I changed Naruto's heritage too. If some of the characters are OOC, don't complain because this is an AU fanfic, meaning some of them will be OOC.
Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, Itachi would've never killed his clan; he'd take Sasuke away and disappear.
Chapter Two: Childhood's Ending
Naruto didn't remember being rescued by a familiar Chunin. He only remembered the vivid dreams he had where she too left him behind just like everyone else he trusted. Naruto woke up at dawn, well what would've been dawn if it wasn't raining buckets. He was in the hospital again. Déjà vu, but Naruto wasn't three, and Tora was about to walk through the door. Naruto lifted the hospital shirt and groaned at the sight of his bandaged stomach area. He bet there were stitches underneath the bandages. He ignored the other bandages and noticed that he wore not a single cast. His healing thing was improving.
"You had us scared for awhile," a musical voice said. Naruto looked at the spot where the visitor's chair usually sat empty. Kurenai smiled at him like it was another day. "You're a brave idiot." Naruto didn't eye smile or make any facial expressions. He just stared, wondering why the hell she'd visit a bad kid anyhow. He flinched when she tried to take his hand and looks away. Another bed was in the room with the curtain drawn around it. Naruto smelled leather in the air and knew that the patient is restrained. "We had to restrain you when you were thrashing violently over a nightmare. You've been out for two days." Itachi was long gone. "Your things were returned to your apartment." Naruto couldn't tell if Kurenai was talking to see if he was listening or to reassure herself that he was alive.
"Stop," Naruto said finally. Kurenai blinked and was confused. Naruto looked at her and was angry. Why did she hang around him? Didn't she know he was infecting? "Stop talking. I can't hear you very well, and it's annoying." Naruto looked at his hands and noticed the tiny scars that stained his fingers. Itachi's training. He clenched his hands tightly and watched blood seep out. His jaw was starting to hurt from clenching that too. Kurenai put a hand on his fist, making him look at her.
"It's going to be okay, Naruto. Itachi's leaving isn't your fault," Kurenai said. Naruto rolled his eyes and went to stare out the window. He noticed that nobody sat with the other patient. "I'll be here tomorrow, Naruto. See you later." Naruto didn't wave or say goodbye. He kept his eyes glued to the rain outside. He couldn't see his reflection and couldn't understand the pity in Kurenai's eyes when she spoke. Maybe he was stupid after all. Maybe he wasn't Itachi's little genius. He hated himself a little more as the hours passed by, and the rain never stopped.
ICECOLD
Kurenai came back every day. People told her to leave Naruto alone because nothing good would come out of going to the hospital to see him. He talked to nobody but her. They talked about fairytales. She told him some new ones while he repeated the old ones. He told her that he filed all the fairytales in his brain by the people who told them to him. Her fairytales were okay in his opinion (not that he would ever tell her). He had to wait two weeks after the massacre to leave because of stitches.
"Kurenai, why do you keep coming here?" Naruto asked as she prepared his pain medicine. He watched her with calculating eyes that Itachi created. She looked at him and shrugged, knowing he'd get angrier. He would never ever hurt Kurenai. "There has to be some reason. You just can't be here because you're bored either." Naruto crossed his arms and refused his medicine when she brought it over to him. "Tell me why you keep coming around, or I won't take my medicine." Kurenai smirked.
"I could always get the nurses to force feed it to you," Kurenai said. She looked at Naruto's serious face and knew he wasn't about to budge on his deal. "Okay then." Kurenai reached for the nurse's button, but Naruto grabbed her wrist. He took the pills and glass of water and swallowed the ill tasting medicine. She smiled and ruffled his hair. It was getting long again. "Stop all that frowning. It makes you look like a clown." Naruto glared at her. "I visit you because you are interesting." Naruto gave up and pulled a book out from behind his pillow. It was his schoolbook because he wasn't about to get behind. He already failed the Genin test three times. "So serious. Naruto, you need to relax sometimes." Naruto pretended to not hear her. She went into telling a story about a strong warrior and his waiting bride. Naruto dozed off at the end of it and dreamt of traveling to make it back to her.
ICECOLD
Naruto was nine a few weeks after the massacre. He didn't pity Sasuke, who seems to be the Angst King sometimes. Nobody pitied Naruto either. They're all too busy paying attention to Sasuke except the Hokage, Kurenai, and Iruka-sensei. Naruto believed that Iruka is like Itachi, luring him into a false trust and betraying him somehow. He didn't trust Iruka at all because the Chunin had way too kind eyes. He didn't trust any of the other teachers either because they have evil eyes.
