Naruko walked through the streets of Konoha, there were more whispers than before, somehow, word had gotten to the general populace that Naruko wasn't quite the moron everyone thought she was. Naruko didn't know if she felt that this was more annoying than the previous whispers of her idiocy and demon-ness.
"Naruko!"A loud yell caught the brooding blonde's attention, she snapped her head up and her eyes found Sakura standing down the road a while. she was waving at Naruko and smiling, Naruko couldn't help but to smile back and jog over to the slightly taller girl.
"How are you today Sakura-chan?" Naruko asked.
"I've been alright i suppose. I was wondering if you wanted to shop with me?" Naruko replied by pulling a face, "Come on, it could be fun. you've been brooding so much since the battle on the bridge…" Sakura trailed off seeing Naruko wince slightly, she had been sensitive about the battle since they had returned home and what she had done sunk in.
Sakura had lightly studied psychology during the light overview the Academy covered, ther deeper study in it revealed that Shinobi -especially newer ones- generally had trouble with theor first kill. Now, as far as Sakura knew Zabuza and Haku had been her first kills, but, Haku and Zabuza had attempted to attack and kill Naruko. But, Naruko had explained her self to Sakura, and as far as Sakura knew, she was the only one Naruko had divulged to:
"I was so angry, I literaly tricked a niave kid into trusting me, before I killed her. she was barly my age… and I murdered her. she wanted to escape, she wanted to take her master and leave, but I killed her…"
Sakura had tried to reassure her by reminding her that Aki and Akuma had killed alot of innocent people just because someone paid them a decent sum. Naruko had retruned that that's what Ninja did, just with a notch more loyalty to their employer. Sakura understood though, she may rationalize, but she could understand, It showed that NAruko wasn't as heavily messed up as some Ninja became, under certain conditioning Ninja sometimes became Sociopathic. Sakura had decided she would further study the psychology of Ninja so she could further help her friend.
"Sakura…?" Naruko's slightly worried voice cut into Sakura's thoughts.
"Oh sorry, I just got lost in thought." Sakura returned.
Naruko raised an eyebrow, then shrugged, "Fine, I said I'd shop with you, I just won't promise to like it." Naruko inwardly glowed at the happy smile Sakura gave her at that before turning to lead Naruko to a clothing depot.
Naruko in the last couple weeks had grown really close to Sakura, they had talked about some deep deep stuff. psychology, Philosophy and such, but then they had also in depth discussed the topic of Sasuke. all resentment and anger at naruko had dissipated when she had reassured the pinkette that all her intentions with Sasuke was to keep him on the path of light, and not to let him spiral into the darkness that plagues the life of an Avenger. in fact, the only things Naruko had not told Sakura was about her 'Passenger" and about her first teacher. she had decided she would tell Sakura about Kyuubi when she told Sasuke, but she wasn't sure if she could trust her with the info about itachi. she had to tell Sasuke one day, but, the information was very dangerous in the wrong voice.
"Oi billboard brow!" a raucous voice got both Sakura and Naruko's attention. both turned around, Ino was marching up, Shikamaru and chouji trailing regretfully behind her.
"What do you want , ino." sakura asked blandly. Soon after becoming friends with Naruko she realized she didn't need to deal with Ino's cruel bullshit.
"Your so pathetic that you have to hang out with the witless wonder?" She sneered.
"Last time I checked you hadn't killed three C-Class and one A-Class criminals, Ino." Sakura replied cooly, underhandedly coming to Naruko's defence, while still being able to boast at her friend's strength.
"Like hell it's just a rumor. that dunce couldn't kill an earthworm if she stepped on it." Ino sneered.
"Now- Ino hold up-" Shikamaru had started to speak up in defense of Naruko, but Naruko beat him to it:
"Now listen hear you two bit, brainless gaki, don't you dare undermine my accomplishments." She fished in her pouch and pulled out her bingo book, and opened it to two pages, on one side showed Zabuza and Haku, and on the other is showed Aki and Akuma. "This is the most recent issue of the Konoha bingo book." on the pictures there was "eliminated" stamped on it, at the bottom of each photo it stated "Eliminated by Naruko Uzumaki the Demon Fox of Konoha." Naruko had been slightly pleased that the other nations had named her the Demon Fox of Konoha, as she was after all… a demon fox. although it only solidified the villages view of Naruko (or at least those who knew of Naruko's newest title.)
"Wait, what?" INo grabbed the book and frowned, "Why do you have a bingo book?"
"All In action ninja should have one, dummy." Sakura put in, "I have the Kiri book, Sasuke carries the Suna book, and Kakashi carries the rest." She pulled out a blue covered book, and handed it to Ino, "I'm sure that Chouji and Shikamaru both carry the Konoha one, we carry them all because our team is training to be hunters." Ino looked through the book, she recognized all other joinin senseis, and even one of the older genin had been put in there, a kid named Rock Lee. "the Green Beast of Konoha" he had the same title as one of the joints on there, Might Gai. she turned the page and was staring at a picture of Naruko, it was her Ninja Id Ino assumed, she in the picture held a katana style blade perched on her shoulder and her other hand on her hip. a powerful stance, that mixed with the cold icy gaze that naruko had fixed the camera with, and her whisker marks making ehr looked like a fox, she looked did like a demon fox.
"Wow Sakura, you've fallen behind the deadlast even! how sad is that!" Ino scowled. Sakura looked away, anger flashed in her eyes, but before she could say anything, Naruko cut in again, snatching Sakura's bingo-book from Ino's hands.
"If you'll excuse me, you blonde bimbo, Sakura and I need to get ready for our date." She sneered
"WHo's stupid enough to date that?" Ino sneered, Sakura and NAruko smirked at each other,
"Sasuke-kun agreed to take us on a date." Naruko grinned.