The Vengeance of the Spiral
Chapter 1: Academy Days
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the associated materials.
The village hidden in the leaf was home to many, too thousands, all of varying backgrounds and motivations and somehow they had been brought together, through means unexplained. Far be it to say, those of the Hidden Leaf found in the Fire Nation hold the ability to use the fire element with elegance and class belaying, astounding all that watched.
Or to say The Village Hidden in the Clouds, home to those brown as earth and pale as gentle moonlight. They electrified their few civilian counterparts, with their mastery over the skies spear, practically weponizing the expression of the gods, some even calling it 'God's will'. Their mastery over such an element leading to technological innovations unmatched in power and genius.
The Village Hidden in the Stones, home to those that would erect mountains and sink graves so deep within the recesses of the earth that some thought they carted them directly to the underworld. Some spoke of mastery so profound that ninja defied the earth its very laws and took flight.
Those spoken of in the far away land of water, deep within the Village hidden in the Mist, could create their very own lakes and rivers, on a whim, unleashing torrents and tidal waves from their razor teeth filled jaws and creating dragons of legend to upturn and flood the lands.
And those so scarcely spoken of, you'd expect them not to exist, deep in the sands of wind country, those could tame the wild winds, tempering it into weapons with battle fans the size and stature of its wielder. They uprooted trees and boulders, willing the hand of their God, unseen, unheard, but no less deadly.
Many would say, this was how you defined the people of different countries-that is-by the element that they wielded. Except in the Hidden Leaf village, it worked a little different. There were users and practitioners of all types, from earth to lightning and the indomitable flames.
Other villages, very much had the same diversity but not in a concentration as great as the Hidden leaf village. It was rare-even more so, than those of the wind element-and lauded above all, but a small percentage of leaf shinobi held dual affinities; something unheard and unseen off in any other country.
Some may ask, how this was possible? What was the very catalyst for this? And those same people may hypothesis that the founder of the village and the then, leader of the Senju clan, Hashirama Senju was responsible for this, and they were not wrong.
However, far be it to think they stayed all these years after the death of the man or that his power was the catalyst alone to birth such a diverse population, so long after his death. After all, he was nothing but a shinobi, a killer, a warrior and a leader, that happened to birth the very life and nature that the Leaf Village was so famous for.
The truth is, there is a power so esoteric, and so ancient, it goes back to the first religion. Most researchers never found even but a whisper of this old religion, nonetheless, it exists in the form of the leaf villages' ultimate motto: The Will of Fire.
A phrase of power to some, and an explanation behind the importance of teamwork. The will of fire is more than some lesson in teamwork, and belief in some abstract god or goddess, with very little grounding. It has been around since the very beginning, to the time whispered as: The time of the sage.
It is in this very village, that we find a young boy, with no family to call his own. No ninja clan or heritage to cling to and yet, the smile that broke his face when he was notified of his acceptance into the Leaf Village Shinobi Academy was almost contagious.
The head matron smiled gently at the boy, "Naruto-kun, it is unfortunate but you will have to leave the orphanage. You'll be moved to another orphanage, for little shinobi like yourself."
"I have to go?" his large blue eyes widened, and glistened as moisture built around the edges, threatening to spill.
"Do not be so down, you will be joining other children of your age. Your new home will have everything you need. Training grounds, tutors, libraries. I promise. And you can visit anytime." she bent over to his level.
Naruto felt Miss Tasumi squeezing his shoulder. "O-okay, I guess that's okay. S-so I can come see you? A-and Daisuke? Anytime?"
She squeezed his shoulder once more. "Anytime, Naruto-kun."
Naruto smiled weakly and the edges of his eyes overfilled, and the waterfalls cascaded down his smooth cheeks. "None of that, this is a happy day." she wiped the tears from his face with the back of her soft, brown, cotton sleeves. "You're going to make me proud, aren't you?"
"Yes! I'm going to become the best ninja ever! They're gonna write 'bout me in all the books and stuff. That's a promise!"
"Now, why don't you get packed up?" asked Tasumi, she had returned to her full height. "You wouldn't want to keep your new guardians waiting, now would you?"
