Nope, still don't own Naruto. Nope, still don't know how to get ownership. Yes, I own this plot for this particular story cause I'm writing it…but it's just not the same. Kishimoto-sensei, if for any reason at all you ever read this, I am forever grateful to you for giving the world Naruto.

So, quick note, yes, we are getting closer to that moment when Naruto becomes a ninja. Yes, we will be going full steam ahead with operation get Naruto and Hinata together in this story as well. And Yes, Sasuke is a little bitc…alright fine, I'll be nice to him .

I just want to say that I might not update for a week or so. I'm uh…I'm an insomniac so I'm awake most of the time but because of this I have a tendency of feeling ill a lot. At the moment I'm feeling really fatigued, hopefully it'll pass quickly, but just in case it doesn't know that I didn't forget you guys. I will be back.

Now on to the show.

Chapter 5: I want to see you smile

"Hey, old man…" Naruto's spoken words sounded barely audible. "Hey, Iruka-Sensei" he added, turning to his instructor standing there with his mouth hung open.

"Naruto…Uzumaki?" Iruka could barely form the words to even say the blonds name but he still looked about to burst with excitement. "It's really you Naruto!" he exclaimed as he rushed towards the boy to kneel in front of him. He placed a hand on either shoulder and bowed his head, tears slowly falling at the boy's feet.

"I'm so s-sorry Naruto. I-I thought t-that w-we'd find you but…" Iruka couldn't finish what it was he wanted to say as Naruto placed a hand on his shoulder now. He looked up to see the ever-plain expression of the blond.

"It's alright Iruka-sensei, I'm sure you did your best" Naruto unknowingly consoled. Iruka nodded at his words with a soft smile, but even so he couldn't help but feel that the boy wasn't in his right mind. Who remains that expressionless at a reunion that brings someone to tears? He just couldn't understand the boy.

"Naruto, where have you been?" Hiruzen demanded, and once he realized his own hostility, he was able to take a breath to relax. "You vanished into the night and come waltzing back. Where were you?" he rephrased, hoping that the boy wouldn't remain silent at his outburst.

"I was taken back to the dark room" Naruto coldly answered, he felt like vomiting, but he'd been trained to think such actions would make him look weak. So, he pushed it back down where it settled uncomfortably in his stomach.

"But…but…how did you escape?!" Iruka shook Naruto, who didn't look all to pleased at the manhandling. Iruka released his grip, and instead, steered Naruto to an empty seat.

"I clawed my way out of the ground. It was actually pretty easy once I started" he answered, and it was only then that the two older men noticed the broken nails, cuts that were still slightly bleeding and the caked-on dirt that had mixed with the already dried blood. Iruka looked disgusted that a child had to go to such lengths to be free of his prison, while Hiruzen was doing his best not to get angry. He, after-all, still had no proof that Danzo was the one behind any of this.

"Do you know any—" "No" Naruto interrupted the third's question, knowing full well he was about to ask if Naruto had seen any faces or knew anyone there. Eight years now and the answer was still no—and would probably remain so.

"I see" the third let out a breath he hadn't realized he took and instead reclaimed his fallen pipe.

"Aside from your hands Naruto, are you hurt?" Iruka questioned, worried still that his missing student didn't seem all too bothered by what many others would be complaining about already.

"No. I am hungry though" Naruto admitted. It was all he thought about as he ran, the longing for something more than stale bread and water.

"We can get Ichiraku, it'll be my treat" Iruka hurriedly offered before taking in Naruto's appearance again. "Uh, maybe we'll get you cleaned up first, okay?" he smiled, hoping to coax Naruto to do the same. He did not.

"Hold on just a moment you two" Hiruzen called out, stopping them from leaving. "Naruto, what did they do to you?" he asked, eyeing the boy with those seemingly all-knowing eyes.

Naruto remained silent, his eyes cast downward; "Sorry old man, I had to break my promise" he mumbled. The third couldn't bring himself to yell or be angry. What was the child to do if not follow orders to preserve his own life? It filled him with bitterness that he failed to save the boy for a second time now from a fate no child should be forced to live.

"I understand, Naruto. I do. Please, enjoy your meal, I'm sure there are many things that you would like to do, but please, refrain from getting into trouble. Your home is still the exact way you left it, and while Dragon is no longer with us, I can see about getting another guard for you" Hiruzen said, but Naruto looked up with what appeared to be genuine sadness in his eyes.

"Did the Dragon mask lady…did she die?" his small voice asked, and it pained the third to nod. What was so special about Rias that Naruto was drawn to her?

"She died because of me…didn't she?" Iruka, nor Hiruzen were prepared to hear the tenderness in the boy's voice, but it was Hiruzen who managed to speak first, preventing Iruka from saying whatever it was he was about to.

"Dragon died protecting the village that she loved. She gave her life protecting a son of Konoha. Honor her, Naruto" Hiruzen said, but Naruto looked confused. "Honor her by never forgetting her name; Rias. Carve it into your heart and become a fine man worthy of her sacrifice. That is how you honor her" he added. Naruto, finally grasping what the Hokage meant, looked towards Iruka, who smiled down at him.

"Lord Hokage is right. Remember her name so that she can live on in you" he confirmed, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up and fed, yeah?" Iruka gently guided the boy out of the office. Before shutting the door behind him, he turned to look at the Hokage and in that one look, a thousand words had passed between them. Iruka would try to find out more from Naruto, perhaps a name that slipped, or a face he may have caught in bad lighting. Anything that would help. Anything to keep Naruto from having to claw his way out of another hole.

"Ah…Lord Hokage…the hole!" Iruka exclaimed with a wide smile. "If Naruto shows us where he crawled out of, we can follow the hole back to where they kept him." The third nodded along with what he called a 'brilliant idea' whilst Naruto stood waiting off to the side. Hoping that they would go get food before diving back into that hole.

"Do you remember where you crawled out of Naruto?" Hiruzen asked, hopeful that the boy would give him a helpful answer.

"No" both men looked crestfallen to have their plan shut down before it even managed to take off.

"Where were you exactly when you came up? Can you see it from here?" Iruka suggested, pointing towards the windows of the office. Naruto huffed before picking a spot in front of the glass panes separating him from delicious ramen.

"Over there" he pointed, once the two men followed his line of sight, Naruto dropped his arm. "There was a big gate and I saw Hinata standing outside of it with some guy who had the same eyes as hers" he finished, looking between Iruka and the third.

"That must be the Hyuga compound" Iruka said. The words were barely out of his mouth when Hiruzen cleared his throat. Two Anbu shinobi appeared, kneeling on the other side of the desk.

