A/N: So thanks To ThePheonixOfTears I really want to update this tons because of future chapters I now have planned XD Also thanks because of the awesome reviews :D Hope you enjoy this.
Shinobu POV
"Look at what they're doing..!"
"You'll pay for this!"
"Shut up you morons! None of you would be able to do something like this! But we can! We're incredible!" Naruto grinned before he and Shinobu promptly had talked her into painting on the Hokage monument. He had just done random doodles while she had taken the time to dress their leaders in drag. The third had eyelashes, eyeliner, blush and lipstick and it now looked like he was winking at the entire village. Kind of creepy but great for laughs.
"Haha! Suckers! You'll never catch us!" Naruto shouted as he ran beside Shinobu away from some of the Konoha anbu.
"NARUTO! SHINOBU! GET BACK HERE!" The anbu yelled and they quickly blended in with the fence using a special material.
"Haha! That was awesome! They'll never catch us." Naruto grinned, revealing himself too soon as he stuck his tongue out at the retreating figures.
"Na...Ru..TO!" Iruka screeched from behind them causing Naruto to jump several feet in the air before landing on his rear and pouting.
"Bus-ted..." Shinobu whispered, at least having the brain to look ashamed.
"Why aren't you two in class! You've been failing every exam Naruto. Do you want to fail again?" Iruka asked, he had shushined the pair into the classroom where they were tied back to back. Kiba snickered at them from his desk. "This is no time for being an idiot Naruto! You too Shinobu!" Iruka growled.
"Whatever." Naruto hmphed, looking away. Shinobu watched as a tic mark quickly made it's way upon Iruka's forehead. Uh oh.. She thought to herself, wincing in advanced.
"Time for Henge no Jutsu! Everyone line up! Even those who've passed!" Iruka screamed in annoyance. Complaining and groans echoed off of the classroom walls and people glared at Naruto and Shinobu.
"This is all your fault." Kiba growled at Naruto.
"What about Shinobu!" Naruto asked flabbergasted.
"Meh, you're the one influencing him." Kiba grinned at Shinobu who just rolled her eyes. She watched as the line moved along. She saw Sakura do it then jump for joy before looking at Sasuke expectantly. Does she expect him to notice her? Sheesh.. It wasn't until Naruto went up that she noticed Hinatta. She never took much notice to the girl before but now that she was blushing while watching Naruto it was obvious that she liked her. Shinobu giggled silently to herself before watching Naruto expectantly. This wasn't going to be normal. Knowing Naruto anyway. With in a few seconds she was rubbing smoke out of her eyes as she saw a busty naked blond infront of her. Iruka sensei flying backwards from a spurt of blood behind him/her. Of course.. Naruto.. should've known. She grinned at Naruto who was now a boy and cackling.
"DON'T INVENT STUPID SKILLS! YOU MORON!" Iruka yelled as he recovered, tissues in his nose. He looked ridiculous.
After class was over Iruka dragged them over to the Hokage monument to clean it. She didn't mind, after all, they've always had to clean up their pranks. It was always worth it. To see Naruto smile. Shinobu didn't like doing the pranks as much as making him smile
"I'm not letting you go home until every inch of the monument is as it was before." Iruka stated, watching the two work.
"Like we care! It's not like we have anyone to go home to!" He growled, catching the young teacher off guard. He looked between the two. Had Naruto said 'we'? Did Shinobu not have a family either..? How did Naruto know? Shinobu just looked sadly at him. You have me.. I'm here. She thought to herself. She would say it but she was a little afraid of being split up if someone found out they lived together. She wouldn't risk that for the world.
"Well.. um.." Iruka started earning their attention again. "If you clean all this up. I'll treat you two to ramen tonight!" He said, appearing nonchalant as he poked his cheek. Shinobu grinned as Naruto's face immediately resembled a light bulb. Just one switch and he was the brightest one around.
"OK! I'll work as hard as I can!" He grinned and the two immediately picked up pace. Ramen was their favourite food after all. It only took about an hour longer but their arms hurt horribly after they finished. Note to self: If pranking, make the paint easily removable. Shinobu inwardly groaned.
