Hello, my co-writer Tsukiange and I will be updating a little less often due to us being caught up on our writing. With that being said now is a great time for any suggestions or criticisms. We have pictures posted on tsukiange pintrest if you want to check them out. Enjoy

Chapter 13

Shizuko's Festival POV

I couldn't help but laugh as Naruto kept getting more and more red faced as he missed the bottles with the rings in his hand.

"This game is rigged!" He pouted as he stared angrily at the bottles. He threw more money at the vendor who was just grinning at the money he was making from the boy.

"Naruto, stop." I grabbed his hand before he threw it like he throws a kunai. I placed my hand over top of his.

"Hold it like this." I manipulated his hand so the ring was between his thumb and forefinger with his thumb on top. I didn't realize how close I got to him until I looked at his face and our noses were close to touching. His wide blue eyes locked onto my eyes.

"Sorry, try now and aim for the back corner." with a small blush and smile I stepped back, but Naruto just stared at me before he shook his head. With the ring spinning straight we watched with bated breath as it lands on the bottle in the corner. The next second I scream as my body is lifted in the air and spun around, Naruto yelling in my ear how we did it.

"Well, it's about damn time. Now what do you want kid, you're holding up my line."

"Hmmm I want that one." He pointed to a red fox with black fur on his boots and white tipped tail. The host looked shocked as he stared at Naruto, suspicion in his eyes. As I was staring at the host, eyebrows furrowed in concentration something blocked my vision. Reaching to grab it I'm now holding the fox Naruto just got. I turned to look at him, he was just rubbing the back of his head, smiling. I tilt my head staring at him in confusion.

"Well I couldn't have won it without you. You also said you love foxes, so I thought you might like it." I looked down at the fox, then back up at Naruto. To his surprise and shock, I almost knocked him over as I flung my arms around him, hugging him close still clutching the fox in my hand.

"Thank you for this Naruto." I whispered in his ear as he wrapped his arms around me. I felt so safe and warm in his arms.

"Alright love birds! Move out of the way!" We jolted away from each other, my face hot as the host shooed us away. Naruto led us to the slow dancing bodies, next to a group of girls staring at the dance floor. Following their gaze my eyebrows raise as I saw Lie in Sasuke's arms dancing.

"Hey Shizuko, Look Sakura's right there!" He whispered excitedly to me my gaze followed to the full on pink explosion near us as my lips turned down. "Do you think I should ask her to dance? Maybe this will be the time she recognizes me?!" I looked down at our clasped hands and shook loose from him, holding the fox tightly in my grip.

"Yes Naruto, it doesn't hurt to try!" My voice sounded shaky even to my own ears, but Naruto didn't seem to notice as he grinned at me and walked toward her, to my shock and dismay Sakura grabbed his hand and led him out to the dance for. With his free hand Naruto turned and gave me a thumb up sign as he grinned. My lips went up in a shaky smile. Inside I was a mess of emotions, it was like white hot rage was rolling through me, but all I wanted to do was scream and cry on the floor.

I watched as Naruto was dragged around grinning as Sakura led him around next to Sasuke, that she was trying to listen in to their private conversation as she ignored him. I couldn't stand the sight of them anymore and turned my back to them and began to walk away. As I passed a trash can I stopped and stared at the plushy fox in my hands before shaking my head and going around the festival looking at all the stands and smiling people.

I"m surrounded by people/friends yet I feel so alone. Does anyone even care that I'm gone? Did anyone notice? I couldn't help but let the dark thoughts in. Feelings that hadn't come about since before I met Lie after the attack. It felt like I was losing everyone, I know Lie is here physically, but I feel like she's given up and just accepted her fate, a part of me hated her for being so weak and giving in after one showing of darkness. I missed my friends and family who shone nothing but light around me. Lately, I feel like I'm being consumed by darkness and hideous emotions. I just want to go home….

Just as I think that I am knocked to the ground from behind, only caught myself with my hands in the dirt.

"Who the hell stands in the middle of a crowded road? Watch where you are going." a gravelly voice came from behind me. Quickly I stood up and turned around my hands going to my hips as I face bright green eyes.

"Hey, you're the one who ran into me! I just needed a second, who do you think you are, the Hokage?" I was letting out anger at this boy who was probably right, but I couldn't stop the word vomit. Looking him over he is wearing the garb of the hidden Sand with a giant gourd on his back? My eyes skim over his shockingly bright red hair to his green eyes that if looks could kill I'd be dead by now. In his eyes is a murderous glint that I believe he may, as goosebumps go all over.

"I will kill you without a thought girl."

