Apprentice of the trickster– Chapter four: A failure, and more mischeif
Summary: Naruto takes a mental trip to the past as he avoids confronting Sheikka with his failure, and is found by Mizuki... what does he want with Naruto? Too bad he doesn't know Naruto is more sneaky and smart than he appears.
Author: Adameia Kirantro
Rated k+: no cussing, or innuendos or pairings, has minor violence
Disclaimer: I did not create, and do not own the characters from Naruto, They are owned by Masashi Kishimoto, and I may borrow them for your possible and hopeful enjoyment. But I DO own Sheikka, she is mine so do not steal (note: I also own any other OC's I may post, you will know them as they will all have something to do with Sheikka).
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Author's note: I am really sorry for making you guys wait so long for this chapter... between school and my sudden lacks of inspiration getting this story out has been hard so I intentionally made this chapter longer than I originally intended as a way of making it up to any fans that I have out there, And if any of you ever feel like you really want me to include any particular arc or storyline event from the Main story… let me know and I'll make sure to include it… now I'm not very up to date with the current story so if I am unfamiliar with the one you suggest I'll ask for a brief summary if I can't find it myself at a library or something k? Just let me know via review, heck, even saying 'good job with the story, I like it!' would be ok, I really like feedback and would love to know that my work is being appreciated k? Thx for your time!
Chapter four: A failure and more mischeif
As Naruto trudged his way back to his home in a way that wouldn't draw attention to him, he contemplated the happenings, and possible happenings that are/will be caused by his failure… before he could think far on the possibility of avoiding Sheikka to escape her un-doubtable wrath (she HAD told him that his training and abilities as a ninja is his responsibility), he shivered as his thoughts immediately brought him back to the reason he didn't bother trying to run from Sheikka's wrath… anymore that is.
-Flash back-
It has been a week since Sheikka unofficially "adopted" Naruto, and said blonde was making his way to meet the Hokage at Ichiraku's, since they had a sort of monthly tradition going. Suddenly a sound caught his almost undivided attention away from his musings and with that attention, and curiosity getting the better of him, he looked down an alley he was passing… and at what he saw, he began feeling dread ride up inside him, for in front of him now was what looked like a few drunken Chuunin and maybe even a couple Jounin exiting from a side door of a bar, and when they caught sight of him, he instinctually knew what would happen next and so took off down the street, hearing shouts of "it's the demon brat" and "kill the demon" following behind him mere seconds after. A few hours later found him as he sat crying in pain from the wounds he got during the "beating" that he just barely managed to survive, he sat crying in the same alleyway surrounded by his own blood, and other things as his mind ran over the words that were said, not thinking to discredit them because of who said them, "your just a demon, ,no one wants you here and anybody you think does is lying, so just die you stupid fox" – is that true? Does nobody truly want me here? Was what Sheikka said all a lie? Is she just fooling me into a false hope?- Naruto, not being able to take the new direction his thoughts were taking him decided that if nobody actually wanted him he'd just leave and be rid of the problem, he was sure that somewhere, people wouldn't hate him.
A few hours later Naruto was found resting from exhaustion, and increased pain, against a tree a couple miles away from Konohagakure by none other than Sheikka, "what do you think your doing out here huh? I've been looking for you all over the village and the surrounding forest. I'd think it's about time you tell me what your doing out here, away from our home and the village, looking so roughed up.. I mean, if somebody hurt you.. Why didn't you come straight to me? Why didn't you ask me for help…? I CARE FOR YOU!" she questioned a slight hint of tears could be seen in her eyes if you looked close enough, but sadly, Naruto didn't look and only saw her as looking MURDEROUS. After that statement she began immediately by observing the startled reaction, wide eyes, and fearful looks that he gave to the sudden appearance of her voice and presence, as well as her words.
"S-Sheikka?" he questioned, tears threatening to fall down his face as he stared quivering up at her worried form. After staring at her for a while he drew up some courage and asked, "w-wh-why did y-ou come after m-me… I left because I figured out that n-nobody wants to have me a-around... and was told that a-anybody who did was l-lying" finishing his statement as his tears broke down his face(and sentence structure) as he shook noticeably from his now silent tears.
Just as suddenly as Sheikka appeared before him he found his face having a surprise meeting with the now face imprinted, dust covered ground, and as he rolled over he looked up to see that it was Sheikka who was now standing over him with a furious look on her face. "Wow you really must be dense huh, Naruto? To think that day that I found you in the forest, that I was lying to you? You know… I didn't have to take you in that day; I had and have no true obligation to Konoha or that house. When I saw you there, crying, I found it sad that someone, anyone, would be foolish enough to ignore and shove away and abandon such an innocent and pure hearted child like the kid I found in you. I was touched, beyond anything else I have ever felt when I looked into your crystal-like eyes to see the betrayal that lied there, but shouldn't have. If anything could have possibly have been deduced by my action of going outside my convenience as a changeling to take you in and care for you then it would be that I DO want you around. If, after all that I've done for you, you still feel like you no longer want to stay here, in this village than fine! WE can go somewhere else, but how cruel can you possibly be if you think that you could abandon me to worry about you like that. And also, you've told me you want to be a ninja, so you better start acting like one! And if you really want me to leave you alone of my own free will, than you'll prove to me that you could stand straight, by yourself, so… I'll leave if you can land a single hit on me!" as she finished her rant, and her anger spurred challenge, she had me hanging in the air by my shirt as I stared wide eyed at her narrowed green-silver eyes that showed nothing but sadness and betrayal.
