Naruto entered the testing room. It was a small, square shaped room with a small table in the front that Iruka and Mizuki sat behind. They had clipboards in their hands and on the desk were three headbands. That must mean there were only three people left to test. Naruto gulped and stood in front of the table. He swallowed down his nerves. Why was he suddenly so nervous?
Taking exams should be easy for him. Failing them even simpler. He got into his stance, legs spread apart in a squat, hands in front of him with his palms pressed together and index and middle fingers pointing upward. The Ram Seal.
Alright... Get it together, Naruto. You can do this. Dattebayo. Naruto thought, closing his eyes and concentrating his chakra. Wind picked up around him, ruffling his hair and clothing. His eyes snapped open as he built up the right amount of chakra. "Bunshin no Jutsu!"
A cloud of smoke enveloped Naruto. A few moments went by before the smoke disappeared, revealing Naruto. He looked over to his left. Lying on its stomach, with its tongue hanging out, was a clone of Naruto. His skin was pale and he looked weak and, in all honesty, kind of dead. It really was pathetic. Naruto laughed nervously and grinned sheepishly at Iruka.
Iruka's eyebrow twitched and a vein bulged in his forehead. He stood up, knocking back his seat. He slammed his hands down onto the table, rattling the headbands. "You fail!"
Naruto felt his heart drop and his stomach clench. He stared at Iruka and opened and closed his mouth repeatedly. Then he flipped out. He began whining and tugging on his hair, yelling at Kami, the education system, the First Hokage for starting the village and thus the Academy.
Mizuki watched Naruto with a sad expression before turning to Iruka. "Senpai?" Iruka looked over at Mizuki, still fuming at the pathetic display of a basic E-rank jutsu. "He's off, but his moves weren't bad and he did hang in there and replicate. This is his third try, so you know he really wants to become a Shinobi. We could cut him a break..." Mizuki looked over at Naruto. The blonde Uzumaki gazed up, dry scratch marks across the sides of his face. He looked hopeful, his eyes wide and full of unspoken hope. Mizuki smiled a little. "And pass him."
"Mizuki-sensei," Iruka sighed and shook his head. "The other students created at least three effective replications. But Naruto could only create one." They looked over at the clone of Naruto which still lie unconscious on the floor. "And look at it. It's pitiful. I can't pass him."
Naruto was shaking with anger. When did Iruka become such a stuck-up pain in the ass? He never bothered them about not creating effective clones before. There was a boy that used to be in the year above that couldn't use ninjutsu or genjutsu whatsoever and he passed. Why couldn't he pass? It was just one simple mistake!
Naruto left the room and ran outside, ignoring Kitsune and Kiba's calls. He wouldn't be able to live this down. He had been the only one that hadn't passed the exam. Everyone else had. Even his own sister. He sat down on the swing outside the Academy, pulling his goggles off and letting them drop to the ground. He gripped on loosely to the rope and let his head lean against it. What was he going to do? Everyone would find out.
They'd go on to join Genin teams and move on to become Chūnin and Jōnin and he would be stuck at the Academy. If only they had done a different technique, like the transformation technique.
He'd be able to pass that.
Naruto closed his eyes and let his shoulders droop. All feeling in his muscles left him. It was like he had lost control of his own body and standing on the outside looking in. The goal he had been aiming for seemed so far away now. Miles away.
"This seat taken?"
Naruto looked up and wasn't surprised when he saw Kitsune. She looked at him sadly, her lips curled into her rare and gentle smile. Her hands were laced together in front of her. Naruto shook his head and moved forward a bit. Kitsune smiled and sat down on the free space. They didn't talk and just sat in complete silence. But Naruto appreciated the fact Kitsune was there.
He needed his sister, now more than ever. Her presence alone made everything feel better.
"What happened in there, Naruto-kun? You're the best person I know. What could possibly bring you down?" Kitsune asked softly, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head against the back of his neck. He could hear her inhale his scent and nestle closer to him.
He shook his head, focusing his attention on the ground. "I failed... the easiest exam and I failed it..."
"You can always retake it. Everyone deserves a second chance, life is all about second chances."
Naruto didn't answer her. He remained silent. Life wasn't always about second chances.
Sometimes the first chance that came your way was the only one you got. Between the two of them, they were both optimistic. Naruto was overall the most optimistic, and Kitsune was a realist. But she always found a way to lighten the mood. Her gentle nature made you comfortable.
Like he was feeling now.
He looked up at the children who were showing off their headbands. "You see that? They called me first."
"I passed with flying colours."
"I'm so proud of you, son," a father said, pulling his son close into a hug. Naruto flinched and looked away, picking up his goggles and strapping them around his head.
"Congratulations. I'm going to make you all of your favourites tonight. We'll have a feast!" a mother said, clapping her hands together. She pulled her son into a tight hug and smothered him.
Naruto tightened his grip on the rope, his knuckles turning white. Kitsune noticed and reached her hand out, holding onto his hand. She could feel the rapid beat of his pulse and knew he was truly feeling heartbroken. She wanted to relieve his pain but she wasn't sure if there was anything she could do. Her ears twitched as she heard a conversation going on between two women. She didn't lift her head but did let her eyes move up. A woman with long black hair and another with brown hair were conversing but they were looking at her and Naruto. News must've spread about Naruto failing.
"There, you see him?" the black haired one said, not even bothering to whisper.
"It's that boy. I heard he's the only one who failed," the brown haired one replied.
If Kitsune remembered correctly, the black haired one was named Ibara and the other was Tsubaki. They were mothers that seemed to leech off the gossip running through the Academy like they were little school girls. They had no right to talk about Naruto when they had stooped down to the level of housewives. She growled and narrowed her eyebrows.
"Hmph! Well it serves him right."
"Just imagine what would happen if he became a Shinobi," Tsubaki hissed, shaking her head.
