…Just as a random question… has anyone ever seen an Evil!Iruka fic? Seriously, the idea popped into my head, and its been stuck in there for a week. I'll never do it, and I'm certain I'll yell at any one who does (Iruka rocks, after all) but it won't go away. I'm reminded of what people say about train wrecks- you can't look away, you're just filled with a kind of morbid fascination. Honestly, I cant picture Evil!Iruka. Since the first time he's shown in the series he's a strict, but kind teacher, who has a mother-hen syndrome about his former students, especially Naruto. I've read a few fics where Iruka never got to know Naruto, and so is cold to him, but I've never heard of Evil!Iruka. Does anyone know of a fic that has it? I'd like to read one, if only to figure out how they could make someone as kick-ass as Iruka evil.
OMG! After you read this, go look up 'Silver Memory' by hania, it's amazing! It sooo fits Naruto! It's like it was made for him! Actually.. not really... but it still fits really well! And it's a beautiful song.In Konoha, there lives a boy whose chakra coils are defective. Despite the fact that he's a shinobi, he cannot use a single jutsu.
Therefore Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and some of the finer forms of weaponry combat are inaccessible to him.
That left Taijutsu, for which he had no talent at all.
His name is Rock Lee, and he is already, at only thirteen, a respected Taijutsu specialist. It is expected that he will become one of history's greatest Taijutsu masters.
"Hard work will win over genius," is his motto.
During the Chuunin Exams he found what could be called a kindred spirit.
Ridiculed for something he had no control over, put down, overshadowed by a prodigal teammate, stubborn, unable to give up, hard worker, different! The only difference was that Uzumaki Naruto really did have potential. Gallons of it, all kept back y a dam of scorn.
Still, Naruto worked hard, and- with determination that Lee wasn't too sure he could match- had even defeated Lee's own eternal rival, one Hyuuga Neji. It's safe to say that Rock Lee liked Naruto, even admired him.
And then Naruto was exiled. For what, he wondered. Something about missions. But the true reason was revealed as soon as the gates were slammed shut behind the blond's straight back.
Uzumaki Naruto was a Jinchuuriki. To the Kyuubi no Kitsune, no less! At first Lee was terrified, but eventually fear faded, and he could think logically.
What did he know about Naruto?
He was a hard worker
He was one a team with the beautiful Haruno Sakura, Gai-sensei's rival Hatake Kakashi, and the traitor Uchiha Sasuke.
He was loyal.
He didn't give up
He changed Neji for the better
He beat Gaara, another Jinchuuriki.
He was supposedly the Kyuubi in human skin.
Not much, it seems. But Lee had never seen Naruto act in cruelty, never seen him kill in cold blood.
So who (or what) exactly was Uzumaki Naruto? He asked Gai-sensei, and got a rather confusing answer.
"If someone killed your precious person… killed all your precious people, and was imprisoned… what would you hate? The prisoner for what it has done? Or the prison for what it contains?"
After a long day of thinking, Lee thought he understood.
Naruto was the jailor, and Kyuubi the jailed. But the prisoner was never punished, and the jail protected it from their wrath.
What else to do but beat upon the walls of the prison?
"How unyouthful…" he murmured. Then his eyes lit up, "Gai-sensei! I refuse to stay with these unyouthful people! To shelter!"
"That's my cute student!"
"Gai-sensei!"
"Lee!"
"Gai-sensei!"
The only question that remains is whether or not Naruto would welcome the strange duo to his side.
Back in Suna's hospital, Naruto was getting slightly uneasy. Gaara had yet to say anything, just sat here and looked at him.
Finally, the redhead opened his mouth, "I'll figure something out."
Naruto sighed in relief, and gave the boy a grin, "I wont need to stay long," he wrote.
Gaara nodded, "I may be able to grant you a week. We're on rocky ground with Konoha as it is."
"That's more than I thought I would get… Gaara-sama," another grin threatened to split his face, but he contained it. He supposed it wasn't very smart to tease the other boy, but… the temptation!
Gaara twitched, "Not you, too…"
Naruto chuckled, but quickly stopped as it burned his raw throat. Gaara sounded so… human! H was quite proud of his accomplishment, yes-sir! "Why are they calling you that?"
Gaara glanced at the paper and gave a tiny sigh, "Kazekage candidate," he said simply.
Suddenly, Naruto didn't feel so good anymore.
It is often said that Shinobi are based off the land on which they dwell.
Kumogakure is a harsh environment, located in Rai no Kuni. Mountains isolate it from the rest of the world, inflating its self worth. Lightning Country is harsh and bitter, but neighbors and friends are valued, outside their small world, few matter. Not much is known about the cloistered village, but it is known that most of its shinobi are prideful beings.
Sunagakure, centered in Kaze no Kuni, is amidst a desert. In fact, about eighty percent of Wind Country is desert. A harsh environment in which no soul is coddled, and death is grim reality, accepted from a young age. Children are taught death is way of life, weaknesses of any kind are abhorred. Often times the shinobi become blood-thirsty, if not heartless, then close to it. They attach themselves to something, give their sanity for someone to hold and keep safe for them.
Mizu no Kuni hosts Kirigakure, once known as the Bloody Mist Village. Fog has been known to play tricks on one's mind, to lead them astray, especially on dark nights, when the very land, and the water which surrounds it, seems alive. Then you blink, the sun rises, and it's gone. But the feeling stays with you, waiting for the moon to show its face once more. The village has attempted to reform, but hundreds of children, killed before they had a chance to fulfill their dream, still walk unseen through the mists, watching jealously those who took that dream away.