-End flashback-
Naruto shivered in half-forgotten fear as he completely remembered the events of that day... Sheikka, after not getting a good answer to my non logical reasoning (and no answer to her challenge) had literally beaten the fact that she wasn't ever with her free will going to abandon him or hate him like those 'stupid, bigoted, drunken idiots who don't have half a brain' that live in the village, into his skull. At this part of his memory- as an unconscious act- Naruto's hand started rubbing the back of his head, which is and was the place sheikka seems fond of hitting him in the most. As expected, even though he did try after a few minutes, he never had managed to dodge one of Sheikka's non- life-threatening blows, nor land even one of his own. He soon found himself on top of the Hokage monument, looking down on the village that (mostly) despised him with a fiery passion, from on top of the head of the yondaime Hokage. Minato Namikaze (The previously mentioned yondaime) had a likeness of him that was carved into the mountain like as with all the other previous Hokage's of the village hidden in the leaves. As he watched the sun sink in the sky and felt the gentle breeze flowing past his face, he felt a presence he was slightly familiar with, but not yet identified, come up and sit beside him. He slightly turned his head and glanced over, and spotted Mizuki, Mizuki was one of the teachers at the academy that he knew secretly hated him with a passion… and he knew that if he was here willingly then he must be up to something that obviously wasn't meant for his continued well being. After a few minutes had passed, Mizuki finally made his move, "you know, Iruka was only trying to help you when he failed, you both are a lot alike. He also grew up alone and was even an established prankster in his youth as well, and he is only hard on you, because he wants to make you stronger, he wants you to be prepared. But, since I like you, I'll tell you something, I know Iruka didn't want me to tell you this… but there is actually another way to graduate, although it's much harder." –what is he possibly up to? There is no alternate exam! I asked the Hokage myself, so it can't be anything good…especially for me. Well might as well play along, I'll see what his game is then I'll turn it on him!. – After that split-second thought Naruto seemed to visibly perk up and he enthusiastically asked in his "usual" hyper way, "Really? What is it?" –That was almost too easy, really, and he's supposed to be a chuunin? – Naruto thought, as he saw that Mizuki bought his happy-go-lucky fool act without so much as a second's worth of hesitation.
~`~`~`~` perspective change~`~`~`~`~`~`
Mizuki internally smirked, –that was too easy– Mizukithought, as externally he began explaining to Naruto the finer details of the secondary "graduation exam" which was to sneak into the Hokage tower undetected, steal the forbidden scroll of seals that was located in a special part of the Hokage's office, and take it to a specific training ground where he would try and learn a technique from it in a limited amount of time. (1) Naruto, being smarter than the academy teacher thought due to his cunning and persistent care taker, Sheikka, continued to look enthusiastic throughout Mizuki's story about Iruka's reasoning, and his explanation of the "secondary exam" (which he knew was a stupidly disguised trap that the would-be traitor who hated him but didn't show it) while internally congratulating himself for fooling his false teacher into a trap of his own making, and planning using all the knowledge taught by his surrogate sister.
-Time skip: half an hour later-
-Finally! I did it… now to see what is in that scroll that Mizuki wanted so much …- I thought, huffing from the exertion of sprinting for so far at one time. I huffed once more as I laid the large scroll I had had strapped to my back, onto the ground before me and sat to examine it better. I started opening the scroll and as I got to the first entry, I read; "Kage bunshin no jutsu: a.k.a. the shadow clone, this technique has a high chakra cost, but it can be an effective technique in many scenarios. Be careful, this is a high level technique that requires at least jounin level chakra reserves to use effectively without user death as it creates a solid clone, the clone can be taken out in one hit but when it 'dies' all of it's knowledge is given back to it's creator as well as to any other shadow clone of the creator no matter ho many that may be 'alive' at the time of it's passing or destruction or cancellation…' and I found that it continued on a little more about the shadow clone before moving on to other techniques. –Hmm, this shadow clone technique could be really useful… but, I'll learn it later, I'll have to thank Sheikka Nee-Chan for this, the only technique she has taught me so far is finally getting used for something- as those thoughts ran through my head, I then pulled out a small scroll and unfolded it to reveal a storage seal. I then unseal its contents and after a puff of smoke a pile of various sized blank scrolls popped into view. I grabbed one that I knew had about as much writing space as the 'forbidden scroll' and sealed the others back and replaced the small scroll back into its proper place. I then placed the remaining scroll on top of the now completely rolled up forbidden scroll, and held it there with one of my hands. I raised my free hand to hold a half hand-seal that Sheikka had forced me to memorize and concentrated on my chakra. Soon after this a glow surrounded both scrolls and then only my scroll. The light died down after a minute and I was now sweating slightly, but I smirked as I unrolled part of my scroll to reveal the same section about kage bunshin I had just read, -perfect! It worked, but was exhausting, I need to work with Sheikka on that more, oh well I need to continue my plans…- and with that final thought I snapped the scroll shut and sealed it away again, I then opened the forbidden scroll and began to practice the kage bunshin, a feral mischievous smirk never leaving my face, creating a sight that would make most people worried, but one certain red head, that I am particularly fond of, smile( if you could call that) proudly, too bad she isn't there to see it though, one may never be too sure...