"Happy birthday, Naruto," Kurenai said as she sat on his couch. Naruto took a bite of the vanilla cake she made with caution. The orange icing was suspicious. "I didn't poison it. My cooking isn't that bad!" It isn't. The cake is a little dry, but Naruto decided that he liked it. She smiled at him as he ate two more pieces. "I guess I'll give you your gift." Kurenai walked back to the table where the box that she used to bring the small cake over was. She came back with two wrapped objects. Naruto, unconsciously, was curious. He took the first as she handed it to him and opened it quickly. Inside was a book on more fairytales and a few blank journals. "You're going to write your own fairytales for your kids to read." She handed him the next gift. It was a pair of goggles that looked almost like snowboarder ones, but they had ear covers, and the lens could go up without the ear covers moving. They were tinted black. "I thought they were nice. My friend, Kakashi, helped me pick them out. He said his old teammate used to wear a pair all the time." With the goggles was a locket. Engraved into the metal was 'Forever Reaching'. Inside was a picture of Tora and Hikari on one side with Itachi on the other. "Don't tell anyone about that picture." Naruto nodded.
"Thank you," Naruto said. He sat aside the gifts and sat next to her on the couch. Unexpectedly, he hugged her. Kurenai smiled and hugged him back. "I'll be a hero one day. You can be the woman in the stories that waits with unwavering faith." Again with the love talk. Naruto was loyal indeed. "Kurenai, if I ever go away for awhile, I'll always return to you and you alone." Naruto's voice faded into a whisper. Kurenai wasn't nineteen anymore, and Naruto wasn't four either. They were twenty-four and nine. "Kurenai, you're my best friend." Naruto let her go and went back into his room. He rushed out with a drawn picture. "I did this when Itachi was still around." He handed the paper to her.
"It's beautiful," Kurenai said. The picture was of Naruto's precious ones and him. Tora was laughing as Hikari was sizing a Jonin Itachi up. Kurenai was standing beside Tora with a small smile on her face and her hand holding a smaller one. Naruto sat on Tora's shoulder's and held Kurenai's hand. In the background was a shadowed Konoha, but where they stood was bright and sunny. "I could see Hikari doing that to Itachi. Naruto, you're a wonderful artist." Naruto blushed and nodded. He would never show her the only painting he ever did because it was of her smiling at him.
ICECOLD
Umino Iruka was a new teacher. He assisted in teaching for three years before taking the position himself. He knew all about Uzumaki Naruto. He knew of the boy's unbroken perfect attendance. The Hokage had sent notice that both Naruto and Sasuke were returning. They did return but didn't talk to anyone. Naruto's ninth birthday was closing in. There weren't any classes on that day, so Naruto's presence wasn't required. The day after was a different story. Naruto was absent. Strange, maybe he was sick with the yearly bout of stomach flues.
Nobody cared that Naruto wasn't home sick. He was bleeding in an alley a few streets away from the Academy. Three adult men blamed him for the massacre of the Uchiha and the Kyuubi attack. Naruto took their punches and kicks, no matter where they landed. When they started using kunai, he screamed. They punched him into unconsciousness before leaving him broken and bleeding in an alley. Nobody cared about him enough to search for him. He would probably die there.
"Naruto!" Iruka shouted as he looked through the streets. He met Yuhi Kurenai as they both stopped at Naruto's apartment. He wasn't there. Nothing had been touched since this morning because Naruto's cereal bowl was still sitting in the sink. The white haired boy usually cleaned it when he got home. Both Chunin decided to go searching for the boy. He could be anywhere. "Naruto!" Iruka was a few streets away from the Academy. He looked in all the alleys and found nothing except Naruto's backpack. He rushed through the streets again and headed to the Academy. He walked to the wooden swing and was met by a sad sight. Like a fallen angel, Naruto slept against the tree. "Oh, Naruto." Iruka dropped the backpack and picked Naruto up. He carried the boy to the hospital where Kurenai was searching by.
Naruto groaned as he woke up in the hospital again. If he was without a home, the hospital would be his next option. He spent enough time in the sterile place. He looked at the visitor's chair and found it empty. Kurenai probably didn't hear about him being in the hospital. He heard voices outside his door, arguing with someone. Probably a doctor telling some couple that their kid was dying. Naruto noticed that he wasn't connected to a heart monitor, so he was only there for a few hours so far.