"Go to the Hyuga compound. In front of its gates should be a hole. Find it, follow it, report back to me. This is an intel gathering mission. You are not to engage should you come across an enemy. Do not be found" the Hokage ordered, both shinobi bowed, before vanishing back into the shadows. Neither of them had spoken a word. Neither of them made a sound, and had Naruto not seen them with his own eyes, then he wouldn't believe they were ever there.

"I will take Naruto to get that ramen" Iruka reminded the third, who agreed.

"Uh, yes. That's an excellent idea. Please, don't let me keep you" Hiruzen replied. Naruto wanted to point out that they were both acting irregular but now he was getting really hungry and couldn't focus any more attention to it. Instead, he made for the door and hadn't even bothered to wait for Iruka before making his way down the hall.

"Watch over him, that's an order."

"Of course, Lord Hokage" Iruka answered, and with a quick bow he was out the door chasing after a very hungry blond.

"Did you hear?"

"Yeah, apparently…Naruto's back."

"I heard it was Hinata that—" "—Shh there he is."

Naruto entered his new classroom with most of his former classmates who all suspiciously went quiet the moment he entered. He scanned the faces of the people he'd be around and could only remember four names and faces. The raven-haired Sasuke, who was looking at Naruto as if he'd just now remembered who he was. The pink-haired Sakura, who looked annoyed. The sleeping Shikamaru, who, despite appearing to be asleep, was fully aware that Naruto returned. And lastly, the blue-haired Hinata, who was doing her absolute best to not meet Naruto's gaze. Which didn't last long as the blond made a bee-line for her. Everyone watched as he approached her desk and, after placing both hands on said desk, leaned forward to look her in the eyes. Or tried to anyway as Hinata was still avoiding his gaze.

"Hey…Hinata" he called out, finally getting her to look at him.

"Y-yes, N-Naruto-Kun?" she stammered out, trying her best not to look as horrified as she felt at how close he was to her.

"Why'd you cover my hole?" he asked, startling the Hyuga with his tone.

"F-father had t-the Hyuga c-clan search, but t-there w-was no hole" Hinata answered, afraid the answer might upset the blond. He stood up straight, but his eyes never wandered.

"Okay" he replied, making the Hyuga sigh in relief. "The old man was annoyed, and thought I made it up. But if you say there was no hole, I believe you."

"What are you on about, you idiot?" Sakura's blonde friend demanded, coming over to wrap an arm around Hinata. "Can't you see that your very presence is upsetting Hinata?" she insisted, despite Hinata stating otherwise.

"Hey, Hinata…let's be friends, okay?" he said, completely ignoring the blonde, Ino, whose name he learned after Sakura came to her defense while Naruto completely ignored the two of them.

Hinata looked to be lost in her own mind; 'N-Naruto-Kun wants to be my friend? W-what do I say? Say yes, stupid. Say yes. Say YES!' she argued internally. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She could only nod, which Naruto mimicked, although when he did it, it was more out of confusion than anything.

"Okay, I guess…we're…friends now?" Naruto hadn't meant to ask it as a question, but he walked away from Hinata's desk wondering if he had done this friends thing wrong. He stopped in his tracks when Sasuke extended his leg to bar his path.

"Oy, where've you been?" Sasuke demanded, an upset scowl on his face.

"I was being tortured in an underground training facility" Naruto answered. There was a long silence before laughter erupted from the classroom.

"Man, this guy is even weirder than before."

"What a load of bull."

"Can you believe this guy?" comments kept flying back and forth but Naruto paid no mind to them. Sasuke on the other hand, as well as Hinata, seemed to perk up at this answer. They could feel that Naruto was telling the truth, or at least that it wasn't meant to be taken as a joke. Before Sasuke could say another word, the door to the classroom opened revealing a yawning Iruka as he walked in.

"Settle down everyone" he called for order, and after having to yell, everyone was quietly in their seats. Iruka noticed Naruto was sitting close to the windows again and sighed. He just couldn't break Naruto out of the hold that that dark room had on him. It always looked like Naruto was just waiting until he was forced to go back.

"As I am sure you are all aware, Naruto has returned to join us here at the academy. Let's make him…feel welcomed…again" even as Iruka said those last words he could feel just how awkward they sounded. 'Make him feel welcomed again? They weren't exactly welcoming the first time' he berated himself, and as he suspected, no one said a word of welcome to the blond. Not like it would have mattered, Naruto paid none of them any mind.

"Right. Today we are going to be doing some review before we move on to anything new" Iruka announced, hopefully he could catch Naruto up to the rest of the class before any of them started to complain.

To his surprise it took only an hour to get Naruto up to speed, and when they were ready to move onto the next area of study, the study of Ninjutsu, Naruto was one of the firsts to finish his work. And like usual, he went right back to staring out the window. "That kid" Iruka chuckled. Naruto may be a child that was forced to do horrible things that no child should be forced to do, but Iruka couldn't help but admire the carefree way Naruto seemed to just exist without being bogged down by his circumstances.

Hinata was another who finished her work rather quickly, and though she did it subtly, she moved her seat so that she and Naruto were sitting closer to one another. Iruka watched a little more intently than he would ever admit, but he wanted to see if Hinata would be able to get Naruto to open up a bit. Unfortunately, Hinata couldn't work up the courage and Naruto hadn't even noticed that she was sitting closer.

Instead, Naruto was answering questions from his other classmates who decided that they weren't going to keep ignoring the sort-of new kid. Iruka thought it was a good thing as he continued watching Naruto actually having a conversation with Kiba Inuzuka, Shikamaru Nara, and Choji Akimichi. The three of them didn't seem to mind the short responses that Naruto gave, and they even laughed at some of the stuff he said. Hinata looked like she wanted to join in, but somehow looked like she was also okay just listening. 'Poor girl, too nervous around everyone else that she can't even bring herself to speak' Iruka sympathized with the girl, hoping that one day she would grow out of it.

The day continued on in a blinding pace. Before Naruto knew it, he was finally free to wander around the village again and was actually looking forward to it quite a bit. Iruka had suggested that Naruto should get new clothes, and while Naruto couldn't care about what he wore, he promised Iruka that he would at least look.

The first shop he found wouldn't even allow him in, Naruto could see the disgust in the owner's eyes and hadn't bothered to argue with her. He experienced the same thing at the next couple shops and it wasn't until he found a run-down store near his own home that the elderly man didn't seem to mind the blond perusing through his wares.

"Are you sure?" the elderly man asked, eyeing the get-up that Naruto picked, to which the boy nodded. "Okay then" the elderly man took Naruto's, in this case Iruka's money, and allowed Naruto to exit the store with his newly purchased outfit.

