Chapter 16: Walking a Mile
(Next day – After school)
[Ninja Academy – upperclassmen bathroom]
Sasuke was annoyed or was it angry? No scratched that, he was livid as he saw the reflection of Naruko Uzumaki glaring back at him in the mirror.
Yesterday night the Uchiha had trained, planned and mentally prepared for anything the Dead Last would come up with to beat him. By morning today, he had thought nothing would surprise him. Yet the moment the girl appeared she just threw him a package while saying "Hold on to that. You'll need it after school," all the while sporting a devilish smirk as she walked away. Letting his curiosity get the best of him Sasuke had tried to open the box wrapped like a gift with a clock-face on top of it. There was a letter below the clock-face labeled [INSTRUCTIONS] written in bold red. The moment he pulled at the top he got shocked and the clock started ticking down.
Realizing this was probably one of the Uzumaki's renowned traps, Sasuke decided to wait it out. However, that didn't stop him from trying to get Naruko to tell him about the challenge. Regretfully for him any of his questions were answered with chuckles, knowing grins, smirks or "Just wait, ~Sasuke-kun~. It's going to be fun." It made Sasuke grind his teeth at how well the supposed loudmouth without an indoor voice was managing to remain silent just to mess with him. Although part of him, which Sasuke vehemently refused to acknowledge, was impressed with the girl's ability to get under his skin with just a couple of facial expressions and words.
Yet, nothing, absolutely goddamn fucking nothing in this world prepared him for the situation he found himself in now. After school ended the timer stopped and the box was released. The first thing Sasuke did was open and read the instructions which ordered him to go to one of the upper bathrooms to change into items provided. Like an idiot, he did so and took off his shirt and pants before looking inside the box. By the time he had opened the box and realized the mistake Sasuke was already in his underwear and Naruko had somehow managed to spirit away his other clothing. Not wanting to go through the humiliation of running around in his boxers, the Uchiha was forced to follow the next set of instructions.
This was the reason he now found himself staring at the visage of Naruko Uzumaki in the mirror instead of his own. The girl had made him wear one of her old orange jumpsuits with a black shirt underneath the jacket alongside a mask of her face, blue contact lenses and a blond wigs style in her old pigtails. Naruko had even provided makeup so Sasuke could paint his arms, hands, legs, and feet to match her darker skin tone. Hence the Genin of the Year was now the spitting image of the old Dead Last with the exception of him being taller and his ever-present frown which looked out of place on the normally cheerful whiskered girl's face.
"I swear if this is just a prank..." Sasuke muttered in a near-perfect imitation of Naruko's voice. Hey, if he had to go through the trouble of making his naturally pale skin match the girl's admittedly nice-looking tan, why not go all the way with the disguise? Besides, he needed to put into practice those vocal lessons he was forced to take as an elective. Now with this done the fake Uzumaki walked towards his destination which was behind the school. However, as he walked the fake couldn't help but notice how the other students were reacting. At first, Sasuke thought he missed something about the costume like the wig not being placed correctly, make-up being smeared or mask not aligning then heard someone the louder students.
"Dude! Move, it's that monster!"
"Shut up, man! She'll kill you with that scythe of hers!"
"I heard that someone paid an assassin to kill her and she cut them up to ribbons."
"I heard she brought the assassin to her class. She was probably trying to kill Sasuke-kun!"
"Dude, my bro was in that class. He said she got her arm ripped off and grew back! She really is a demon!"
"My friend saw the demon get punched through the stomach and all it did was make her laugh! Dad was right, the Hokage should have killed her while she was weak. Now she's immortal!"
"We can't let our guard down. Now that she has a taste for blood, she'll want more."
Okay, Sasuke wasn't much for gossip and he didn't really get the appeal but he had to marvel at who quickly rumors spread and morphed. Sure, Naruko had a pension for causing trouble, messes and, if the rare rumors were to be believed, had a love for explosions but she never showed a thirst for blood. His brother had demonstrated what that looked like and the small Uzumaki had never come close to that. Hence, why Sasuke was starting to truly think he was surrounded by idiots that couldn't tell what real danger was. Still, Sasuke did his best to ignore the stupidity up until someone bumped into his shoulder. The Uchiha couldn't put a name to the male student's face but he did recognize the boy was one of the designated bullies in the school. Hence, he completely ignored the boy and his party as they started yelling about pain, medical bills or something. The fake Uzumaki didn't pay any attention until he found himself blocked by another student who was glaring. The disguised Uchiha sighed at figuring out what was happening.
"Seriously?" the fake Naruko asked disappointedly with a raised eyebrow. "Are we really doing the whole "You hurt me now you have to pay my medical bills" shtick? Fine, let's do this then," the fake Naruko said while cracking his knuckles. "Question is: Which of you clowns do I use to show this circus what a real dislocated shoulder looks like?"
"W-W-Wait, you would actually f-f-fight us?" the boy blocking the hidden Uchiha's way asked with surprise.
"Fight you? Please, we're just going to flip a coin on whether you let me walk or you limp your way to the hospital," S-Naruko announced as he took a step towards the bully. As an added bonus the hidden Uchiha envisioned the boy as Itachi and released the strongest glare he could. This unknowingly also launched a small dose of Killing Intent onto the boy. The bully's eyes widened in fear as the Uzumaki started walking towards him and when they were two steps away the boy jumped out of the way in fright. The boy then fell onto the ground, curled into a ball and started crying begging for mercy. "Pathetic," the blonde was heard saying while walking passed the crying bully. Seeing this everyone else moved as far away as they could so "she" could pass without intervention. Sasuke for his part smirked as even though he knew this would increase the Uzumaki's credit he couldn't deny that making weakling like these cower was very rewarding. Still not wanting to lose any more time on more foolishness the Uchiha took a shortcut through one of the open windows in one of the empty classrooms. Moments later Sasuke found himself in the meeting area.
"Why are you wearing that orange monstrosity again baka? I thought you finally got a sense of fashion," Sakura asked as she along with Ino and Hinata stared at Sasuke who raised an eyebrow in response.
"That's not Naru-kun. She's going to turn the corner with Iruka-sensei and Suzume-sensei in a couple of moments," Hinata announced with her Byakugan activated.
"So, she made another of her clones then but with that crime against eyes? Wonder why?" Ino asked before walking towards the "clone" and examined it. The group saw the girl circle around the fake Uzumaki before she stopped to lock eyes with the clone.
"What's wrong Ino?" Sakura asked after feeling the stare down had gone for far too long.
"Oh, nothing really," the Yamanaka answered with a smile as she took a step back and took off her circlet.