"Oh, please I'd love to see you try jerk! And my name is Shizuko, not girl." just as I admonished him I felt something grainy brush against me before something wraps around my throat cutting off my air. Glancing down panicked I see an arm of sand clutching me. I tried to claw it off as he looked on devoid of emotion.

"I am Gaara of the Sand, and you will stay out of my way girl." I looked around fearfully at the villagers scattered around us in a circle, but they just looked on fearfully. I can't die like this… I haven't asked her why yet! Familial brown eyes flash in my mind and a blood-spattered face as they stare at me. Without realizing my hands moved into hand signs of my village I remembered my father doing, as my vision begins to darken. Holy fire circles around me as I release it onto Gaara who looked at me in shock as he is thrown back and released me as he protected himself in a sand shell from my attack. To the average person it just looked like a normal flame jutsu, but Holy Fire is exclusive to the angel village and burns ten times hotter. I looked around in fear at the villagers who are whispering as I grasp my throbbing throat. I ran from their stares, pushing through the crowd.

I threw my body into the alleyway as I held my throat gasping for air, as it began to heal on its own. My healing hands jutsu tattoo jutsu heat up on my back. In the distance I can hear someone yelling my name. Curious, I peeked around the corner to see the loud-mouth ninja yelling my name as the villagers looked at him in disgust or fear and gave him a wide berth. I leaned back with a sigh, not sure if I wanted to speak to Naruto right now, with the anger still in me about ditching me for Sakura who was only using him.

"Why are you here beast?! We don't want you here!" I suddenly heard an old man yell out near me. There was a raising of voicing echoing that sentiment. I looked around the wall again and saw Naruto in the middle of a mob. He wasn't angry, he just looked dejected. His head was downturned with his fists clenched. I didn't understand why they were calling him a beast, but I was so angry they were being such bullies to him. With my cheeks flushed red, and my temperature rising I pushed through the crowd to Naruto.

"I don't know why you think it is okay to pick on a kid! But, each one of you should be ashamed of yourselves, Naruto has done nothing wrong to deserve your ugly hatred. If anyone even so much looks at him wrong I will tear your eyes out, got it?!" I grabbed Naruto's arm and marched through the villagers as they looked at me in fear. I just kept walking not knowing where I was going just away from everything that happened on that road. I didn't stop until we reached a hill overlooking the village where it looked so pretty and perfect with the fires below and people dancing with the stars above us. I started to calm down and just felt embarrassed for my running away and outburst.

"Thank you…" Naruto's voice a quiet breeze going through me. I turned to look at him, but he was still looking at the ground his hands were balled up shaking. "Nobody has really ever stood up for me before…"

"Nar-"

"I hate them sometimes, the way they treat me. I've done nothing to them." He looked up at me his blue eyes shimmered with tears. "All they see is a monster." Our eyes locked and for once I was speechless by the pure gratitude in his eyes. I could never imagine growing up with everyone hating you.

He walked passed me to the edge, and in a fleeting thought I was concerned he was going to jump. Instead it seemed like he collapsed on himself and sank down with his feet hanging off the ledge. Hesitantly I put down the fox stuffed animal and I walked over to the edge and while holding onto Naruto's arm I sat down next to him, refusing to look below us. Even after sitting I held a tight grip to his arm.

"I've noticed some unusual things about you Naru-Kun…." I asked hesitantly, but he just sighed and looked at me with fear and sadness in his eyes. "Why does everyone fear you or not like you?"

"Don't hate me please Shizu-chan."

"I'll always be here for you Naruto, I won't leave you." I knew as soon as I said it I knew it to be true. I liked him more than I should, he's been the only pure light in my life since evil came into it.

"When I got my headband the night of exams Mizuki told me I'm the nine-tailed fox demon." Immediately I remembered reading the history of Konoha and the nine-tailed fox that killed hundreds of people 13 years ago.

"Naruto, that's not possible, you were just born at that time." My brows furrowed as I couldn't wrap my head around it.

"He's inside me." His voice was dripping with self-loathing and fear. He wouldn't look at me as I stared at the side of his face. It didn't change how I felt, I still felt warmth in me when I was around him and thought of him.

"I don't care." I wrapped my other arm around his arm already in my grip and leaned my head against his shoulder looking at the stars.

I could feel him staring at me, but I just smiled softly, eyes not really seeing the stars. "I won't let anyone hurt you Naruto, not ever again."

"Thank you, Shizuko, for staying." He leaned his head against mine. I wasn't completely sure about what I was feeling for him, but I knew in that moment I would get stronger to protect him, I would never leave him.