This chapter took a long time to finish. And I'm still adding more. So expect that in Chapter six. Hope you enjoy it.
Aiyaki
Chapter Five
Lee groaned as he rolled over in his bed again. God Testu really did a number on him this time. For fucks sake. Owwwwe. An ice-cold rag was placed gently over his head. Opening his eyes, he saw his roommate Tenten smiling sadly at him.
"Thanks for the nappies Lee." She said fiddling with her hands. Lee groaned again and smiled giving a thumb up. "No problem." He smiled painfully before getting up. "I've got a job today. Weeding out Mr. Banja's farm. He'd said he pay me the genin rate. So, we can be okay for a while." Lee said rubbing his arms.
"Are you sure you're going to be okay? Maybe I should go with?" Tenten asked looking at his bruises and grimacing.
"I'll be fine, what doesn't kill me makes me stronger right?" He replied grabbing his bicep which did have a little muscle on. Tenten shook her head good-naturedly.
"If you say so. I'm going to take the kids to the park today. Give them some fresh air. Meet you there after?" She asked tilting her head.
"Sure. I'll see you there. Bye Tenten-chan." He replied getting up out of bed and heading for the door.
He was already dressed so he didn't see the need to change. It's not like he had a second shirt anyway. "Bye Bye Lee-kun. Sougi Say Bye Bye." The girl replied holding up the brown-haired baby who was blinking up sleepily at them.
Lee shook his head smiling and left. Off to work he goes.
Nyakao slapped her hand over her alarm clock before it could go off. Blinking blurrily, she yawned and stretched her arms up over her head. She always hated getting up early. But training called and she couldn't train as hard as she wanted to once the kids got up. Rolling herself out of bed she quickly headed for the bathroom. Four A.m. shifted onto her alarm clock as she brushed her teeth and hair, pulling it up in a ponytail. She braided the tail before rapping it up in a bun then left her room to head down to the kitchen.
Once in the kitchen she grabbed a tomato from the center of the table. Eating quickly, she created a sealed bushinn to start the kids breakfast before head outside.
Nyakao started running the moment her feat left her front door. She did twenty laps around the compound every morning to build up strength in her legs afterword she used the many trees around her to do forty pull-ups adding monkey swings from tree to tree to flip herself around. This was Nyakao's warm up, since her family's compound was about three training grounds big doing twenty laps was equivalent to about five miles. And with weights on her legs she was certain it was even longer. Once she finished her warm up she moved to the far side of the compound with all the older houses where she had set up dummy's for taijutsu practice.
Getting into the rhythm of punching the dummy silly she parlayed and blocked when it rounded back on its hinges and kept hitting it. She thought about the coming day. Jiji had come for dinner the night before the celebrate the twin's birthday. Naruto and Hanako had a ball. They both loved the desert she made them and the sparklers Jiji brought them to play with. It was a fun time especially when Jiji had one of the his masked Anbu chase around the kids in play. Dog Anbu was such a sweetheart sometimes. He was one of the many that would watch them periodically and only allowed in the compound due to Jiji's trust in him.
Dog brought some candy for the kids and they were off the roof half the night. Till the fireworks in the village started. All in all, the Uzumaki family had a grand time with joy and cheer, something Nyakao's heart almost swelled over. That was how Naruto should have grown up originally and to see the change was miraculous.
Getting the kids to bed though was another matter after Jiji left. Smoking his pipe all smug like and leaving her two sugar high munchkins was counter reason to pay him back for the favor. She was sure she could get Kikuyu to hide a certain set of books Jiji loved.
Giggling to herself at the prospect she rounded on the dummy with a kick before pausing her training. Looking up at the sky she guessed it was a little after five she still had time to work on chakra training then.
Going up to a tree with nicks already on it she started running up it at fast pace. Tree climbing it was. She only started adding it to the regiment when she could finally stick things to herself always. And she had other training to build up her body first. Getting to her nick about fifty meters she kept going before reaching the top. Nyakao took a breath, hopping in place before slowing her feet to a stop. She proceeded to walk down the tree after that at a languid pace.
She was getting pretty good at this, if she didn't say so herself. Moving on to her next part of her training she stretched her body loosely before setting herself down crossed legged on the ground.
Breathing deeply, she meditated. Piling all her thoughts and worries in neat little file cabinets before reaching into her chakra system and pulling it out onto her skin.
