Corruption Of Blood: Rebirth

Chapter 13

New Student

By Nexusofpain

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the other literary works I may reference in this story.

Naruto wasn't sure why the girl had decided to sit next to him, even if she were a new addition to the village, she had to notice all the hostility the other students directed his way, doubled with the fact that he was sitting alone away from the rest of the students. "Hi.. I'm Naruto Uzumaki." The girl looked at him for a moment before turning her head away. Her very light blonde hair shook with the motion, it came down to her lower back it seemed. Her eyes were a lighter blue than his own, though not quite the teal color of Ino Yamanaka's eyes, Naruto still thought it was a beautiful color.

She was short, very much so easily the smallest in the class, she could almost pass for a first year. "I already said my name, and I don't like to repeat myself." There it was, if the girl was pretty then you'd be sure to find the ugliness somewhere inside of her, and Naruto might have already done so. "If you don't have anything important to say, then please don't speak with me." If Naruto were anybody else he might have been upset but the fact was that he was actually quite use to being treated this way, and as such it didn't bother him much.

Placing the large leather bound book that she had brought to class on the desk in front of her, she proceeded to sit perfectly still for the rest of the class, not speaking to anybody, not taking notes, just not doing much of anything. Naruto had thought of trying to start a conversation with the girl, but she had already made her stance on pointless talking, and how she preferred not to do it. So for as long as class dragged on Naruto continued to wonder about the girl sitting beside him. Occasionally he would allow his gaze to wander, but only for very short moments, not sure how the girl would react to being starred at.

Finally the bell rang, Naruto stretched out his limbs as he stood from his seat, lunch didn't last very long and he would only make it to Ichiraku if he hurried. "You boy.. take me somewhere to eat." Naruto wasn't sure he heard the girl right at first, but sure enough she stood just slightly in front of him, her own eyes burrowing eyes into his. "What?" Naruto had thought the girl already hated him, and here she was asking him on a date, well kind of anyway. "I am unfamiliar with this village and as such need accompaniment so I do not lose my way."

The way the girl spoke sounded very odd to Naruto, like she was trying to hard to sound formal. "Sure I guess, I was just going to the ramen stand." Naruto would allow the girl to tag along with him, but he was not even about to change his plans for her. "What is ramen?" Naruto could hardly believe his ears as the words left the small blonde girls mouth. "What do you mean 'what is ramen' ramen is everything that people need to survive!" Naruto hadn't even realized he had rose his voice, till all the stares from his classmates brought him back to reality.

"Right, let's get going." Naruto said quietly grabbing the short girls hand and dragging her towards the door. They barely made it through the door, before the girl wrenched her hand out of Naruto's rather firm grip. "Who said you could touch me." She didn't sound angry but Naruto knew from experience that didn't mean she wasn't. "Sorry." Naruto muttered, turning to walk down the hall, and out of the building. "Just don't let it happen again." Mikomi spoke as she caught up to the boy, obviously still intent on going with him.

The walk was a rather awkward experience for Naruto, he wasn't sure what to say to the girl as he didn't know anything about her. "Your name is Naruto correct?" Naruto turned his head to look at the girl. "Yeah." The girl nodded in a way that suggested that she had just found out some type of great secret. She didn't speak any further letting Naruto just wonder why she had acted so strangely. Looking over to the girl he noticed that she just barely came up to his shoulders, and considering he was far from the tallest kid in class that meant that she was maybe only four-three.

Another thing that caught his eye was the book she carried under one arm, easily one of the largest he had ever seen. "What is that?" Naruto said pointing at the leather clad object. The girl turned her head to look at him. "It's a book." She said it in a tone that made it obvious that she thought him to be ignorant, something that did in fact rub him the wrong way. "Okay why are you such a bitch?" Naruto hadn't meant to say it aloud but the damage was already done. To Naruto's surprise the girl actually seemed to think about the question.