Naruto's shoulders began to shake and he slowly tugged his goggles down to cover his face. Tsubaki didn't stop. "I mean, he's the boy who..."
"Shh... We're not allowed to talk about that."
"But... his sister became a Kunoichi and she's the one who..."
"Tsubaki!"
Kitsune lifted her head and glared at the two women. They both stumbled back, immediately noting the heated glare they were receiving from the twelve year old. They walked off, muttering to themselves. Kitsune hissed and rested her head back down on Naruto's back. She could feel his heart beat from behind. It was slow and weak. Almost like he had given up.
"Maybe, just maybe..." Naruto whispered. Kitsune tilted her head up and stared at the back of Naruto's head. He inhaled deeply before continuing. "I'm the faller."
Kitsune sat up and frowned in confusion. She held on loosely to Naruto, allowing him to turn his body to face her. He pulled his goggles up. His eyes were glazed over with unshed tears and were puffy and red. His nose shone as he tried to keep the tears from falling. He looked up at his sister sadly. Her heart ached for him, wishing she could find some way to take his pain away. He spoke up again. "Every family has, like, someone who falls. Who doesn't make the grade. Who stumbles. Who life trips up. Maybe I'm our faller."
She had never heard Naruto speak about himself like that. He was the pillar that kept her strong and made life bearable for her. But here he was, depressed about not being able to pass. The one thing he wanted more than anything. An idea popped into her head. Maybe she could transform herself into Naruto and pass the test on his behalf. That'd way they'd both get what they wanted. Naruto would pass and Kitsune would be able to see him happy. But then again, Iruka would be able to tell the difference. She was an A+ student with a reputation for doing more than expected, Naruto was part of the Dead Last. The group that bunked class to eat snacks in the gym hall.
But the others had passed.
"No... No," Kitsune mumbled, resting her head against Naruto's shoulder.
The leaves behind them rustled and caused both of them to look up. Mizuki stood there, hands in his pockets and an apologetic smile across his lips. Kitsune looked between Naruto and Mizuki. There was obviously going to be a serious conversation. She hugged Naruto from the side, closing her eyes. He held onto her arm and rubbed it reassuringly. As she pulled back, he gave a weak smile. She nodded and stood up, smiling at Mizuki before walking back to the Academy building.
Near the Academy entrance, Iruka stood beside Hiruzen, both of them watching Mizuki and Naruto. As he had done every year, Hiruzen came to congratulate the students who had passed. It was part of the job as being Hokage, he needed to see the percentage of passing students.
Everyone had passed. Except for Naruto. Hiruzen watched as Mizuki spoke to Naruto, crouching down onto the balls of his feet to see eye-to-eye with Naruto. Naruto's lips moved as he spoke to Mizuki but he couldn't understand what he was saying. He was obviously speaking softly because he didn't feel like raising his voice.
Hiruzen continued to watch the two but spoke up to Iruka. "Iruka. There is something we need to talk about."
Iruka turned to Hiruzen then back to where Mizuki was with Naruto. The two weren't there and the swing stopped swinging. Iruka nodded and turned as they walked into the Academy.
Mizuki and Naruto walked around the village, not talking. Naruto felt like he didn't have the energy to. What was the point? Iruka must've had something against him. Constantly picking on him and treating him like everything he did was wrong. Not everyone was perfect; him especially. But if he wanted to be Hokage, he needed to get past the level of Genin. None of the Hokage got anywhere from the beginner level. The two stopped walking at sunset and stopped by the Hokage Mountain. The village was bathed in vermillion and gold, darkening the tree leaves to an olive green. A cool breeze swept over them.
Naruto sat on top of the First Hokage, Hashirama's head. He placed his hands on his knees and looked out over the village. From here he was able to see his and Kitsune's apartment. They still lived there after all this time.
"Senpai is tough. He's not against you," Mizuki answered, his voice being the only thing heard other than the birds chirping in the distance.
Naruto lifted his head and looked at Mizuki. His eyebrows stitched together in a scowl. "Then why? Why only me?"
"He wants you to be strong. With all his heart. But that will never happen if he goes easy on you. He's like you, you know. No parents. No family."
"I have family. I have Kitsune. She's enough for me," Naruto's happy tone of speaking about his sister quickly disappeared. He took on a sad and glum tone. "But... This time I really wanted to graduate."
Mizuki nodded and looked out over the village. He chuckled quietly, causing Naruto to look up. Mizuki stretched his arm out in front of him. "Then I guess I'll have to tell you."
Instead of remaining quiet and ignoring Mizuki's suggestion of help, Naruto answered like the stubborn idiot he was. "Huh?"
Mizuki smiled but there was something behind it. It wasn't that genuine smile when you were willing to help someone to the best of your ability. It had something else behind it. A hidden agenda. Naruto, however, didn't see it. He was too blinded by curiosity. Mizuki turned fully to Naruto. "It's a secret. But I'm gonna let you in on it."
"A secret?" Naruto asked echoed, eyes widening in confusion.
O~O
It had not been his entire decision to let Naruto fail. He wanted more than anything to let the blonde Uzumaki pass. Holding him back was restricting the potential he could use fully as a Genin.
Iruka lay on his bed, hands behind his head. His meeting with the Hokage left him thinking.
"Iruka," Hiruzen started, his back toward him as he looked out of the window at the village.
Iruka lifted his head. "What is it, Hokage-sama?"
Hiruzen turned to Iruka. Iruka was never able to read his expressions. It always seemed to change, making it almost impossible to know what he was thinking. They stood in the Hokage office, after all the students had left with their parents. The Academy had closed early that day so that the new Genin could celebrate being real Shinobi. And because of the following day, they'd have to get their Ninja Registration Form. They had a busy week ahead.