Naruto's new orphanage didn't happen to hold all the streamlined elegance that Tasumi had painted it as. There was but one bookshelf in the common area, surrounded by lumpy, green-stained, brown couches that had twirling coils punching through three of the eight cushions.
In the center sat an uneven table with uneven legs, and a stained top. At least, the carpet-or rather mat-seemed fairly new, and mostly intact.
"This is the common area or the common room. In here you will be allowed to discuss topics and Ninjutsu with your housemates, and off to the right, you have a bookshelf of books if you ever get bored with your training." his matron wasn't exactly as he expected. He was by no means a woman, in fact, he limped on one leg.
The right side of his face was smooth, and twisted like oak, while the other side, drooped, and bright blue eyes gleamed in the depths of his deep, sockets. Even as he smiled good-naturedly at one of his jokes, and his face twisted into what Naruto could only call a dark facsimile of a smile, Naruto shuddered took a step back.
"What's wrong boy? Do I scare you?" sallow skin twitched and a mass of gray above his eyes furrowed. "This is the life you have come to. We can't all be like Sandaime-sama and age gracefully."
Naruto inched away from the oppressive man, no! What did you promise Tasumi? You're going to be the best! "No! I'm not scared you're just ugly! That's not my fault, sheesh!"
The old man laughed-or at least he assumed that gargling sound that escaped his throat was a laugh-he dropped down to Naruto's six-year-old level, and a sound like snapping twigs followed him all the way down. "I like you kid! you've got spunk. don't lose that." Blue eyes gleamed from their shallow caves, "Now come on, let's drop your belongings off in your room."
Naruto dropped his small bag off in the room provided. At least I get my own room, pondered the blond, as his scanned around the room. Its walls were… some color between yellow and brown, and may have once been white. Upon the face brick surface, there seemed to be an old, faded cutout or poster, with a barely recognizable leaf printed in its center.
The bed was covered in three thin blankets and a ratty pillow with spiraling yellow-brown stains close to the edges. It was between the shut window and a hardwood table with a set of three draws, one of which was missing a handle.
Naruto clicked the lamp on and off, seemingly satisfied with the faded yellow light that projected out from the top of the brown-stained lampshade he turned on his heel and closed the door with a click.
Naruto and Ryuzetsu-Naruto's caretaker-entered a gray building with no discernible features, except for the word shinobi that was inscribed into the gold doorknob.
The blonde looked up at the part of his face that was unmarred by wars of the past,"So is there anyone else in the orphanage? That place looked really dry!"
"Certainly kid, but all of them are at the academy. None of 'em are your age though. Close to graduating, who was it again…" the old man scratched the gnarled and weathered side of his face. "Ahh yes, Toshiro. Very dedicated lad."
Naruto nodded alongside, remaining silent, yet his eyes were forever vigilant as they darted from corner to corner, and door to door. He clenched and unclenced his fists, as sweat began to pour from each pore, making him sticky and wet.
Naruto was interrupted from his internal anxiety, "Bit of a stick in the mud, mind you."
Naruto looked up at the old man who happened to be rubbing his back and sighing low with each application of pressure. "Huh?"
"Toshiro, boy, don't you listen? Biggest stick in the mud I know." he locked eyes with Naruto, and young boy wasn't ashamed to say that he almost tripped on his feet. "Don't be so nervous. I said you have spunk didn't I? don't disappoint me."
With that Ryuzetsu picked up his pace and straightened his slouched shoulders. Naruto wiped his clammy hands on his green shorts with much too many pockets. 'He's right! I'm Naruto dammit!'
The blond caught up with the old man, with renewed vigor, and the duo soon came upon a door labeled: Inoichi Yamanaka.
"I'm gonna have to stay outside, kid." Naruto paused mid-step, with one hand on the door and the other on his chest. "Don't worry kid, just show them your spunk and you'll be good."
Naruto gripped on to his black shirt for a second, letting out a short breath and nodding. He twisted the golden knob of the door but before he made the final push, he turned back to Ryuzetsu, "I won't let you down,"
The last thing Naruto saw was the visage of Ryuzetsu twisting and knotting, and that's all the blond needed to know.