Naruto felt excited, never having felt such a thing before, he assumed that he was falling ill and decided that an early night in would be the best way to combat it. He hung up his new purchase and crawled into bed, and yet he found himself hard pressed to fall asleep as easily as he would have liked. He would definitely thank Iruka tomorrow for the money that he gave him to buy his new clothes—clothes that Naruto couldn't help but eye as it hung in his closet. The spiral pattern on the shoulder was making him sleepy and before he knew it, he'd fallen headfirst into dreams of dark blue skies, shadowy figures lurking around every corner and a menacing growl that wouldn't let up even when he woke with a fright. Eventually, he managed to fall back asleep, but still that growling persisted.

"He's got to be joking."

"Yup, you were right, he's an idiot."

"Why…just why?"

Naruto was yet again the talk of his class as he waltzed into the classroom with an air of pride previously not seen in him. "Morning Iruka-Sensei, what do you think?" Naruto asked, stopping in front of Iruka's desk.

"Naruto…why'd you pick such a…loud color?" Iruka sighed, finally looking up from his desk to take in Naruto's appearance. Iruka looked the boy up and down and wanted to tell him to return the obnoxiously orange jumpsuit that he was wearing, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. He told Naruto to buy new clothes, and unfortunately the boy went and did just that.

"Everyone else is always wearing dark colors, I didn't want to too" Naruto answered, as if it should have been obvious.

"That's because ninja should blend in with the shadows, Naruto. It makes their jobs easier" Iruka explained, already starting to feel his patience wear thin. 'He's just a child. He's just a child. A smart-dumb child' Iruka chanted within. He would just smile and nod. Naruto would walk away if he just smiled and nodded.

"Well, that's stupid" Naruto replied. Iruka could feel his eye twitch but just kept smiling. "I don't need to hide. And if I do…well…Maybe this will help me keep my promise" Naruto made his way towards his seat and Iruka felt foolish for getting annoyed. Of course, Naruto would want to warn his enemies that he was coming, it gave them a better chance of surviving his attack.

After much talk of Naruto's new interesting outfit, the class was allowed to have their lunch. Some of them sat in the classroom, others went outside to enjoy the weather and some just wanted to stretch and could be seen walking through the halls. Naruto, who remained inside, turned his head to see Hinata standing in front of him.

"Oh, hey Hinata, what's up?" he asked, wondering how long had she been standing there.

"I w-wanted to g-give you t-this, N-Naruto-Kun" she said. In her outstretched hands were a pair of goggles that Naruto eyed curiously.

"For…me?" he asked, to which Hinata nodded.

"I n-noticed you k-kept rubbing y-your eyes. I t-thought these m-might help" she explained. Naruto took them hesitantly from her. Hinata watched as he gingerly put them on his head and let them rest on his forehead.

"N-Naruto-Kun…y-you're smiling" she pointed out, to which several people turned to look at the blond, who reached up to touch his own face.

"Smiling" he muttered, tracing the lines of his smile with his fingertips. "I'm smiling" he repeated, meeting Hinata's own smile.

"I t-think you l-look v-very n-nice" Hinata managed to choke out despite being as red as a tomato.

Naruto smiled wider. Now that he started, he just couldn't seem to bring himself to stop. He took hold of Hinata's hands and his smile grew even wider. "You smile too Hinata, I want to see you smile" his wide grin growing wider. Hinata's face couldn't get any redder, and instead she resigned herself to smiling as best as she could despite trying her absolute hardest not to pass out. Iruka returned from where ever he was and stopped at the door when he saw Naruto's wide smile and Hinata's beet red face and lopsided grin as the blond demanded she smile bigger.

"Naruto, I don't think Hinata can smile any wider" Iruka called out. Naruto let Hinata's hands go and smiled at Iruka too. He felt his heart swell. For the first time since he met the boy, he could look at him and see just another regular eight-year-old boy. Happy as can be at having received a gift from a friend. 'Good for you, Naruto.'

Naruto spent the rest of the day trying his best to get Hinata to smile again, something that wasn't necessarily difficult since all he had to do was say something to her and she would immediately feel giddy that he was happy with her. Iruka could just tell that this wouldn't be the last time he saw the bluenette and blond together. That much was clear.

The leaf village had grown quite a bit over the last couple years. New shops had opened, new faces could be seen wandering the streets, some were friendly. Some were not. Every day was a gift to the people of the hidden village. They laughed, argued, cried, ate and drank together and some of them couldn't be any happier. While some of them couldn't be any more miserable. A lot, not all, but a lot of them shared one thing in common; they were all very much used to the loud-mouthed kid in the orange jumpsuit who would run around the village goofing off with a huge smile on his face. He'd paint on the Hokage stone faces, he'd cause chaos in the streets while running from Ninja, he'd be rude or disrespectful to anyone who would try to yell at him. The villagers weren't allowed to say anything out loud, but they couldn't stand the knucklehead because of his behavior and because of what he carried within him. They had hoped after his return that the third would come to his senses and stop protecting the child, but after four long years, the villagers gave up that idea. The third Hokage just didn't seem all that interested in banishing a child for being just that; a child. Even if he was a troublemaker.

At the current moment Naruto Uzumaki, now a twelve-year old boy, was busy outrunning the Chunin assigned to capture him and return him back to the academy. A feat that was proving far more difficult than they would like to admit. Naruto was busy laughing as he watched the Chunin jumping away from his location after he successfully fooled them with his camouflage.

"Naruto!" Iruka yelled, before a fist collided with the back of the fox grinned blond. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop picking on the Chunin?" he demanded, scowling as Naruto rubbed the back of his head.

"Sorry Iruka-sensei, but…did you have to hit me so hard?" he whined, looking at Iruka with a look that said had it not been Iruka then he would have swung back.

"We're going back to the academy Naruto; you have to practice your transformation technique today. You've managed to weasel your way out of it for the last month but no more" Iruka shouted, dragging Naruto by the sleeve. "And later, you're gonna scrub the paint off the Hokage faces" he added, scowling even further that he was forced to come and retrieve the brat.

After a short walk through the village, Iruka reprimanding Naruto, and Naruto trying his best to ignore the stares of the villagers, they finally returned to the classroom where everyone was idly chatting. "Alright everyone, now that we're all here, we're going to be going over the transformation technique. If you would all come to the front and form a line, please" Iruka instructed. A lot of the students sighed, knowing full well that the only reason they had to go over this again was because of a certain loud-mouth.

"Sasuke, you're up next" Iruka called out. They'd been going person by person and finally they were getting to the end of the list. Something that Naruto was very loudly complaining about the whole time, much to the annoyance of everyone else. Sasuke transformed into a perfect copy of the third Hokage, as had most everyone else.