"I suppose that its because I am not very fond of men." The matter of fact way she said, along with the way she freely admitted to acting in such a manner, was something that Naruto was not used to. "Does that mean you're gay..." Naruto thought the subject might be a little personal, but he really did have the problem of saying whatever came to his mind at the moment. The girls face flushed rather quickly, and her eyes widened. "What! Of course not... I am not fond of women either." She stopped looking at him, now more determined to keep her eyes on the road.

The rest of the walk was done in a rather awkward silence, and after a few more minutes of walking the two had reached Ichiraku. One girl in particular was working behind the counter when the duo entered, someone Naruto knew very well. "Ayame, is your old man working today." The girls face brightened almost immediately, as she heard Naruto's voice. "Naruto, where have you been, it's been like two weeks since you visited." The happy look vanished almost as quickly when she caught sight of the girl that was beside him.

"You brought a girl." Suddenly her smile turned much more strained. "Yeah.. this is Mikomi, she just moved her, she's in my class." While Naruto and Ayame were talking Mikomi took it upon herself to sit at the bar. "What would be good?" She asked Naruto interrupting the quiet conversation that was going on between him and the waitress. "Right, uh we'll have an order of miso ramen with pork filet." Ayame's face soured further. "Already sharing a bowl of ramen, last time I tried that you stabbed me with your chopsticks."

"What.. no a bowl each, we're not sharing." Naruto looked a bit embarrassed as he was reminded of that particular incident. 'When is she gonna get over that, it was almost three years ago.' Naruto thought, almost thinking of changing the girls memories, but he had already decided a long time ago that he would never mess with his friends heads, or read their minds. Really the only people he was willing to use his powers against, were enemies, well other than for strictly training purposes. Mikomi just observed the two, her hands folded daintily in her lap and the large book laying on the counter.

The wait would've been awkward if Naruto payed attention to such things but as it were, Naruto just sat happily waiting for his ramen to magically appear in front of him. Ayame had a constant glare going as she cooked, even after all these years she still walked with a limp, though it was barely noticeable. The glare shifted focus regularly between Naruto and the girl who had accompanied him to the stall, Ayame truly wasn't sure what she was so upset about. 'I mean he's a really nice guy, but he's so much younger than me.' Was one of the thoughts going through her mind.

Ayame had never answered if her father was working but at this point Naruto was able to come to the conclusion on his own, that indeed he was not. When the two bowls were placed in front of them, albeit with a little more force than necessary, Naruto immediately noticed the way that Mikomi turned her nose up at the soup. "You gotta at least try it." Naruto muttered eyeing the girl, and with a sigh she grabbed her pair of chopsticks and brought a small portion of the noodles to her mouth. Unlike Naruto she didn't slurp, as that would have been unladylike, instead taking a small bite and placing the remains back in the bowl.

Mikomi used her hand to cover her mouth as she chewed the noodles, something else Naruto rarely did, after all chewing just slowed you down. Naruto continued to stare at the girl as though awaiting her reaction to the dish. "It's not as horrible as I first believed." She spoke slowly, Naruto brightening up a bit at her words, he knew no one could hate ramen. "The flavor just might make up for the dreadful service." Ayame's face took on an even harder edge, and Naruto thought she might just lunge across the counter at the girl.

"Care to repeat that." Ayame's forced smile just made her look that much more scary as she walked up to the girl. "Oh.. pardon I just believe that if you spent more time cooking than staring at your customers the overall setting would be much better." Naruto moved his hands frantically trying to tell the ramen girl to calm down, which she did reluctantly. "I see I apologize for staring..." Ayame was almost to the point of seeing red, but she wasn't about to sully her father's name, and hurt his business by attacking a child, ninja student or not.

"As long as you know that you were in the wrong, I suppose that it will be alright, I may even eat here again in the future." Naruto could feel the cold sweat form on his brow, the tension in the air was so thick that it might as well have been visible. "Please don't force yourself, someone of your obvious social standing wouldn't want to be caught dining at such a poor noodle stand." It was obvious she was hoping to never see the girl again, Naruto couldn't really blame her, he was getting sick of her rather quickly as well.