Hiruzen sat down by his desk, clasping his hands together in front of him. "I know how you feel. You grew up just like Naruto and Kitsune. Without knowing the love of a mother or father. The warmth of a family."
"They have each other, and they seem to make life bearable," Iruka chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head.
Hiruzen rose an eyebrow and shot him with a knowing look. Iruka knew what he was talking about but was trying to avoid the real statement. The twins did know what it felt like to not have parents. They were raised by adoptive guardians who were then forced to relieve them when they were still young so they could live on their own.
Just like he had when he was their age...
Iruka still remembered every detail of the Bijū attack as if he was there. He was being carried away from the heat of the battle, where his parents had been left behind to fight.
"Let go of me! My Mom and Dad are still fighting back there! Ah!"
That attack was on the same day as Naruto and Kitsune's birth. The day they lost their parents. Just like many orphans, they had lost theirs to that attack but in the process, the beasts responsible were sealed within them. The red eyes of the Kyūubi and the mismatched eyes of the Nibi would forever be burned into his memory.
No matter how hard he tried, he would never be able to forget them. The eyes that had killed so many and that had trapped the lives of two innocent children.
Iruka sighed and closed his eyes, turning to lay on his side. Just as sleep pulled him in, furious knocking on the door to his apartment thudded through the room.
"Senpai, wake up!"
He lifted his head from his pillow and got up from his bed. Making his way to the front door, he recognized Mizuki's voice straight away. One of his few friends back from his days at the Academy. Iruka opened his door and frowned at Mizuki. There weren't many reasons as to why he would be bothered while he was at home. "Nāni? What is it?"
"You need to come to Hokage-sama's office right away. It's Naruto. He stole the Sacred Scroll!"
Iruka's eyes widened in horror and surprise.
Naruto stole the Sacred Scroll. What could a twelve year old possibly do with a Sacred Scroll used by the Hokage themselves? "You mean the Fūin no Sho?" Iruka rushed back inside, tripping over his own feet to find his sandals. "No..."
They had to find Naruto. Before he could do something stupid.
Though what the two shinobi didn't know, was that Naruto wasn't doing anything stupid. Far from it. He sat by himself in the forest closest to the Academy, scroll spread out in front of him. The scroll had been in the Hokage Residence.
Naruto had really expected there to be more security at the Hokage Residence but he had got in easily. The Fūin no Sho had been sealed by none other than Senju Hashirama for reasons Naruto wasn't aware of. So far, Naruto had come across many techniques but none that would help him pass as a Genin. And none that he understood.
He came across one technique near the end of the scroll. Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.
"Now let's see... The first one is... Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," he put a hand to his head and groaned, rubbing it. "Ah! Not this again. It's my worst jutsu!"
While Naruto went through all the unfamiliar jutsu that should've been taught at the Academy, teams of Shinobi grouped together in Hiruzen's office to start the search for Naruto and the Fūin no Sho. Iwana spoke up first, completely anxious over everything that could happen from a twelve year old possessing a powerful sacred scroll used by the First Hokage himself.
"Hokage-sama! This is not just a prank. This is a serious crime!" Bekkō exclaimed, clenching his fists.
"The scroll contains secrets that were sealed by the First Hokage. Secrets known only to our village," Iwana said, looking toward the signatures of the previous Hokage portrayed on the wall.
Iruka and Mizuki entered the room, both of them out of breath. They joined the group and looked around at who had all joined up. No high-ranking Shinobi, just a few that knew of Naruto's pranks and could assist in finding him. Yajirobee shook his head and rubbed his right temple, heaving out a long sigh. "If it falls into the wrong hands, they could destroy our entire way of life."
"Alright!" Hiruzen said above the chattering. The group instantly went silent. Hiruzen's expression was unreadable and blank. "Bring Naruto here at once!"
"Sir!"
The Shinobi all disappeared in a gush of wind in front of Hiruzen, leaving him to stand by himself. He turned around and looked out the window. The moon shone brightly above, lightening the rooftops of homes and stores. Naruto was somewhere in the village. He wouldn't leave.
Iruka stopped atop a pillar, frowning his eyebrows as he thought of all the possible places Naruto could've gone.
Where would he go?
Like a bulb flickering to life in his head, Iruka rushed off toward the west of the village. If there was one person who could find him... he dropped to the top of the ledge and rushed to the front door, knocking repeatedly on it. There was a loud thud, a string of vulgar curses, and footsteps moving toward the door. The door swung open and a tired looking Kitsune, dressed only in pyjama shorts and an oversized shirt, stood in the doorway. She rubbed at her eyes, bags underneath them from being disturbed from her sleep.
"Iruka-sensei..." she yawned, scratching underneath her low bun. Her hand moved to rub at her eye as she stared at her teacher. "Why are you here? I didn't steal anything."
"Well, your brother did. I need you to help me find him," Iruka pleaded. He couldn't believe he was asking Uzumaki Kitsune for help but she was Naruto's twin and knew him better than anyone. Their bond was something that could help them find one another. And right now he needed that bond.
Kitsune pulled her hand away from her eye and furrowed her eyebrows together. "He stole something? What?"
"The Fūin no Sho."
She was silent for a few moments as she tried to process what her brother had taken. Then her expression morphed into one of disbelief. "He stole a Sacred Scroll?!"
"I know it's hard to believe but we need to find him as—"
"He did it without me," Kitsune pouted and turned her head away. Iruka stared in disbelief. And here he thought she would be disappointed her brother would steal something that was not meant to fall into the hands of those who didn't understand its true power. She noticed the glare she was getting and raised her hands in surrender. "Jōdanda, jōdanda. It was just a joke!"
She lowered her hands and looked past him at the shinobi rushing around to try and find her brother. "Let me guess, you came to me because you need me to find him."