Once they were in the ramen stand and eating Iruka lectured Naruto. More Naruto than Shinobu because he was more the leader in the pranking. Shinobu watched in silence as Naruto shouted out his dreams for the world to hear. He knew his and was doing his best to achieve them.. what were her dreams? What are my dreams.. I want to be stronger.. and I want to prove myself.. but where do I want to end up in life? Shinobu thought to herself as Naruto babbled on. She watched in awe as his smile lit up the room. I want to protect that.. She nodded to herself. That smile.. his happiness. I want to protect him and the people most precious to me. Hokage-sama.. Iruka-sensei. Naruto-kun. Shika. Kiba.. Choji.. Akamaru.. She thought smiling at the two shop owners as they refilled her bowl. And Tseuchi and Ayame. She grinned. She would protect everyone.
She was shaken from her thoughts when she heard Naruto pleading about something. She tried to catch what they were talking about. All she heard was Naruto yell something alone the lines of "STINGY!" after Iruka shook his head then demand seconds. She grinned to herself. She had to make sure that she thanked Iruka later.
"Hey.. Naru.. what do you think the exam is going to be tomorrow?" Shinobu asked as they walked home. Iruka had told everyone to practice the basics but that didn't help if they missed something they needed. Shinobu and Naruto had taken to practicing their worst skills in hope that their better ones would be good enough. Shinobu was confident in her own ability to pass, but Naruto had a lot of trouble with some of the basics. She didn't want to be seperated from him.
"Don't worry about it! We'll pass with flying colours and then we'll be ninja!" He proclaimed confidently, Shinobu couldn't help but grin. His personality rubbed off on you if you were around him for any period of time. She was playing with her fingers as they walked and realized her nails were still short. She forgot to drop the genjutsu by accident. Guys with long nails seemed odd to her so she kept them short in the genjutsu but as a girl she kept them longer. Some may have thought it was stupid to focus on things like hair and nails had they noticed but she thought about it in a different light. If she ever ran out of kunai she'd just claw someone to death. Shinobu started giggling as she dropped the genjutsu.
"Uh.. Shinobu? What'cha laughin' about?" He asked, an adorable look of confusion gleaming in his eyes.
"Clawing people to death." She laughed, then proceeded to laugh harder when she realized she sounded like a maniac.
"Uhhm..." Naruto looked at her with worried eyes, slowly inching away. "A-are you ok?" He asked.
"Yes. I didn't mean it like that, baka." She smiled softly. She always felt more open with her friends, with Naruto, it was weird. To be less shy.. to be less introverted. "I keep my nails short as a guy. I just realized I forgot to drop the jutsu. As a girl they're longer and people think that ninja should be all about training, but if you think about it, nails make a great weapon if you run out of other weapons." She explained.
"Oooh! I get it!" He grinned sheepishly. What? Did he think I was going to claw him or something. Shinobu smiled.
That night she tried to sleep but failed horribly at it. She was too worried about the exam. She knew full well about teams. What team was she going to be put on? Would she be with Naruto? Who else would be with her? What if he failed? What if she failed? Darn mind... go to be already.. She sighed before burrying her face into her pillow until she fell asleep.
"HEEEEEEEEEEEYY! SHINOBU!" Naruto's shouts echoed through the flat. Shinobu groaned before sticking her head under her pillow in an attempt to get more sleep.
"SHINOBU WAKE UP! WE HAVE AN EXAM!" Naruto yelled right beside her ear causing her to jump.
"Ugh.. what?" She asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
"You never woke me up! We're going to be late for the graduation exam!" He screamed, wide eyed.
"Oh no.. I thought of failing but not entering! HURRY UP!" She immediately did the genjutsu not bothering to change out of her pajama's since no one would see them and ran after Naruto out the door. Her hair was a mess in the genjutsu and she looked sleepy but other than that she was good. They just managed to get into the class as the bell rang, falling through the door into a two person dog pile.