The seals on her arms lit up before little blue chain links started to ooze out of them. They warped themselves in the air loosely rapping around her body and doing formations. She made on look like a flower, another a bunny, and more into all sorts of shapes. This was her chakra training. She wasn't battle ready but her chains where the only thing she knew that could be deadly. So, she wanted complete control over them and that meant training them in all sorts of ways till they were no longer able to just be chains but more. Like whips. Smooth and sharp and twice as piercing.
Letting her chains retract she got up and headed back to her family's house. It was time to wake up the kids for their Kata's and then breakfast.
Quietly she entered the house heading for Hanako's bedroom first. Most likely Naruto was with her since the twins where practically attached at the hip and Hanako had a bigger bed. Stepping into the girl's room she saw two little lumps bundled up in blankets snoring lightly.
Grinning she snickered when she noticed Hanako had her face attached to Naruto's hair and was drooling all over it.
Sigh her cute little siblings where adorable. "Wake up little monkey's." Nyakao said sweetly petting Hanako's hair. The Naruto groaned and rolled over to hug Hanako. Hanako just simply buried her head more into his hair. Both siblings simply continued to sleep without a care in the world.
Nyakao got a tick mark on her head.
Pulling the blanket back she unrolled it suddenly and dropped her two siblings on the ground with an oomph.
"Ugg!" "Hay!" "Nee-san!" Similar growls where heard as she rolled the rest of the blanket with her arm and placed it on the bed. Her siblings where glaring at her disdainfully from the ground.
"Good morning." Nyakao said grinning cheekily. Naruto growled pulling off his sleeping hat as Hanako groaned and laid back down on the floor closing her eyes.
"Nah ah ah! None of that. Get up you two." She commanded poking Hanako with her foot. Ruffling his hair Naruto grumbled before standing up from the floor. "I'm up, Hanako get up before she gets the water. Why do you have to wake us up like that every morning dattebayo." He complained stretching. His little frog shirt pulled up revealing his bare stomach before landing back down on his hips.
Hanako groaned again. "Because she likes to torture us. Stupid bossy-."
"Finish that sentence and you run laps again young lady." Nyakao said smiling sweetly her face shadowed. Hanako groaned again before getting up and stretching like Naruto. Naruto now more awake snickered and ruffled Hanako's wayward hair making it even more messy.
The red-haired girl gave her brother the evilest glare she could muster pursing her lips. "I am not afraid to burn you." She growled barely awake.
"Heheheh. Just making sure you awake imouto." Naruto grinned cheekily like Nyakao did a few minutes earlier and snatched his hand back. His eyes looked down to the girl's bracelet still on her arm just to be sure.
"Alright you two, get dressed we have katas to do." Nyakao said crossing her arms. Naruto smiled widely and gave Nyakao the puppy eyes. "Nee-san can we spar today?" He asked eagerly.
Hanako groaned again. Her brother twice as energic then her in the morning. Nyakao pretended to think placing her finger on her lips. "Mmmm. Maybe if your both downstairs and outside in ten minutes."
"Yatta! Come on Hana-Chan!" "Noooo. Please Nee-san do something!" Cried Naruto and Hanako. Naruto grabbed Hanako by the hand and started to drag the sleepy girl out the room.
"Naruto!" Groaned her sibling from the hallway. Nyakao snickered watching her sibling's antics. Hanako wasn't a morning person what so ever and didn't start to be her cheerful self-till later in the day while Naruto as soon as he was up he was up. Smiling and eager to start the day.
She had a feeling that her sister when she was older wouldn't start the day without coffee or tea. She chuckled to herself before heading down stairs to the kitchen.
Her bushinn waved from the counter unemotionally. Breakfast would be ready in about half an hour it looked like so she had plenty of time to whip her siblings into shape.
Moving over to the living room she sat down on a pillow in front of her parent's pictures. Placing her hands together, after she lit the incense, she sent a silent prayer for their wellbeing and to watch over them before she felt two little ones sitting down next to her silently.
Opening one blue eye she smiled when her siblings had their own hands together in prayer. Naruto was listing all the things he wanted and what was happening recently softly to himself while Hanako just had her eyes closed possibly sleeping if she didn't know better.
Smiling at her siblings she got up, bowed and headed outside to wait for siblings to be done.
Surprisingly it was Hanako that had come out of the house first. She was wearing a pink kimono that used to belong to their mother when she herself was younger, a green obi, black mesh tights and standard flats. Her hair was up in two low pigtails complimenting her deadpanned expression.
Nyakao quirked her eyebrow and looked at her watch on her arm. Naruto had two more minutes and he wouldn't get his spar today. Well maybe he would she grinned it was always fun to knock him on his ass.