"Why even bother transforming when we could just pulverize the enemy?" Naruto asked. He had his hands behind his head in an arrogant way that suggested Iruka should know by now that boy was more than capable of doing just that.

"Naruto, need I remind you that you're the only one that hasn't been able to properly duplicate Lord Hokage with the transformation technique?" Iruka coolly said, causing a ripple of snickering.

"Hey! Stop laughing" Naruto commanded, but that just made them laugh harder. "Tch. Fine, I'll show you" he grunted before forming the necessary hand seal; "Transform" he called out. When the smoke cleared Iruka felt his head about to explode from embarrassment as Naruto stood naked as a busty blonde blew a kiss at him.

"Damnit Naruto, stop making up ridiculous techniques!" Iruka roared as Naruto transformed back into himself; laughing.

"Y-you should h-have s-seen y-your face" Naruto continued to laugh. Iruka was highly upset, but he was also fighting the urge to laugh too. Ever since Hinata gave Naruto the goggles that he never seemed to take off, Iruka loved the idea that Naruto also seemed to be laughing the loudest whenever he managed to embarrass him. Though how or why Naruto came up with such a perverted technique was beyond him, he couldn't deny that it was good to see Naruto not being so serious. Soon the rest of the class was laughing at Iruka's reaction and then there was no fighting it anymore—he had to laugh too.

"N-Naruto-Kun, please stop teasing Iruka-Sensei" Hinata suggested, after trying her best to hide that she was stifling her giggles.

"I can't help it. Iruka-sensei is a lot of fun to mess with" Naruto laughed again as he jumped out of the way of a chalk board eraser flying at him. The class laughed again, and it was only at the sound of dismissal that the laughter died out.

"Not so fast, Naruto" Iruka said, grabbing hold of Naruto's collar. "Don't forget you have some cleaning to do" he reminded the troublemaker, who frowned.

"You're not going home until you've cleaned off every single drop of paint" Iruka called out. He'd been overseeing Naruto's punishment for almost an hour and was growing tired of hearing the knucklehead mumbling under his breath.

"So, what…it's not like there's anyone waiting at home for me" Naruto replied whilst continuing to scrub out the paint he had just put there that morning. Iruka frowned. Despite Naruto having opened up, despite being friendly and laughing and smiling like a regular kid, Iruka sometimes forgot that Naruto was far from regular or normal.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah, what do you want now, Sensei?" Naruto grumpily asked, looking up towards Iruka.

"Well, I was just thinking…maybe after you clean this all up, I can take you out for some ramen. The good stuff, what do ya think?" Iruka answered, unsure if that would count as showing favoritism.

"Now that's some serious motivation, I'll have this clean in no time" Naruto excitedly replied, returning to scrubbing the paint out with a glint in his eyes.

It didn't take long at all for him to finish up and it took even less time for Naruto to drag Iruka to Ichiraku ramen for his promised reward. They sat, Iruka thankful to be off his feet, since his legs felt like jelly, and Naruto thankful that he'd finally get to eat. Iruka was glad that Naruto finished quicker than normal and couldn't help but chuckle at the idea that he was rewarding a speedy finish to what was originally supposed to be just punishment.

"You know Naruto, I'm starting to think that maybe you don't want to be Hokage anymore with the way you keep painting over their faces" Iruka commented turning to see Naruto already had a mouthful of ramen. He was confused how Naruto had managed to already make a mess and impressed that he was already half-way done before Iruka even noticed he was even eating.

"Nu uh, I'm going to be Hokage" he protested but Iruka didn't look like he believed him.

"It sure doesn't look like it when you paint over the faces of those you hold in such high regards" Iruka pointed out, but Naruto shook his head.

"I'm going to be the greatest Hokage ever, then everyone will be safe and they'll look up to me, and stop looking down at me. Like I'm not wanted here" Naruto replied, slurping down the rest of his ramen.

"Who treats you like you're not wanted?" Iruka asked, but quickly retracted his question when Naruto shot him a skeptical look. He knew very well who—the villagers.

"I'm going to be greater even than the fourth. Just you wait and see Iruka-Sensei."

"Well, it's still a lot of work Naruto, you can't just be Hokage because you say so. You know this already" Iruka reminded him.

"I remember" the smile faded and for the briefest of moments, Naruto was back to being that stone faced child that he used to be. Iruka went to say something but Naruto smiled at him as if nothing happened. "Just wait and see" he repeated, stopping Iruka from saying anything. Iruka returned the smile, but he couldn't help but wonder if maybe Naruto had been faking his happiness for the last four years just to keep people from questioning or worrying about him. Was Naruto that aware of other's feelings? Did he even understand those types of things?

Whatever it was, Iruka would be sure to discuss it with the third Hokage, whom he was to be meeting later on anyway.

"Iruka-Sensei?" Naruto said, but when Iruka hadn't replied, Naruto waved a hand in his face; "Sensei?" he repeated getting his instructor's attention.

"Yes, what?"

"I wanted to thank you for treating me."

"Ah, don't mention it Naruto. It's nice to share a meal with someone, don't you think?" Iruka chuckled nervously, as Naruto smiled along.

"I think I'm gonna head home now Iruka-sensei…I suddenly feel very sleepy, I don't know why" Naruto mumbled, but he hadn't even finished his sentence before he started slinking in the direction of his home.

"Be careful Naruto, and don't forget tomorrow is your final exam. Don't be late" Iruka called after him. Whether the blond heard him or not he couldn't be sure. 'Come back safely' he thought, as he watched the departing orange figure turn a corner and disappear from sight.

"That boy sure is something, isn't he Iruka?" Teuchi asked, looking at Iruka with a grin. "I wouldn't doubt that he'll be a fantastic Hokage when the day comes" he added, turning his back to Iruka as Ayame, Teuchi's daughter came out from the back.

"You really think Naruto will be Hokage one day?" Iruka questioned. He stood up, pulling his wallet from his pouch to pay for their meals.

"I truly believe Naruto will make his dream a reality" Teuchi reaffirmed. Ayame clapped her hands together.

"Oh, Naruto-Kun is so cute. I bet he'll grow up to be a fine man and Hokage" she agreed, squealing at the 'adorable' blond becoming a man that would be great.

"We'll see, won't we?" Iruka shrugged. He wasn't against Naruto becoming Hokage, he just wanted the boy to understand that it wasn't something everyone was cut out for. "Have a goodnight Teuchi-San, Ayame-San" he said. They returned the farewell and with that Iruka set out to speak with the third in his weekly debrief of life after Naruto's return.

Naruto's shuffling feet was the only sound audible as he climbed the stairs to his apartment. He stopped at the door when he noticed a note pinned to his door.

