. They sat in silence for a while as Kiba tried to figure out what he wanted to say and Naruto waited to hear it. Eventually Kiba said, "Who are you?"
"Naruto," Naruto answered.
"Well what's your full name?"
"Why does that matter?" Kiba grit his teeth and glared at Naruto.
"Just tell me-"
"No. Now stop bothering me."
"Auurgh! Goddamnit! Who are you? Why do I feel like I've met you before?"
"I'm Naruto. I don't have any idea why you think you've met you because I don't know you. Now would you please go away?" Naruto said calmly. On the inside he knew that he also felt like he had met Kiba and co before but he didn't care. Kiba took a few seconds to compose himself before he tried again.
"Have you been to Konoha before?"
"Yes." Kiba waited but Naruto left it at that so Kiba prompted him again.
"Care to elaborate?"
"No."
"When?"
"A long time ago."
"Well why were you here?"
"I was born here." A thought stirred in the back of Kiba's head but it was gone before he could capture it.
"Why did you leave?"
"My aniki came and took me away."
"What's your brother's name?" Naruto shook his head and Kiba considered all the information Naruto had given him. The Iwa ninja had been born in Konoha but had left when his older brother had come and got him. Kiba knew that he should remember who Naruto was but he couldn't pinpoint why. If only I had his full name, then I know that I would remember him!
"Why didn't your brother come live here?"
"Konoha sucks. Iwa is a much nicer place. And we had other family there."
"Well why where you born here?" Naruto mulled that question around his head but in the end he shook his head. Why was he answering these questions? He could be hazarding his mission! Kiba sensed that Naruto was starting to clam up and he tried to keep him talking, "Did you live here with your parents?"
"No."
"Why?"
"They died a long time ago." Kiba paused as he realized for the first time that although Naruto was scary and could snap his neck like a toothpick, he was still only a twelve year old kid. Hell, he was shorter than all of the Konoha rookies! But he also had a haunted look about his eyes and Kiba wondered what kind of life a person would have to have to look like that. He took a deep breath before he continued.
"Why did your family leave you alone in Konoha?"
"They didn't know about me."
"How did they find out?"
"Aniki found me."
"And if he hadn't?"
"I would be dead." Naruto's eyes flashed with pure loathing and Kiba's skin crawled. Even Akamaru whimpered and wriggled his way into Kiba's parka to get away from the Iwa ninja.
"W-why?" Naruto curled his lips and glared at Kiba.
"The people of Konoha would have killed me." He spat and Kiba gulped. He didn't want Naruto to become any angrier but he needed to know who Naruto was.
"Why?" Kiba's voice sounded faint and weak even to his own ears and he was relieved to see Naruto forcibly calm himself.
"My father was an enemy of them." Naruto wondered why he didn't stop talking. The weird feeling of familiarity was making him talk, but he knew but he wanted Kiba to go away.
"No! Konoha's not like that! They would never try to kill someone because of…" Kiba stopped talking as a hand grabbed him by the throat. Kiba gasped in pain as Naruto stood up and lifted his feet off the ground. Akamaru bravely sought to bite the hand around his master's neck but Naruto just knocked the hound unconscious with his other hand. Kiba reached for the weapon pouch at his side but Naruto swung him around and slammed him against the tree. Kiba's vision swam and he let out a strangled cough.
Kiba's eyes locked with Naruto's and he was confused to see that the blonde's eyes were crimson once again. Kiba reached desperately for his pouch of weapons once more but Naruto dragged Kiba forward until their noses almost touched. Then Kiba was slammed against the tree again and again and again. Naruto didn't say a single word but Kiba could feel Naruto's hatred radiating in waves. Little white dots danced in his vision and he had almost passed out before Naruto let him go.
Kiba collapsed in a heap at Naruto's feet; coughing and rubbing his throat. He looked up and saw Naruto, eyes still blazing red, with two kunai digging into his neck. Kiba's eyes slowly came into focus and he saw that it was Sasuke and Shikamaru that held the weapons. A few feet away, Haku, Shino, and Ino were standing with weapons out. Hinata was crouched over Akamaru and Choji was still running to get over to them with Sakura tailing after him.