"O-negai?" Iruka smiled tiredly. He didn't want to ask Kitsune, especially since she looked ready for bed. But she was his only hope of finding Naruto before anyone else. He could only imagine what they'd do once they got him alone.
Kitsune sighed and stepped out of the apartment, closing the door behind her. "If we're doing this, then let's go."
Iruka stared after her as she walked barefooted away from him. "Don't you want to put something else o—"
"No time," Kitsune's simple reply was as she walked. He rolled his eyes and followed her as she leapt up onto the nearest building. She walked to the edge and stopped, her toes pointed downward. Eyebrows furrowed, her eyes darted around as she tried to think of possible places for Naruto to be hiding at. She clasped her hands together in front of her chest, closing her eyes and remaining still. Iruka knew better than to try and talk to her when she looked pretty much in the zone. "Come on, Nii-san. Where are you?" Kitsune whispered to herself.
Suddenly, a blue haze glowed around her body. Her clothes fluttered against her skin, ripples of energy moving across her arms and legs. Within the blue ripples, were light traces of black streaks. Iruka took a step back. He knew that colour anywhere. Had she, subconsciously, called upon the Nibi's chakra as a way to contact Naruto? No, it wasn't possible. Kitsune and Naruto weren't aware of the Bijū within them, let alone how to control that massive storage of chakra. Iruka tried to shake off the unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach but it was becoming increasingly difficult as he watched the chakra move along Kitsune's skin.
The unfamiliar chakra slowly seeped back within her but Kitsune remained in her position. Her shoulders tensed and her head went stiff.
"Kitsune-chan?" Iruka gently placed his hand on her shoulder.
She opened her eyes and let her hands fall to her side before turning to Iruka, a grin spreading across her lips. "I know where to find him!"
O~O
Thanks to Kitsune's Jinchūriki link to Naruto, they were able to track him down without having to look twice. It was like having a personal tracer on Naruto so they could find him whenever he went MIA. But that power Kitsune had came with a major responsibility. Iruka had wanted to tell her but how would she react? Knowing the very beast that had killed countless, including her parents, was sealed within her? It would destroy her. He couldn't do that to her. Especially since she made it this far thinking she was just a normal girl who had lost her parents to the Bijū attack.
Banishing any thoughts of the Bijū from his mind, Iruka followed Kitsune through the training grounds forest. She led the way since she was the one who knew where to find Naruto.
Occasionally she would stop and look around, as if trying to figure out which way it was, but then she'd take off again. Iruka was beginning to have trouble keeping track of her. She moved so quickly and her way of moving along was agile and quick. Like a cat. She had already a lot of the Nibi's habits without even realizing it. She dropped to the ground and ran on foot, her bun bobbing against her head. Iruka noticed a faint rash around the back of her neck as she ran.
That only began when she was nervous. He had seen the same thing with Naruto multiple times. She was nervous about her brother. Probably also about what he was doing with a Sacred Scroll that only Hokage knew about and high-ranking Shinobi officials.
Kitsune skidded around a corner, crouching down and using her hands to brace herself. She then stopped. Iruka opened his mouth to question why she had when he spotted what she was looking at. Naruto sat in a front of a small hut, panting and out of breath. He had small scratches along his body. Evidence of training. Iruka walked up to him, moving past Kitsune. "It's all over," Iruka laughed tiredly.
Naruto looked up. He laughed and scratched the back of his head. Iruka straightened up, completely confused.
"Huh?"
"Got me already? Not bad. You're quick, Sensei. I only had time to learn one jutsu," Naruto looked past at his sister, arms folded across her chest as she stared at him, her eyebrows pitched into a scowl. "Oh, and konbanwa, Imōto-chan. Why are you dressed in pyjamas?"
Kitsune's cheeks flushed and she quickly looked away, her bottom lip pouting outward. "I didn't have time to change..."
Iruka ignored the two and instead focused on the scroll before Naruto.
He's been out here practicing. I can tell how hard he's been working. Iruka thought, smiling slightly. Mizuki had made it sound like Naruto had stolen the scroll and run off with it out of spite for failing the exam. But here he was, training from it. Only an Uzumaki would've thought of something so colossally stupid.
Naruto faced away from Kitsune and looked up at Iruka, standing up. "Listen, Iruka-sensai! I'm going to show you this amazing jutsu and you're going to let me graduate and everything will be okay. That's the way it works, right? Anyone who learns jutsu from this scroll passes."
"Huh? Where'd you get that idea?" Iruka questioned, frowning at the blonde boy.
"Even I know it doesn't work that way, Nii-san," Kitsune said as she stepped up to stand beside Iruka.
Naruto frowned and rubbed the back of his neck. The beginning of a rash. "Mizuki-sensei told me about it. Dattebayo," he turned around and showed Iruka and Kitsune the scroll on his back. "He told me where to find the scroll..." turning around again, he faced the two. "And this place..." Naruto stopped as he noticed the shocked expression on Iruka's face. Kitsune stared at Naruto with a raised eyebrow, still clearly confused on how everything stood.
Huh? Mizuki? Iruka thought as he tried to figure out what the hell was going on. Mizuki told Naruto to steal a Sacred Scroll and still told him a secret place to use it? None of it made any sense. What would Mizuki get out of helping Naruto? Sure, he suggested to just let Naruto pass but Iruka had merely thought that Mizuki was feeling generous to the boy. Telling him to steal a Sacred Scroll seemed kind of farfetched.
The small hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he turned around. Multiple kunai came at them, their tips glinting in the moonlight. "Look out!" Iruka yelled as he grabbed both twins and pushed them out of the way. The kunai took him in the back, pinning against the wall of the hut.
The unnerving scent of blood reached the twins' noses and they both looked down to see a kunai sticking out of Iruka's leg.
"I see you've found our little hideaway."