"Don't forget who you are, nine" he read aloud. He looked up and down the hall but saw no one. A feeling of sadness washed over him as he realized that despite having been free from the dark room for years now, he would never truly escape them. He shut the door behind him a little more forcefully than he meant to and as he placed the note on his table, he was resisting the urge to hit something.

"I won't go back. You hear me? I won't go back with you" he yelled into his empty apartment. "I won't. I won't. I won't!" he screamed, but no matter how much he said it, no matter how much he wanted to believe it, no matter how much he wanted to stay in the leaf with Hinata and Sasuke, and the sleepy Nara, the loud-mouth dog boy and the always eating Choji, no matter how much he protested, he could feel that one day he would be forced back to the dark room. He'd be forced back and the next time he went back, he could feel in his very bones that he wouldn't be able to escape a third time.

"I won't go back" he muttered as he collapsed to his knees. A feeling of hopelessness settled over him. He rubbed his eyes and when his fingers grazed against the goggles on his forehead, he pulled them off. He stared at them as if they were still sitting in Hinata's hands, as if she was just giving them to him again. He weakly smiled at them. Hinata really had made his time in the leaf more enjoyable. Even if all they did was sit together, he always enjoyed his time with her. He thought it was fun when Hinata would struggle to tell him the littlest things. Little did Naruto know, Hinata only struggled with him because the more time passed, the easier it was for her to admire the boy. Naruto simply thought Hinata was afraid of him, something he wished he could change, but also thought that if he had met himself, he would probably be scared of himself too. He already kind of was, so he could only imagine how the soft-spoken Hyuga felt.

He pushed himself to his feet and shuffled towards his bed before throwing himself down. He placed the goggles on his nightstand where he could see them. "Goodnight…Hinata" he whispered. Feeling drained from his outburst, he quickly began to fall asleep. The way he saw it, if they were coming for him, he might as well enjoy being able to sleep before they started to deprive him of it again. Before long, he was softly snoring, dreaming of enjoying a bright summer day with Hinata and Iruka as they laughed, only for it to turn to a familiar nightmare where he was surrounded by nothing but darkness and faceless voices.

"I won't go back" he groaned in his sleep, turning until his face was buried in his pillow. "I just…won't" he grumbled—another snore escaping him.

"As always Lord Hokage, Naruto seems to be becoming more and more like anyone of my other students. If not he's more of a kid than the others at times" Iruka explained, Hiruzen turned away from his window.

"Can you blame him Iruka? Naruto may be twelve now, but to discover the joys of laughter and friendship at such a late age in his childhood…I'd say Naruto is emotionally akin to a five-year-old. He's still discovering what it means just to be happy. Of course, he would be rambunctious" the Hokage laughed, knowing full well that Naruto was indeed a handful.

"I just worry that Naruto may not be as capable with the basics as he is with the advanced techniques. He is still incapable of performing the clone or transformation techniques. He refuses to partake in written exams, and when he is in class, he refuses to pay attention. I just don't know what to do anymore Lord Hokage. I can't pass him solely because he is an accomplished seal master" Iruka's worries weren't his alone. Hiruzen shared them, but what was he to do? He couldn't allow Iruka to pass Naruto. It would set a precedent that shouldn't be allowed. The basics were the fundamentals to building a strong ninja early on. If Naruto couldn't handle such basic techniques, then he would struggle to progress in other areas—despite his already impressive skill set.

"Lord Third?" Hiruzen turned to see Iruka looking desperately at him for an answer.

"I understand your concerns. As such, administer the exam to Naruto as you would with any other student and should he fail…then we will deal with that if it comes to pass" Hiruzen instructed. Iruka looked like he wanted to protest but he kept it to himself. He would trust the third's judgement as he always had. He only hoped this wouldn't cause Naruto to revert into that stone faced boy he used to be.

"I'm sure Naruto will pass Iruka. He is rather skilled after all" Hiruzen reassured, but neither he nor Iruka could bring themselves to truly believe that. Naruto was a great seal user and his understanding of Ninjutsu was phenomenal, but this wasn't something he could clown his way through.

"Goodnight, Lord Hokage" Iruka bowed low, he didn't want to continue this conversation of doubt and gloominess. Hiruzen said his goodnights as well, allowing Iruka to excuse himself from the office.

That night, Iruka struggled with his attachment to Naruto, what the boy would do should he fail, and whether or not it was okay for him to allow Naruto to pass even if he didn't manage to properly perform the techniques required.

The night quickly ended, bringing with it a new morning where the students of Konoha's academy were currently preparing for what they hoped would be the last time they would ever have to attend class. Naruto's new found exuberant energy seemed to have been nothing but imagination at this point as the orange clad boy entered the classroom, sat in his usual seat, and immediately turned his gaze towards the sky. Naruto noticed that Iruka looked as if he was about to approach him but decided not to. According to the Iruka, the exam would be overseen by Iruka and Mizuki, another instructor and the former's childhood best friend. Since Naruto knew they would be going by alphabetical order, he would have to sit and wait until everyone else went. He sighed, knowing full well that no matter how he tried, there was no way he would pass. Iruka tried his best to help him practice the clone technique but Naruto just couldn't do it and that was guaranteed to be his downfall.

"N-Naruto-Kun" Naruto smiled before he even turned to greet Hinata.

"Morning Hinata" he said, she returned his smile, though she tried to hide it.

"I w-wanted to wish y-you good luck" she mumbled. Naruto, having grown accustomed to the Hyuga being soft spoken, more so with him than anyone else, laughed.

"Thanks, Hinata. I could use it" he admitted. He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, a habit he picked up from Iruka and one he wished he could get rid of.

"I d-don't think y-you need it" Hinata replied, poking her fingers together. Naruto half shrugged, whether she meant that or not, it still made him stop thinking about the exam.

"Good luck to you too" he offered. Hinata said she would give it her best just as Mizuki came in to collect her. Naruto watched as the door shut behind her and suddenly felt very aware that he wasn't alone. He knew he wasn't physically alone since students were happily chatting with one another or arguing over Sasuke, who was sitting a few seats away from him. No, he suddenly felt as if someone was in his mind, filling him with an overwhelming feeling of uneasiness.