"Kiba, you okay?" Sasuke asked without taking his eyes off the back of the blonde's head.
"Yeah," Kiba croaked. As suddenly as he had attacked Kiba, Naruto grabbed Sasuke and Shikamaru by the wrists and flipped both of them over his shoulders and slammed both of them to the ground on either side of Kiba. Haku lunged forward but Naruto ducked under his arms and delivered a right hook to his chin. As Haku fell backwards, Naruto kicked him in the stomach; hard enough for the ice ninja to spew blood. Before any of the others had a chance to attack Naruto retreated several steps.
He blinked hard when he opened his eyes they were blue once more. He glared at Kiba and Kiba stared right back. "You had better all hurry up and sign your waivers. The exam will be starting soon." Naruto said evenly but anger bubbled under his words and his gaze was spiteful. Naruto whirled around and stalked off to the booth.
"I know who you are!" Kiba called after him but Naruto kept right on walking. He didn't even turn his head in the slightest. Haku groaned and got to all fours before shakily getting to his feet. Sasuke and Shikamaru were doing likewise and Kiba put his hand on the tree to steady himself as he hauled himself to his feet. Hinata hurried to his side with Akamaru in her arms.
"H-he's okay, just stunned." She told him as he took his dog.
"Thanks Hinata."
"So I give up. Who is he?" Sasuke said as he rubbed feeling back into his wrist. Kiba gently cradled his dog and he shook his head to clear it. The idea had popped into his head while Naruto was strangling him and even while he was getting oxygen in his brain it made since.
"Who was my best friend when I was a little kid?"
"The little runty kid that was always covered in bruise?" Ino asked as she racked her brain.
"Yeah, his name was Spiral." Shikamaru added.
"Uzumaki. His name was Uzumaki Naruto." Kiba corrected. There was a long pause while the information sunk in.
"No fucking way." Sasuke said.
"B-but Uzumaki-kun was a-always so nice."
"Yeah! You're saying that the kid who used to give his lunch to stray cats became that demon?"
"That kid was really weak!"
"I guess he grew up." Kiba said quietly and everyone fell silent as they considered it.
"I don't understand." Haku panted. He still had a hand on his stomach and he was clearly in a lot of pain.
"Uzumaki Naruto was a kid we knew when we were really young. One day he left with some girly-dude, Deidre, I think his name was. He went to Iwa to live with him. We kept in contact for a little under a year."
"The people of Konoha would have killed me." Naruto had said. Kiba shook his head and wondered what that meant. It was true that Naruto always seemed to be hurt but Kiba didn't think that people wanted him dead! And who had Naruto's father been?
"Deidre?" Haku repeated the name and frowned, "Are you sure that it wasn't Deidara?"
"Could have been, why?" Kiba said.
"Deidara is an S-rank criminal in the bingo books. A little over a year ago he stole a forbidden scroll from Iwa and he became a terrorist bomber."
"I think that it was Deidre." Sasuke sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than anyone else.
"Yeah. That was what it was." Shikamaru said. The three of them had been very close to Naruto and only Kiba was willing to believe that he had changed so radically. Akamaru stirred and whimpered slightly and Kiba scratched him between the ears to try to calm him down.
"Well now we know who he is so what do we do now?" Ino asked.
"Nothing," Kiba said. "We do nothing."
"B-But Kiba, he was o-our f-fr-friend!"
"Yeah, was being the key word. I think he just made it pretty clear that he wants nothing to do with us so we leave him alone." Kiba felt a little empty as he said that. He would have never expected to see him old best friend before but Naruto disliked him enough to want to kill him and Kiba didn't know how he should feel.
"Do you think he remembers any of you?" Haku wondered and all of them balked slightly as they considered that. Kiba watched Naruto walk into the booth and then emerge a few seconds later.
"I don't think it matters. Let's go get our scrolls," Kiba said and his friends all exchanged glances. Kiba took off without saying goodbye and his teammates scurried after him.
Awww, poor Kiba. I feel kind of bad for beating him up but that's how it goes. REVIEW DAMN IT!
~Lots of love, Abarat Fox