"Nonsense, as long as the food is good where I dine is my own business, let people talk, they do not affect me." The girl just couldn't take a hint, and Naruto looking at the clock over the stove behind Ayame noticed that lunch was almost over. "Mikomi, we need to get going." Naruto quickly downed the rest of his bowl before throwing enough change on the table to pay for both of their meals, something he hadn't planned to do at first, but now that he was in a hurry didn't see the point in not.

"Really, I guess the saying time flies when your having fun does have some meaning after all." The girl giggled standing up leaving her barely touched ramen on the counter. "From now on, I believe I shall accompany you to and from lunch." Naruto wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea and from the look on her face neither was Ayame, but Naruto was much to nice of a person to stop her. "Whatever let's get going, we're gonna be late." Naruto said grabbing her hand again, pulling her away from the stand. "I said not to touch me." The girl yanked her hand away from him again.

"I said not to touch me without permission." Naruto got a glint in his eye. "Really, and what would it take to get your permission." The suggestive way Naruto spoke seemed to go straight over the short girls head, which he figured was pretty normal. "Please stay at least three meters away from me while we walk." This girl needed a serious attitude adjustment, something Naruto actually specialized in. "Whatever you say princess." The girl must not have understood the sarcasm in his voice, at least not with the way she smiled.

It wasn't long before the two reached their destination, only moments before the bell rang, had they managed to take their seat. Naruto only ever payed half attention to his classmates, but out of the corner of his eye he did manage to catch a peculiar dark haired girl staring at him, this wasn't the first time either, over the years he would catch her gaze occasionally. This was different however, the way she was staring at the blonde girl he had walked in with did little to hide the intense dislike for the girl that Naruto was sure the Hyuga, if he remembered correctly felt towards their newest classmate.

Naruto sent a small wave towards the girl, who quickly lost the intense look in her eyes and began staring at the ground. Something Naruto believed she did regularly, not that he was positive, as previously stated he normally tried to pay as little attention to his classmates as possible. Naruto went up to his normal seat in the back of the room, opposite side of where the window was situated, a spot that no one else wanted, the easiest way to assure he would be left to his own devices. The girl of course sat down directly beside him as she had done earlier.

Class passed slowly, with Naruto barely paying any attention whatsoever, everything Iruka-sensei was going over was just a review of the year before anyway. He was asleep by the time the bell rang, signaling that it was time to head outside, for physical exercise. Naruto had long since surpassed what the academy could help him achieve in physical strength, the routine not winding him in the slightest any longer. Of course as it was a new year they increased the difficulty, just not enough for it to make much of a difference on the preteen boy.

None of it mattered, Naruto would end up getting plenty of exercise later anyway, what with his own personal routine, and Iruka-sensei's extra training. Naruto took the time in between his laps around the field to gaze over to the strange new girl. From this distance he couldn't tell if she was getting along with the other girls or not, but from his own experience already he would've guessed that it wouldn't be long before she ensured she would never have friends at this school. "She's fast." He said to himself as the girl began taking laps of her own, easily matching, and then surpassing his own speed.

That of course didn't mean much to Naruto, their were plenty of kids faster than him in class, he was more of a strength based fighter than a speedy one. "Is this the best you lowborn ninja can do?" She offered her snide remark as she passed by him. "Is that a challenge?" Naruto asked as he increased his speed in order to speak to the girl. "No, just an observation." Naruto gave the girl a feral grin, pumping chakra into his legs and pulling ahead of her. As fast as she might be Naruto was confident he could stay ahead, especially after taking into account her long white dress, that almost reached her ankles, and true enough he pulled half a lap ahead in just moments.