"Where's Naruto?" Nyakao asked as Hanako jumped down from the porch and started her stretches.
"Still telling Papa and Mama about yesterday. He really liked the fireworks and he wanted to ask if they would make you teach him to make things go big boom." The red-haired girl recited as if from a script. She probably had to listen to half his list of wishes while praying.
Nyakao chuckled and corrected the girl's form before going back to her own stretches. Just on the dot Naruto came speeding out the back door hopping off the porch in a rush.
"I'm Not Late!" He cried panting. He was wearing one of their father's old white jackets with a red swirl on the back, an orange t-shirt Nyakao had bought him a few weeks ago, and white jean like shorts with close toed black training shoes.
Nyakao grinned and looked at her watch. "I don't know I pretty sure this says one minute after." She taunted playfully.
Naruto's face dropped. "Nee-san! Please, Please, Please. It's just one minute! Dattebayo." He cried holding his hands together in a begging motion.
Nyakao shook her head pulling a wisp of hair behind her ear. "Well I guess just this once. But you better get started on your stretches now or you're not going to be limbered up for your Katas."
Grinning Naruto gave a fast nod. "You're the best Nee-san!" He cried before starting his stretches falling in sync with his younger sister.
Nyakao huffed and shook her head. Stupidly cute siblings. Can't live with them can't live without them.
Gosh she loved her family. She grinned and continued to correct the kids forms every once and a while.
Life was good.
Later in the morning Sarutobi Hiruzen groaned over stacks of paperwork. Nyakao Uzumaki sat next to his desk on a red plushy pillow drinking a cup of tea with a smug grin on her face.
"Your evil." Groaned Sarutobi glaring at the girl. The long blonde haired girl chuckled taking another sip of her tea.
"It's your own fault you kept them where she could find them." She replied pulling a strand of her hair behind her ear.
As if by magic Sarutobi's secretary came marching in with a huff and dumped an even bigger stack of paperwork on his desk.
"Kikuyu! Wait! I didn't mean-." He never got to finish is sentence as the secretary left the room in a march and slammed the door on him.
The Hokage zoned his eyes over to the child and glared. "You just had to show her the one that looked like her didn't you." He growled placing his hands on his head.
Nyakao giggled and gave him an apologetic expression. "I seriously didn't know you had pictures of the girls of the books in them. And that one looked suspiciously like her. Sorry Jiji."
The older man sighed whimsically. "It was my own fault I guess. There be no dealing with her now."
Nyakao giggled again taking another sip of tea. "So Jiji why'd you want to see me today? I don't like leaving Naru and Hana at the park for long even with your Anbu supervision."
Sarutobi sighed again before setting aside his paperwork and turning his chair towards the younger girl. "Nyakao, I wanted to talk to you about somethings. Your already six and even you know that your way ahead of those already so I think you should be thinking about entering- "
"No. No way Jiji." The girl said cutting him off. Her cheerful demeanor suddenly turned into an ice-cold fortress.
"But you know your more than ready I don't understand why you refuse to enter the academy don't you want to help your village?" He replied fully prepared with his speech. They'd had this discussion before.
"No. Naruto and Hanako are not even four yet. I will not leave them at home alone. And you know how I feel about the village." Nyakao replied crossing her arms.
"I know how you feel about some of the citizens but not all of Konohagakure is bad. I'm not saying you have to be a ninja but you won't even go to the civilian school to finish your education." Sarutobi said pulling the girls arms down to uncross them.
"I don't need too. Give me a graduating test for the civilian school right now and I promise you I would pass. I don't see the point. And I have till I am nine to enter the academy if I chose to. Jiji the same for Naruto and Hanako. And I don't want you trying to goad your way in to get them to go either. It'll be their choice. As it's mine." Nyakao said firmly pulling her arms away from the man.
Sarutobi sighed feeling he was slowly losing the battle. One thing was for sure the girl was right. It was her choice and if she didn't want to go now then she didn't want to go. Still so much potential she had. He couldn't let her squander it.
"Alright. I'll ask again next year. But I want you to think about it Nyakao really think about what you're doing with your life. You can't support your siblings forever and without a proper education your jobs with be limited." He replied wishing his granddaughter was less of an adult and more of the child she represented.
She was truly beyond her years. But that was to be expected. She was raising two children after all.
"Promise me you'll think about it Ny-chan" He said using his eyes to plead with the girl. Nyakao's face softened before she gave him a sad smile. "I will Jiji. I will."