"Good. Now we-" the Naruko clone had tried to start before he was hit in the face. Well, at least to him it felt like he had been punched as his back slammed onto the wall. However, Sasuke couldn't understand how such a thing was possible given that Ino had not moved towards him and now there was a pressure both lifting and pinning him to the wall. Worst yet, as much as he fought the pressure barely budged.
"What's happening?!" Sakura asked in both surprise and distress as she saw the fake apparently being thrown back by the Yamanaka's glare. Then the heiress pulled out a kunai and pressed it to the fake's neck. "Ino! What are you doing?!"
"What I have to," Ino answered while glaring at the fake. "I have no idea who you are but you completely failed to imitate Pumpkin. For starters, now that Naruko has a way to get new clothes, not even she would wear that orange monstrosity again. Second, as much of a tomboy as Naruko is she still walks with a small sway of the hips that every female has given our lower center of gravity. And finally, your eyes are too different from hers. Both Hinata-chan and I have talked to her clones before and while those things look to have even fewer brain cells than her they still keep that idiot's beautiful eyes that are full of life and love for others. Yours, on the other hand, are full of anger, hate and even disdain for me when I looked you over."
"Guess I have to work on that," S-Naruko growled out in defiance. That only earned him an unexciting strong punch to the gut that both left him breathless and very slightly cracked the wall behind him.
"Stop using her voice you prick," Ino order with a frown. "I'm the one in control now. So, you're only going to talk when I tell you. Am I clear?" Whatever could have been said after this was forgotten thanks to a loud whistle. Everyone turned to see a purple-eyed girl with glasses in a burnt orange t-shirt, black pants, combat boots and a familiar black jacket with orange fox hoodie that was pulled up over her orange hair. The purple-eyed girl also sported a wicked grinned as she stared at the scene which was in contrast to the slacked-jaws of Iruka-sensei and Suzume-sensei.
"I have to say… When I made Sasuke wear a disguise of me I did expect pain in his near future but him getting beaten up by one of his fans is WAY better. I'll have to buy you something as thanks for that Violet," the real Naruko Uzumaki commented with a chuckle at the end. 'Scan! Well, will you look at that? It seems Ino-chan's psionic abilities let her create invisible hands that she can use to incapacitate her opponents. I wonder what her reach with those arms is? And how much she can lift with them?'
"Wait… You told Sasuke-kun… to disguise himself… as you?" Ino asked as her mind tried to process that information. A task that took a bit more time given how most of her mental power was directed to holding the fake to the wall. A second after things clicked her eyes widened and she stared at the boy's eyes. Everyone that watched the two ended up raising an eyebrow in curiosity as Ino's face seemed to twist in disgust for a brief moment before it sculpted itself into a mask of neutrality. Then she backed away while putting on her amethyst circlet on which dispel what was holding Sasuke captured. Weirder still, the girl had yet to put her kunai away as if she still needed it to defend herself.
"Not going to say sorry?" Sasuke, still using Naruko's voice, inquired with a frown after landing back on his feet. 'What the hell kind of jutsu was that? It felt like she was pushing with her full power but she didn't make a single hand-seal!'
"No. Hinata-chan informed me that the person before us was not Naruko. Thus, I examined what I thought was one of her clones and acted in our defense when I realized it was not. I see no reason why I should ask forgiveness over natural acting in self-defense and trying to protect my fellow kunoichi, Uchiha-san," the Yamanaka answered neutrally.
'Uchiha-san?!' everyone asked themselves after hearing the coldness in the fangirl's voice.
"I see you used that mirror of yours to change your hair and eye color. Guess, you really want to be a pumpkin, huh?" Ino joked towards the real Uzumaki who was caught off-guard for a moment by the now friendly tone the girl was using.
'Okay… What did I miss? Ino-chan has never been that cold to Duckbutt before. It almost sounded like she… hated him? Maybe it has to do with that disgusted look she got for a moment ago? Oh well, I'll ask her later,' Naruko thought with a shrug and then answered "Yeah, I went back home for a quick change. Even applied make-up so my whisker marks aren't visible." After saying this she lowered her hoodie to show her cheeks. Sure enough, the six scars were gone and between that, straight orange hair, glasses, and purple eyes the girl was almost unrecognizable. "Anyway, Sasuke Uchiha, are you ready for your challenge?"
The disguised Uchiha just crossed his arm over his chest and nodded with a dismissive grunt. Faster than the genin could react Naruko appeared behind the boy and smacked the back of his head. Understandably Sasuke growled in anger and took a swing that the girl easily deflected with one hand much to his surprise. Thus, he left himself open to a kick to the stomach that knocked the wind out of him and pushed him a few inches back. The worst part was that Sasuke knew that Naruko was holding back because he had been on the receiving end of one of her real kicks. "Now that your pride is sufficiently hurt," Naruko started with a grin. "I'll compliment you on looking so good as me. That mask helps me forget that ugly face of yours."
"Hey! Sasuke-kun isn't ugly!" Sakura yelled.
"Yeah. Yeah," Naruko said with a dismissive hand gesture. This, however, didn't mean that she didn't notice Ino's lack of response to the insult. 'Okay, now I have to ask her about that,' she thought while starting her speech. "Now Uchiha-san, while you have managed to get my looks and voice right you haven't gotten my personality nailed down or at least the one I like to show people. Therefore, first of all, no frowning! People will be even more hostile towards you if they don't think you're a fool."
"Is that what you call it?"
"Well duh! Why do you think I'm always grinning from ear to ear around people? Nothing makes an adult more unguarded than an utterly stupid grinning kid that seems to have just enough brain cells to choke to death on the air she's breathing! And thanks to them not realizing this fraud they have no idea that this waste of space is actually watching and listening in on all of their dark little secrets. Secrets that she silently gathers over time just waiting for the perfect moment to unleash them in such a way that it utterly destroys them! No, destroys them and makes them complete social pariahs hated by those they love. Oh, the beauty of it," Naruko finished with an evil cackle which was quickly shut down by a punch to the head thanks to Iruka.
"What have I told you about laughing maniacally?" the scarred teacher reprimanded.
"To only do it when no one is looking so they don't think I'm insane," the Uzumaki droned out with fake shame. "Oh! On a related note. One of the best ways to destroy someone's career is to splash them with a bucket full of alcohol after you successfully speared rumors of them being alcoholic and you managed to intrigue the boss enough to look and find the secret stash bottles that you had placed there for such an occasion."
"Uzumaki-san, that was oddly specific," Suzume commented judgingly before her eyes went wide. "Oh, dear Log. You're the one that got Matsumo-sensei fired!"