Mikomi, stared at the blonde boy as he pulled ahead, she really hadn't been challenging him, but if he wanted a race, she was not afraid to give it to him. It became obvious however that at her current rate there would be no way to catch up. If she were a different girl she might have sighed in annoyance, but as it were she couldn't allow anyone to see her do such a thing. "I won't lose to some pathetic little boy." She said under her breath, kicking off her shoes as she ran, with the fresh dirt under her feet she found it much easier to run, but it still wasn't enough.

Naruto was still ahead, running faster than he had in a long time, faster than he ever had in front of the rest of his class. The look of agitation on the girls face was enough to make Naruto happy, not that he wasn't still going to beat her. He could hear her whisper under her breath, but he couldn't make out the words, and almost like magic her speed shot up far above what it was just seconds before. Pulling ahead so fast Naruto wasn't sure what was happening, all he could do was pump more chakra into his legs and hope to keep up.

"Holy shit." He gasped out, for once the running getting to him, he was putting in everything he had but it just didn't seem like it was enough. In the end he was unable to catch her again, and there she stood a rather satisfied smirk on her face, her shoes long forgotten. "Like I said it wasn't a challenge." Were the words she spoke as he approached, however the look on her face said anything but that. "If it wasn't why are you so happy you won?" Naruto pointed out as he walked up to face her, immediately her smirk dropped and she folded her arms across her chest.

"I don't know what you could be talking about, beating someone so obviously below me wouldn't bring me any such emotion." The high and mighty act didn't take long to make a reappearance. "Whatever you gotta tell yourself princess." The girl turned away from him with a huff, not interested in continuing the conversation. Naruto took her walking away as a sign of her admitting defeat, and chalked it up to his win, it was obvious to Naruto that she was upset, mainly because she when she went inside she had completely forgotten her shoes on the track.

Naruto wasn't sure why he was doing it, but with a sigh he walked over picking up the small white pair of oddly frilly sandals. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted one Sasuke Uchiha standing to the side of the field, staring at him rather intently. "I told you I don't swing that way." Naruto said catching his gaze, the look on his face was priceless, as he turned away with a huff. "Whatever loser." Naruto could swear those were the only words he ever heard the boy speak. "Relax Ace, don't take it so personally, I'm sure someday you'll find a nice man to sweep you off your feet." Naruto chuckled at the anger that flashed across the Uchiha's face, pissing the boy off was one of his favorite pass times.

Naruto followed the brooding boy into the classroom, the first day of his final year as a trainee was just about over. Naruto could feel the anger from the Uchiha as he took his seat, while he had plenty of control over his empath abilities, he occasionally used them to if only to feel the amount of anger he caused the Uchiha. Naruto blocked the boys emotions out as Iruka entered the room, carrying a large book in one of his hands, Naruto noticed it as the same one Mikomi had brought with her, and the girl had noticed as well as she shot from her seat and rushed over to Iruka.

"Ayame from Ichiraku came by, said that a student left this at the stand." Iruka explained handing her the leather book. The girl managed to glare at him out of the corner of his eye while Iruka was talking to her, apparently she blamed him for her forgetting it. Not that he cared in the slightest, if she was mad at him just maybe she would break her promise to tag along everyday for lunch. Of course he didn't really think that was going to happen, but he could still hope. "Thank you sensei." Mikomi said with a small bow, showing she did in fact have some manners, even if she didn't use them very often, afterwords she made her way back up to her seat next to him.

Naruto made it a point not to look at the girl, only because she was still upset, about what he couldn't be sure. He knew there was no way she actually blamed him for her forgetting the book. "You shouldn't try to understand females." The fox bellowed inside of his head, Naruto let out a mental sigh. "And how would you know anything about it." The fox chuckled in response. "Trust me kid, before you all of my containers were female, and I never understood any of them." That was a shock to Naruto he had never heard of the fox having a Jinchuriki before him.

"Wait you mean you've been sealed before." The fox didn't say anything at first, but after a few seconds he spoke, his tone more somber than Naruto could ever remember it being. "In truth I haven't even been free in a long time." That particular information had never been covered in class. "Wait, what about you attacking the village." The fox's voice returned to its normal growling tone as he spoke again. "That is a long story, that you don't need to know about yet." The fox didn't speak any further after that and Naruto got the hint that he didn't want to talk anymore.