After Nyakao's talk with the Hokage she headed back towards Konoha Chizu Park to meet back up with the kids. She was in a pensive mood. She took what Jiji said very seriously. He was right. She did need to think about her and her family's future. Especially regarding what she remembered of it. The past few years she'd put her past memoires on a back burner because she needed to focus on her family first and foremost. But that left her with a gap. She had all that time and she could have warned people or changed things. But that wouldn't do either. Then she wouldn't know for sure if the future would pan out the same. But it wasn't a story anymore this was her life, her family's life, Naruto's life. She couldn't let it end up like the clusterfuck it was to begin with. On top of all that crap, she had taking care of the kids, training, finances, the fucking villagers, the impending Uchiha coup, more training, gardening, and just about anything else her life threw at her.
Sometimes it sucked to be a prodigy.
Passing some running children and glaring adults, grow the fuck up people, Nyakao finally found her two siblings playing in a sandbox with Anbu Dog's help. Dog had a blue sand pale on his head silver hair poking out of it with a shovel in hand. Hanako was next to him on the left, one hand bracelet free as she turned little indents of the sand into glass. Naruto was across from her on Dog's left making a mini shinobi army to invade the castle. It was the most adorable sight.
Taking out the camera she always kept on her she snapped a quick pick of the scene before hiding it. Blackmail for later, Happy memories for the win.
"Naru-Chan, Hana-Chan, did you build a castle without me?" Nyakao gasped feigning surprise and hurt on her face. Her sister gave her an unamused look before grinning and nodding. Naruto jumped up smiling widely sand in his hair. Someone was having a good time.
"Ny-nee-san!" Naruto said running up to glomp her. "Neh! Neh! We played tag then Hana got bored so Dog-Nii-san got us some pales to play with in the sand, I'm making an army and Hana's making glass and Dog-Nii-san has the castle he's the King Dattebayo, so He got to wear the crown and I'm the night so I command the army and Hana's the princess she makes the castle look pretty. Come see! Come see!" He spoke rapidly pulling her hand reverting to his more childish self.
Nyakao giggled. "I see Naruto calm down dear. How much candy have you had today?" She asked eyeing Dog's mask he knew better then to give the already hyperactive jitterbug more sugar, cause that's what they all needed. A hyperactive little brother who never stops bouncing off of everything. Even now the boy's feet kept skipping in place trying to get the girl to move over to their creation.
"Not much just two candy bars, oh and some suckers like four, And a dango pop, oh and ice cream. Dog-Nii-san's the greatest why don't you let us have sweets more often?" The blonde exclaimed in excitement.
Nyakao gave Dog a good hard stare. The man had the decency to take his pale off and hold his hands up in surrender. Nyakao was sure he was laughing at the situation he created for her.
Hanako came up over to her left and gave her a side armed hug after replacing her bracelet. "Naru's been like that for almost an hour, I stopped after the suckers." Hanako said smiling much more calm than her brother.
Nyakao sighed pulling a strand of hair behind her ear. "Alright you munchkins, let's get you home to sleep the sugar off. Dog-san I expected better from you."
The man just shrugged obviously grinning from behind his mask. "Sleep, what! No, I could play for hours I'm not tired Nee-san I don't want a nap today. I want to play." Naruto said jumping around and pouting.
Nyakao gave him her calm face. "Naruto, I know you want to play but as soon as you run out of energy you know you're going to crash and I'd rather have that in your bed then on the ground."
"But I want to play!" He wined bouncing in place. "We don't get to come to the park often and I like it here, why can't we stay please Nee-san please pretty please." He asked giving her the puppy eyes.
Nyakao frowned. He knew better than to pull that with her too often. He met his quota for the day after all.
Nyakao sighed. "Naruto, if you can stand still for five minutes then we can stay but if not then we go home. Do you understand?" She said sternly she didn't like teaching him lessons or Hanako for the matter but someone had to do it.
The boy's frown turned into a hundred watt smile before he did one last jump from the ground. "I understand. I'll be still, still as a ninja, still as a tree, trees are cool, like tomatoes, tomatoes are cool and-."
"No talking either young man." Nyakao reprehended. "It still count's as moving." She said more gently.
Naruto shut his trap and nodded before going absolutely still.
Nyakao started counting the seconds in her head.
Forty-five.
Sixty-seven
One hundred and twenty-three
At almost three minutes Naruto finally caved surprising Nyakao that he lasted so long. "You see," She said sighing as Naruto's eyes started to fill with tears. "Come now I'm sure you can play at home after you've calmed down."
