Hello again, minna! A very big thanks to all those who favorite and/or followed this. It makes me feel special. You all get internet cookies. Anyways, on with the show.
Disclaimer: Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto. I'm just bending it to my fancy.
Flames erupt from familiar houses. The fire licks at Mirai's ankles as she runs down the burning street. She takes a turn down an alley that turns out to be a dead end and snaps her body around to face the figure chasing her. It stops at the end of the alley, seemingly mocking her. The figure's body is silhouetted by the light from the fire. Mirai's fear rises until she screams. The figure walks forward, its face becoming visible along with the horrid smile it wore. It rushes forward, stopping mere inches from Mirai. She sees the sharpness of its teeth, and the one visible red eye through nose-length bangs. Its grin grows wider with Mirai's eyes. She trembles in fear as the creature before her clutches her arms with clawed hands.
"You can't escape yourself."
Mirai bolts upright in her futon, tears running down her cheeks.
That's the tenth nightmare this month. She glances at the small alarm clock on her desk.
5:30, huh. With a sigh, she gets up, walking down the hall to the bathroom. The Academy was to start up again, beginning her second year. Up until then she had gotten away with barely passing grades. They decided at the end of the previous year to transfer her to a different class.
Hopefully this year won't suck, she thought bitterly. Mirai looked up from the sink to the mirror, gazing into the eyes of the girl that stared back. She was skinny with white uneven, choppy hair and dark rings under her golden eyes. They reflected the many sleepless, nightmare-filled nights she endured. Mirai combed her bangs down to hide the rings and put on one of the shirts she had taken from her brother's now vacant room. The hem reached to her knees and the sleeves went long past her hands, but it still somehow smelled of her Akira-nii. She didn't mind the large fit because of it. Begrudgingly she goes and grabs her lunch from the fridge and heads to the door.
"I'm leaving!" she yells, slipping on her sandals.
Not that anyone cares. She goes down the main road of the compound. People watch her with looks of sadness as she walks out the main gate onto the road leading into the village. The compound was on the outskirts of Konoha, making her trek long. By the time she reaches the Academy it's fifteen past six. Mirai goes through the opening ceremony robotically. After everyone is let out to leave, she walks around the yard. She sees all the children playing and being picked up by proud parents. She looks around at them, one boy catching her eye.
I've seen that kid before. She walks over to the swing occupied by a blonde boy with sky blue eyes.
"What's wrong with you?" she asks, gaining his attention. His eyes grow wide with shock that she was talking to him.
"Wha-what?" He looks up at her with confusion.
"You heard me. Everyone else around here is either smiling or laughing and playing. You aren't. That tells me that something is wrong," Mirai states matter-of-factly.
"Eto, I-"
"Doesn't matter!" Mirai interrupts with a large grin. She grabs that boy off the swing, forcing him to stand. She extends her hand out for him to shake.
"I'm Kirakoto Mirai. What's your name?" the boy stares at her in disbelief before flashing his own smile to her and taking her hand.
"I'm Uzumaki Naruto!" He lets go and points to himself with his thumb.
"One day, I'm gonna be hokage!" Mirai stares at him blankly then bursts out laughing.
"What's so funny?!" Naruto yells at her, infuriated.
"N-ha-Nothing." Mirai wipes a tear from her eye and salutes him.
"I look forward to the day that happens, so make sure it does." She tells him with a smile. He returns it, putting an arm behind his head and giving her a thumbs up.
"You know, Uzumaki Naruto. I have a feeling this is the start of a great friendship."
Months passed, both the children raising their own kind of hell for the village. They pulled prank after prank, not leaving anything they haven't done. Both Mirai and Naruto were pleased to find out that she was transferred to his class. Mirai began to excel in taijustu.
"Alright class, time for sparing matches." Iruka-sensei told them. Mirai inwardly jumped with glee. She loved hand-to-hand combat. Her mother had warned her not to use her chakra, so that only left her taijustu.
The children flocked around the sparring circle in the school yard, waiting for names to be called to fight.
"Naruto and Sasuke, you're up.'
Mirai cringed at the screeching of fan-girls when Sasuke was called.
"Get 'em Naruto-kun!" she cheered, gaining a few weird looks from her classmates. The fight was short, with Sasuke easily winning. Mirai approached Naruto and patted him on the back, consoling him.
"Do not fret my young pupil. In time you should overcome the chicken-butt and his ass stick," she said with a tone mimicking an old man. Naruto burst out laughing as Sasuke turned to glare at her.
"What did you just say?" he said in a low voice. Mirai left a still laughing Naruto, getting up into the Uchiha's face. She smirked.
"You heard me Chicken-Butt. Or is that pole shoved so far up your ass that it impedes your hearing?" she challenged.
"Okay, enough both of you," Iruka-sensei said, pulling them apart. Mirai crossed her arms across her chest, still smirking.
"Sensei, can I fight the all mighty Uchiha?" she said looking over at the scowling boy.
"He already fought today. No," Iruka replied. She looked up at him pouting.
"Puh-lease? He doesn't even look tired, no offense Naruto." The boy looked at her with a scowl.
"Fine. Sasuke, do you wish to spar with Mirai?" Sasuke smirked, stepping into the ring. Mirai cracked her knuckles with a grin, stepping in as well.
"Shake hands, you two," Iruka told the children. Mirai held out her hand for Sasuke to take, putting it down when she realized the boy wasn't going to.
"Fine then. Come at me." She shifted her body into a fighting stance as the boy rushed at her with a punch readied. She easily deflected it and used his momentum to flip him over her shoulder onto the ground. Angry screams of fan-girls and Naruto's cheers filled the air as Mirai dodged every attack thrown at her. Sasuke grew enraged with every deflected blow. Having enough, his hands flew into hands signs.
"Katon:Gokakyu no Jutsu!" Flames erupted from his mouth towards Mirai.
"Uh-oh." She quickly shielded her face with her arms. The fire stopped, Mirai wincing at her burned appendages. Iruka pulled Sasuke away, and she heard him yelling. Naruto ran up to her.
"Are you okay?" he asks her with a concerned look.
"Mm." she nods, still looking at her arms.
"I heal fast. Anyways, that kid's crazy," she says, glaring at the Uchiha. Naruto nods and starts to lead her to the school building.
"Let's go to the infirmary, ne?"
"Hai."
So, I hope you liked the chapter. I would have finished it sooner, but I have certain circumstances that do not let me charge my laptop most of the time. Woe is me.
Well, I'm going to start asking you, the readers, questions after every chapter. Other writers have done it, so I though hey why not. I'll answer them myself in the following chapter.
Question- What is your favorite type of Pop-Tart? If you don't like or have never eaten a Pop-Tart, then tell me your favorite snack.