"You must really love this place," a soft voice said. Naruto looked at the door as Iruka walked in, followed by the Hokage and Kurenai. He glared at the teacher and waited to be scolded about missing class. Iruka didn't say anything as he looked at Naruto. "Not talkative, that's fine." Kurenai stayed in the shadows practically. She looked frightened. "Naruto, we found you by the Academy. You were pretty beaten up. Can you tell us who?" Naruto blinked and shifted through his memories. All he could remember about his attackers was that they stunk like whiskey mixed with cow manure and that their teeth were yellow. He didn't say anything to the three visitors. "Naruto, anything will help us." Naruto clenched his fists and want them to be gone. "Naruto, please." Naruto glared at the bed sheets.
"There is nothing. It doesn't matter what I say because they will walk away smelling like a rose, and I'll get the heat for lying. No way! I didn't see any faces anyhow," Naruto said. He felt used. He wanted to get a shower and to eat a nice, hot meal. "Please, don't ask anymore. I don't remember anything. I want to forget these incidents, so my brain automatically tunes out." He wanted them to leave, so he could escape. He didn't need to be in the hospital anymore. He looked at Kurenai and almost thought about begging to go home. He didn't even notice when Iruka and the Hokage stepped out. Kurenai stepped closer to the bed and smiled at him. Naruto could tell she had been crying. "Why were you crying?" Kurenai took the only chair by his bed. "Don't cry for me. I'm okay." Naruto truthfully didn't know how bad he looked. He knew his eye was swollen and his head was ringing, but that was it.
"You look terrible," Kurenai said. Naruto flashed a rare eye smile that made her smile as well. He looked at his hands and remembered his birthday the day before. He was happy on that day. Happier than he had been in years. "Naruto, I should've walked with you to make sure nobody hurt you. I'm sorry." Naruto hated himself even more. He caused her pain. "Naruto, are you okay?" Naruto knew he should stop this friendship, but he couldn't. She was his lifeline and the only reason he got up every morning. She hugged him, surprising him. He felt her tears hitting his hospital shirt. "I worry about you because you're so abused yet so innocent." Naruto hugged her back because he wasn't experienced in comfort.
"I'll become strong enough to make sure you never worry about me again. I'll be a hero like Dad wanted me to be," Naruto said. Kurenai didn't say anything. She didn't tell him that he was already a hero. Not a whisper came out of her mouth of him being a forgotten hero that was strong enough now to show the world he was still living. "I'll be your hero first though." She smiled and kept it to herself that he was already her favorite hero. As he started to drop back into the unconscious world from the pain medicine, he talked about a hero, forgotten by the world, rising up and saving the ones that believed in him.
ICECOLD
Nothing that good last forever though. Kurenai received a promotion to Jonin shortly afterwards and was pulled away for missions. Naruto rarely saw her during the year. He hated the thought of losing a friend. He dealt with it though. She was busy and had no room right now for a hero wannabe that wasn't even able to pass the Genin exams. Life continued on even if they didn't want it to.
"Naruto, happy birthday," Kurenai said. She smiled at him as the rain poured down. The rain didn't affect the parties going on to celebrate the defeat and mourning of the Fourth Hokage. Naruto blinked and let her in without a single word. She hugged him and placed a familiar box on the table. Naruto bounced over with excitement. The box usually met happiness and good things. "I'm sorry about not being around often. As a Jonin, I'm busy. I'm trying to get a few days off." Naruto shrugged as she pulled out the cake. "This year, Kakashi, Iruka, and Anko got you gifts too." Naruto never met Kakashi and Anko. He nodded and walked over to his chair.
"Did I ever tell you of the two ANBU that cared for me before Tora?" Naruto asked. Kurenai shook her head as she cut the cake. Naruto was probably resisting not eating the entire thing. He had an addiction to sweets apparently. "Snake and Dog were what I know them as, and they took care of me when the orphanage caretaker tossed me out. On my third birthday, they disappeared. I don't remember them clearly, but I remember that Dog had two different colored eyes and Snake was always holding me. My first fairytale came from them. One was about the Sannin and the other about a man known as the White Fang." Naruto accepted his piece calmly. "I've always wondered where they went off to. The Hokage told me that they were gone." He took a bite of the cake, and his eyes lit up. "This is better than last year's!" Naruto quickly finished his cake as Kurenai laughed. He got another piece and looked at her. She looked exhausted. "You look tired." Kurenai shrugged.