"B-But we never come to the park." He whispered his head down dejected. "Please Nee-san." Naruto said in a heartbreaking voice.
Nyakao almost caved right then and there. Her baby brother was sad and it was her fault but gosh dammit he knew better then to eat so much candy.
"Naruto I'm sorry but-." She was cut off.
"No, you're not! You never take us to the park! And you always make rules, rules, rules! I wanna stay and play and have fun! You just want to be bossy all the time! I hate you Nee-san!" Naruto yelled tears streaming down his eyes before he ran off into the park.
Nyakao stared after him in shock. Naruto never got upset like that. Ever. He hated her. What. What. Nyakao's heart gave a painful twinge. She lifted her dead eyes over to Dog speechless.
Hanako stared after her brother in shock as well her jaw dropped several degrees. She understood where her brother was coming from. They didn't get a lot of time out of the compound because of Nee-san's rules on leaving it. She said it was for their protection, keep the villagers from hurting them before they could fight back after all. So, they lived a sheltered life but it didn't
mean it wasn't fun or that she hated her Nee-san for it. She loved her Nee-san and Hanako knew Naruto did too. Tears started to gather in her eyes. Naruto, you Baka.
Dog stared back at the young heiress completely speechless as well. It wasn't like he talked much to begin with but still his posture showed he was shocked at the situation as much as Nyakao was.
Nyakao stared in silence before it registered in her brain that Naruto was gone. In the park. With no Anbu to protect him. In a village that hated him most of all.
Shitshitshitshit!
Snapping into movement Nyakao started running after him. "Dog-san, I'll take east you take west! Keep Hanako safe! I'm going after him!" She yelled taking off her flipflops as she ran after him. She knew it was a bad idea to wear her kimono today!
Naruto ran like his life depended on it as fat tears streamed down his face. Nee-san didn't understand! For once he just wanted to stay outside! Not be stuck at home as Nee-san and Hanako go shopping. Not be told he can't leave because the villager's where meanies! He didn't see the problem. He'd been out before and none of the villagers did anything other than the occasional glare and before that he couldn't remember. True he was with his Nee-san and Anbu, but they shouldn't matter, right? And He couldn't really control himself right now. He needed to get the energy out and the only way to do that was to play, run around and have some fun. Why didn't Nee-san understand that! He didn't want to be cooped up at home all the time! He wanted to see the village! Find out why Nee-san said they where meanies! If he just talked to them he was sure that he could-.
Naruto jerked back as he ran into someone causing him to fall harshly on the ground. "Itai!" He groaned rubbing his head before looking up at the person he ran into.
It was an older man, with long dark brown hair, chiseled face and wearing a blue yukata. "Sorry Mister, I didn't see you there." Naruto said getting up.
The man glowered at him and spit at him. "Of course, you didn't." He said before walking over to two people, a woman and child, who must have been his family. "Come Momoki, we don't want you assorting yourself with this monster." The man said dragging his family away. Monster? Naruto thought. Was that man talking about him?
Naruto looked around and noticed other family's where hurriedly gathering up their children and leaving. One family passed by him with glares.
"Hay. Wait Lady." Naruto said to a woman and her daughter that was passing him. "Why is everyone leaving?" He asked using his polite voice Nee-san taught him.
The woman froze and clutched her daughter tighter. "D-don't hurt us!" She cried in fright backing away from him.
"Hurt you?" Naruto repeated dumbly. The woman shivered and ran past him hiding her daughters face into her shirt.
"Hay wait. I don't understand!" Naruto called reaching out his hand. Monster. That man called him a monster and that lady. She was afraid of him. He was only a kid. What could he do to them. He wasn't a monster. Right?
As Naruto was debating this he saw a group of unattended children playing in the swings. They weren't afraid of him like that lady. Maybe he could play with them.
Smiling he ran over to the children. "Hay!" Naruto called excited. "Can I play with you guys?" He asked the closest one a boy with tan hair and a frown.
The boy looked over to Naruto and shrugged. "If want sure, Tetsu-nii is hogging all the swings though so I don't know if you'll get a try." He replied fiddling with a rock pointing to a dark-skinned kid with a fro.
"That's fine! My name's Naruto! What's yours?" He asked bouncing on his feet. Yay! Maybe this kid could be his new friend instead of just Hanako. He loved his sister but sometimes she was scary. Like using her powers on the bath to make it super-hot scary, then asking if he wanted her to wash his back with no bracelet on, scary. Naruto almost shivered at the thought.
