Disclaimer: The usual I want to own Naruto but I don't
Sorry it too so long to post but had to write this chapter so that the story would flow better. Please read and let me know what you think.
Chapter 5 –Growing up too fast
Kakashi walked Naruto home. Naruto unlocked the door and went in. He turned to Kakashi looking drained. "Good night Kakashi. I will see you in the morning." Naruto then locked the door and walked off to bed. He cried himself to sleep not wanting to let go that Keiko would not be coming back. The next thing he knew there was a knocking at the door.
"Naruto are you awake? Naruto are you ok?" He heard Kakashi yelling from outside his door. Naruto got out of bed and walked to the door. He opened it smiling. This disturbed Kakashi to no end, but looking deeper into his eyes he could see the pain that Naruto was hiding. "Well good morning, and I am glad so see you looking so bright and chipper. So are you ready to learn how to be a ninja?"
Naruto nodded and looked like he was ready to bounce off the walls but Kakashi saw that this was not the truth as seen in his eyes. "Yes, Kakashi so we are going to get to play with some kunai and some shuriken?"
Kakashi smiled behind his mask. "No, Naruto we are not going to work on your weapons training as of yet. We are going to work on your personal training. We are going to get you into better shape. Have you had breakfast yet?" Naruto shook his head. "Ok I will take you out to breakfast and we will then get started on physical training. I am sure you want to be strong as a prospective ninja. Am I correct?" Naruto nodded agreement. "Ok let's head to my favorite breakfast buffet."
They walked quietly down the streets of Konoha, Naruto smiling the whole way. Kakashi watch the reactions of the people as they passed most were looks of either anger or disgust, some were of even hatred. There were a few and only a few that looked at the boy in his charge and smiled or acted indifferent. 'Boy Naruto you have your work cut out for you.' Just as the thought crossed his mind he felt a twinge of killing intent and he intercepted a kunai while faking a stumble. 'That was close.' "Wow I should watch where I am going stumbling over a rock, how silly of me a jonin." He hid the weapon quickly in his weapons pouch to be later looked at to find out who had thrown it.
"How can you be a jonin if you stumble over a rock that isn't even there Kakashi-san?" Naruto replied with a chuckle. Not even aware that Kakashi had intercepted a dangerous weapon aimed at Naruto.
Stopping in front of a restaurant Kakashi states "well here we are. Let's go inside, shall we?" Naruto nods agreement.
They are stopped by the host of the restaurant. "You sir may enter but that demon may not." A look of utter disgust on his face.
'Oh boy here we go.' Kakashi rolled his eyes and moved closer to the host. "You will let us eat here or by Kami I will make sure there is a scene. I also will make sure that the insurance does not pay and you are brought up on charges of breaking the third's law. Do I make myself clear?" Kakashi threatened as the host nodded.
The host started to sweat very profusely. "As you wish sir. Will you gentlemen come with me?" He lead them to a booth back in the corner where the guests could not see Naruto.
"This will be fine. Also I would like fast service so we will not disturb your other guests too much. We have places to go and things to do. So make it fast." With that Kakashi ordered breakfast for them both making Naruto a little annoyed that he was not getting ramen. The finish breakfast with little incident and did not have any more problems with the service. They left as Kakashi walked with Naruto around the park for a couple hours.
Naruto was starting to get tired but was enjoying having time with someone who seemed to like to be around him. Kakashi was not sure why the child was getting such a bad rap. He knew about the sealing of the Kyubi, but the looks and the anger thrown at the boy was disproportionate for what he had done so far. The pranks were harmless, other than ego bruising or would embarrass them. Heck Kakashi even found some of the pranks amusing. And over the next few months he watched as Naruto would plan and execute elaborate pranks on those that had hurt him. Kakashi became somewhat annoyed when he had to kill a couple other Konoha ninja to protect Naruto.
As the months pass Naruto starts to learn writing and reading. He also learns how to mold chakra. This in itself has its problems. He has such a reserve for a small child that Kakashi is astonished. Naruto during this time also gets to meet Kakashi's summoned dog pack. When Kakashi is off on a mission he leaves one of the dogs with Naruto to keep an eye on him. After the death of a total of six ninja who attempted to attack Naruto when he is being watched by Kakashi the attacks in his presence stop.
On Naruto's next birthday Kakashi is away and Naruto is with Pakun. They are attacked Pakun is slightly injured but Naruto is again injured badly. While Pakun is fighting Naruto disappears but he hears a voice say "I will take him to the hospital." ANBU arrived shortly after that and Pakun tell them that Naruto is with a friend.
Naruto wakes up the next morning with a patched up Pakun sitting on his chest. "Hey kid you are lucky he showed up or you would not have made it." Naruto looking at Pakun with confusion written all over his face. "I tell you that you have friends around here but do not see them. He said not to tell you who he was but to keep up hope. He said that you will be a strong person one day, and he looks forward to seeing you then."
"Come on Pakun. Who was it?" Naruto asked pleadingly.
"I cannot tell you but you will eventually see him. That is all I can tell you. Now heal up and do not take off from here until they discharge you. I will keep an eye out for trouble for you. But I think that this should be safe. By the way sorry you had a such a bad birthday. The fourth sends his best wishes and apologies for the villagers."
Naruto weekly smiles. "Why do they keep the worst attacks for my birthday?"
"Not sure kid, but they are also mostly drunk from the festival. So you tell me. You are a good kid and nice to boot. Why they attack you is beyond me." Raising his paw "here you can feel my pads. They are nice and squishy." Naruto laughed and rubbed Pakun's paw making the dog really happy.