On the other side of the door, there was a large window overlooking much of the village but was still below the faces of the people in the mountains. Some said they were the faces of gods, and others said it was the mountains many heads. The matron told him it was the faces of their leaders, the Hokage.
The far side of the room was flanked by a cabinet filled to the brim with files and folders, and right around the center was a sandy-haired man, with calming blue eyes and prominent cheekbones. "Greetings, you are Naruto, I presume."
Naruto gulped and swallowed thickly. "Damn right I am. And who are you?"
"My name is Inoichi, my job is to evaluate your psyche and gauge whether or not your chakra capacity to sufficient to study the shinobi arts." He leveled Naruto with an even gaze. "are you ready?"
"Umm-okay, yeah, I guess so?" Naruto felt slightly unbalanced. It felt as if those eyes saw right into his head. it felt as if it knew that Naruto was thinking about Ramen, spirals and not letting the old man down.
Inoichi cleared his throat, "Please make yourself comfortable, Naruto-kun."
Naruto hesitantly took a seat, the chair was cold and stiff, and his feet hung over the edge. "So tell me, why do you want to be a shinobi?"
"W-well ninja are cool," the blonde said quietly, "You know they save princesses and make fireballs and stuff. If I get to be a ninja then I can help Miss Tasumi like she helped me!"
Inoichi hummed and nodded as he wrote several notes onto a clipboard. "Interesting, I only have a few more questions for you, before we move on to the next test."
The session took another forty minutes in total, and Naruto couldn't be more pleased to be back on his feet, despite the pricks of a thousand miniature knives riddling his legs. He took one step forward and had to catch his balance on the arm of the chair.
"Alright, Naruto-kun, I hope you don't mind needles?"
The blond's eyebrows furrowed, "Needles, what do you mean?"
Inoichi held the door open for him as he replied, "Well, we will be drawing blood. It isn't serious, it's just to check if you don't have any underlying diseases, and it can also tell us if you're related to any of the major clans in the Leaf village."
Naruto's eyes widened, and his cheeks puffed out as his lips stretched across his face, " S-so you can tell me who my family is?"
Inoichi looked down sadly and shook his head, "No, only if you are related to one of the big clans in the Leaf. It's very rare but it does happen. Unfortunately, you'll only find out when you reach the rank of Chunin. It is classified information after all."
Naruto looked down as he stepped into the hallway, but he quickly straightened his back and looked around the hallway. "Huh, where's the old man?"
"You mean Ryuzetsu-sama?" he continued when Naruto nodded, "He will be back when your tests are done. Do not worry, he will be here soon."
Naruto stared in the spot he last saw the old man, his twinkling blue eyes smiled at him and he tightened his fists. Show them your spunk, kid! Quickly, the blonde ran to catch up with the sandy-haired man's long strides and fell in step with him.
"So, you been on any real cool missions? A big guy like you must be doing all types of cool missions. Fighting bears and dragons and stuff, right?" the young blond's eyes gleamed.
He snorted at the boy, "Heh, I wish but I'm needed elsewhere. You see this coat?" he pointed to the gray, thick coat around his shoulders and behind his knees, " Only ninja from the T and I department wear these. When you start learning the ninja arts, you wont think that my job is that cool." then he added, somewhat sadly, "Ino doesn't either."
"Huh, who's Ino? And what do ya do anyway?" asked Naruto.
"Well, basically I dissect clues, and get acquire information from people through differing means, and that is all I can tell you for the moment." explained Inoichi, as his sandy brown pony tail swung to-and-fro at his back.
"OH! I know what you are! You're a policeman! You're like those Uchiha guys with the pink-eye!" exclaimed Naruto. At first he had no idea what the tall guy was talking about, and what does acqu-er- acquiring mean anyway? The young boy paused his mind's machinations when he heard the man snort.
"Pink-eye? That's gold. Wait until Shikaku hears about this." he straightened when he noticed Naruto's inquisitive gaze. "Yeah, Naruto-kun. I'm like a detective. A gross over generalization, but yes."
"Cool, you better catch those bad guys!" Naruto sniped as he entered through a large door that had a window he couldn't reach.
On the other side of the door it was like a flash-bang had went off, the stark white of the room was blinding, he took one sniff of the room and he crinkled his nose as the smell of antiseptics burned through his nostrils.