Class ended not long after that, with Iruka calling to both him and Mikomi. "Can you two wait for just a moment?" Naruto had a bad feeling about this, but he couldn't necessarily run away from his sensei, he had tried before it didn't work. "Naruto seeing as you are already getting along with Mikomi." Naruto scoffed, he wasn't sure what Iruka was watching but that was definitely not the case. "I believe that it would be good for you to show her around the village." Naruto knew he should have run, and he wondered if he would be able to get away this time.

Mikomi had a similar reaction, but wasn't any more vocal about it than Naruto, just shooting him a glare. "What do you mean show her around, isn't that something her parents should do." Iruka got a lost look on his face, looking to Mikomi as though to ask a question. Mikomi in turn cleared her throat slightly before speaking. "I don't have parents, or a guardian for that matter, your Hokage was kind enough to allow me entrance to this village when my home was destroyed." Naruto had not been expecting that piece of information.

"Wait, how long ago-" Naruto was cut off as Mikomi answered his question. "Three days ago, my parents and everyone else in my village was killed." Iruka was strongly reminded of a very similar incident that happened just a few years ago with another of his students. "I see.. I didn't know that." The girl made a noise of agitation in the back of her throat. "How could you have, I didn't tell you." She didn't sound heart broken or depressed like Naruto thought a person who had just lost everyone should, instead she kept her holier than thou attitude, and emotionless form of talking.

"Don't pity me either, I have no use for such pathetic sentiments." Blunt and straight to the point, Naruto barely knew the girl for a few hours, but something told him he would be putting up with her for quite a while. "Alright princess, don't get your panties in a bunch." The girl's face took on a red hue, but anyone could tell it was not one of embarrassment, but rather anger. Iruka shook his head, he had hoped the two would get along, but now he wasn't so sure, at this rate he was more likely to form a relationship similar to what he shared with Sasuke than be friends with the girl.

Now time found the two walking down the busy streets of Konoha, Naruto trying his best to help the girl find her way home. She had been given housing by the Hokage, the same way he had given Naruto and apartment. Likely that meant that it wouldn't be anything special, and as Mikomi was of somewhat a higher class girl, at least that's how she acted he was sure that whatever apartment she had been given wouldn't be up to her specifications. "So if this is the first time you've been to this place, where have you been staying till today?"

"The Hokage let me stay in a spare room in his mansion." She said it as though it was no big deal, something that made Naruto just a little upset. One of his dreams in life was to be able to stay in that large mansion, of course that also coincided with his dream of becoming Hokage. "Was it awesome?" Naruto couldn't help but ask, the thought of staying there, with what he guessed to be the hundreds of servants the Hokage had was quite the though. "I was under constant watch, honestly there was no privacy."

Naruto wasn't about to let her bad attitude ruin his fantasy of living in the Hokage's mansion, so he decided to just ignore her opinion. "This is it." Naruto looked at the number on the paper one more time to ensure that it was indeed the right address. The building actually wasn't too far from his own, though this one seemed in slightly better shape than the one he lived in. "I suppose it will do." He could hear the disappointment in her tone, not that he really cared. "Did they already deliver your stuff?" Mikomi nodded, before taking a deep breath, and grasping the key that Iruka had given her before they left the academy.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow." Naruto said waving at the girls retreating form as she climbed the stairs. She half turned towards him, not fully as though to show that it wasn't worth the effort. "Yes, tomorrow, Goodbye Naruto Uzumaki."

End.

A/N: Thirteen chapters down, honestly when I started this I never thought I would get this far, and while I haven't gotten a whole lot of feedback, I am happy with what I have got, every review I've gotten has been very nice, and I'm grateful, but if there's something you don't understand or just have been wondering about feel free to ask me. Please read and review.