Chapter 1 - Memories

Naruto was having a great day today, class was not boring today for they had a lesson about his idol, the Yondaime Hokage and he also had a lunchbox
from Ayame at Ichirakus. She said even he had to eat something besides Ramen (of course when her dad was out of earshot) and had given him
a selfmade lunchbox as a gift. For a moment he had thought about keeping this gift and giving it a place in his home for all eternity. He had never received a gift to his face, so thiswas really precious, but it had smelled so delicious and he was so hungry, he couldnt stop himself. For a change he didn´t run wild when it was break time and just stayed in the classrom and looked out of the window. He was just contend with life that stomach full, an interesting topic in class and sitting beside Sakura in this class was heaven on earth for him. He even ignored the argument that had started on his right between Ino and some other classmates, so he would not get involved and ruin his was his plan...at least until he heard his name.

„I bet Naruto took it!"

a young boy who had been accused of stealing Ino´s lunch shouted suddenly and pointed at him. Naruto looked up and replied to his finger pointing classmate

„What?! I didn´t take anything!"

The classmate who accused him, a kid named Yuuto, simply shook his head.

„I don´t believe you Naruto, I saw you eating something earlier and you have never brought such a nice looking lunch before! You are a bad child, my mom told me that too!"

Other classmates began to agree with that statement since their parents told them the same things about Naruto.

„Stay away from him! Don´t be nice to him! Don´t play with him! Don´t accept anything from that boy."

were different phrases from their parents. Ino herself hadn´t said anything yet, but she was angry and hungry. A hangry Ino was a dangerous Ino.
She didn´t have the patience to play detective to find her lunch and the accusations of Naruto made sense to her. While her parents had never told her those things, they had never stopped the other parents or children, when they spoke like that about the blond.

„Well Naruto, if you didn´t steal my lunch, I am sure you don´t have a problem to prove it right? My dad taught me the first level to our Shindenshin no Jutsu so I can just use that to check your memories than!"

Ino had a self-satisfied smile on her lips. She was sure Naruto took her lunch and she would prove it!

„I didn´t take your fucking lunch you blonde harpy! I got that lunch at Ichiraku´s this morning!" Naruto shouted angry at her.

„Don´t call her a harpy you asshole" came different replies from the group that surrounded Naruto.

„Let´s grab him and hold him down so Ino can use her Jutsu!" the one called Yuuto said to he others and the classroom brawl began.

Naruto struggled and punches and kicks were exchanged, but he stood no chance against the group of students and got overpowered in the end. He was held down and Ino, feeling a little bad about the outcome, but still hangry formed the hand sign her father showed her and concentrated her chakra and mind.

„Shindenshin no Jutsu" and her world went black.

Ino felt strange, walking in the mind of another person without her father guiding her. Since she hadn´t practised the Jutsu too much on her own yet, she should
only see what happened today. At least that was how she thought it worked. Ino looked around and was suprised when she found herself in the backyard of the orphanage of Konohagakure.

"What was Naruto doing here? Does he know some children here?"

She checked her surroundings for Naruto, but did not see him. Instead she saw a little boy no older than 4 sitting next to a pond, watching the fishes.
The boy looked in her direction, but of course he couldn´t see her since this was a memory. Ino than saw a set of beautiful ocean blue eyes and blond hair.

"Does Naruto have a little brother at the orphanage?"

She never heard about that, but the resemblance was just too striking, he even had the whiskered cheeks! She watched the boy carefully step around the pond, trying not to scare the fishes with even his shadow.

"How cute, so different from your big brother."

„What are you doing Naruto? I told you that you must not step outside of your room unless I tell you to!"

Ino flinched at the tone in the voice of a lady coming out of the backdoor.

"Wait, did she just call him Naruto?!"

She was way further back in the past than she wanted, which meant her theory how her Shindenshin no Jutsu worked was off which meant...

"Dad will kill me."

The little boy looked scared oft he lady and started stuttering an excuse that was interrupted when the lady simply kicked him into the pond.

"„What the fuck do you think you are doing to a child!" Ino roared as she forgot she was inside her jutsu for a moment.

She could do nothing as the lady roughly pulled Naruto out of water and started ranting and slapping the poor boy.

„How often do I have to tell you to do what you are told! Stay in your room you damn monster!"

The words were accompanied by some vicious slap tot he face. Ino stared in disbelief as the young boy began to cry and the little boy was looking so hurt and vulnerable that she just wanted to hug and protect him.

„Drop the act you demon" was the cold answer of the woman to the crying boy and she kicked him again, but this time in the direction oft he old building.

The scenery changed.

