Duhn, Duhn, Duhn! Part II of BW is finally here! So sorry about the EXTREMELY long wait for this. I apologize. I won't let it happen again! The companion to this story is up! It's called Beneath the Darkness (or BtD for short), so you can check that one out if you want! ^_^ Anyway, on with the story...
Some changes: I've made a few changes to my story. For starters, the Rookie 9 (10, now, counting Hikari) are all thirteen instead of twelve like in the original Naruto. Just because I think 13 is a more suitable age for them to be graduating and going into the full-on ninja world. Most of the dialogue from this chapter is based on Masashi Kishimoto's work (which I do not own) of the anime episode 1 and Volume 1 of the Naruto manga series. There are a few changes in speech, but most of it is from episode 1. And, well, Mizuki is still a butt:P
All in all, I hope you enjoy it! Now I bring you BW Part II!
Part II ~
Ch. 6: Frightening Revelations
"NARUTO!" A group of angry villagers and ninjas shout as they try and catch the young hyperactive prankster.
Naruto, now thirteen years old, had grown up some since his academy days (though he was still in the academy). He still harbored an incurable knack for mischief and trouble-making, and daily pulled pranks which caused a bit of a ruckus inside the village. He now wore an orange jumpsuit-like outfit with a dark blue belt and dark blue around his broad white collar. The Uzumaki symbol was on his left shoulder while he wore some goggles on his forehead.
The young blond and spiky-haired boy laughed as he ran and jumped away from the irritated people chasing him.
Using his ninja skills, he quickly hid and camouflaged himself against the wooden gate wall and waited for his pursuers to pass. After they had went, screaming his name, he came out of the camouflage with a delighted chuckle.
"Ha! They fell for it!" he said to himself, proud that he led them astray.
"Oh? What was that, Naruto?" A calm voice came from behind him, belonging to that of Iruka Umino. "YOU'RE IN BIG TROUBLE!" Iruka shouted at his student who yelped in surprise and terror.
"Agh! Iruka-sensei!" Naruto said, jumping so high before he landed hard on the ground. His blue eyes stared at his teacher, already knowing his punishment.
Elsewhere, back at the Ninja Academy, a certain white-haired young girl sat at her desk, her head resting on her arms. She let out a sigh, wondering where in the world her best friend had gone.
Hikari, now thirteen as Naruto and everyone else, wore a dark gray, long-sleeve shirt with green rings at the ends of the sleeves and at the bottom and top of it as well, and then a white turtleneck underneath. The shirt slightly came over her white ruffled skirt that had black leggings underneath and she still wore ninja shoes, only they were dark gray.
Looking around the room, she saw all of her friends where they normally sit. There was Shikamaru and Choji sitting together in the front, Shino by himself, Kiba and Akamaru in the middle, Hinata sitting off to herself too, Sakura and Ino by each other close to the front, and then . . . Her gaze looked over a short distance away at Sasuke, sitting sullenly by himself as well. Another sigh escaped her lips, after all these years nothing's changed.
Except for the guilt in her heart.
Suddenly, the classroom doors burst open and in came Iruka-sensei carrying a tied-up Naruto.
Oh no . . . what did you do now, Naruto? Hikari thought to herself as Iruka put Naruto down.
"I'm at the end of my rope here, Naruto. You failed the Graduation test last time and you're doing it again! Tomorrow's your last chance so don't miss it!" Iruka scolded him, to which Naruto just "hmphed!" and looked away. Which caused Iruka's temper to strike as he pointed to the rest of the class. "Fine! But since YOU missed it, everyone will review the Transformation Jutsu!" he shouted, causing a lot of the students to groan and complain.
All of the students stood in line taking turns, and then it was Sakura's turn.
She stepped up, her pink hair now much longer and she now wore a red qipao dress with white circular designs, with sleeves, a zipper, and tight dark green shorts. "Alright, Sakura here, let's do it!" she spoke in a confident voice before shouting, "Transform!" And she transformed into a perfect replica of Iruka-sensei.
"Transform into me, good." Iruka said with a smile, writing her grade on his clipboard.
"Yes, I did it, I did it!" Sakura chanted happily to herself after she transformed back. Yeah, I kicked butt! her inner self exclaimed. Sakura turned to beam at Sasuke.