"Sure thing," Inoichi closed the door behind him with a click. In the middle of the room was an elevated hospital bed, also covered in the uniform white that made up the rest of the room. Off to the side, there was a desk with several folders that towered above a dark-haired man.
"Another one?" sighed the man, turning around completely. His head was flaked by grey hair on either side. He wore a forehead protector, carved with a stylized leaf and pinned to a dark headband. "You could have at least given me warning. This place is a mess."
Inoichi gave Naruto a look that suggested that room was always so cluttered. "Well, good thing you're not entertaining guests, Yaru-san."
He rolled his eyes, "Feeling funny today, are we?" he picked Naruto up without much preamble. The blonde didn't even have the chance to struggle as he was plonked on the stiff, white bed. "Let's get this over with, shall we?"
Inoichi stood back as the Yaru got to work, securing a tight, rubber band around the blonde's arm, and before he knew it, blood travelled up a syringe, and he hissed as the needle was pulled from his tight skin.
The dark-haired man wiped the blood that pulsed from his forearm, and covered it with a small plaster, "Alright, all done. Ask Inoichi for a lollipop will you?"
Naruto chuckled as he winked, these guys weren't too bad. Not having friends wasn't so bad when the adults were so, undeniably cool. "Come on Naruto, it's just to test your chakra capacity and you're free to go."
Naruto was back at the orphanage, Ryuzetsu had come to pick him up from the department, and he noticed that it was somewhat busier when he returned. There were some older kids outside, training with each other, while a few younger, yet older than Naruto lazed around against a tree, seemingly relaxing.
According to Inoichi's own tests, Naruto's chakra capacity was higher than any civilian born ninja, but average, and even low for a shinobi born into a clan. One of the tests suggested that he had a lot of room for growth because his chakra coils had a high density and flexibility quality to them not often seen in Shinobi, let alone those of civilian origin.
Naruto didn't quite understand the specifics of it at all, he had no idea what this "chakra stuff" had to do with being a ninja. Kicking ass and saving princess was all about being cool and looking cool while being cool.
Later that night Naruto came down for dinner, and he got to see all the kids. None of them were his age, they raked their eyes across him, and some of them shared dark looks with one another before looking to a white-haired boy and then returning to their meals.
Naruto joined them at the end of the long table, the chicken was already cold, and the potatoes were already hard, cold, and dry but it was food and his stomach was burning.
Naruto took a deep bite from the cold chicken and the juices sprayed into the back of his throat, "Did I say that you were allowed to eat?"
Naruto swallowed thickly, "What are you talking about?"
The white-haired boy stood up, rising to his full height. "I said, 'Did I say that you were allowed to eat?' are you hard of hearing or just stupid. I'm the head honcho around here, do you hear? If you want to eat you're going to have to get down on your knees and beg."
The white-haired boy had almost reached Naruto's side of the table. "What you mean? Old man Ryuzetsu is the boss around here."
"That old weakling? He couldn't squash a bug, never mind lead the orphan unit. Don't come in here and talk shit. You should be on your knees, scum."
One of the kids next to him whispered, "Just get on your knees man, it's not worth it, Toshiro is the boss around here." Naruto studied the kid, he was white-faced and his eyes darted around nervously as if he expected the white-haired boy to jump at him from beneath the table.
Naruto launched to his feet, standing below the chest of the white-haired boy. "I don't care who you think you are! I'm only going to listen to old man Ryuzetsu, not some wannabe ninja, you big meanie!"
Naruto didn't see the kick that crumpled him against the faded white walls of the dinning hall, nor did he see Ryuzetsu watching from the corner of the room, expressionless.
"What the hell is the big idea?" the blond thundered to his feet, pointing an accusing finger at Toshiro, "That hurt, you know!"
"It was supposed to, idiot," Toshiro's fist whipped across his body, scoring a blow across Naruto's lip.
The blond fell to his knees. blood dripped from his lip, splashing onto the gray wood floors. "Why?" he groaned and tears soon joined his deep crimson blood, becoming almost rosette. "Tell me why!"