"Na..Ru..To.. get off of Shinobu-kun!" Several girls screeched. Sometimes Shinobu hated looking like Sasuke, no matter how many times she tried to push these girls away they just wouldn't listen. It ticked her off. Once she untangled herself from Naruto, much to the humour of her friends in the class, she stood up. She had optimistically thought that when she stood up the girls would shut up and leave her alone, maybe bugging Sasuke again. Oh how she hated being wrong. Soon shouts and squeals of 'Kawai!" echoed the room. Seriously? Her hair was a mess and she looked sleepy. That wasn't cute... it was.. bleh. She ignored them, she thought of glaring at them but considering she was still half asleep it would probably have the opposite effect of what was desired. Instead she made her way to her seat.
Iruka ignored them and started taking roll call. By now he was well aware of the trouble they caused and the girls who had started giving Shinobu trouble thinking she was a male. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself at the idea. Those girls would be in for one hell of a shock one day. He quickly finished up before looking at everyone.
"To graduate," He started. "you'll have to do bunshin no jutsu. When you're called come to the next room." He explained. Shinobu could feel her heart drop in her stomache as she looked at Naruto. This was his worst skill. He could barely make one bunshin and it was always useless. Even when she tried to help him with this one he couldn't get it. She looked at her hands, her eyebrows knitted as she thought. What am I going to do..? Purposely fail so we're together? But what if he passes? What would he think if I passed and he didn't! This wasn't supposed to happen.. She thought, anxiously awaiting her turn as she watched Naruto walk into the room. So far one person had passed.
"Shinobu!" Iruka called, she went in, not getting a chance to see if Naruto passed or not. She looked at the table and saw eleven headbands left. Her heart throbbed. He didn't pass... She felt awful. What was she supposed to do?
"Ok, go." Mizuki sensei said, watching her.
"U-um.. I.. I can't." She stammered. "I can't do this jutsu." She lied. She wouldn't pass without him... she couldn't..
"Shinobu, I understand that you're upset that Naruto didn't make it but I know you can do this jutsu. He'll make it eventually." Iruka told her. She just sighed before performing the jutsu, producing four equally depressed Shinobu's.
"You pass.. Come get your headband." Iruka said softly, understanding she was upset. Shinobu walked over and picked one up, slipping it into her pocket before walking back out. She ignored the whispers and people wondering where her headband was. She didn't care. She ignored the assigned seating and stole Sasuke's seat next to Naruto when he was called. She may have been forced closer to fangirls but she wanted to be there for Naruto.
"Naru..? You ok?" She whispered.
"I didn't make it.. I really wanted to graduate.." He whispered back, his eyes shining with unshed tears. She wanted to hug him so badly but resisted because she knew it would look bad on both of them. He didn't talk again after that.
"Naru..Naruto!" Shinobu called after him, he had left the room as quickly as he could when everyone was done. She tried to follow but got caught up in the crowd of parents and genin. She felt horrible. Her best friend didn't pass. She's going home to an empty house. She felt really alone. It didn't help to hear all of the parents talking about favourite dinners and how proud they were.. her family didn't want her.. her family was dead. She tried to shake her head of these thoughts but couldn't. She was strong, she graduated, she could almost keep up with her brother.. but almost wasn't good enough. Her family would never want her.. she wasn't good enough.
She watched the crowd.. tears started streaming down her face. Why didn't they want her? It wasn't fair! I hadn't done anything then.. I could have been stronger.. I could have.. She rubbed her eyes in frustration, willing her tears to go away. But they never went away. Crying came second nature to her. It's something she had done almost everyday since she was born. She was weak, she was unwanted, she wasn't good enough. These thoughts would always plague her.
Iruka POV
Iruka watched the hokage, guilt filling his mind. He had just been on the recieving end of a lecture on what it was like to be an orphan. About how Naruto never knew what it was like to have a parents love. About how he was alone. Iruka sighed, he cared for the boy, he wanted him to be strong.. but he couldn't help but have a small part of him be angry. Not at the boy.. but the demon inside him. Naruto had to deal with the hatred towards the demon so much it was becoming hatred for the boy himself.
Iruka thought that would be the end of the lecture. He'd be sent home to think about it but the Hokage kept talking. These new words sounded foreign as his jaw dropped and his eyes widened.