"That's what they got him for? Huh, and all of this time I thought it was the picture of half-naked boys I found inside his desk when I was trying to put a spring pie trap in it," the Uzumaki said off-handedly much to everyone's horror. Though for the senseis it did finally clicked just why the Sandaime himself came that day had come by that day to collect the "drunk" teacher while having the look of an executioner. "Anyway," Naruko called out while turning back to Sasuke. "As I said before: You have to grin like a fool for everyone and when it comes to adults do not talk back at all. No matter how much an adult will insult or berate you in no way, shape or form are you ever allowed to talk back to an adult. At most what you can say is things like "I'm sorry, sir/ma'am", "Forgive me, sir/ma'am", "It was an accident sir/ma'am", or "It wouldn't happen again sir/ma'am." All the while you either grin like an idiot or look like a pathetic street urchin who was abandoned by the family as just what a waste of space she was."
"That… That doesn't sound right," Sakura mutters somewhat worried about what this implies about her trouble-making classmate. Then she found herself taking a step back thanks to the withering glare Naruko was directing at her general direction.
"Some of us aren't born with the luxury of affording something as expressive as self-worth, Haruno-san," the now carrot-head commented with held back anger. Then with a neutral voice, she turned back the Uchiha. "Now, where was I? Oh yeah, being a walking doormat. After hearing this you might be asking yourself "what about defending myself?" Well, that's the fun part! You simply don't," she announced with a devilish grin much to everyone's confusion and worry. "See, if an adult were to attack you physically unless they're using something like a bladed weapon or say an explosive, you aren't allowed to fight back at all. Even then it's best to create a distraction so you can run away because the moment you do attack you have given the perfect excuse to kill you. Reasons for this being "The demon brat finally showed her true colors! She was trying to kill me! I just defended myself!" or something similar."
"No one could be that stupid," Sasuke said before he could stop himself. No sooner had the words left his mouth that he was on the receiving end of a mocking lock. Then Naruko just lifted her shirt enough to show her classmates the scar where her liver is located. Hinata had seen yesterday she had not paid attention to it during the chakra extraction process. Thus she felt even more uncomfortable upon learning a possible meaning behind that scar.
"I have a medical document that says otherwise, Duckbutt. So, for your safety, I suggest you follow this rule because I don't want to spend this whole day bailing you out of trouble," Naruko said and let the shirt fall back into place. "Okay. Now that you know how to be me we can get to the rules of the challenge. These rules are as followed:
One - follow the rules of being Naruko Uzumaki.
Two - the items on the list must be collected through a completely legal process. That means no stealing but don't worry I'll reimburse you for any monetary loss caused due to buying these items.
Three - Iruka-sensei and Suzume-sensei will follow you as you traverse around the shopping district collecting/buying the items on the list. They will stop you from stealing and as punishment you will have to give them the monetary value of the said item as if you had paid for it. This means fewer funds for buying the others.
Four - the list will have 50 items in it but you only need to collect 10 of them to finish and win this challenge.
Five - the girls and I will hear all of your interactions as well as talk to you through these paired short-range radios. *Hands Sasuke his radio*
And finally, number six - the challenge will end at six O'clock pm at which point you and the senseis will meet us at Ichiraku Ramen to examine the items you've collected and judge if they are enough to win the challenge."
"That's it? That's all this supposed challenge is? A stupid scavenger-hunt?" Sasuke asked with displeasure as everyone else raised an eyebrow. Then they hear the chuckle.
"~Oh, Sasuke-kun~. I call this more of a shopping list. One that you will have to complete while being me," Naruko finished by flickering Sasuke nose.
"Hmph, this will be easy," the disguised boy proclaimed.
"~We'll see~," the Uzumaki sang while crossing her fingers and six clouds of smoke surrounded the group.
"What the hell are you doing loser?"
"Hey! Let's go, you pervert!"
"What are you doing Uzumaki-san?"
"Oh boy. Don't look down Forehead/Suzume-san."
"Eep!"
This is what the members of the group said when the clones hugged them right before they experienced the miracles of the Zoom spell. The three who had experienced this before either closed their eyes or enjoyed the view. The other three, however, had the same horrifying time as any first-timer. Then the group landed just at the entrance of the Market District and as every time before it took the new passengers a few moments to not feel like they were about to die.
"Uzumaki-san," Suzume called out while Iruka helped her stand up from the dizzy spell. "What was that just now?"
"The jutsu is officially called Zoom but I just call it Fast Travel because that's literally what it does. Its mechanics are that so long as I know the area, I can travel to it by concentrating and visualizing it. The scroll I read it from also explains that I need a calm mind and not be surrounded by danger to be able to perform it without me ending up crashing into something."
"Wait, didn't you do it when you were fighting Goto?" Ino inquired while also helping Sakura who still looked a little pale.
"I never considered that bully a danger," Naruko answered with a shrugged before looking at Sasuke. The mask did a perfect job of hiding the boy's current complexion but the glare of discomfort in his eyes made her smirk. "Anyway, here is the list of things you need to acquire," she said while pulling and handing the paper to the Uchiha. "Hope you fail, Duckbutt!"
Sasuke grunted but grabbed the paper as he got up. Taking a quick glance over it revealed that indeed it was a shopping list of everyday items and supplies one would need for the week. Of course, this made him audibly grumble which earn him another smack on the back of the head and a reminder of the rules. Sasuke knew Naruko had been trying to get a rise out of him on that one so he used every bit of will power to bury the anger and smile just like she mentioned.
"I smile like this, right?" he asked and got a thumbs up. After this, the group separated in two as they merged with the market crowd.
~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~
[With the girls]
"I don't get your challenge at all Naruko. It's just shopping. What could possibly be hard about shopping? You may as well give Sasuke-kun want he was at this point," Sakura commented as the girls walked to one the clothing stores with outside displays.
"It's simple, really. Uchiha-sama wants to know a technique from a weak and pathetic street urchin he must learn what it's like to be Naruko Uzumaki first," the carrot head answered while keeping her eyes locked on her copy at the other side of the street. She also had her fox hoodie back up to maximize her disguise. It wouldn't do good for her plan for today if people recognize her.
"Sasuke-kun doesn't think you're like that," the emerald-eyed girl was quick to defend.
"Don't fool yourself, Forehead. The only people that didn't think that were Hinata-chan, Shika, Choji-kun and maybe Aburame-san. Still can't get a read on that guy yet though," Ino scoffed while absentmindedly looking at the selection thought they could tell her mind was elsewhere.
"Don't beat yourself up, Ino-chan. You made a mistake but now you're making an effort to change that," Hinata assured by patting her friends back. This got her a small thanks from the Yamanaka and a chuckle from the Uzumaki.