Iruka grinded his teeth together, ignoring the stinging pain from the kunai. He looked up at Mizuki. He stood in the tree, hands casually in his pockets. Iruka shook his head. "So that's the way it is, huh? I should've known."
Mizuki smirked at Iruka, an evil and twisted grin. He craned his head to the side, staring directly at Naruto. "Naruto! Give me the scroll, now!"
"Wait a minute..." Naruto slowly stood up, looking between Mizuki and Iruka. "What's going on here?"
Kitsune was just as confused as her brother, staring at Iruka, then up at Mizuki. She got onto her knees. "Iruka-sensei..."
Iruka panted as he grabbed the kunai, yanking it out of his leg. Blood shot from the wound, trickling down the leg of his pants. He threw it to the side and turned to Naruto. "Naruto! Don't let Mizuki take the scroll! It contains Forbidden jutsu that could put this village in grave danger. Mizuki used you to get the scroll for himself. For his own power."
Naruto curled his hands into fists. He looked up at Mizuki, suddenly angry. He had been used and he hadn't even been able to see it. All because he wanted to find a quick shortcut to becoming Genin.
As if already knowing this would happen, Mizuki's smirk vanished as he looked at Naruto, his green eyes full of sincerity. "Naruto," he held out his hand but he made one small mistake. A mistake that Kitsune didn't miss. His finger twitched. Mizuki stared at Naruto silently for a moment. "Iruka's just trying to scare you cause he doesn't want you to have the scroll."
"Huh?"
Kitsune stood up and stared closely at Mizuki. She could hear his heartbeat and could see how his eyebrow twitched. A sign of impatience. Was Iruka telling the truth?
"Stop lying, Mizuki!" Iruka hissed. He turned to Naruto, his eyes pleading with him to see reason. "Don't let him trick you, Naruto."
Seeing the hesitant and confused look in Naruto's eyes, Iruka looked to Kitsune and mentally pleaded with her to tell Naruto the truth. He would believe anything his sister, his twin, told him. Kitsune frowned at Iruka, then looked back up at Mizuki. They were both trying to figure out who they could believe but from the looks of it, Kitsune had her attention set on Mizuki.
Hopefully she could see that he was telling a lie.
Mizuki let out a sarcastic laugh causing the three on the ground to look up at him. "Oh, I'll tell you who's really lying."
Iruka's head snapped fully toward Mizuki, his eyes wide with horror. "No, Mizuki!"
"They've been lying to you two your whole life. Since the decree 12 years ago," Mizuki grinned at the two.
"Decree?" Kitsune echoed softly, standing up fully and moving to stand beside Naruto. Just standing beside him she could feel how his arms shook with confused anger. He didn't know who to believe. The man who was willing to help him become a Genin, or the man who had taught him everything growing up. Kitsune looked over at Iruka. His face showed the frustration he was feeling and he looked like he wanted to stop Mizuki from saying something.
Naruto reached down and grabbed onto Kitsune's hand. "What decree?"
"Everyone knows except you. Iruka's trying to hide it from you now. He'd do anything to shut me up," Mizuki answered, his eye twitching.
"What is this decree? Why does everyone else know about it?" Naruto asked, clutching Kitsune's hand tightly.
"Don't tell him! It's forbidden!" Iruka yelled, glaring at Mizuki.
Kitsune looked over at Iruka, her eyes wide. "So it's true? You are keeping something from us?"
Iruka looked down, not knowing how to respond to that. If he told her, she'd be heartbroken but if he didn't, both her and Naruto would wonder what was being kept from them. He couldn't afford to let them know the secret that had been kept from them for 12 years straight.
"The decree is, no one can tell you the Kyūubi is inside you!" Mizuki said, leaning forward and staring coldly at Naruto. "The Fox spirit that killed Iruka's parents and destroyed our village has taken over your body. You are the Kyūubi!"
"Stop it!" Iruka yelled.
But it was already too late. Naruto had already heard. He stared wide eyed at Mizuki, unable to feel anything. Everything made sense now. The hateful glares from the villagers, the hushed conversations, living in the slums, having no parents. Naruto looked down at the ground, his hand going limp in Kitsune's. She looked at him sadly. "Naruto-kun."
"Don't think your brother's the only one with an ancient secret, Kitsune. You're just as guilty," Mizuki hissed, turning his attention to Kitsune.
Her head snapped toward him, her eyes widening. He dropped down to the ground and took slow steps toward them. "Being the academic you are, you know very well that the Kyūubi and Nibi attacked this village together. The decree was made to keep the secret that the Nibi was sealed within you. Like the Kyūubi within your brother, the Cat spirit has taken over you. You are the Nibi!"
The same reaction followed with Kitsune. She stared at Mizuki, her mouth hanging open slightly. Iruka clenched his fists and stared at Mizuki angrily. How could he? After 12 whole years, he disrupted everything. Naruto and Kitsune weren't meant to find out about the Bijū, especially not at this young age.
"They've all been sneaking around, hiding things from you your whole life. Didn't you think it was strange how they treated you? Like dirt. They hated you for just being alive," Mizuki said, shaking his head.
Tears form in Naruto's eyes. "No..." he shakes his head, wind building up around him. "No, no, no, no!"
Kitsune remained still, looking down at the ground beneath her. She had already pieced everything together. Everyone knew. The villagers treated them like dirt because that's what they were in their eyes. The two responsible for unleashing the beasts that had killed so many. Tears dripped to the ground, her hands bunching at her side.
Iruka lifted his head and looked up at the twins. Neither of them would look at him. "Naruto... Kitsune..."
"That's why you'll never be accepted in this village. Even your beloved Sensei hates your guts!" Mizuki added, not finished with the twins.
Doubling over in pain, Iruka clutched his wounded leg. He couldn't ignore the pain now. The adrenaline that he had built up to protect the twins had left him. The pain rushed through him and caused him to clutch tightly at it. He groaned.
