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The Oath of Pain! 痛みに誓う決意!
Naruko Uzumaki, container of the Kyuubi, was confused. Why was Zabuza smirking..? His laugh rang out through the clearing, "I'm sorry Kakashi, but you won't be able to capture me that easily!" With an influx of chakra, he disappeared, and then became visible once more...behind Kakashi-sensei! He kicked her sensei across the clearing after focusing chakra to his leg. She could only watch as his silver hair sunk beneath the water.
Zabuza chased after the other man, sword swinging back in preparation. Makibishi spikes were thrown from the river, most likely to stall the assassin. The plan failed, the missing-nin jumped into the water after him. Kakashi was pressed down by pressure as he fell victim to another jutsu.
He emerged, trapped in a sphere of water, Zabuza laughing smugly, "You fell prey to such a simple jutsu, Sharingan-Kakashi! I'm surprised! The Ugoku Suiro no Jutsu!" Three water clones walked towards the shaking genin, in no hurry to finish the job. One struck the hitai-ate from Naruko's head.
Her face turned downward. Kakashi called out, "Take Tazuna and run! Zabuza cannot move while he keeps me prisoner, you can escape!" Sasuke shook his head.
Her bangs covered her eyes, but her hands visibly shook. She was angry, angrier than she had ever been before...he...he would die! That man will die for that! A wave of Killing Intent flew from her body. Kakshi's head whipped up, knowing this would be bad. A clone forced her to the ground. As her hand hit the ground, Naruko remembered her promise. "You let go of my sensei, now." Her voice was quiet, but held a promise of pain. Her head whipped up, "Let him go now!"
"Ano, Iruka-sensei? Can I ask you a favor?" He nodded. "Can I try on your headband?"
"This?" He pointed to his headband. At her confirmation, he shook his head, "No way. You can only wear a leaf headband when you graduate from the academy tomorrow. You gotta be a ninja and earn a headband."
Iruka breathed in, "You fail!" Naruko fell to the ground next to her dead clone and screamed in horror. The man next to him turned, a frown on his face.
The first one smirked, "Serves her right. Just imagine if she became a ninja. I mean, she's the girl who-" Her voice cut off as the second one placed her hand over her mouth.
"Shh! We're not aloud to talk about that!"
Naruko looked down, her throat constricting and eyes stinging from tears that wouldn't fall. Mizuki appeared next to her. "Mizuki-sensei?" He smiled, and put a hand on her back.
"Let's walk Naruko. I think we should talk about something in private."
"Caught me already? Not bad. You're pretty quick sensei. I only had time to learn one technique." She spread her arms, "Listen up Iruka-sensei, I'm gonna show you this awesome jutsu and then you're gonna let me graduate and the everything is gonna be okay. That's how it works, right? Anyone who learns a jutsu from this scroll automatically passes!" She smiled brightly as Iruka became confused.
"Huh? Where'd you get that idea?" This time Naruko looked confused.
"Mizuki sensei told me all about the secret test, you don't have to pretend anymore, dattebayo!" Iruka was confused. Mizuki told that to Naruko? It didn't add up. Maybe the Ky- no, Naruko was still Naruko. Iruka suddenly sensed several projectiles heading towards Naruko. He had to keep her safe! Iruka pushed the girl out of the way and took two kunai to the leg.
"Everyone knows except for you! Your precious Iruka-sensei is trying to hide it from you even now! HA! He'd do anything to shut me up!"
Naruko was beginning to get frustrated, "What is this decree!? Why does everyone else know about it?" Mizuki fell over in laughter.
He looked up, manic tears in his eyes, "The decree is that no one can tell you that the nine-tailed fox is inside of you!" He ignored her gasp, "The fox demon that killed Iruka's parents and destroyed our village is inside you! You are the nine tailed fox!" "Demon brat." "We don't want your kind here!" "The color orange suits you so well, fox!" Memories flashed through Naruko's brain as she fell to her knees. She was in shock.
Iruka looked like he was going to cry. The memories brought back were anything but pleasant. He looked at Naruko, who was in tears and clawing at her own skin, and lost it. "STOP IT!"
Mizuki laughed again, "They've been sneaking around hiding things from you your whole life, Naruko! Didn't you think it was strange how they treated you like the dirt beneath their feet? Like they hated you just for being alive?!" She stopped clawing at he skin, wiped at her tears, and glance up at him.
"Come here." He hugged her, "Now close your eyes." When he was sure she wasn't looking, he took off her goggles and replaced them with his headband. "Congratulations, genin Naruko Uzumaki." She looked up at him. The she smiled, and it was as if the sun had come back. Then she grabbed her goggles and place them around his neck.
"Keep them sensei. You've earned it." She winked and Iruka laughed. "Now take me for some ramen! I saved your life you ungrateful ass!" He stood up and both walked calmly through the forest. Everything was right in the world, at least for then.
"I am a genin of Konohagakure! I will fight!" Zabuza laughed. The clone smirked down at her. She stood and charged at the original, ignoring the call of 'idiot' from her teammates. She slid, tearing the back of her jumpsuit, and grabbed her hitai-ate. His clone kicked her back to the team. But that was irrelevant. She tied her hitai-ate around her forehead and stood back up. "I am a ninja!"
Kakashi struggled in his prison, "Your mission is to protect Tazuna, not free me!" They turned back towards the bridge builder. He nodded his assent, it wouldn't help much if Zabuza came back for them.
Naruko looked at her teammates, "I have a plan. You need to be willing to listen to me."
Zabuza laughed, "You aren't even real ninja! There is a reason they call me 'the Demon of the Mist!' I made my first kill before I was a genin! In Kirigakure, the exams..." he chuckled loudly, "They pit graduates against prized students, with bright futures. I killed them all. You are not a ninja, little girl." His clones attacked Sasuke!
"Kage Bunshin no Justu!" A dozen clones pounced on the original, but even then Zabuza was too strong. He pushed them off, and they exploded into smoke. But that was all a part of the plan! Smoke clouded the assassin's vision. She threw a huge shuriken to Sasuke- the very one that had impaled Iruka's back- as she was thrown backwards. She used the Kawarimi to appear beneath the shuriken, a powerful Henge turning her into one herself.
Sasuke grabbed her from the air, "Fuma Shuriken, Kage Fusha!" The real shuriken was caught by Zabuza. He then jumped over Naruko, believing her to be the Shadow Shuriken. She released her Henge and threw a kunai from behind.
That's all folks! I'm in the mood to write some more, so maybe the next chapter will be up soon.
