Word: abase – v to bring down in status or esteem
Abasement – n
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
Naruto Volume 1, Chapter 1
Mizuki wasn't always so gruff. He befriended Iruka out of his own will, and out of a kindness that gradually faded the closer they became. It really wasn't his fault though. He was being unfairly dealt with after all.
How was he to know that by defending Iruka everyone would like his friend more than him?
How was he to stop the attack on his teammates? He was just a genin like them. And he'd have died too, had he not hidden, unlike his friends who thought it was wise to fight and stall until their sensei came. Stupid. Their sacrifice was stupid. And it only ruined his life, and his shinobi career. All because he was logical enough to know that they would die had they faced the bandits.
Konoha was supposed to be a civilian village. Civilians had no idea what went on in the field, and they should not get news of it either. They form opinions, and uninformed creatures should not have opinions. Their opinions only harmed, never helping.
They shunned him. They knew his teammates had died and they wanted him dead too, just so he could be called a hero. That's what they wanted. Heroes, not survivors. Heroes, not planners. Heroes, not schemers.
They wanted the shinobi to sacrifice their lives so Konoha could be called great. So it could be known as magnificent. So that the other countries acknowledged that the Konoha ninja loved their country more than their families and their loved ones. But they wouldn't do that sacrifice. Oh no, they lived, schemed and spoke of big ideas and plans, yet faced with the prospect of their own death, they ran like the cowards they were.
They abased Mizuki, because he was like them in spirit, though not in title.
He never once denied it. He was a coward. He enjoyed living. And he loved his Tsubaki. Why would he ever allow himself to bring her grief when he hadn't signed up for that kind of thing? Not that he didn't try.
He applied for jounin. He was young and eager to protect his lover, and he was shrewd. He could do it. He was skilled in learning advanced jutsus, and he was specially geared towards improvisation. But did that matter to the council? No. All they saw was the rumor that he had killed his teammates. He hadn't. He'd sworn it time and again. He hadn't!
It was then that the seed of insanity was planted. His heart, previously only plagued with jealousy now eagerly grabbed at hatred. A misspoken word and he despises that person. A wrong glance and he turned his thoughts to revenge. It was lonely, and if not for Tsubaki, he'd have gone crazy.
She was the beacon of light in his life. An angel, if there ever was one. She was patient and kind, always willing to lend a helping hand and was always around just when he was tipping over. She held him at bay, assisted him in being normal when around company he was forced to deal with. She was his savior.
But it was not enough. He was disliked, and this had to be transferred so that he could atleast survive. And who better for the job than a person no one would question his hatred towards.
Uzumaki Naruto.
The demon brat was responsible for the death of his own parents, and many of his friends. Not only that, the mission that screwed his life over was as a direct result of the attacks by that demon! If the Nine tails hadn't killed so many outstanding jounin and anbu, the chunin wouldn't have had to pick up the slack.
Even three years after the attack Konoha was still struggling to get back on its feet. And they still gave inappropriate missions to the wrong strength levels. Had it not been for the attack, he would have been jounin, if not even famous by now.
But he was stuck in his lousy job as an Academy teacher, teaching ungrateful brats and having to deal with arrogant clan kids and that demon spawn.
He couldn't bear to have to teach Naruto if he would have failed the exam for the third time. But he couldn't overdo Iruka's action. There had to be a union in the process of giving the genin rank, and Iruka would not have budged. It was the perfect time to put his plan into action.
He could easily gain the rank of a missing nin, he didn't mind. Rather, he couldn't wait until it became reality. No longer forced to pretend he had to stand by the morals of Konoha. The will of Fire. Hah! As if. That was a complete load of bull.
He would rise quickly out on the field. He would show everyone that Konoha inhibited talent and he would then be demanded for high paying jobs, none of which would pass through taxes. He would rise above everyone else! And it would all start with that scroll.
The Scroll of Seals. The power emanating from the name gave him shivers of excitement. He knew his limits, and he knew how far to push them. He wasn't an overachieving idiot. He would grow because he was smart and had the potential for strength.
Then he was faced with the country idiot in mass. Mizuki was skilled, definitely, but there was a certain quality in quantity(1). And he had underestimated him. Naruto was always slow and weak, why would that change overnight. But it seemed as if Naruto had been hiding quite a bit too.
Mizuki fought, but the numbers simply overwhelmed him. He fought till he was knocked out cold. He fought with every piece of energy and with every trick he had. He destroyed the clones by the dozen, but more kept on coming. More and more and more, someone was always stepping into place, fighting the street brawl style that was hard to keep up with. It was totally inappropriate! No form, and no pattern.
Finally, he fell. Despite the vast difference in skill level. Despite the adrenaline running though his body. Despite the thought that he should never allow a child, especially not the demon brat, to win in a fight against him. It would totally ruin him.
But he was still human at that point. And he was knocked out. A combination of a fist to the face, a kick to the groin and an entirely misplaced neck chop did the job. It was the last thing he saw, a fist coming towards him and a rapidly growing sense of dread.
He woke up to ANBU 'escorting' him and he did not resist. It was only logical that they would knock him out again if he proved to be too much of a hassle and he had no chance of escape now that the ANBU was on his trail. It was best to follow the directions and keep them in mind for the future. Every little bit helps.
Every little bit helps.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
1- I took this phrase 'quantity has a certain quality to it' or something very, very close to it from another story. I don't remember the name of the story or the author, but this phrase is to them. Hope you don't mind me using it if you do see it here.