"Yeah, what our Hime said. Besides, you were never a bitch to me unlike other people I know," she said while giving a quick pointed look at the pinkette. The girl realized this and had to bite the insult she was about to bark back since it would have proven Uzumaki's point. "By the way, I didn't say it back in the academy but call me Naru or Na-chan for today. That way people don't make a connection with who I am, okay?"
"Are you sure that will really work, Naru-kun?" Hinata questioned and got a shrug in response.
"When you spend most of your time ignoring someone's existence it becomes very easy to forget how that person looks. Now stay silent! Our Naruko is about to enter one of the shops."
~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~
[With Sasuke who will now be referenced to as S-Naruko when talking to others outside the group.]
S-Naruko looked at the list and decided to start with the nonperishable items. Thus, he walked towards one of the shops that should have most of the things. Both of the senseis put their ninja training to work and entered the store without being seen by civilians or students for that matter.
"Welcome to our- What are you doing here?" the female greeter sneered upon noticing who entered.
"What?" S-Naruko muttered in surprise at the amount of venom he felt in the woman's voice. 'What is her problem?'
"You heard me, monster. What makes you think your kind is welcomed here?" the woman questioned while using her full height for intimidation. Then when she noticed this didn't work "SECURITY! THIEF!" The disguised student's jaw almost dropped at the woman's actions. However, seeing some guards already approaching the scene the boy cut his losses and ran out of the store followed by the equally shocked teachers. Once out the team entered a small alley to get out of sight. The Uchiha, still in disbelief, tapped his radio to speak.
"Loser, what the hell was that about?!" he had demanded as the chunin listened in. To the trio's surprise and concern they only receive laughter on the other end.
[HAHAHAHAHA! Oh, dear Log! You couldn't even get three feet in! BUWAHAHAHAHA! YOU SUCK! HAHAHAHA!]
"What are the chances that she paid people to be like that?" the disguised boy asked after clicking off the audio on his radio. The locks of anger and worry on the senseis told him that option was out of the question. 'True. She doesn't have the money to bribe someone. That was probably a one-off,' he thought and decided to look for another shop. This time he went to a butcher shop where he did manage to enter and even get a number to wait for service. Then as the Uchiha waited he finally noticed the people. After what Sasuke had been through not many things could make him uncomfortable. However, it was unnerving seeing the clear hatred in people's eyes when looking at him. 'No… It's Naruko they're glaring at. But why? I know she's annoying but that doesn't explain the hate. It's almost like they… as if they want her dead? No, I must be imagining things. There's no way such a thing is true.'
"Number 238! Number 238! I repeat, number 238!" one of the butchers called out which snapped the boy out of his thinking. Noticing that it was his turn, the fake Uzumaki stepped up. Regretfully the clerk was also looking down with utter hate in their eyes. "What do you want demon-bitch?"
"I-I-I'm here to buy some-"
"Enough! I don't want to hear your voice. You know the rules. 15 silver upfront and we'll see what scraps we can get for you."
'The hell?! I just want some meat, not the whole fucking store,' Sasuke thought in disbelief at hearing the exaggerated price. Sure, he had people buy supplies for him but even then he could tell that was too expensive. "Sir, that too much-"
"I said shut up!" the man screamed with the other people seemingly agreeing in the background. "You really are an idiot. By now you should know your ilk is not wanted here. I'm doing you a favor by not kicking you out. It would be best for all of us if you paid your tax and get the fuck out with what we find."
"B-B-But is too much money, sir," S-Naruko stuttered with a forced grin.
"Then get the fuck out of here! No money means no service! Kamis, I can't understand why the Hokage keeps you alive," the man screamed and then called out to the next numbers without a second thought. When the butcher saw the whisker girl not move he glared and was about to scream again when another voice spoke.
"Please sir, there's no need to yell," a woman said while walking forward. Sasuke didn't know her name but recognized her as the mother of an academy student. "I'll buy her some scraps," she added with a smile and placed a single copper coin on the counter.
'Finally! Someone decent!' both Sasuke and Suzume thought. However, that feeling soon soured as they noticed a knowing smirk appeared on the butcher's face. Hence, the fake Uzumaki turned to leave but almost immediately found themselves blocked by the other adults and the woman's hand on his shoulder.
"Dear, please don't leave. I'm buying your food. At least show some respect and wait," the mother said with a sickly sweet tone. However, once more Sasuke could feel the disdain flowing from this adult.
"Sorry, ma'am," S-Naruko mumbled also in reflex and forced himself to wait.
"Here. Thanks for the business," the butcher said moments later with a black plastic bag that couldn't be anything else but a trash bag.
"You're welcome, dear!" the woman exclaimed in happiness at seeing the bag. "Now, why don't you take it with you? And please be a going little girl and say thank you. I paid good money for you," she said in a still friendly manner but the nails almost breaking through the orange jacket said something else.
[Ah, ah, ah. Remember rule one, Sasuke-kun. ~ No fighting. ~] Sasuke could hear Naruko's voice saying through his earpiece. Even so, it took every bit of his will to not rip the woman's arm and shove it down her throat. It took even more to swallow the insults he wanted to say.
"T-T-Thank you, everyone," S-Naruko said with the most forced grin he had ever given. Then in one smooth movement pulled out a storage scroll and sealed the bag before pivoting on his heels to speed-walked out of the store.
"Stop right there, demon!" someone else yelled and stopped in front of the exit. This man, who Sasuke knew he could take-down with a single punch given the stench of alcohol, glared down as if the kid before him wasn't even worth their air. "The lady wasted her hard-earned money on you. Go back there and bow to her. Scum like you shouldn't raise their head."
[Do it. He's not worth it,] Naruko's calm voice spoke and breathed of any humor. It was the only thing that stopped Sasuke from pulling out his kunai and gutting the pig in front of him. Thus, while shaking with rage, S-Naruko turned around, walked to the woman and bowed low with a forced "thanks" as the group of adults laughed at the Uzumaki being put in her place. [Good. Now just get out but don't forget to smile,] Naruko said and Sasuke did just that. Yet that didn't stop the drunkard from spitting at the back of his head.
"Oh! There you are Naruko-chan. Thanks for buying the meat for today," Iruka called out as he "entered" the meat shop. He then placed a hand on the disguised student's shoulder and guided them out. At the same time, he threw a good amount of KI at the entire group of civilians along with a burning glare that made a few of the civilians wet their pants in terror. Then once they were out of the store Iruka could see and feel the boy shaking with pure rage so he quickly moved them to a back alley. Once they were out of sight Sasuke exploded.