"Shinobu has felt similar pain." He had started. "She's been there for him, in fact I'm pretty sure they have been living together as family for a couple of years now. But her pain is different. Unlike Naruto's parents who died to protect him and this village.. Shinobu's parents didn't care for the girl. Her father cast her out before she was even born and she was left in the streets the day she was born. Girls were weak to him. So she was alone. She's lived with thoughts of not being good enough of being weak. Because of that she desperately tries to become stronger, to show the world she's just as strong as her twin brother who wasn't cast out."
Iruka watched as he explained this, not quite understanding. Who was her twin brother? Why didn't I notice?
"She has graduated, but instead of feeling accomplished she feels bad. Her brother beat her again and while the other young students were getting praise from their parents she was alone. She feels like she failed her family and betrayed Naruto. Iruka.. Shinobu's family died, when she was seven. She has no one except for Naruto. Her only living relatives are a traitor and a boy she's trying desperately to earn acknowledgment from." The hokage paused as Iruka processed the information.
"Sasuke.. Shinobu is related to Sasuke?" He asked, eyes wide. She always fought to beat him. She was so close but she never could. It explained everything. Why she watched him. Why she always seemed so hurt when she lost. "How could the Uchiha's just leave her without anyone knowing?" He asked suddenly, outraged with Fugaku.
"Fugaku informed us that she died during birth. That only Sasuke survived. No one, not even her brothers, knew she existed." He explained. Iruka just let the information sink in, in silence. The life of a shinobi.. starts at a young age. It's a life of pain and loss, but to start at an age so young? To have your whole life destroyed because of the desire to gain power? He couldn't imagine.
Shinobu POV
Shinobu let the tears wash over her as she took the long way home, stopping by her old ally. The little shelter was in there. She walked towards it before crawling into the entrance. It was the same. The only difference was a small carving on the wall of some couple who decided they loved each other and made this place their own. She sighed, running her fingers over the wood.
"I wonder what my life would be like if I had been able to stay home.." she whispered to herself, making her way to the Uchiha compound. She entered and followed a distant memory to her families house. She had been their twice. Once when she was born.. and once to deliver food. She entered, walking around and seeing dusty family pictures excluding her. She walked around exploring, when she entered the one room her heart threw itself into her throat. There was an outline of two bodies.. her mother died here.
"What are you doing in here?" A voice demanded from behind her, she spun around to see her brother.
"N-nothing.. I was exploring.. sorry.. is this your home?" She stammered.
"Yes.. get out.." He growled.
"Sorry.." She mumbled before running past him to get away from the compound. Why did I think it was a good idea to go there? Stupid stupid Shinobu...
That night she cried herself to sleep. Naruto never came home. She was worried but knew she wouldn't be able to find the boy if he didn't want to be found. If he was good at anything it was hiding. When he wanted to of course. When Shinobu woke up she burst into tears. Naruto still wasn't there. She had been ready to wake him, but he was gone. She sniffled trying to regain her composure as she made her ramen.
"Shinobu!" Naruto called, bursting through the door. Shinobu looked up with red puffy eyes which were wide in shock.
"Naruto...? Where have you been?" She cried, running and hugging him catching him off guard. He felt so warm, so comforting to be wrapped in his arms. She never wanted to leave him.
"What's wrong.. why are you crying?" He asked, oblivious as usual, while gently petting her hair. He was confused as hell.
"You honestly don't know?" She asked looking up at him in shock. When he shook his head she scowled. "You never came home! You disappeared. I haven't seen you since the grad exam!" She shouted, trying not to cry again.
"I'm sorry.. it's just.. I was talking to Mizuki," He said his name odd.. like he was scum. "and he told me of a way to pass the exam. I did it but found out the baka tricked me. But Iruka passed me anyway! We're both genin!" He grinned and Shinobu found herself grinning with him. She found it hard to stay mad at him, even when she wanted to. She hugged him again before looking at him.
"That's great. But if you ever leave again I'll kill you. And if you die I'll kill you. Got it?" She said in all seriousness causing him to shiver.
"H-hai." He stammered before they both laughed. She should have known better.. Naruto would never leave her.. he'd always be there.. just like she'd always be there... right?
A/N: This chapter is really long to make up for last chapter which frankly sucked and was short. I really hope you like it :D Next chapter is teams! :D Also a note: It took longer to update because FF wasn't letting me. I had this done early yesterday.
Song is 'Failure by Design' by Brand new.