During the day Naruto got a couple visitors, Shikamaru, Shikaku, Ino, Inochi, Choza and Choji. They talked for a little while but eventually all had to go. There was one doctor who kept on checking in on Naruto and looking at his injuries. "You are such a good patient you make my job so easy. Now you get some rest and we should be able to let you out of here tomorrow afternoon." Looking at Naruto with a strange look on his face. "You know most people would be dead from your injuries. But you will be healed mostly up in a day or so. When we let you out you will need to take it easy for a couple days. Then you should be back to normal." Getting up he walks to the door. "Naruto keep safe. While I enjoy your visits I would prefer you coming in with a cold rather than near mortal injuries. Ok?" Naruto nods as he leaves the room.
"I like that guy, he is not like the other doctors. I smell no fear or anger on him like I do the others." Pakun commented as Naruto looked at him in confusion.
'I know that most people do not like me. But this doctor and the nurse seem to like me and treat me well.' Naruto looked at Pakun and started talking. "I know what you mean. Most of the villagers seem to either hate me or fear me. I have been beaten, burned, stabbed, thrown, and hurt so many times and ways I don't care to remember and I am only six years old. Why do they keep doing this?" Naruto asked as tears started to roll down his face. "I don't want to cry. But everyone hates me and most want to see me dead. Why, why do they hate me? How can there be so much hatred for just one kid? What did I ever do?" Naruto laid back and buried his head in the pillow and cried himself to sleep.
He woke up a few hours later when Pakun licked his face. "Hey Naruto, you have to get up now."
Naruto looking half asleep and confused asked "why?"
Pakun was sniffing the air. "Something is not right and we have to get out of here. I think we are going to get attacked again. So you ready? Get your keys and some pants on." Naruto did as Pakun ordered. "Ok fix the pillows like you are still in the bed and we will slip out the window. Good think we are only on the second floor." Naruto fixed the pillows and covered them up with the sheets and then opened the window and jumped out.
As they left the hospital grounds they heard a cry of "Die you demon! Die!!"
Naruto and Pakun were well on their way to Naruto's apartment when they saw a mob forming near his house. "Not good." Pakun commented. "We can go around them but they seem to want to go to your place. We should shadow them from the woods." Naruto nodded and walked with Pakun into the woods. "Wait Naruto I smell a dog and an Inazuka.
"Greetings little one." A feral looking woman was standing in front of them. "No need to worry Naruto and Pakun. You are with friends." Naruto then noticed a large gray and white wolf with an eye patch. "I am Tsume Inazuka. This here is my friend and companion Kuromaru." Pointing at the large dog with the
eye patch, as the dog nodded. "Now you can either deal with the mob or come with me and be safe. I will send some people to get some of your stuff for you. Will that be ok Naruto?"
"H… How… How do you know my name?" Naruto was getting scared now this woman looked as wild as the untamed forest with large red tattoos on her face looking like fangs.
Tsume laughed. "You are known to us we were supposed to work with you on your abilities to track but the Hyuga's seemed to not have the time to send you too us. Now come boy we will talk of this over dinner while your so called protector is out of town." Naruto followed.
"He smells of fox, Tsume." Kuromaru quietly said.
"Yes I know, so keep the other dogs in line for our guest." Tsume responded with a smile.
She led Naruto and Pakun to the Inuzuka estate. A large two story building with a large kennel attached. Naruto was amazed at the sight of the place, and the smell too. He was a little nervous and could not tell why. All the dogs came up to him and sniffed him this was a little unsettling for him as he was not used to dogs. The other members of the Inuzuka clan came and greeted Naruto even a boy his age named Kiba.
"You smell funny. I know the smell I just can't place it." Kiba exclaimed.
"I like to eat ramen, a lot. Maybe that is it." Naruto replied smiling.
"Nah, I can smell the ramen, but there is another familiar scent on you I just can't place. Ow!!" Kiba yelped when Tsume smacked him on the back of the head.
"You will treat our guest nicely no matter what he smells like. Now let's get some food ready and go to bed. He will be staying with us until Kakashi returns. Any questions?" Tsume shouted to the clan in the middle of the hall, none had a problem with it. "Tomorrow we will start to train you in hunting and foraging. Sound good Naruto?" Naruto nodded. They had a filling dinner but it was not ramen and Naruto was happy to get some of his clothes from his apartment. Being in a hospital gown and orange pants was not his idea of comfortable and there were the bandages that were all over his body. He slept well even though he could smell dog or wet dog everywhere, he knew he was at least safe for the night.
The next morning they went on a search for rabbits on the property. For some reason Naruto was able to find them more easily than the dogs. He just seemed to be able to tell where they were. Naruto stayed with the Inuzuka for another week before Kakashi returned. They had a small party to celebrate his sixth birthday and were surprised that it was better than the ones he had at the Hyuga compound. Kiba and Naruto got a long famously and started to have mock fights with each other neither winning as the whole idea was to have fun. The Inuzuka had Kakashi enroll Naruto in the academy so that he could learn how to read and write and start to learn how to be a shinobi.
The first day at the academy Naruto walked with the Inuzuka. To his surprise he saw Hinata, he waved and she waved back, this made Naruto very happy until the Hyuga guards interposed themselves between Naruto and Hinata, all with evil stares.
When they were seated the instructor intentionally put Naruto in a corner and gave him a book to work on, he was also not able to bring it home. Hinata attempted to talk to Naruto as did a few of the other students but were blocked by the instructor. Naruto was not given recess with the other students.
As the classes went on Naruto became disenfranchised with the instructors as his questions were ignored and his work was always graded harshly without any information on how or why he was wrong. He started to not care and stole some of the books that the others were using to learn and worked on training himself. This was hard going at first as Kakashi did not notice that Naruto was having problems with school. Kakashi would offer his help if he wanted it but Naruto would refuse and give him a happy face. Kakashi assumed that things were going fine at the academy.