At first, it started with a rage-filled scream and when that didn't help, he kicked the nearest thing. This had been a sturdy-looking metal trash can that the Uchiha managed dent easily as it crashed into a wall. Next, he used it as target practice as he threw kunai and shuriken at it with enough force for some to impale the metal. Regretfully his rage demanded more and to the surprise of the senseis, the Uchiha let loose a giant fireball on the abused trash can. It took Iruka using a water jutsu to make the flames subsided which showed trash can had almost melted completely onto the wall and ground.
"What *pant* What the hell was *pant* that?" Sasuke growled through gulps of air. "What *pant* the hell? *pant* Those fucking…" he tried to say as his brain was processing what just happened. Never, absolutely never, had he felt that humiliated in his life. Not even in the months after realizing that Itachi only spared him out of petty for being a weakling did Sasuke feel this insult. 'What is their fucking problem?! What makes them think they're better than me?! How could they think their standing is better than mine?! I'm the last Uchiha is fucking village! If anyone should be bowing their head in shame is them not me! I'm Sasuke fucking Uchiha not some pathetic waste of space!'
"Uchiha-san," Sasuke heard Suzume-sensei called out softly but he ignored it. He couldn't speak right now as his mind was filled with thoughts of the violence and brutal vengeance he would enact on those fools. Those bastards called him a fool, a weakling and a monster? Oh, they haven't seen anything yet! Yes, as the last Uchiha of Konohagakure saw the reflection of Naruko Uzumaki staring back at in the puddle of water he bowed vengeance. No one, absolutely no one, made a fool out of him and got away with it. There would be justice, pain and vengeance for Naruko Uzumaki will not take this lying down!
"Wait… what?" Sasuke asked himself in surprise as he stared back at the reflection of the girl he had been imitating. 'No… it's not me,' he finally realized as the whiskered face stared back at him. Those people weren't making fun or humiliating Sasuke Uchiha for they wouldn't even dare do such a thing to the prize child of the village. No, instead those two-face bottom feeders went for the lone orphan as the target of their hate. For a fleeting moment, Sasuke asked himself 'Why would they hate the girl this much?' but then the memory of what he just experienced hit Sasuke. His anger boiled back to the surface as he realized that something was beyond wrong with this image. 'Naruko can be annoying but this is just wrong. They treat her like she was a waste and that butcher practically said the Hokage should just kill her. There is something more going on and I intend to find out,' the boy bowed before clicking his radio to talk. "Naruko, I want to talk now."
[S-S-Sasuke-kun?] another responded with a tremble.
"Haruno-san? Why are you answering? Where's Naruko?" Sasuke asked, recognizing the voice of the pinkette. Normally he wouldn't want to associate with a fangirl but right now she appeared to be the one available. It also helps that ever since the wall climbing exercise the commonly known Kunoichi of the Year hadn't been acting as completely useless around him.
[I… I don't know. After she told you to get out, she threw the radio at me and a bag of money to Ino. Then she said to tell you that the challenge was postponed for now and that we should meet up at Ichikaru Ramen to wait for her before she disappeared,] Sakura answered with worry. Then in a low voice, she added [Sasuke-kun, are you okay? We heard everything and it was awful.]
"It wasn't me that people were trying to hurt," the Uchiha snapped rather harshly out of reflex and misplaced anger.
[R-R-Right… I'm sorry…] Sakura answered back in a very small voice.
'Dammit. Now I do feel like the scum of the earth. Great job there Sasuke! Here is a girl genuinely worrying about you and you decided it's the perfect time to berate her. Well done, you asshole! Mom would be so proud of you,' Sasuke chastised himself at hearing the hurt in his classmate's voice. "No. I'm the one that should say sorry. Thank you for worrying," he said as gently as he could. He could almost see the girl perking up through the audio.
[Oh, hehe, well, you're important to me Sasuke-kun,] Sakura claimed to be a little happier. Sasuke was thankful they couldn't see each other because for the first time since his mother's death a girl's laugh has managed to make him feel warm. Then the pinkette continued [Still, what was that? The way those adults acted… it was so scary. Is that what Naruko has to deal with each day? Are… Are… Sasuke-kun, are we like that to her? Do we… Is that what we do to her at school?]
"I don't know. But I intend to find out."
~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~ X ~
[One hour later]
[Ichiraku's Ramen Stand]
"Where is she?" Sasuke growled for what felt like the hundredth time.
Just as the Uzumaki had told them the group reached the girl's favorite food stand and waited for her. Regretfully for Uchiha the way there forced him to once more face all of the glares from the adults and be unable to do anything about it. Worst yet was that this time since he knew they were there he couldn't ignore them like before. And while it wasn't terrifying the pressure of knowing everyone wanted to see your life to end was nerve-racking. It almost felt like he was waiting for the moment someone jumped out with the knife ready to cut his throat. The constant uneasiness became so overwhelming that once he reached the ramen stand, he took off the mask and tied the jacket around his waist so he wouldn't be seen as the Uzumaki. Still, just experiencing these few moments as the girl it made him wonder: Was this what Naruko dealt with every day? For how long has this been going on? And more importantly, why was it still happening? Shouldn't the Hokage have done something about by now?
"I'm sure Naruko-chan will be here soon. It's very rare for the girl to miss a chance to eat ramen," Teuchi Ichiraku, the owner of the ramen stall, said while he finished serving some of the customers.
"So true. It's almost as if she survives on our food exclusively," Ayamen, the man's daughter, announced while handing a bowl to Hinata. "Though what I want to know is when was it that my rambunctious tomboy of a little sister got such cuties for friends? Especially one that can match her bowl for bowl," she asked with a grin towards the girls and a more direct look at the Hyuga. Hinata blinked in confusion when she felt everyone's gaze on her and turned to look at them before noticing they were also observed that this was her sixth bowl.
"I-I-Its good," Hinata whispered with a small blush and proceeded to keep eating. The father and daughter duo just chuckled.
"Hey! Don't be ashamed! In fact, you should eat more. We actually have a trophy and prize money for anyone that can dethrone that bottomless pit of a stomach of hers," the owner announced while pointing at the trophy with prize money seal in a scroll that was held on top of a shelf. There was even a poster below with the photo of Naruko with 30 empty bowls. Below the photo, there was an announcement and explanation about the Uzumaki Ramen Challenge.
"I don't know whether to be impressed or disgusted," Ino commented after seeing the picture.
"Be both. Trust me, seeing Naruko slurp up all of the noodles in a bowl in a single breath is both impressive and makes you want to have your stomach pumped," Iruka spoke as he and Suzume were writing something after finishing their food.