Ino realised it was October 10th, the kyubi festival. She always loved the festival. The atmosphere of unity around this time was the strongest and the attractions and stalls were fun to explore under the watchful and loving eyes of her parents. But that was not what she was seeing right now. Chibi-Naruto seemed a little older, maybe 5 or 6 years old and was happily running around the place, but something was off. Ino, as she was moved along Narutos memories, could see the looks Naruto was given. Sure, some people didn´t like children running around, but this was the biggest festival in Konoha and she had never seen anyone look at her like that.
But that was just the beginning. The shop owners ignored Naruto or even told him to fuck off and the people around him just watched or even agreed with the owners.
Her heart broke when the little kid left after what felt like an eternity and at the same time Ino had a strange feeling of respect fort he boy.
She knew she could never endure this for even 10 minutes.

The scenery changed.

But this time it was still the same day and Chibi-Naruto was on his way back tot he orphanage Ino mused, when someone they both knew
appeared in front of the boy. It was the cruel lady Ino had seen at the orphanage. The woman gently put a hand on Naruto´s shoulder and the boy seemed totally lost about the tender touch. While the boy seemed uncertain what to do, Ino could not stop screaming for help as she saw the knive the woman held in the hand behind her back. She had to watch how the knife went into Naruto´s stomach, all the way to the hilt. Naruto didn´t even scream, he just went to his knees, a whispered

"Why" all he could say.

„I did it. The monster is dead!" the woman said with tears of joy streaming down her face.

„I avenged you Kotaro." and Naruto passed out.

The scenery changed again.

Ino found herself and the young boy atop the Hokage monument. It was still some time before the sun would come up from the look of it. Naruto was around 8 in this memory and he seemed…different. There was no emotion on his face while he was staring into the distance. The even smaller version of her classmate seemed deep in thought and after some time his expression began to disort. Ino got goosebumps as she saw the rage and the hate on the face of the boy who was always grinning like a fool in her own memory.

„If you all are so beant on hurting and even willing to kill me than I will show you!" the boy whispered.

„I….I will…I will show you all…I will…"

Ino started shivering. She was afraid of the words Naruto was about to speak. She thought he would change if he would end that sentence how she thought it would end. But suddenly warm light hit them in the face and Naruto interrupted his sentence and even train of thought it seemed. Ino and Naruto were looking at the most beautiful sight Ino had ever seen. The sun had started to rise and all of Konoha was bathed in a warm orange light. All problems and pain seemed forgotten in the moment. When time seemed to flow again Naruto just sat down. His expressions kept changing until he had a totally different look on his face than the
one filled with hate and rage. Tears were streaming down his face, but they seemed to cleanse him. The tears stopped and Naruto kept sunbathing and slowly, but surely a real smile came to his face. He stood up and jumped over the barrier and landed on the stony hair of one of the Hokages. Naruto looked over Konoha and took some deep breaths and than started screaming at the top of his lungs.

„I WILL SHOW YOU ALL! I WILL BECOME SO AWESOME THAT YOU HAVE TO RECOGNISE AND RESPECT ME AND THAN…than..than…"

The young boy looked down and saw he was standing atop the face oft he Yondaime Hokage.

„THAN I WILL BECOME HOKAGE! THE GREATEST HOKAGE TO EVER LIVE! BELIEVE IT! DATTEBAYO"

„Orange is awesome" Ino heard Naruto say after that declaration and had to giggle at that.

The scenery changed again.

This time she was in a small apartment. The sound oft he festival was heard outside again, but the room was quiet and dark. The windows were shut and some planks were placed above them. A 10 year old Naruto was looking at a package in front of him with suspicion written all over his face. He looked at the package from all angles, sniffed it and to Ino´s horror even licked one side carefully. He shook it, "listening to it" and was still not satisfied with his testing it seemed. Naruto finally put it down and looked at the package for a few more seconds, before he finally decided to open it. Ino looked at a toad wallet and a walrus cap. Both things were so hideous she wanted to throw both of them out of the window immediately. But Naruto´s reaction was way different. The usually obnoxious boy slowly took the giftcard that was left in the box. He seemed so unsure and maybe even a little scared of a piece of paper. It did not make sense, but none of what Ino saw till now did.

„Happy Birthday Naruto." He read so quiet Ino nearly missed it.

She didn´t know how to feel when she saw how much of an impact those three written words in the same sentence had on her classmate. Despite knowing she could not interact with memories she was about to place a hand on Naruto´s shoulder.

„That´s enough now little girl." was all she heard before something so powerful she could not even react simply pushed her mind out of Naruto´s body.

The scenery changed again.

Ino was back in her own body and stared confused at her classmates.

„So, did he steal it?"

„What do you mean?" Ino was confused. She was pushed out of her own Jutsu with no effort at all at the end.

"Was Naruto the one who stole your lunch?" one kid asked again.

"No"

Ino quietly answered. She needed time to process all that information. It was simply too much and she just wanted to lie down. But to be able to lie down, she had to go to the nurse office or home and to to that, she had to stand up. She didn´t stand up though, instead she lost consciousness due to chakra deficiency.

So yeah, that´s it for a start.
English is not my first language so sorry for grammar mistakes etc.
Hope you still enjoyed it.