"The missions are usually long. I think people are noticing our friendship," Kurenai said. Naruto looked at his half-eaten piece and felt sick. "Naruto, I'm not ashamed of us being friends. You're my break from looking at the other Chunin and Jonin I have as friends. I like our time together." Naruto finished his piece and didn't go back for his usual third piece. "Naruto, if I was ashamed of our friendship, I wouldn't be here for your birthday." Naruto nodded and eye smiled for her. It made her feel better. Someone knocked on the door, chilling Naruto to the bone. Nobody came on this day to see him. He didn't move, so Kurenai walked over to answer it. It was Asuma and Gai.
"Youthful Kurenai, come join us in the celebrations!" Gai shouted. Nobody noticed that Naruto was holding his ears because Gai was too loud. "Ten years ago, our youthful Hokage died, but he saved us all!" Asuma rolled his eyes at Gai's antics and looked passed Kurenai. He noticed the shock of white hair sticking up. "Is that Naruto? Youthful Tora's lovely son?" Gai pushed passed the two Jonin and rushed over to Naruto. He stopped and looked upset. Naruto was covering his head and tensed up for a blow that wasn't coming. "Naruto-kun, I won't hit you. I don't hate you. Happy birthday." Kurenai led Asuma over as Naruto took down his defenses. He looked at the two newcomers. "I'm Maito Gai, and this is Sarutobi Asuma." Asuma nodded his head at his name. Naruto nodded back.
"I'm Uzumaki Naruto. Cake is on the table. The more, the merrier, right?" Naruto asked. His eyes were sparkling with joy as he walked into the kitchen to get two more plates. Gai watched the ten-year-old move as if he were dancing. He was amazed at this little boy because Naruto withstood glares, insults, and beatings that would've broken men older than him. Gai looked at Asuma and Kurenai. They didn't bring gifts for the birthday boy. "Here." Naruto walked back over with two pieces of cake for his new friends. Asuma thanked him as he took his, and Gai gave the boy a hug. Naruto tried to push Gai away. "Please don't hug me. You're terrifying me." Naruto was disturbed by Gai's spandex suit and his eyebrows that seemed to move.
"Naruto, you're so cool and hip at ten just like my eternal rival, Kakashi," Gai said. He took a bite of the cake and smiled. "Your cooking is amazing, Kurenai!" Gai tried to hug Kurenai, but she put her hands up to stop him. Naruto watched the scene and found it funny, but his face wouldn't distort to a smile. Asuma noticed this and tried to figure out what was wrong with the kid. After several minutes of Gai's comical stories about his rival and their challenges, Asuma walked over to Naruto. The white haired kid was watching Gai make the movements to a fight story.
"You don't smile with face," Asuma said. Naruto raised his eyebrow as he looked at the Jonin. "Any kid your age would've been on the floor laughing from watching Gai. The Academy students in the upper classes laugh at Gai when he attempts to teach them taijutsu. You don't smile or laugh. Your face looks like it was glued to stay blank." Asuma and Naruto didn't notice that Gai had stopped. "Your eyes light up when you're happy. It's a smile in a way. Why can't you smile?" Naruto opened his mouth, but he closed it. He didn't know the answer. His only smile was to Tora by the table. Naruto walked over to the very spot he was at when he smiled.
"I don't know. I've never smiled for anyone but Tora. It was only once though. My facial muscles don't recognize it, I guess," Naruto said. He wanted to end the awkward conversation. Asuma stared at him with eyes that made Naruto feel like a file to be searched through over and over again. "I'm not a smiling guy." Naruto never told anyone about his private practices to attempt to smile normally. "Nobody else bothered to tell me because I'm happy this way." Asuma nodded and left Naruto alone.