"Iruka-sensei. Suzume-sensei," Sakura started with due respect for the teachers. "May I ask what you're writing about? If possible, that is."
"It's a report for Sandaime-sama about what we have seen today," the scarred teacher explained with a hard look in his eyes.
"Yes, the attitude of those "adults" was both disturbing and disgusting. I'm sure our leader will enjoy knowing how people are threatening a lone girl," the curly-haired teacher added with more venom than any of the students had heard in her voice.
"I hope heads roll," Sasuke muttered but only Sakura, who was sitting to his right, managed to hear.
"Regretfully murder is still illegal if you're not getting paid for it by the nation." Upon hearing the voice everyone turned to see Naruko, in her original hair and eye colors, cleaning her glasses as she sat on one of the free chairs. "A bowl of Pork Ramen, please."
"Coming right up," the Ichiraku family said without skipping a beat. Sasuke, on the other hand, glared at the girl. Part of him wanted to start demanding answers but the other part, much to his horror, felt it wasn't his place to pry. Just a few moments living like her had shown the Uchiha that the girl may deal something worse than him which he had thought impossible. Yet here he was literally using his real face to escape the reality the supposed Dead Last and weakest kunoichi in class faced every day.
'Hmph, the real weakling here is me. I didn't even spend an hour in her shoes and I was ready to kill those people. How the hell can she live like this and still have enough strength to smile?' Sasuke thought to himself as he looked at the girl.
"I know what you all want to ask. "Is that how you've always been threatened?" Well, no but yes," Naruko said with a soulless chuckle at the end. Then with her head resting on her left fist, she turned to everyone. "Normally this village is appeased with just ignoring my very existence. I haven't seen treatment like that in years but I guess the knowledge of me getting stronger has finally started reaching others and the "adults" wanted to put the demon bitch in her place. As for the Demon Tax? Yeah, that's something I've always had to pay but didn't notice until recently," she explained as her food was delivered.
"How did you not realize you were being robbed?" Sasuke questioned with an incredulous look. Instead of an answer, the group got to witness the girl's ability to inhale her precious noodles.
"~Ah~ This ramen is still the best Teuchi-sama," the girl sighed like a man finding a lake in a desert. "Another one, please! Now, to answer your question. *shrugs* It wasn't until recently that found a place that sells me things at reasonable prices. Plus, given how bad my education was, is it a surprise I had so little intelligence. Heck, if it wasn't for Ayame-neechan here I'm pretty sure I would still be eating everything with my hands instead of chopsticks."
"Still doesn't change the fact that you eat like a little piggy," Ayame joked with a grin. "Seriously girl! If you don't really slow down no man is going to want you."
"Perfect! Ichikaru Jiji, bring me five more bowls!" the Uzumaki demanded with a grin that caused the father to laugh and the daughter to roll her eyes.
"How can you just joke like that?" Sasuke asked with some anger. "Don't you feel insulted by how they treated you? Don't you want to make them pay?" he growled which, to everyone's surprise, earned him a disappointed look from Naruko.
"Where did you think I was all of this time?" Naruko inquired as she had been asked history's dumbest question. "Look Duckbutt, I know you've lived a sheltered life of luxury even after that night so I wouldn't berate you for not knowing the time it takes to plan and execute a revenge prank. However, I will call you an idiot for thinking I wouldn't want to make them regret their actions against Naruko Uzumaki."
"What could you have done in an hour?" Sakura asked genuinely even her inner self gained some respect for the Uzumaki after what they saw today.
"Oh," Naruko started with a very evil smirk "Let's just say that they wouldn't be getting out of the porcelain throne for a while." The dark low chuckle that followed this statement made all of them shiver in slight terror. Last time anyone heard the girl say something similar she had made sure the suffering party found themselves without any toilet paper.
"Okay, putting that aside for now," Sasuke started. "Did you think up this challenge so I would know what it is like to be humiliated?"
"Jacket please," Naruko said while extending her hand. When Sasuke didn't respond she threw him glare while repeating the request. The boy raised an eyebrow but did hand the garment. "Thank you and yes that was the first part of it. The other part was this," she answered while looking through the jacket and then pulling out what looked like a small camera from a hidden pocket. "A video recording for the Hokage alongside the written statements of two trustworthy teachers." The group looked in surprise at seeing Naruko in possession of both such a high-tech device and the ingenuity to use a prank as a disguise for espionage. Well, there was one exception in the group that was not surprised by this revelation. This person being Hinata who, thanks to secretly activating her Byakugan, was able to see that the camera was in actuality Benihime who was using a small illusion on herself. It also showed that the small cassette that Naruko was "taking out of the camera" had been materialized by the fairy from one of the video recording windows the Navi could produce.
"Did… Uzumaki-san… Did you plan all of this?" Suzume asked in shock.
"She did," Hinata answered with a grin as she couldn't stop herself from feeling proud of her girlfriend. "Naru-kun told me everything yesterday. Her plan was for Uchiha-san to act like her old self around the village while the senseis watched. This way in her own words would: 1) make Uchiha-san work for once in his life, 2) get Haruno-san to hopefully be more civil around her, 3) hopefully trick Ino-chan into beating up Uchiha-san while he was disguised as Naru-kun, 4) get a recording of how some of the adults treat her, 5) get back up statements for reliable people, and finally 6) have Sandaime-sama descend on those people with the full might of his political power."
"And I managed to complete 5 out 6 of those things!" Naruko added with prideful laughter as the group tried to process how they just got played by the small blonde.
"Damn, and I thought I was the manipulative bitch. Kudos Pumpkin. Kudos," Ino acknowledge with added clapping in awe.
"Wait," Sakura spoke up "This still doesn't explain why people hate you? I mean, you can be annoying but that amount of hate is unnatural."
"Oh, trust me Sakura-chan, it's natural to get that amount of hate when they see your very existence as an insult," Naruko said cryptically.
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Sasuke yelled while slamming his fist on the counter. "How is being alive an insult to them? Being alive is not a crime!"
"It is for me, Uchiha-sama," the Uzumaki commented while grabbing another bowl. "I was born and that was deemed reason enough."
"No, it isn't!" the Uchiha screamed with more life and anger. This made Naruko raise an eyebrow as she suctions up another bowl before speaking again.
"Is this anger because you got humiliated or are you genuinely offended about how I'm treated?" she asked and if possible, the boy's frown grew in intensity.
"It doesn't matter," he growled "You deserve more respect than that. You're human, dammit!"
"Heh, if only that were true," Naruko commented with an empty chuckle. This time everyone in the shop looked at the girl with concern. It also didn't help that the girl closed her eyes and forced a grin just as she had told Sasuke to do.