Naruto looked up at Toshiro but he locked eyes with someone else, gnarled was the one side of his face and Naruto knew, somehow he knew.
"I like you kid! you've got spunk. don't lose that."
Blood slipped from his lip, splashing and splattering as it joined the rest of his crimson soup. Toshiro was flapping his gums, and spittle rolled and slid from his lips spraying over the walls behind Naruto.
"Don't be so nervous. I said you have spunk didn't I? don't disappoint me."
The boy's bangs were swinging wildly now, he had his fists clenched and Naruto knew (he didn't know how, call it ninja instinct) that Toshiro was rearing to go.
He locked eyes with Ryuzetsu once more, looked back down at his blood on the floor. Were you really going to let this happen? You have spunk don't you, Naruto? Naruto blinked, and in the next second, he had launched himself headfirst into the jaw of the bent-over of Toshiro.
Blood sprayed across the blond's face but he didn't care, it wasn't his blood. As soon as Toshiro brought his hands to his mouth, Naruto kicked him in the shin and spat into his open eyes. "That's called spunk!"
Naruto stormed out the room, collecting his plate on the way out. Nobody was going to talk to him like that, he was Naruto dammit! And Ryuzetsu said that he had spunk! He wasn't going to disappoint him if it was the last thing he did.
A week had gone by as quickly as it came, and he noticed Toshiro and the rest of the kids avoiding him as much as he avoided them, although he did notice Ryuzetsu sending him small, twisted smiles-that some may not even recognize as smiles; but merely twitches of a deformed face.
Who cared about making friends? Not, Naruto that's for sure. Every grown up-and these were the types of people that the kids said not to trust-that Naruto met had been nothing but nice to him. He wouldn't betray them just so that he could have friends that would ditch him for someone more popular.
He had spunk after all. He couldn't actually believe that he said that to the rest of the orphanage that night. Spunk? What kind of kid said that? Obviously Naruto did, and it felt good. In days to come, he would learn that a little backbone never hurt anyone, unfortunately, when that bone starts growing spines, you tend to impale yourself.
The morning air brushed against his ear, whispering coolly as it carried three leaves with it, twirling and dancing over the sidewalk. He waved at a few of the villagers, who seemed to pause and back away as if they had been struck. They shook themselves out of their stupor and waved back, and Naruto continued on.
The trend continued all the way up to the academy, and even as he entered the administration department, a separate building from the academy building. It was square, with green walls that blended in with the forestry that the leaf village was so famous for.
The roof of the building narrowed into a high, rectangular tower with two windows, one at the base of the tower and one closer to the top.
Inside the building, there was a large office loaded with chairs, and it made the lack of people disconcerting, especially in such a large space. He took a seat up front, and he noticed that the room to the left was the principal's office.
A woman took up residence behind a clear screen window, and Naruto waited patiently for her to take notice. Now, Naruto wasn't counting, but he was certain that over twenty-minutes had gone by.
Finally, the red-eyed woman took notice and snapped, "Yes?"
Something about the way she glared at him made him truly uncomfortable, "Uh, I'm Naruto."
She almost launched herself through the glass, and Naruto sunk deeper into the chair. No, you have spunk, Naruto! "Ryuzetsu sent me," he hurriedly said, those guys in the T and I building sure respected him, why not her?
She was blank-faced for a second, then realization seemed to hit her like a horse carriage running at full speed, and she softened her features considerably, "Ahh, Naruto-san, from the orphan unit, yes?"
"Yes! Ryuzetsu is the best." Naruto was still slightly taken aback, adults were the coolest. Maybe this lady was off her medicine or something.
Naruto closed the distance between himself and the clear window, he had to step on the tips of his blue sandals to look up at the red-eyed woman, who he noticed seemed to have dark blue hair, edging on purple that was tied up in a bun.
It was the oddest thing for Naruto, Adults were always the best, they never let him down or ditched him. They were always looking out for him and making sure he ate his food and got himself clean. Teaching him how to read and even Ryuzetsu, Ryuzetsu had done more for him than any other.