"Futa. That's Natsu, with the brown hair, Tetsu-nii and Omai in the glasses." The boy replied bending down and picking up some more rocks.
"Nice! Hay what you doing with all those rocks?" Naruto asked smiling again. The boy grinned and motioned him over like he had a secret.
"Tetsu-nii has a rival." He said softly grinning. Naruto frowned confused. "Yeah so why would you need rocks though?" He asked.
"Well, Tetsu-nii's rival is a freak, so where gathering rocks to through at him." The boy replied casually.
That didn't sound very nice, Naruto thought. Actually, he voiced it. "That doesn't sound very nice. What this kid do?"
Futa shrugged grinning. "Nothing, he had super caterpillar eyebrows and always has a dumb look on his face. So, Tetsu-nii decided he was going to take care of him, but the boy wouldn't let him. So, he became Tetsu-nii's rival instead." Futa replied.
"But did the kid need taken care of?" Naruto asked not liking these kids by the second. Nee-san always said to not be a bully and that's what these guys sounded like.
Futa frowned and glared at Naruto. "Yeah if Tetsu-nii said he did, we don't ask questions."
Naruto frowned some more. "But why don't you ask questions?" He asked genially confused, Nee-san always told him to ask questions it was what helped someone learn after all.
Futa glared some more at Naruto. "Why do you ask so many questions? We don't that's all there is to it." He replied picking up his rocks and stuffing them in his shorts.
"Yea-But-." Naruto was cut off by a tall short haired woman running up to the five of them.
"Tetsu, Natsu, Futa, Omai! Get away from him!" She demanded glaring at Naruto. Naruto looked up at her confused. Wait what?
"What's the matter Suki-nee-chan." Tetsu said coming over to the woman next to Futa. The woman counted her children mentally before glaring at Naruto again.
"You are not to play with this heathen he is a freak!" She said pulling on Omai's shirt making him fall off the swings.
Tetsu looked over at Naruto confused. "What makes you say that Suki-nee-Chan?" He asked crossing his arms and glaring at Naruto as well.
"He is a heathen and uncouth and a monster beyond hope." She replied in spite.
Naruto cringed and looked at the lady sadly. That was mean to say.
Futa glared at Naruto seaming to make up his mind. "Tetsu-nii he was asking a lot of questions about you." Futa said selling Naruto out.
Tetsu cocked his head and looked at Naruto with wide eyes. "Was he, well if he's a freak shouldn't we put him out of his misery?" The boy asked looking up at Suki.
Suki hurriedly looked around her before looking back at Tetsu and nodded. "Yes, you should but you didn't hear that from me." She replied turning her back on the boys.
Tetsu-nii grinned before holding his head over to Futa gaining a rock. "Well then time to die freak." He said grinning and hurling a rock at Naruto.
The rock hit him in the arm making Naruto cry out. "Ow! Hay stop it!" He said trying to dodge the others that all their boys started to through at him.
"Freak!"
"Monster!"
"Big nose!" The boys chanted throwing more and more rocks at Naruto. Soon it became too hard to dodge all of them and Naruto was crouching trying to keep them from hitting his face.
"Alright boys I think you've taught him his lesson, let's go before the police come." Suki said just as Tetsu-nii threw on last rock hitting Naruto in his shin.
"Kay, Suki-Nee-Chan." The kids repeated leaving Naruto crouched on the ground sporting bruises.
Tears had already started a stream flow down his eyes as he slowly stood up. He didn't understand. Why where they mean to him? Why was he a monster?
What did he do?
Shaking his head, he turned around and ran into the forest. They wouldn't be able to find him there, they couldn't hurt him there. His home was in a forest. So, it should be safer, there right?
Naruto ran until finally he ran out of breath and had to catch it. Naruto leaned back onto the grass looking up at the clouded sky. It matched him mood. He'd done a bad thing. He wanted to go home. He told Nee-san he hated her. She must hate him now too. Just like those people. They hated him. And he didn't know why.
Would Nee-san throw rocks at him too? Naruto pictured his older sister's smiling face as she made his favorite dinner. Chastising him for trying to eat the Raman to fast. Making him wash his hair, practicing Kata's, learning to read, bedtime stories, drinking hot chocolate in the winter with Hanako. Sleeping on the couch. Welts of water streamed down his face not knowing if they originated from the sky or the boy himself.
I wanna go home. Naruto cried rolling over and curling up in a ball.
Before he knew it, the boy fell asleep rain drops mixing in with his tears.
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