"Pumpkin… What did you mean by that? Sure, you can be weird thanks to your new jutsu but that still doesn't make any less human. Take it from me. I come from a family of people that can enter other people's minds and control them like marionettes," Ino tried to cheer up her friend.
"Y-Y-Yeah Ino is right!" Sakura added because her very soul told her if she ever wanted to call herself a human again, she needed to help the Uzumaki. "Even that super-powered regeneration of yours is normal if you think about it as a bloodline limit. Hence, there is no reason for those awful people to call you a monster. They are the real monsters!"
"Naruko I've-"
"Enough," Naruko's growl interrupted Sasuke much to his surprise. "Let me guess. Were you going to tell me I'm not a monster because you've seen what a real one is? Well, you're right Sasuke, I'm not a monster like your brother. I'm something much worse," the blonde finished with a much deeper voice. Then she opened her eyes to show a twin blood-red slit orbs glaring back at him. Adding to this the group saw the girl's whisker marks darken and grew alongside her nails turning into claws. They could even tell the girl's fangs had lengthened as they could see the upper ones just poking out below her upper lip.
"Naru-kun, people be careful! You're using that red chakra again," Hinata warned as she got up and moved towards the girl. The rage in her love's eyes subsided but the sad look told the Hyuga to not get closer for now.
"R-R-Red chakra? W-W-What are you talking about Hinata-chan? All chakra is blue," a slightly scared Sakura commented.
"Pumpkin is different," Ino spoke much calmer given this transformation wasn't new to her. "I don't know since when but she had recently been able to use the red chakra when she gets angry. This is actually the third time I've seen her use it but Hinata should know more about thanks to her Byakugan." Hearing this explanation both Sasuke and Sakura looked at the Hyuga heiress expectantly. The bluenette, in turn, inquired her love if it's alright to talk about the chakra. For a moment it seemed that she was about to get refused before Naruko powered down with a defeated sigh and gave the go-ahead. Hinata gave a nod of understanding and proceeded to explain.
"Well… How should I put it? This red chakra is… incredibly powerful for lack of a better term. Normally to my Byakugan a person's chakra is similar to a candle illuminating a dark world. One blue flame equals a life. Even stronger people like the jonin or Sandaime-sama fit this description if only somewhat brighter compared to us students. However, the red chakra Naru-kun possesses is… different," Hinata said while losing herself in the memory. "That red fire is not a small candle but an all-consuming inferno that eats away at the forest without a sign of ever stopping. Not only that interacting with it is… it's unlike anything I've ever experienced. Normally when we use chakra it feels warm water is running through our bodies and it feels welcoming. That red chakra is the antithesis of this. This power feels impossibly heavy, dangerous, menacing, violent, almost bloodthirsty and worst it's highly poisonous to the human body."
"Poisonous?!" the enthralled group inquired and took a quick look at the Uzumaki. Sure, enough Naruko now looked somewhat tired and out of breath, something some of them thought impossible.
"Yes," Hinata answered and couldn't stop a tear from escaping upon remembering the whiskered girl's near-death state. "Yesterday, I went to help Naru-kun after her fight with the defective training doll. She was suffering from an extreme case of chakra poisoning caused by the red chakra. She had used too much and it was quickly destroying her body from the inside out as if it was trying to make her body rot away. Due to this before I helped her Naru-kun could have pass for a breathing corpse."
"Why would you use something like that?!" both Sakura and Ino asked in horror.
"Heh, it's not like I have a choice. I've had this chakra in me since birth and only now did Jiji decide to tell me about it. Heck, even then that was only after I confronted him about it AFTER I saw myself transform by accident," Naruko answered.
"Wha… Why would Sandaime-sama do such a thing?" Ino asked as she stood up in this belief. During their little exertion into the game-world, she had seen how the man acted as if the whiskered girl was his granddaughter. Heck, he let the girl yell at him for a mistake and took it as a lesson! So, why would the man hide such a dangerous secret from the girl for so long?
"Well like pretty much everything in my life you can blame my birthday for that," Naruko responded bitterly, much to the students' confusion. The adults, on the other hand, looked away in shame. Hearing this line of thought again made Sasuke frown.
"Naruko, what are you talking about? You're not making any sense. Why do you keep referencing your birth as if it's the clue to figuring everything out?" Sasuke questioned in frustration. He didn't think of this girl as an acquaintance let alone a friend yet he still wanted to know more of her to maybe offer some help or relief. Just a few hours ago the Uzumaki had been nothing more than a classmate that possessed a jutsu Sasuke could use to get stronger. Then the damn trickster had to fool him into walking a mile in her shoes. Thus, both humiliating and forcing the Uchiha to see life through the eyes of someone that didn't get things handed to them. 'Fuck you, Naruko Uzumaki! It may not have been your plan but you made me care for someone else suffering. Now you're going to tell why you've had to suffer like this,' the Uchiha thought with anger over learning that he may have just let his heart open up to the possibility of friendship. Itachi could use that against him, dammit!
"Don't any of you know when my birthday is?" Naruko asked with a raised eyebrow. At the question both Ino and Sakura slowly started shuffling uncomfortably will Sasuke glared at his feet. This made the girl chuckle and returned to eating which caused her to miss Hinata's slowly widening eyes.
"N-N-Naruko-san," Sakura started looking very ashamed with herself "I'm sorry… but… I don't think anyone knows. You've never celebrated it."
"Heh, that's because it's not a date to celebrate," the whiskered girl responded cryptically. Three classmates looked perturbed at how assured the girl sounded when she tried to look mysterious about this. It was almost as if the girl genuinely believed that statement was a fact, not an opinion. This sentence was also the last straw for Iruka and he was-
"Those fucking bastards," the normally gentle voice gasped out. This surprised everyone enough to turn the source. There they all bared witness to a sight that mankind thought was an impossibility in this reality. Right before them stood one Hinata Hyuga Byakugan glaring through tears, teeth bared in a fierce snarl, fist clenched and shaking with enough rage that for a brief moment they managed to see a goddess of war where the girl had been standing.
"H-H-Hime?" Naruko asked both terrified and, much to her shame, a little hot. Unlike the others, this was the second time she had heard the Hyuga curse so it wasn't as shocking. However, even the first time during their love confession the words didn't have half the amount of power than the three just now. This time Hinata's rage could almost be tasted. Then their eyes locked with each other and Naruko felt her throat dry up. There was so much anger in those lavender eyes that it scared her yet it was the love behind all of it that truly stumped her. It was the same if not a stronger form than the one she had seen in the Hyuga's eyes yesterday. 'What… But… How? Why is she accepting me? She just realized what I am. D-D-Didn't she?' Naruko thought in shock right before feeling her girlfriend hug her like a lifeline.