"Why don't you open your gifts before it gets too late? Don't want to fall asleep in the middle of opening your presents, do you?" Kurenai asked with a smile. Naruto nodded and ran over to his recliner chair. He was excited because he had more gifts this year. Anko, Iruka, and Kakashi. "Here, this one is from Anko." Naruto looked at the thin box and opened it. Inside was a photo album that was attached with a note. Naruto – This is to hold your memories forever. – Anko He opened the leather cover and stared at a picture of him hiding behind Tora's leg. Hikari took many pictures of him and was probably friends with Anko. Kurenai smiled as she handed the next gift to him. "It's from Iruka." It was several comic books, some old, some new. Naruto was surprised to see some of them because they dated back to before the Kyuubi attack. "This is Kakashi's gift." There were several books by Jiraiya (none of the perverted ones except for one titled Secret) and a necklace that had a white tooth of a wolf strung onto it. It was interesting but liked. "This is from Gai and Asuma." It was one of Kurenai's gifts to him, but he didn't care. It was a camera. "A new type of art." Naruto loved it. He was handed the last one and was surprised to see several sketchbooks with color pencils. Asuma and Gai took their leave before Naruto could talk. "I thought you'd want something for your art this year." Kurenai received another hug from Naruto. "Don't grow any taller. I don't like the thought of looking up to you in the future." Naruto looked at her with annoyed eyes. She just chuckled. Naruto never had a happier birthday without Kurenai spending it with him.
ICECOLD
Kurenai wasn't able to get any time off. The assignment room gave her mission after mission with maybe a day's rest between. She crashed once at Naruto's apartment because he asked her for help with his homework. He left her sleep and finished his homework in silence. She was starting to get dark rings under her eyes from little sleep, and it was making her irritable. Sometimes, Naruto couldn't be around her for very long because his talking to her would set her off. She always apologized, but he figured it was better to leave her alone.
"Naruto, you seem down," Iruka said. Naruto ignored the Chunin sitting next to him at Ichiraku's. Iruka fell into a habit of eating supper with Naruto every Friday at the ramen stand. Lately, Naruto was beginning to look a little down. "She's a Jonin, and they're always busy." Naruto hated himself sometimes because it was his fault. He just knew it. "Naruto, don't worry. She hasn't forgotten you." Naruto wasn't so sure anymore. She never came by to see him anymore. "How old are you now?" Naruto hated that question the most.
"Twelve. The last time we spent my birthday together was when I turned ten," Naruto said. He finished his ramen and sighed. His goggles from when he was nine still fit, and he wore them every so often. They now stared at him from the counter. He knew he looked depressed, but he had to snap out of this. It wasn't right. He shouldn't hang onto the hope that a twenty-eight-year-old would ever love a twelve-year-old that way. She told him to smile and break the height difference first. "I just can't help worry because she's one of my first friends. I'm a cursed kid. My loved ones always died when I was small. I just don't want that curse to be real." Naruto grabbed his goggles and hopped off his seat. "See you tomorrow for the Genin exams, Iruka-sensei." Naruto walked off as he put on the goggles.
ICECOLD
Of course Naruto would fail. He passed the paper test and the other jutsu tests, but he had a lot of trouble with the doppelganger jutsu. He glared at the wooden floor as Iruka told Mizuki that it was a poor show and earned a failure. Naruto knew he failed more than at this. The Hokage and Kurenai were counting on him. He walked out of the building and over to the wooden swing. He sat down and ignored the growing crowd. Kurenai was probably on a mission. He got off the swing after awhile and left because nobody was going to tell him any congratulations or encouragement. None of them would even look in his direction with hate filled eyes. He liked it better when they glared and insulted him.
"Naruto?" a voice called. Naruto wished that the person behind him was a friendly face. He looked and was greeted by Mizuki, a friendly face. Mizuki tried to help him out several times. "I'm sorry about the exam. It's just that Iruka understands what you're going through. He too was an orphan. He doesn't want you to be just like him, so he pushes you harder." Naruto frowned and looked at the dirt. He didn't want to be special. He wanted to be normal, like everybody else. "I know an alternate test you can take. Something more fun than the normal one." Naruto looked up at the Chunin with hope. "Here's all you have to do…" Something in the back of Naruto's mind told him that he shouldn't do this.
ICECOLD
"Naruto stole the forbidden scroll!" Iruka said in shock. The Hokage nodded and looked at the Academy teachers. "We'll find him. He couldn't have gone far. Mizuki, you take the village, and I'll take the forest. Let's meet up at the gates in an hour." Iruka trusted Mizuki too much in the white haired Chunin's opinion, but he complied and quickly searched the village. Naruto was nowhere to be found, of course. He should be where Mizuki told him to wait. The white haired Chunin smirked as he looked down from the top of the Yondaime's head before disappearing to meet with Naruto. The boy was truly an idiot.