Iruka. Naruto and Kitsune never had a mother or father to care for them. They're shut out of everything and don't know why. Most people won't even look at them. How would you feel if everywhere you went, people turned their backs on you? That's why they get in trouble. So people will notice them. It may not show, but they're always thinking about the family they don't have. They're hurting inside.
Hiruzen's words echoed through Iruka's head. It was true. Just like him, they grew up without parents. But he wouldn't know the pain of being shut out by everyone. That's how it was for them. Both of them were shut out by everyone, treated like they were nothing. Some shops even kept them out and they had no idea why.
Iruka looked up. Mizuki was spinning a Fūma shuriken above his head. He glared at the twins. "Die, demon brats!"
Naruto fell back, toppling onto Kitsune. She yelped in pain and tried to move out of Naruto's weight. Iruka pulled his hand away from his knee. "Get down!"
Naruto quickly turned his body around, shielding Kitsune with his own. They both shut their eyes, waiting for the impact of death. If one of them had to die, the other would be completely lost. Shattered. They waited and waited. But nothing happened. Kitsune peeked an eye open and saw Naruto was unharmed, still above her like a human shield. She looked past him, and her eyes widened in horror. She pushed Naruto to the side causing him to fall beside her.
Iruka was above both of them, the shuriken sticking out of his back. The twins stared at him, speechless. Iruka coughed, blood shooting out from his mouth. Drops of blood dripped onto Naruto's cheeks and onto Kitsune's clothes. Mizuki stared at Iruka, shocked.
"W-Why?" Naruto stuttered, his voice barely above a whisper. His hand went to hold onto Kitsune's, squeezing it reassuringly.
"Because we're the same," Iruka wheezed. The pain from the shuriken in his back and the wound on his leg were combining and making it almost impossible to breathe without feeling it rush through him. He looked at the two beneath him. "When I was a kid, no one seemed to care. They didn't have time for me. They just forgot I was there. My grades dropped. I became the class clown. I just wanted them to see me... And know my name. My school wasn't good enough to get the attention, so I did crazy things and then I had to pay for it. It was hard," tears fell from Iruka's eyes and dripped onto Naruto, causing the blood to trickle off with it. "I know that's how you feel. You feel lonely and it hurts inside. And I could've been there for you more."
Naruto sat up a little, his eyes widening in surprise. He could feel Kitsune's hand shaking in his own. She was holding back an uncontrolled sob. He knew it.
Iruka looked at the two weakly. "I let you down. I'm sorry. No one should have to suffer that much. No one should be alone like that."
Naruto's lip trembled and he pulled Kitsune close to him, cradling her head against his chest. He didn't want to burst into tears in front of these people. As long as Kitsune was with him, he'd be fine. But everything was getting to him. He didn't know who to believe. Now that he knew why everyone disliked him and Kitsune, he felt like he couldn't trust anybody. Not even Iruka.
Mizuki let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "Don't make me laugh! Iruka always hated you. He was orphaned because the Bijū killed his parents. And that beast is now inside both of you. He'd say anything to get the scroll from you."
Suddenly, Naruto stood up, tugging Kitsune by the arm. He ran off, pulling Kitsune with him. She stumbled and tripped over the ground as she tried to keep up with Naruto. Iruka reached out to them.
"Kitsune! Naruto!"
"You know once he makes up his mind, nothing can change it," Mizuki laughed, slowly walking up to Iruka. He watched the twins run off, Naruto pulling Kitsune after him. A dark grin spread across his lips. "He's going to use the scroll to take revenge on the village. You saw that look in their eyes, didn't you? Those are the eyes of a beast."
"No," Iruka said simply. His hand dropped and he used his other hand to pull the shuriken out of his back. He cautiously got to his feet, hunching over slightly before straightening up. He held the shuriken in his hand. "Naruto... Kitsune..." he threw the shuriken back at Mizuki. "Aren't like that!"
Dodging the shuriken easily, it spun up into the trees, snipping leaves out from their branches. Mizuki narrowed his eyes at Iruka, not pleased he had tried to use his own weapons against him. "You're a joke. As soon as I eliminate Naruto and Kitsune and get the scroll, I'll be back for you." And with that, he jumped off into the trees.
I won't let you. Iruka thought angrily. He wasn't going to let the twins die. Even if they hated him and thought he was a liar, he'd protect them with his life.
O~O
Iruka leapt after Naruto. Kitsune wasn't with him so he assumed he had told her to go off in another direction to get them off their path. It wasn't a wise idea, even from Naruto. Now Mizuki could take them out individually. Iruka tried to pick up the pace even with his injured leg and back. He jumped over and landed in front of Naruto, blocking his path. "Naruto!"
Naruto looked up at him, his blue eyes furious and full of disbelief. "Everything Mizuki said was a lie. Give me the scroll. Hurry!" he came up to him slowly so he could see he wasn't going to hurt him. "He's coming after you to take it away."
Naruto stopped on a branch and glared at Iruka. His hands were clenched at his side and trembled with anger. Suddenly, he jumped forward, crashing into Iruka. He knocked him back, sending Iruka crashing to the ground. Naruto landed on his feet and slid to a stop, panting hard. Iruka got onto his hands and knees, looking up at Naruto. "It can't be..."
Naruto took the scroll off his back and backed up into the tree, sliding down to the ground. Iruka frowned at him, then looked over his shoulder. "How did you know, Naruto? How did you know..." a cloud of smoke went up around him but as it dispersed, it revealed Mizuki. "That it was me, and not Iruka?"
Naruto chuckled, shaking his head. Smoke went up around him then revealed Iruka, his arm over a log. "Because I'm Iruka."
Shaking his head and growling to himself, Mizuki stood up. "You're a fool."