Tsuchi no Kuni, Earth Country, hosts Iwagakure, the Village hidden among the Rocks. Their ninja are known for endurance, with their extreme weakness being adaptability. People say no one can best an Iwa-nin in defense. They consider their techniques the best, and hence have not changed their training methods in years.The Yondaime's almost single-handed defeat of their best troops was a harsh blow of reality for them.
Konohagakure is an odd place. Located in Ho no Kuni(1), Land of Fire, it is a village of contradictions. Considered the strongest village, yet scorned for weakness. Called soft, but despised by Iwagakure for butchering its forces in what they claim was cold blood. Amazingly able to churn out 'heroes' and 'prodigies' at alarming rates, but disaster and desertion claim them. Ho no Kuni is a wooded land, filled with trees and plant life. But beneath a forest's calm exterior, many things are happening, all at once. Some of them good, some of them bad, but mostly it's survival. And Leaf-nins specialize in survival.
Naruto honestly didn't know how to react. Part of him felt his stomach roil, bile rising to his throat as he fought for control. Part of him felt like a child, cheated from a treat he thought rightfully his. Part of him felt- pure and simple- pride. In some ways, Gaara was a student, and moments like this made everything worth it. Part of him was jealous. The green hunger that eventually consumed all who let It claim residence was sneaking up on his unguarded back in this, his weakest hour. Naruto didn't know if it was Kyuubi's influence or his own twisted mind, but the flames of hatred devoured a large portion of him, and his body heated up, warmed by the tainted fire that flared within him, then, as soon as it appeared, it was gone. And Naruto was just a lonely, broken teenager again; who had everything he care about stripped from him in one brutal stroke.
So he did the only thing he could do. He smiled.
"Congratulations."
On many levels, it was sincere. Gaara certainly deserved much more than that for winning over Sunagakure, and Naruto was truly happy it had happened.
But, deep inside him, there was something that twisted as he said those words. Twisted horribly, into grotesque formations. And he hated himself for it.
Gaara sighed, and odd sound coming from so cold and individual. "You're only human, Naruto. It's natural to hurt," he stood up, ignoring the fake smile that had frozen onto his fellow's face, "I'll talk to the council about your request." With that he left, allowing the door to swing shut behind him.
Naruto stayed like that for a long time, his fixed smile and dull eyes focused on the spot where Gaara had been sitting previously. His features seemed frozen in place.
Slowly, slowly, his lips moved.
"Am I really?"
The painful plastic smile remained until he fell asleep that evening.
Konoha was beautiful at night, Hinata decided. Everything bad was washed away by the darkness. The Hyuuga compound became just another collection of lights; the Gates of Konoha became another blurred shape in the gloom, almost indistinguishable from the trees.
Yes, Hinata decided. Night made everything better. From here, on her position on the Sandaime's head, she could clearly see the Hokage's tower rise majestically over the rest if the squat administration buildings.
That was the only thing she could make out. Everything else was one bless'ed(2) caliginous blur, starry lights peppering the velvet curtain every now and again to mark homes and life.
The girl sighed, and lay back on the hard ground.
The sky bore a resemblance to Konoha at night… or perhaps it was Konoha bearing a resemblance to the sky?
Either way, it was one thick canvas of sensuous black velvet, interrupted by unexpected lights in the darkness.
Naruto was like that as well, she decided. Naruto-kun was a rare light in the darkness, marking her way. He was her Polaris.
Even if he never knew it.
'I wonder,' she thought, 'Is Naruto watching the stars right now?'
In Sunagakure, Naruto was awakened inexplicably, his spurious smile settling onto his mouth as soon as he regained consciousness, and sat up to face the window. Standing up gingerly, he crept over to the opening, and moved the curtain away. There, up in the sky, a single star twinkled innocently. His painfully fake visage shrank, to be replaced by a soft smile, eyes almost tender. A rare sight indeed.
Yosh! Another chappie! Hooray for me! I'm sick, too, and I still got it typed up. Arg... being sick sucks. I think it's the flu. Ah, well. Hopefully I'll be okay by tonight, I have a party to go to. (snickers) Every month or so all my friends from two different high schools meet up. We almost got thrown out the last time. We'll probably be thrown out this time... we're absolutely insane. But soooo much fun!
Anyway. It's not very long, but I was stuck, so I added in the whole villages thing. I think it turned out okay, and I got to point out the whole Ho, not Hi, thing. 'Hi' might come into play later, (wink, wink). Yeah... if you guys see anything wrong, point it out and I'll fix it. I had a headache so I might not have been as grammar-conscious as usual while typing this.
Insertions!
Ho no Kuni(1)- Most people put Hi no Kuni, but I decided not too. Why? Well, Hi means sun, not fire, for one, which may come into play later. Also, if you look, you'll notice that Mizu no Kuni has the Mizukage, Kaze no Kuni has the Kazekage, Rai no Kuni has the Raikage, and you get the pattern, right? Then if there's a Hokage, shouldn't the country be called Ho no Kuni? Because if it's Hi no Kuni than there would be a Hikage.
Bless'ed(2)- Yes, for those who remember the first chapter, another odd pronunciation. I'm obsessed with them. 'Bless- ed', not 'Bless-d'. Expect more. Lol, I read to many medieval books, I'm falling in love with archaic spelling methods.