"Yes, here you are. Hmmm, Naruto, no last name-you had an evaluation with Inoichi last week if this information is correct, and you're due to join class 1(b)." she looked down at the blond and smiled. "I'm sorry about earlier, Naruto-san, I thought you were someone else. Anyway, your class is on the first floor. Take the corridor to the right until you go past the bathroom and the class will be on your right."
She handed Naruto a plain envelope through an opening in the glass, it neat black script on its front, "My name is Mai, and you can come to me if you have any questions." she sat back down and Naruto returned back to his heels, "Please give that to your teacher, Iruka-sensei."
Naruto bent down and rubbed his calves for a second before he left Mai to her duties. As he walked across the lively grass that made up the academy grounds, Naruto couldn't up the winces that escaped his lips. He bent down once more and rubbed his burning calves again, part of him wanted to rest his bare legs on the cool, dew covered grass but he didn't have the time for that so he continued on his way.
When he entered the building, he took a left at the entrance, and when he reached the end, just past the bathrooms, he knocked on the door, and pushed the door open when the gentle, "Come in," was announced through the other side of the door.
A woman stood in front of the class. She had long black hair, green eyes, and ruby lips. "Yes, young man, can I help you?"
Naruto stood in awe before the woman, staying silent for a moment longer, and then his brain caught up with what his eyes were seeing. What was Toshiro doing here? And why was everyone so big?
Maybe they thought he was a super-advanced student? And this lady doesn't look like an Iruka either! "I'm looking for Iruka-er-sensei."
"You've got the wrong class kido," said a boy upfront.
"Yes, Iruka-sensei's class is all the way down the corridor. That Mai is always so ditzy. Did she even give you directions?"
"Um, yeah…" he trailed off, looking away.
"Anyway, hurry along now, kiddo." she shooed him out the class, and Naruto let out a large breath, one he wasn't sure that he had been holding.
The head of Toshiro pocked through a crack in the classroom door and Naruto's soul almost left his body. "You better hope we don't meet too soon, brat," he said nastily. "Ryuzetsu isn't around to protect you."
With that Toshiro's head disappeared behind the crack and the door clicked shut. When his heart returned to beating normally, he wiped a trickle of sweat from his forehead and turned on his heel, ignoring the feeling of trepidation that sunk into his naval.
Yeah right, I beat you once and I can beat you again!
When Naruto found the class on the other side of the corridor, he triple checked that it indeed, class 1(b), and knocked on the door. There was a soft, 'come in,' and he turned the doorknob, this time with some trepidation for what may be behind it.
The class was filled with a lot of small kids, just like him, so he was certain he was in the right place. The teacher stood in front of the class, staring confusedly at Naruto. His brown eyes seemed to dart between Naruto and another boy.
Naruto locked eyes with him, and it was like looking in a mirror. His eyes were just as blue, but where Naruto's eyes were warm, and welcoming, his eyes were hard and cold like glaciers, and under each eye the boy had whisker marks running down each cheek, almost ferally. His hair was the same tone as Naruto's down to the last highlight, except the style was all wrong. Where Naruto's hair spiked in every possible direction imaginable, the other boy's hair was much shaggier and longer than Naruto's own.
Personally, Naruto thought he looked like one of the mountain faces. His teacher finally spoke up and Naruto tried not to look at the scar that ran across his tanned skin for too long. "How may I help you, uh?"
Naruto gave him the envelope and watched him open it, "I'm Naruto, the lady from the office…er what's her name?" Naruto scratched his chin cutely, causing some of the girls to stare open-eyed at him. "Umm, I think she said that her name was Mai?"
"Oh, I see!" Iruka exclaimed brightly, You must be my new student," he lowered his voice. "I was expecting you over a half-hour ago, please don't make a habit of coming late." Iruka turned to the rest of the class, "This is Naruto-kun, please give him a warm welcome."
Naruto slowly turned to the assembled students and smiled, shyly. "My name is Naruto. I hope we can be friends." he bowed to the students and then to Iruka. "I am in your care."
That was about the limit of his manners, and he quickly found a seat towards the rear end of the classroom.
Naruto happened to notice more than a few of his fellow students giving him curious glances, but he ignored those in favor of listening to Iruka's lesson that seemed to be about 'The history of basic Shinobi tools'. The lesson quite intrigued him and it had nothing to do with the fact that he promised them a practical lesson in Shurikenjutsu. Nope, not at all.