What the two didn't know, was that both Naruto and Kitsune were hiding up in the tree above, watching everything unfold. They hadn't left the forest but had stayed close by. Kitsune knew Iruka and Mizuki would move by and hid up in one of the nearest trees. They hadn't known they'd be so close by but it was better than being hidden in the middle of nowhere. Naruto held the scroll close to him, glaring at Mizuki.
"Why are you protecting those freaks? They're the ones who wiped out your family!" Mizuki growled, glaring at Iruka.
"I don't care what you say, cause you're not getting your hands on that scroll," Iruka snapped, pushing the log off to the side.
Naruto growled, a deep sound from the back of his throat, and leaned forward. Kitsune placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him back. He turned to her, his eyebrows brought together in a scowl. She shook her head and mouthed "wait" before looking back to the two shinobi. He looked away but nodded his head once. She was smarter and knew when they should go and start a fight with people older than them.
Mizuki scoffed and leaned his head back, looking down on Iruka. "As if you could stop me. Don't you get it? Those two are just like me."
"How's that?" Iruka questioned, eyeing Mizuki suspiciously.
"They want the scroll for their own power, and their own vengeance. That's how beasts are. They'll pour all their rage into the scroll and destroy everything."
Iruka was silent. Both Naruto and Kitsune leaned forward in case Iruka was just whispering something they couldn't hear from where they were. But he was being quiet. They shared a questioning look at each other before turning their heads back to the two. Naruto had tightened his grip on the scroll after Mizuki had said that statement but each time he listened to Iruka, his grip loosened.
"You're right..." Iruka whispered. But both twins heard him.
Naruto gasped and hugged the scroll close to him. Kitsune stared at Iruka, her eyes filling up with tears. Her bottom lip trembled and she looked ready to cry a river.
So it's true. Iruka-sensei never believed in us. He thinks we're beasts. Some kind of... freak! Naruto thought, gripping the scroll so hard his knuckles turned white and the bone could be seen. He looked over to Kitsune. She was gripping the branch of the tree so hard that she caused it to splinter, creating holes in the tree branch. Now it made sense of why he and Kitsune had those tattoos on themselves. Naruto reached out and placed his hand over Kitsune's, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She turned her head to him, and unable to hold it in any longer, tears slid freely down her cheeks.
He was angry at the shinobi below, especially now that they made his sister cry. That was where he drew the line. No one hurts his sister.
"That is how beasts are," Iruka continued, staring at the ground. Naruto's eyes widened as his attention snapped back to the men. "But that's not who Naruto and Kitsune are. They're nothing like that. They're one of a kind. Work hard. Put their whole heart into it. Sure Naruto messes up sometimes, and everyone jumps on him... But his suffering only makes him stronger. Including Kitsune. That's what separates them from the beasts. So you're wrong. They are nothing like the Bijū. They are Uzumaki Naruto and Kitsune of Konohagakure."
Hearing that, Naruto was unable to control his tears and they spilled down his cheeks. Then it wasn't true. Iruka didn't hate them. He was actually one of the few who believed in them. He turned to Kitsune and saw the same realization dawned on her. Their ears both twitched at a soft sound and they turned to see Mizuki reach behind his back to pull the last shuriken off.
"Hmph!" Mizuki huffed, pulling the massive blade off. "You really believe that dribble? Iruka, I was going to save you for later but I changed my mind," he spun the shuriken and ran at Iruka, his eyes blazing the violent spirit he truly had. "You're finished!"
Iruka watched weakly as Mizuki came at him but he didn't have the energy to move. He had lost too much blood and was beginning to feel the effects. Dizziness, weakness, nausea. He sighed and leaned his head back against the bark of the tree. At least Naruto and Kitsune were able to get away. He closed his eyes, waiting to embrace certain death.
But it never came.
Opening his eyes, Iruka saw Naruto in front of him, blood trickling down Mizuki's forehead, and Kitsune behind him in a phoenix stance. They both glared at Mizuki, ready to strike if he moved even a muscle. Naruto stood the scroll up beside him, standing up straight. He nodded at Kitsune and she relaxed, slowly moving into a standing position. Mizuki looked at both children and smirked as he wiped the blood from his nose. "Not bad, for little punks."
Naruto stared at Mizuki, half of his face shadowed. "If you ever lay a hand on our Sensai..."
"We'll kill you!" Kitsune hissed, her blue orbs flickering with anger.
Standing up fully, Mizuki stared at the two. He wiped the blood from his forehead and stared at the blood that trickled down his hands. He rubbed it between his fingers then looked up at the twins. "Such big words. I can completely destroy you with a single move!"
Naruto looked past Mizuki at Kitsune. She glared at the white haired shinobi until she noticed her brother's stare. She nodded her head and moved a step back. Naruto got into a stance, placing two fingers over each other in a cross sign in front of his face. "Take your best shot, baka. I'll give it back to you a thousand fold!"
"Let's see you try! Show me what you can do, Kyūubi!" Mizuki shouted as he got into a stance.
Naruto closed his eyes, trying to control his breathing. The rash on his neck tingled as he felt chakra course through his body but he continued to build it up. His eyes snapped open. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
Poofing sounds travelled around the forest and revealed exact clones of Naruto scattered everywhere. And none of them were laying on the floor deflated. There were hundreds of Narutos, all of them focusing their attention on Mizuki. Some were in the trees and some were on the ground. But it didn't amount to how surprised Iruka was. He stared at all the clones, backing up into the tree. That must've been why Naruto was unable to do a Bunshin no Jutsu. Due to his massive chakra reserves, he was able to handle a Kage Bunshin no Jutsu since that required a large amount of chakra. With a Bunshin no Jutsu, he hadn't been able to deposit an equal amount of chakra into the clone because he had too much. This technique meant he could deposit it equally.