"Mizuki-sensei?" Naruto called into the trees. It was getting late, and the white haired boy was exhausted. He read over the scroll and was practicing different things from it. He liked the doppelganger jutsu the best because these ones were easy to do. "Hello?" Naruto hated the feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something wasn't right about his entire thing. Mizuki was never one to talk to him or even acknowledging his presence. "I wonder if something is wrong." The Hokage did put up a resistance when he came for the scroll. He just figured it was part of the test. "Mizuki-sensei?" Naruto hated the silence that surrounded him. It was as if something was waiting. He frowned when he heard a noise. Someone was here, and it wasn't Mizuki. Naruto turned around to see a shocked Iruka. "Iruka-sensei?" Naruto didn't know what was wrong. Something was off about the scarred Chunin.
"Naruto, I hoped with all my might that it was just a lie, but I'm sorry," Iruka said. Naruto was lost. He was just naïve. The white haired boy didn't know what to do. "Hand me the scroll." Naruto took a step backwards because he didn't trust Iruka. "Naruto, you're not thinking straight. Just give me the scroll." Naruto strapped the scroll to his back and stood strong. "You're really pissing me off!" Iruka charged, and Naruto parried with a kick to the chin. Iruka disappeared and became Mizuki. The Chunin wiped blood from his lips as he glared at the boy. "Of course. Iruka is too nice to you." Mizuki changed from earlier. Naruto felt another person betraying his trust. Mizuki smirked as Naruto stepped back in fear. "It's funny to see you afraid." Naruto tried to think of a happier place. A safer place. What was going to happen? What was going to happen to him? "You're nothing but trash, demon." Naruto flinched at the words. "Oh, don't you want to know why everyone calls you monster or demon?" The white haired boy stared at the ground, afraid of the next words to come. "The reason is because you're the Kyuubi!" Naruto felt his life shatter at those words.
"Naruto! Naruto!" Iruka shouted as he burst into the clearing. He looked at Naruto's shocked eyes and Mizuki's evil smirk. He looked at the other Chunin. "You didn't. That secret is forbidden!" Mizuki laughed as Naruto collapsed to his knees. His entire life was nothing more than a lie. Tora, Itachi, Kurenai, Iruka, and Hikari were all liars. They didn't care about him. He was nothing but something they were forced to care for. He growled and held his head tightly. It was always the same! Always! He let out a burst of energy that knocked both of them back before taking off in fear of his life. "Naruto!" Iruka scrambled to follow. He wasn't going to let another one of his precious people die like his teammates and parents. He had to stop Naruto from making a very dangerous mistake.
"I should've known!" Naruto growled as he punched a tree trunk. He was tired and losing the battle of speed and distance. Knowing Iruka and Mizuki's health, they'd be on him soon. He sighed and decided to give up because nothing seemed sweeter than that. It hurt deeply. Nobody wanted him around because he was the Kyuubi. He stuffed the scroll in a bunch of roots and sat against a tree. His eyes focused on the ground when something leaked from his eyes. Naruto touched the tear drop and sighed. Of course he would cry for himself. Only demons do that probably. He hated himself even more. "I'm just a demon." Naruto hid his face in his hands and didn't see the rain of shuriken and kunai coming. He probably wouldn't have cared. A warm body embraced him. Naruto opened his eyes to see Iruka hugging him, protecting him from harm. "Iruka?" Naruto felt tear drops. Iruka was crying.
"You're not the demon, Naruto. I don't care what anybody says, you're not the demon. The Yondaime sealed the demon away in you. You're only the jail, not the monster," Iruka said. He ruffled the white hair and didn't notice the blood that had accumulated on his clothes and skin. He wanted to protect his unofficial brother. "Naruto, don't let the scroll fall into Mizuki's hands." Iruka passed out and slid to the ground. Naruto looked at the still body and thought the Chunin was dead. Another one dead. Another one of his precious people died because he was cursed. Mizuki laughed from the tree across from them. Naruto coldly looked up at the Chunin.
"You really believe him? The demon killed his parents. He might just be fooling you," Mizuki said. Naruto didn't care about the blood on his clothes from where the kunai grazed Iruka. He looked between the two Chunin. One was alive, and the other one, in Naruto's mind, was dead. Dead because of him. "You're nothing but a tragedy." Mizuki laughed again as Naruto picked up one of the stray kunai. "What, the brat is going to attempt to fight. Give up kid, you've got nothing." Naruto's eyes shined brightly. An unseen smile. Iruka wasn't going to die in vain. This traitor wasn't going to live past tonight.