Later that day, with a sore head, and the energy levels of a tortoise, he found himself on the academy grounds for lunch. He had tagged along with a group of five, consisting of two girls and three boys. He was invited along by a boy named, Daisuke.
"I wouldn't want you to get teased," said the boy, he had short-cropped hair and wore a set headphones over his head. "You can call me Daichi, if you want."
"Yeah no kidding, I remember the time we almost joined that Kiba kid and his friends." a boy with ash grey hair said from beside them.
"The clan kids are that bad huh?" asked Naruto, looking around the field with some interest.
"The only one I've seen playing with clan kids is that Sakura girl," one of the girls scowled. "She goes around acting like she's so much better than us, but she's just a meanie. Isn't that right, Sayuri?"
The girl in question looked up from her lunch. She had long hair tied behind her head in a loose ponytail, and eyes that gleamed like the clearest of waters. Something far out of place was a mark on her forehead.
Naruto tried not to stare for too long, but the mark seemed to resonate with him. A spiral sphere in the center, surrounded by four sets of right-angled lines in the formation of an 'X'.
"Whatever, I don't really care." she shrugged but Naruto wasn't entirely convinced. A small, almost imperceptible frown seemed to grow on her face before she returned her attention back to her meal.
Naruto tried to not let it bother him, but kids were so confusing. They had a whole dynamic and rules for interaction that felt completely alien to him. If he wanted to say or do anything, that was in fact what he did. He saw no reason to conform to unsaid rules and laws, but this time he would listen to Daichi.
Naruto scanned over the academy grounds once more and he found himself locking eyes with the same boy from before. He could understand why so many looked between him and the other blond. If Naruto didn't know any better, he'd mistake the other boy to be his brother.
"What about him?" Naruto gestured to his blond counterpart. "Is he also part of a clan?"
Daichi shook his head, it was a wonder that he could hear him through his headphones, "No, but we stay far away from him. All of our parents say the same. He is a bad boy and we stay away from bad boys."
Naruto silently contemplated, "And have you seen how quiet he is. Sometimes I swear he doesn't even breathe." another boy this time answered. He was large around the gut and he wore a beanie that almost covered his dark eyes. "my dad says he'll dig my hole if I ever play with him because I will die."
Naruto stewed at their words. On one hand, he hated the system the kids had set up on the playground-it was stifling. Although, on the other hand, if other adults said the same, they couldn't all be wrong.
Naruto looked away, his first thought was he was mean to all the grown-ups, but that couldn't be right, could it? He was one of the quietest kids Naruto had seen. He must have done something real bad.
Naruto sat down next to Sayuri, "So, what's that thing on your face?"
They all froze, as she raised chilling gray eyes and pinned them on Naruto, "None of your business, orphan."
Naruto shrugged, "Okay!" then he said brightly, "I bet it's make-up!"
"It is not!" she exclaimed puffing out her soft cheeks.
Naruto scratched his chin, inching in closer, "Are you a clown then?" the blond inched a little closer and he was rewarded with a punch that rolled him backward, "OUCH! That hurt you know? What's the big idea anyways?"
Sayuri slung her bag across her back and gave him a chilling glare. "You might think that we are the same but we are not. Leave me alone." she turned to the other girl and said, "come, Tsuru I'm going back to class."
When Sayuri was out of earshot Daichi came over to Naruto, "Don't feel too bad, Naruto-san. She just doesn't have a nice daddy."
"Huh, what do you mean?"
"You know Hinata, right?" asked Daichi, his gray eyes cast a look over the academy grounds but he turned around and frowned.
"No, just got here, remember." Naruto massaged the side of his face. "What does this Hinata girl have to do with Sayuri's bad daddy?"
Daichi bit his lip nervously, "I'm not supposed to say…"
Naruto got up and touched his shoulder, "You don't haft to, but I won't tell anyone."
He held out his pinkie to Naruto, "You have to promise, okay?"
Naruto hooked his pinkie around Daichi's, and the headphone-clad boy said, "We never break a promise. We never go back on our word. That is our ninja way!"