Naruto... These aren't just illusions. They're solid clones! He's mastered an extremely advanced jutsu! Iruka thought, sitting up and smiling. Every clone was yelling something at Mizuki, beckoning for him to fight them.
Naruto grinned and turned to Kitsune. She sighed and scratched the back of her head. "I suppose I can't let you go hogging up all the fun," she placed her fingers into a similar sign, relaxing herself. "Tajū Bunshin no Jutsu!"
The same as Naruto, multiple clones of Kitsune popped up everywhere, appearing next to Naruto's clones. The clones grinned at each other and focused on Mizuki. Hers may have not been the same as Naruto but they were still powerful clones. And the fact she was able to create so many. Iruka was impressed with both of them.
"Over here!" one of Naruto's clones yelled.
"Bring it on!" Kitsune's clone yelled, gesturing with her hands.
"I've got a fist with your name on it!"
"What's wrong? Chickened out already?"
"Huh?" Mizuki stumbled back, suddenly terrified by how outnumbered he was. It was a laughably unlaughable matter. "What is this?" Mizuki fell back, shuffling on the ground. "No..."
"If you're not comin'..." Kitsune's clone cooed, taking a step forward.
"Then we're gonna come after you!" Naruto's clone yelled. A similar response followed with the other clones, Naruto or Kitsune based.
Mizuki stared in horror as the clones all dived at him, yelling out triumphantly. He screamed out in agony, the echoes of punches, kicks and hisses blending in with his screams.
O~O
The three weren't sure how long they had been outside, but when the sun began to rise, they got the feeling they had spent far too much time with a simple task of returning a scroll. The sun found its way through the gaps in the leaves, speckling the floor with small dots of light. The cooling air that had followed the night slipped away, leaving a lukewarm sensation in the air.
Mizuki lay beaten on the ground, Naruto standing above him. Kitsune sat not far from it, staring up at the leaves above. Her knees were pulled up to her chest and she had wrapped her arms around them. Naruto turned to Iruka, laughing and scratching the back of his head nervously. "Sorry. I kinda got carried away," he dropped his hand as he looked at Iruka. "You okay, Iruka-sensai?"
"Yeah," he let out a breath, completely drained from everything. He looked between Naruto and Kitsune. They had both come a long way from their days in the slums. If Naruto was thinking of surpassing all the Hokage, Iruka knew he had a very good chance of actually doing it. And Kitsune, she may actually prove to be the kunoichi that they were all in need of. Iruka let out another breath, looking up at Iruka with a smile. "Naruto. Come here a minute. I've got something I want to give you."
Back in the village, shinobi grouped up in Hiruzen's office. None of them had been able to locate Naruto and some had even went to Kitsune for assistance; she had also not been at home. They had spent the entire night searching for the Uzumaki twins but couldn't come across anything. It was like they had just dropped off the grid for the time being. Like they knew they were in trouble.
"You're telling me no one could find Naruto?" one of the shinobi questioned, sighing in exhaustion.
"Not a clue..."
"This is bad news. We're gonna have to smoke him out or something..." another suggested.
Hiruzen walked up to the group, pipe in his mouth. He inhaled deeply before letting out a long plume of smoke. "There's no longer any need to worry."
"Hokage-sama?"
"The scroll's safe. Naruto will be back soon," Hiruzen said simply. Thanks to his crystal ball, he had been able to see the outcome of the battle and knew very well that Naruto and Kitsune had taken care of Mizuki. Now that Hiruzen knew there had been a snake in their nest, Mizuki would have to go through interrogating. Mizuki wouldn't use the scroll for himself. He needed it for someone else. Someone more powerful than him...
"Sensei? How much longer?" Naruto groaned, becoming impatient. He could hear Kitsune's excited giggles and Iruka shushing her but he had no idea what was going on. Peeking his eyes open a small fraction, he quickly shut them again as bright rays of sunlight were the only thing he saw.
"Okay. You can open your eyes now," Iruka said.
Opening his eyes, Naruto blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the light. He looked up at Iruka. His headband was missing and in his right hand, he held his green goggles. Kitsune stood beside him, bouncing eagerly on her feet and grinning from ear to ear. The sun's rays shone brighter at that moment, causing the area to become warmer. Naruto stared blankly.
"Congratulations. You graduate."
Naruto stared in shock, unable to process what had just happened. Graduate? He had really graduated? He looked at Kitsune and she nodded vigorously, showing him a toothy grin. Iruka placed a hand on Kitsune's shoulder. "And to celebrate, I have a surprise. We're going out for ramen tonight. All of us."
"Yes! Nothing is better than free food!" Kitsune grinned, jumping on the spot.
Naruto said nothing and instead looked down at the ground, his lips trembled. His hands shook at his side and his fingers twitched. Iruka opened his eyes and stared at Naruto. "Huh?" he looked at Kitsune who shrugged.
Her lips then curled into a knowing smile but Iruka was still left confused. Naruto jumped up, pushing Iruka to the floor in a tight hug. "Iruka-sensei!"
"Dog pile!" Kitsune yelled, jumping on top of Naruto.
Iruka let out a weak chuckle, amused by the two. "Ah, that hurts."
Naruto and Kitsune laughed, both hugging Iruka, practically squeezing the life out of his already wounded body. Iruka patted them on the back, laughing. He had never seen them this happy before, not even after they got their own place and were to do what they wanted. Just seeing their happiness made Iruka realize how much he actually cared for them. In a way, they were almost his responsibility. And he didn't mind looking out for them. Being a Genin didn't mean they had to stand alone and let missions take over their lives. Knowing them, they'd probably barge into the Academy when they had free time to tell them about some mission they went on.
Naruto. Kitsune. This is only the beginning. The road gets tougher now that you're Shinobi. But if I told you that, I guess it would ruin the moment. So I'll tell you later. Over ramen.