"Ino, it's your turn" Mizuki called out, snapping Naruto from his thoughts. He turned to Sasuke but the Uchiha didn't look interested in conversation today. Ever since Naruto had come back to the leaf, Sasuke would only talk to Naruto when he wanted to. And it was never twice in a row. Naruto wasn't sure if they were friends or not, or if Sasuke had a grudge against for something, but they never spoke or hung out for more than a few minutes at any given time. Hinata on the other hand, would speak to him every day. She would come to the blond and wish him a good morning, or tell him that she wished he would have a good day or good night. They sometimes would talk about her day, or they would sit in silence when she would ask about Naruto's upbringing. Something he wasn't keen on revisiting. Hinata wouldn't press the matter when he would intentionally ignore her inquiries about his past. Eventually she stopped asking questions about where he came from or if he was alone here, and would instead ask about him. Which at first Naruto thought it was sort of the same thing, until he realized she wanted to know about the Naruto of the leaf village, not Naruto of the dark room. He happily shared with her his love of ramen and the idea of becoming Hokage. In return she had told him about her love of cinnamon rolls and how she wanted to be a good person like her mother. Someone that she spoke of a lot.

Four years, and Naruto was glad that he asked Hinata to be his friend when he came back. The other students seemed to avoid him like a sickness, or obsess over Sasuke. Not Hinata though. She'd politely tell them that she disagreed, and almost always sounded annoyed having to repeat it. Though she didn't know it, Naruto had overheard her a few times with a sharpness in her voice that he admired, and it often made him wonder why she never used that tone with him.

"Sasuke, your turn"

Naruto turned to wish Sasuke good luck but he was already at the door before he could even say anything.

"You don't need to wish him good luck stupid Naruto" Ino's shrill voice rang out, grating on Naruto's nerves.

"I would suppose it's because he got enough of it from you howling harpies" Naruto retorted, not a bit sorry for the anger he caused amongst the girls who came back after their exam just to fawn over the Uchiha.

"What did you call us?" Sakura demanded. She stomped her way towards Naruto—Ino in tow.

"You better watch what you say or I'll pummel you" she angrily yelled, shaking a fist at him.

"Come on Naruto" the mob of angry girls and Naruto turned to see Mizuki gesturing for the blond to follow. He rose from his seat and pushed past Sakura.

"You should have more respect" she called after him. Naruto, having had enough of her yelling, turned to look at her over his shoulder, making her freeze in her place.

"What's there to respect?" he growled, his voice low and husky. He kept walking, not giving them the chance to reply.

The door shut behind him as he entered another classroom. "Alright, Naruto, you, erm, already showed me you're capable of performing the transformation technique so all you have to do is perform the clone technique and you will become a fully fledged Genin of the leaf" Iruka explained, smiling at Naruto with worry. "Whenever you're ready."

Naruto performed the needed hand seals and focused his chakra. It felt off, like he was pouring too much water into an already full cup. "Clone Jutsu" he called out, and after a puff of smoke he felt defeated. There next to him was a pale, wobbly version of himself. It slunk to the ground before disappearing in another puff of smoke.

"Given your scores in Taijutsu, Shuriken Jutsu, and your comprehension of Ninjutsu, I say you pass Naruto" Mizuki praised, reaching for a leaf forehead protector to hand to the blond. Iruka stopped him before he could grab one.

"I'm sorry Naruto, but I can't allow you to pass" he said. Which felt like betrayal to Naruto.

"Iruka-sensei, he's off but his moves weren't bad and he did hang in there and replicate. Why not cut him a break?" Mizuki suggested, but Iruka shook his head.

"Mizuki-sensei, the other students created at least three effective clones. Naruto could only create one and it was, unfortunately, useless. I can't allow him to pass" Iruka sighed, knowing that Naruto would take this harder than he should but it was for the best. Naruto struggled with all the basic techniques; it would only get harder for him if he didn't practice them safely in the academy.

"I'm sorry Naruto, but I'm sure with a little more time you'll pass with no problem" Iruka said, trying to console the blond, but Naruto simply turned around and exited the classroom.

Naruto didn't return to the classroom; he didn't want to face the idea that he might have been the only one to have failed. Instead, he went out to the courtyard and immediately felt stupid for not having just gone back to the classroom. Everyone was outside, giving each other congratulatory hugs and high fives on passing. Parents spoke merrily as they admired their children's accomplishments. Naruto managed to slip by them with only a few people pointing him out, and by the time he made it to his usual spot, a swing hanging from a large tree, he could already hear whisperings and laughter at how he was the only one that failed the exam. He sat for a while, admiring the birds and clear skies, but eventually pretending that he couldn't hear all the bad mouthing about him got to be too much. He reached into his pouch and pulled out his well-worn goggles. He slipped them on and readied himself to head home but before he could he noticed that someone had stopped next to him.

"Come on Naruto, let me walk you home" Mizuki offered, a sad smile on his face. Not in the mood to argue, Naruto agreed and allowed Mizuki to lead him away from the academy. Unbeknownst to the two of them, Iruka and the third Hokage watched as the two of walked off together—a grim look on both their faces.

"Iruka-sensei's tough, but he's not against you" Mizuki said. He and Naruto were sitting on top of Naruto's apartment building.

"Then why only me?" Naruto asked, turning to look at the instructor.

"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." Mizuki explained, the gentleness in his voice reminded Naruto of Iruka when Naruto first came to the leaf.

"I really wanted to graduate, I know it would have made Hinata happy to know her wishing me good luck wasn't a complete waste" Naruto sighed, hanging his head in disappointment.

Mizuki laughed; "Then I guess I have to tell you. It's a secret, but I'm gonna let you in on it." he smiled. 'A secret?' Naruto thought. 'Why would Mizuki-sensei tell me this secret?' he pondered, but the idea of graduating and seeing Hinata smile and Sasuke maybe being happy about them both graduating cut the sleuthing in his mind short.

"I'm listening."

"Let's see…the first technique is the…multi…shadow…clone Jutsu" Naruto read the name of the technique out loud and felt his blood boil. "Of all the stupid techniques, why is this one first?" he complained. His eyes wandered down the list of techniques before another Jutsu caught his eye. "Flying…" Naruto's eyes lit up. "Now this is a technique I can get behind" he shouted into the night. He looked back at the first one on the list and frowned. "Stupid clones" he mumbled, before setting the scroll on the ground.

"I'll learn the shadow clone jutsu first…then I'll work on the other super cool one" he grinned at how brilliant he would seem if he could learn two of the techniques in one night. Iruka would have to let him pass.

"It's all over" Iruka stopped in front of a huffing Naruto, who could only laugh—confusing Iruka.

"Caught me already, not bad. You're quick Iruka-sensei. I just finished learning this technique" Naruto rubbed the back of his head in disbelief. He thought for sure it would have taken longer for them to find him.

"Listen Iruka-sensei, I'm gonna show you this amazing jutsu and then you'll let me graduate. That's the way it works, right? Anyone who learns a jutsu from this scroll gets to become a ninja" Naruto excitedly explained.

"Where'd you get that idea from?" Iruka wasn't able to hide his confusion, something that Naruto picked up on.