Naruto recited it, and he had to say, it brought a smile to his face and ripped goose flesh across his back. It reminded him of someone. "Hinata and Sayuri are sisters. Their father is the boss of the Hyuuga clan. But Hinata is a Hyuuga and Sayuri isn't and Hinata hates Sayuri, sometimes when they fight, Hinata makes Sayuri's head hurt."
"Why does Hinata hate her?" Naruto was confused, people just didn't hate each other for nothing. They had to have done something.
"I once asked Sayuri that, and she said, she was born. So I don't know really. Just stop asking her about it, please." Daichi pleaded with him.
"Okay, I get it." not a moment later, the bell rang and Naruto and company were scrambling to get back to class. Daichi explained that Iruka-sensei had a' very scary head' and Naruto should try not to make him mad. Naruto wasn't sure what that meant but he had the feeling that he had to avoid that at all costs.
The day went by smoothly, except for the periodic glares that Sayuri would send him, be he avoided her gaze when he could. He was afraid that she would see the looks of pity on his face and find out that Daichi had betrayed her.
He had gone into the academy thinking that he would forsake any chance of making friends, however, now that he was here, he was sure that he didn't want to lose the friendships he had gained.
"Now then, before I let you go, I want you to write me an essay on your favorite Hokage. It doesn't have to be long, but it is due tomorrow." Iruka wrote it across the board and set the piece of chalk down. "Okay, get out of here," he caught them just before they burst forth from the class, "And remember, no excuses!"
Naruto joined the rest of the class on his way out, in no rush to get home at the moment. He had a few things on his mind that he had to ponder on and nothing was better than meandering his way down a long street filled with people to get the juices going.
As he walked down the main street of the village, he was almost knocked to the ground by a rushing wind clad in a blue shirt with a red fan on his back. "Sorry!" the dark-haired youth waved back at him, before disappearing around the corner.
"So, that was Sasuke, huh?" Daichi said he was the best in the class and his brother was a big-shot in the village or something.
Naruto waved at the few stall owners that were sitting outside their shops, again, a few of them seemed to hesitate for a second before returning the sentiment.
He reached the orphanage gates and he still hadn't any idea how he was going to do the assigned homework. He hadn't decided what he was going to do the assignment about, or rather, he hadn't decided who. The fact that he didn't know any of their names, or who they were made matters worse.
Naruto finally came to a stop in the dining hall and he noticed it was empty, maybe that would be the best place to get some thinking done. He was wrong, there was but one soul in the room besides himself. A half-twisted face was slumped over into an equally, weathered and beaten shoulder, eyes closed and mouth parted. The only sign that the elderly man still breathed was the slight rise and fall of his chest.
Wait! Maybe Ryuzetsu can help me!
Naruto rushed over to the old man and poked him hard in the chest but he didn't waver. His snores seemed to get heavier, in fact. "Wake up,"
Still, no answer, so he upped the ante, "I said WAKE UP!"
The elderly man was so startled that he almost fell from the chair he was sitting in, "W-what? Naruto! What do you think you're doing? Cant you leave an old man to his nap?"
"But you're the only one that can help me," Naruto pouted.
The old man rolled his eyes, "That shit doesn't work on me brat." his old man demeanor easily forgotten. "What do you want?"
Naruto licked his lips, "Well the academy asked us to write about our favorite Hokage."
"So? That sounds like a you problem." shrugged the old man as he dug a thick batch of earwax from his ear.
Naruto whined, "But I don't know any of them! Come on please, you have to know something about them. Iruka-sensei said it can be as long or short as we want."
Ryuzetsu relented, "The only Hokage I could really tell you anything about would be the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, my sensei and one hell of a man."
A/N: I'm honestly surprised where this fic has taken me, I was supposed to write about a weak Naruto getting strong. It was just an idea, honestly. Yet somehow it evolved into what I have here. I have fleshed out some of the greater ideas in my head but this is it for now.
Additionally, I am aware that OC characters aren't well taken to but they were necessary for the story.
This is probably not the final stage of this chapter, because it could very well change over time, depending on reader input and criticism
Thank you for reading and thank you to those who have already followed me and my other stories.
Review, follow, fav!.