"You're wrong," Hinata spoke firmly through her tears. "You're wrong! Just because you were born the day the Kyubi attacked doesn't make you a monster. Those people have no right to make you the scapegoat!" the Hyuga proclaimed which caused the adult stiffed while the other three students gasped at what was said. Naruko herself blinked in shock at the determination of those words.
'Dammit, Hime… Why do you keep making me feel valuable?' Naruko thought as she felt frustratingly happy. This was a moment to be angry, discouraged or at the very least depressed not getting fluttering butterflies in the stomach over the fact that a pretty girl was defending you. "Then," the Uzumaki started talking "what about the seal keeping the Kyubi's chakra inside of me? It not natural for a human to be able to use demon chakra." Hearing this Hinata leaned back and stared intently into Naruko's eyes.
"Did you place the seal on yourself?"
"No, the Yondaime did. But-"
"No! I don't know why the Yodaime would be cruel enough to seal that monster's power in you or why he had to but that means all that you've suffered isn't your fault. It's his fault," Hinata proclaimed vehemently.
"Actually, he didn't have much of a choice," Naruko lamented and quickly had to place a finger on the girl's lips to stop her from retorting. "Please let me explain."
"Naruko, you don't have to do this. None of them have to know," Iruka suggested abruptly which made the students look at him with confusion. Naruko, on the other hand, smiled bitterly and shrugged.
"They'll be told after they become Genin anyway. Why hide it till then?" Naruko relented sadly. Seeing this, Ino decided enough was enough and stood up to join Hinata in supporting the Uzumaki.
"Naruko, if you don't want to say anything you don't have to. However, if you feel that this needs to be said, know that both Hinata-chan and I are here for you," the Yamanaka assured her after placing a comforting hand on her fellow blonde's shoulder.
"Us too," Teuchi proclaimed while patting his favorite customer's head just like a father would.
"Yeah! Like or not, you're stuck with dad and me," Ayame added with a grin and a thumbs up.
[Me too,] Benihime speaking for the first time today.
"Heh, fine. You all win. But all of this still started on the day I was born," Naruko commented before taking a steady breath. Then she proceeded to tell a slightly abridged version of what Sarutobi had told her about that fateful night. The parts of the masked man, Kushina being the second jinchuriki of the Kyubi and the woman dying alongside the Yondaime to protect the baby Naruko remained. What was changed was that instead of the Kyubi being split in half Naruko lied by saying that the demon's body and soul had been destroyed. However, that left the monster's uncontrolled chakra still lingering in the world thus the young Hokage sealed it inside of Naruko to serve the connection the demon had to this world. Thus, the recently born child had been turned into a jinchuriki with the differences being that the demonic chakra wasn't being controlled by another but by her negative emotions. Through all of this Hinata and Ino refused to let go of her and by the time she described the death of her mother that two girls had enveloped Naruko in a protective hug while also silently crying for her. Everyone else, especially Sasuke and Sakura, remained silent as they tried to process why the world deemed it right to deal Naruko Uzumaki such a bad hand.
"Do you have any idea who the masked man was?" Sasuke asked after a few moments of silence.
"I've talked to Jiji about it and he thinks it could have been Madara Uchiha since he used the Kyubi once before to fight Hashirama Senju. However, I don't think that's possible because Madara would have been like 100ths years old by then. I doubt that someone that old could have fought the legendary Yellow Flash and given him problems," Naruko explained and took note of the fire in the boy's eyes.
"I see," the village prince commented as he lowered his head in thought. "I don't know if it will help but I'll search anything I can on Madara Uchiha."
"Why the sudden need to help me?" Naruko asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Because if anything else, someone killed your mother and it was impossible for you to do anything just like what happened to me. We could help each other in avenging our families," Sasuke explained as if he was making a serious bow. Naruko looked at the boy's unflinching determination and could only chuckle.
"Fine. We'll be revenge bodies but get ready for me to annoy you to no end. Life is too damn short to just dedicate it to revenge. I'll have you make a plan for a long life after your revenge and in case it never happens," Naruko promised with a smirk and Sasuke only slightly scuffed at this. Then Naruko noticed their resident pinkette biting her lower lip while staring intently into her empty bowl. "What about you Sakura? How do you feel about knowing one of your classmates holds a part of one of the strongest demons in existence?" At the question, the group saw the girl jump in surprise before looking down in shame.
"Truthfully? I am scared of you. Unlike Ino, Hinata-chan or Sasuke-kun who come from shinobi families, I'm just a civilian girl. All of my knowledge of shinobi comes from what was taught in the academy and what I've read about in books. I don't even know what it's like to possess an ability or body part that sets me apart from others let alone knowing what it's like to have demon chakra running through my veins," Sakura lamented yet she still had the power to lift her head and look Naruko in the eyes. "However, what I do know is that you aren't a monster, Naruko-san. I may only know about the trouble-making idiot version of you show us. But between that and today I say it's enough for me to say it. Because a monster would have snapped by now if it had gone through with even half of what I saw today. I'm scared now true but I'll overcome it. I refuse to be like those people."
"Wow, Sakura-chan… I think you just blew my expectations of you away in the best way possible," Naruko proclaimed with a laugh that caused the girl to blush. Then the jinchuriki smirked viciously "Now you just have to stop acting like an air-headed bird brain of a harpy like those fangirls and I'll stop forgetting you have a functioning brain behind that pretty face." That comment caused the pinkette to childishly fight it which in turn slowly made the group of students fall into a fit of chuckles and laughs as the previously heavy atmosphere was lifted. Through all of it, both Iruka and Suzume watch on with smiles on their faces.
"Uzumaki-san is something," Suzume started. "Just by being herself, she managed to make friends with people who hate her."
"Tell me about it," Iruka agreed with a small smirk, "But seeing things like this is what we teachers live for." With that last chuckle, the two shared a quick and secret drink with the ramen cook.
A cheer for their favorite troublemaker.
A cheer for the friends she has made.
And a cheer for the friends that will come.
A/U:
Sorry, this chapter came out so late. For some reason, this chapter was just a pain to write but I hope you enjoyed it. I also wish that this chapter shows that I wouldn't go for the bashing of Sasuke and Sakura.
Sure, I'll mess with them here or there but I'll try to make them good people. Plus, I always thought Sasuke really became an ass AFTER Orochimaru marked him. Before that, he was just mad but could at least work together with his team.
Sakura on the other hand? Yeah, I'm going to make her actually useful BEFORE the end of Shippuden. Plus, she and Sasuke will have way more time together so the relationship doesn't seem tacked on.