"Mizuki-sensei told me about it. He told me where to get the scroll, and about this place, and…you look worried" Naruto pointed out. He wasn't wrong as Iruka was suddenly piecing together why Naruto would suddenly go this far when all he'd done up to this point was harmless pranks. Iruka felt uneasy and just as that feeling settled into his stomach, he felt the murderous intent from behind him.

"Look out" Iruka shouted, pushing Naruto out of the way.

"I see you found our little hide-away" Mizuki called out, staring down at both Iruka and Naruto. The latter looked between the two of them at a loss for words.

"So, that's how it is?" Iruka grunted, pulling a kunai from his thigh.

Mizuki extended his hand out to the boy; "Naruto, give me that scroll, now" he demanded.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked, turning to look at Iruka as another kunai hit the dirt. 'Did Mizuki just try to…kill me?' he thought, but before he could think about it any further, Iruka called out to him.

"Naruto, don't give Mizuki the scroll. It contains forbidden techniques that could put this village in danger. Mizuki used you to get the scroll for himself, for his own power" Iruka explained.

"Naruto, Iruka's just trying to trick you so he can take the scroll for himself" Mizuki shouted back. Laughing as he did so.

"Stop lying Mizuki. Leave Naruto alone" Iruka demanded, but Mizuki just laughed again.

"Oh, I'll tell you who's lying Naruto"

"Stop it, Mizuki. Don't!" Iruka yelled, but he was unable to do much more as his injured leg gave out.

"They've been lying to you this whole time Naruto. After you came here, the third Hokage passed a law that everyone knows except you."

"W-what law?" Naruto asked, giving Mizuki his undivided attention.

"Don't tell him, it's forbidden!" Iruka shouted, but Mizuki ignored him.

"The law is that no one can tell you that the nine tailed demon fox is inside you. The fox spirit that killed Iruka's parents and almost destroyed our village has taken over your body"

"Stop it!"

"They've all been sneaking around hiding things from you since you got here. Didn't you think it was strange how they treated you? Like you're dirt. Like you're dangerous. Like they don't want you here. They hate you just for being alive" Mizuki explained, relishing in the look of anguish now on Naruto's face.

It all made sense to him now. The constant feeling that someone else was in his head. The growling in his nightmares. The looks of hatred from the villagers, why they avoided him, why the dark room kept him as a weapon. Because he and the demon fox were one in the same.

"That's why you'll never be accepted in this village. Even your beloved sensei hates your guts" Mizuki's sadistic smile grew wide as he watched Naruto's chakra erupt around him in anger. 'It isn't true. It can't be true' Naruto desperately wanted to believe that it wasn't what Mizuki said it was. No matter how much he argued it though, it made sense. Master had made him a weapon because he was a demon.

"Do everyone a favor and just die!" Mizuki threw his giant shuriken at Naruto, who had yet to snap back to reality. Iruka, seeing that Naruto refused to moved from his spot, had no choice but to throw himself in front of it to protect the boy. The shuriken pierced his back, causing Iruka to cough blood onto Naruto's face.

"W-why'd you save me?" Naruto asked, his voice full of hurt and sadness.

"B-because we're the same. When I lost my parents, no one seemed to care. They didn't have time for me…they just forgot I was there. I started to do stupid things to get people's attention. I know that's how you feel Naruto. You feel lonely and it hurts inside, I let you down. I should have been there more for you. I let you down. I'm sorry, Naruto. I know you've suffered more than most. No one should have to suffer that much, no one should feel that lonely." Iruka managed to grunt out. Mizuki's laughter caught them both by surprise.

"Don't make me laugh. Iruka hated you from the moment you showed up. He was orphaned when the nine tailed fox attacked the village twelve years ago. Now that demon is inside you and he'll say anything to get the scroll back" Mizuki jumped down from his perch, reaching into his pouch as he did so. "I'll do you both the favor of putting you out of your misery." He tossed a handful of shuriken and kunai at the two, and even in pain Iruka managed to grab Naruto and jump out of the way.

"Naruto are you hurt?" Iruka asked, looking over the boy.

"Just accept your fate. He's not even human" Mizuki called out, preparing his second giant shuriken.

"Stay here, Naruto" Iruka whispered. He stood to face Mizuki. Naruto's eyes widened as he remembered similar words being spoken to him in a similar situation.

"Just DIE!" Mizuki screamed, cocking back with his giant shuriken. Before he could launch it though, Naruto, who took the instructors by surprise when he charged towards Mizuki, sunk his foot into Mizuki's gut—sending him sliding back.

"I won't let you lay a finger on Iruka-sensei" Naruto growled. Iruka couldn't see Naruto's face, but he could feel the iciness in the boy's voice and could only imagine that his eyes were just as cold. The murderous intent radiating from him was almost suffocating. Naruto's chest was heaving in anger, he was looking at Mizuki like a wild animal about to devour its prey. 'Stay here, Naruto-Kun' those words echoed in his mind. The last words that Rias had spoken to him before she gave her life trying to protect him. He refused to let someone else give their life for him. He wouldn't allow it.

"Do you really think you could beat me? I'm a Chunin" Mizuki boasted, a wicked smile on his face.

"No" Naruto's voice was barely more than a whisper. "I'm going to kill you" he promised before tossing the giant scroll on his back towards Iruka.

"Shadow clone jutsu" he called out. Four more Naruto's popped into existence, each with that same murderous intent. They charged towards Mizuki, setting themselves to the task of ripping the chunin apart.

Mizuki wasn't about to go down without a fight to an academy student though. He slashed at each clone as they came at him. They would dodge or counter, and slowly they were beginning to overwhelm him. Naruto and his clones landed punch after punch, kick after kick. They tossed Mizuki into the air just to jump after him and toss him back towards the ground. Finally, Mizuki managed to get rid of two of the clones and not soon after the other two followed suit.

"You'll need more than just weak clones of yourself to beat me" he chuckled, wiping away sweat from his chin.

"Naruto, get out of here while you still can" Iruka pleaded, but for all the good it did, he might as well have said nothing.

Naruto reached into his pouch and pulled out a small scroll. He tossed it towards Mizuki, as it started to unroll, Naruto performed a hand seal; "Metal swarm strike" he called out, and out from the scroll came dozens of kunai and shuriken. Mizuki was hard pressed to dodge them and by the time he was in the clear, more Naruto clones showed up to attack him. They pummeled him into the dirt. They beat him until blood was everywhere. They stood over his body as he lied in the dirt, gasping for air.

Naruto reached into his pouch again, this time pulling out a blank tag. He bit down on his finger and began to draw out sealing symbols. When he was done, he placed the tag on Mizuki's chest before performing a set of complex hand seals.