"Shadow clone jutsu!" Naruto shouted as a thousand of him showed up. He looked at Mizuki's horrified face with secret enjoyment. "Kill him, boys." Naruto clones charged as the real one stayed behind. Mizuki managed to defeat a few, but the numbers were overwhelming. He was beaten to a pulp quickly. The clones disappeared as Mizuki fell to his knees on the ground. Naruto walked over and crouched down. "Goodbye Mizuki." He stabbed the traitor in the stomach and pulled up. Mizuki screamed and tried to stay alive. Naruto ignored him as he walked over to Iruka. The Chunin was breathing! "Iruka!" Naruto went to touch the original rescuer, but a kunai stopped him. Naruto stood up straight and looked around. Who else was with Mizuki? Real fear spread throughout Naruto's body as he felt someone right behind him. Someone that was extremely powerful.
"My beautiful Naru-chan," a chilling voice said. Naruto was paralyzed with fear. "Soon you'll be my pet and no harm will come to you ever again." Something kissed his neck, behind his ear. Naruto wanted to run and scream, but his legs wouldn't move. His voice was stolen by fear. "Until the day you beg for me, I'll be watching." The person disappeared along with the air of fear. Naruto let out a relieved breath as he spun around. Nobody stood there. He touched were the person kissed him. This was getting all too creepy. Somebody was after him. Who? "Goodbye Naru-chan." The voice again. He looked where it came from and met a genjutsu. Naruto screamed as he fell to the ground.
ICECOLD
Naruto hated the hospital. They had him in the psych ward for the first time in his life. He wouldn't talk about the faceless stranger. He was sure it was a guy, which made everything even creepier. He pushed away Kurenai and Iruka. A brand new hitai-ate stared at him from his bedside table. He kept pacing and looking all around the room for something that would point him in the direction of the man that caused so much fear in him. He sighed and gave up by sitting on the bed.
"I want to go now. Let me go," Naruto called. He waited for a nurse or the Hokage, but nobody came. He willed in his mind for Iruka or Kurenai, but, still, nobody came. The choking realization of isolation caught in his throat. He jumped out of the bed and ran over to the door. He was not staying in here. He wasn't crazy. He knew what he heard and saw. He feared the genjutsu because it showed him as the demon. He wasn't the demon. "Let me out!" Naruto screamed as he pounded on the door. It wasn't long before the orderlies burst in and sedated him. Naruto was placed onto the bed and was restrained. The Hokage watched from the door. Naruto's soulless eyes stared at him as they buckled him in.
"Today marks the ending of what should've been Naruto's fondest memories. He's no longer a child, so we can't treat him like one," the Hokage said as Kurenai and Iruka were held in the hall. Kurenai wanted to knock some sense into the old man, but the loyal side stopped her. She looked at the clean floor. "You may visit him. He'll be out in a few hours." The Third walked away as Kurenai rushed in. Iruka looked in through the door and tried to remember the child that adored Uchiha Itachi and feared Kurenai never coming back to see him. That Naruto never had to deal with killing or betrayal. That Naruto still was ignorant of the truth.
"Naruto, I'll make sure you're never in here again. I promise you that," Kurenai chanted. She held his bound hand tightly as he stared at the doorway with soulless eyes. The medicine shut his brain off. He was far, far away. Iruka had an unsettling fear that Naruto may never return to them. He ran away from the scene. He didn't want to see truth-knowing, soulless eyes or a confused Jonin anymore. He no longer wanted to see the too blank walls and sterile air. "It'll get better." Kurenai agreed with Iruka, but Naruto's tight, fearful grip on her hand had her anchored.
Naruto slurred out things that weren't understand as he looked at her with his dead eyes. Kurenai smiled. All Naruto thought was about his future Genin teammates. All he dreamt about was being happy with friends. All he saw was Kurenai's smile. All he could feel was her hand in his, making sure he was stuck in reality. The last sense was frightening to him. Even though his other senses had hope, the hearing was the most troubling. All he heard was that voice saying, "Until the day you beg for me, I'll be watching." For an unknown reason, Naruto began to fight the bindings and started screaming.
Critiquing is most welcomed. Thanks for reading.