"Naruto, whatever you're about to do, don't" Iruka cried out. He didn't know what Naruto's technique would do, but he had to try and stop him. "Don't become the demon that Mizuki said you are. You're Naruto Uzumaki. You're not a monster" Iruka pleaded, trying desperately to get Naruto to stop. The blond froze for a moment, before turning to face Iruka.

"Do you know what this technique is sensei?" he asked, taking the tag off Mizuki. Iruka shook his head, almost afraid to hear the answer. "It's the seal for the soul detachment technique. Someone like Mizuki doesn't deserve one" the coldness in Naruto's voice made Iruka shudder.

"But you promised Lord Hokage that you wouldn't kill anyone. Do you plan on breaking that promise?" Iruka demanded, pushing himself to stand. "Let Lord Hokage decide the punishment for Mizuki, Naruto. You did more than enough" he limped towards the blond who still held the tag in his hands. Iruka could see the confliction.

"He would have killed you Iruka-sensei" Naruto mumbled, letting the tag slip from his fingers. "He would have killed you the way they killed Rias" Naruto's voice started to crack. Iruka thought that Naruto was angry because of what Mizuki revealed. Instead, he was angry because he didn't do anything to save Rias and didn't want to relive it.

"Rias would be proud of you Naruto. You learned the shadow clone jutsu, you protected me, and you stopped Mizuki. It's enough Naruto. You don't have to go any further" Iruka placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. Turning him away from the blood mess of that is Mizuki.

"Naruto, close your eyes" Iruka instructed. He did as he was told and after a moment, Iruka told him he could open his eyes. Iruka was standing in front of him, sans forehead protector and it was then that Naruto noticed he was holding his goggles. Naruto reached up and felt Iruka's forehead protector on his own head and looked at Iruka in confusion.

"You passed Naruto. You are now a Genin of the leaf village. Congratulations" Iruka beamed, clapping the boy on the shoulder. He grunted in pain as Naruto pulled him into a hug.

"Thank you, Iruka. For everything" the act took Iruka by surprise. This was possibly the most affectionate thing Naruto had ever done. He hugged the boy back, realizing that the third had been right. Naruto just needed people to care about him and he would eventually be able to be a normal kid.

"I see" Hiruzen huffed. He was tired and annoyed that Mizuki had managed to get so close to stealing the scroll, but he was also pleased to hear that Naruto managed to not only stop him but restrain himself from going any further than that.

"I agree with your decision to pass Naruto. Learning the shadow clone jutsu…I wouldn't have thought it possible for him" he admitted.

Iruka smiled; "Honestly Lord Hokage, I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself."

"Yes, well, this shows that Naruto is far more capable than we originally thought" Hiruzen contemplated something before resting his gaze on Iruka; "Are you certain that was all he learned from the scroll?" he asked, waiting with a discerning eye as Iruka nodded.

"I can't say for sure. Naruto didn't mention anything else that he may have learned. Once the anbu came to collect Mizuki there wasn't much time to speak with Naruto" Iruka explained. Hiruzen didn't seem pleased with that answer, but accepted it none the less.

"We'll have to be sure to keep an eye on the boy. I want to know what else he could have possibly learned from that scroll, if anything" he sighed; "I'm getting far too old to deal with this." Causing both men to laugh.

"That's h-horrible, N-Naruto-Kun" Hinata's horrified voice louder than normal as Naruto finished explaining to her what happened the night before.

"It was nothing. Iruka-sensei really came to my rescue. He was something else" Naruto lied. He agreed not to tell anyone what happened in the forest between him and Mizuki. Instead, the story was being spun that Mizuki stole the scroll, Naruto saw him do it, so Mizuki kidnapped Naruto as a way to ensure his escape. Iruka, having heard what happened from the Hokage and the rest of the chunin and jounin, managed to track Mizuki down and put a stop to him.

"S-still…if Iruka-sensei h-hadn't f-found you…" Hinata's words trailed off as she averted her gaze.

"Nah, I'm sure Mizuki would have let me go eventually. There was nothing he'd gain by taking me anyway" Naruto shrugged. He hated lying to the gentlehearted Hyuga, but the third insisted this was to keep him safe from any future attacks. Hinata didn't look like she fully bought that excuse but she let it go regardless.

Naruto had run into Hinata walking back from Yamanaka flower shop and decided to walk with her a bit. He currently had a bunch of flowers that he couldn't name wrapped in his arms as Hinata led him towards the Hyuga compound. They spent much of the afternoon talking about what allegedly happened to Naruto, and much of their walk with him trying to convince her that it wasn't as bad as it sounded.

"What's wrong, Hinata?" Naruto asked, noticing that she kept eyeing his headband.

"I g-guess that m-means you w-won't be wearing t-the goggles anymore" she said, crestfallen at the idea that her gift would be an afterthought now.

"What? Are you kidding? I definitely will. I'll always have them with me" Naruto reassured, looking at the Hyuga in disbelief. "Besides, they're a gift from you, how could I not wear it?" he added, causing Hinata to blush a bright pink. She turned her head away to hide the smile but couldn't do anything to hide the blush. Luckily, Naruto was too busy trying to get a bee to leave him alone that he hadn't noticed.

"Lady Hinata" Naruto, finally getting the bee to buzz off, stopped in front of the Hyuga compound to see the man that was always with Hinata before.

"Ko-san…N-Naruto-Kun w-was k-kind enough t-to carry t-these for me" she explained. Ko looked between the two of them and nodded. He approached Naruto and took the flowers from him.
"Thank you for your assistance" he coldly said, before gesturing for Hinata to head inside.

"T-thank you, N-Naruto-kun. S-see you later" Hinata sadly said with a wave. Naruto returned the gesture. He disliked whenever Ko was around. Always looking down on him with that sneer. It made him want to put the Hyuga in his place. He sighed before heading back in the direction he just came from, his eyes fixed on the Hokage stone faces. He couldn't stop thinking about what Mizuki had told him about the nine tailed fox and the fourth Hokage.

"I'll be a better Hokage than you ever were."

AN: And there it is. The Mizuki fight was so close to going a different way but I like the original story of Naruto learning the shadow clones and putting the beats on him. Just in mine he didn't need a hundred clones to do so. I thought about adding Naruto meeting Konohamaru in this chapter but just pretend that he did and that he didn't kill him for stalking. I know someone will say that Hinata is OC, but I always thought it weird that she didn't just talk to Naruto. He would have gladly accepted her friendship, even if he is a dunce. Sasuke's being a little distant, but he'll warm up to our favorite knucklehead. Just wait. Also, Naruto saw exactly what you think he saw in the scroll. Yes. Just yes. And nothing else.

Until next time.