"Sasuke, did you see that?"
"Next," Iruka spoke, and Sasuke came up after a beaming Sakura left to go sit back down.
Sasuke, without a word, transformed into Iruka and then left while Iruka counted his grade.
"Hikari Kyoko," Iruka called next.
"Oh, yes!" she answered, quickly taking her place in front of her sensei.
Alright, focus! she told herself.
"Yeah, Hikari! You can do it!" Naruto yelled to her encouragingly, and Hikari smiled at him appreciatively.
"Transformation Jutsu!" she called, and then a puff of smoke surrounded her but then quickly disappeared to reveal an exact replica of Iruka.
"Good job, Hikari." Iruka told her with a smile and she transformed back.
"Thank you!" she said, beaming, before turning to go back to her seat. She stopped by Naruto and whispered, "Good luck!"
Naruto grinned at her and then Iruka called his name.
"This is a total waste of time," Shikamaru said irritably beside him.
"We always pay for your screw-ups," Ino said grumpily from the other side of him.
"Like I care," he mumbled to them, stepping up and putting the same grin on his face as before with Hikari's whispered words.
"Transform!" he shouted, and then a puff of smoke surrounded him but then quickly disappeared to reveal a . . . girl? And not just any girl, but a dazzling, revealing girl.
Iruka's eyes got big before he fell backwards, his nose bleeding.
Oh, Naruto . . . Hikari thought, shaking her head because she knew that this in fact would get him into even more trouble.
Naruto laughed as he came out of his jutsu. "Got ya! That's what I call my Sexy Jutsu!"
Iruka raised swiftly up, angry and shouting. "CUT YOUR STUPID TRICKS! THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING!"
After school, Naruto met up with Hikari as usual.
"So your gonna go and clean the Hokage faces?" Hikari asked a grumpy Naruto beside her as they walked down the hall that led outside.
"Yes, unfortunately." He grumbled, and Hikari put her hand on his shoulder, never liking when her best friend was down like this.
"Hey, want me to help? We'll be able to get it done faster and I've saved up enough for us to go out and eat at Ichiraku's!" she said, smiling at him, hoping that would cheer him up.
"Really? Ichiraku?" Naruto said, drool practically hanging from his mouth as he got all excited. But then he remembered the rest of what she said and his tirade stopped. "But you don't have to help me, Hikari, it was my screw-up . . ." he said, looking down again.
"What? Screw-up?" And then she abruptly took hold of both of his shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. "Hey, don't ever talk down to yourself like that Naruto! It was just a prank, which your amazing at. Besides—they're just for fun, it's everyone else's fault if they don't see it as that!" She all but shouted at him, and Naruto's blue eyes were wide.
A few seconds passed, and then Naruto grinned from ear to ear, his eyes closed, and scratching the back of his head. "Gee, Hikari! I didn't know you cared so much about me!"
"Well of course I do, you knucklehead!" Hikari told him, her eyes alight now that he somewhat got the message and Naruto started laughing.
"So, you really wanna help me?" Naruto asked her after a few moments passed and they were walking again.
Hikari looked at him, her mist gray eyes meeting his blue ones. "Yep!" she nodded.
Iruka smiled, having heard and see the two's exchange from around a corner. He abruptly disappeared in a cloud of white smoke and reappeared where Naruto and Hikari were just arriving.
"Are you ready, Naruto?" Iruka asked him, but it didn't faze the upbeat Naruto.
"Sure, let's go!" he answered, and Hikari smiled.
"Hikari, you can go on home." Iruka told her and she looked at him.
"No, I want to stay and help Naruto!" she told him.
"And why is that? You're one of my best students Hikari, you don't deserve any punishment."
"Yeah, but—Naruto's my friend! And I'll always be there for him!" Hikari told him, feeling the rightness in her words.
Iruka then smiled, glad that the two of them were so close, closer than any of his students.
"Alright then, but it may take a while." He told them, and they followed him as he took off to the Hokage monuments.
Hikari and Naruto stood on raised platforms, cleaning graffiti off of each face.
"You're not going home until you've cleaned every last drop of paint, Naruto." Iruka yelled to him from his spot on top of the head. "Hikari, you can go home whenever you like."
"So what? It's not like there's anyone waiting at home for us!" Naruto yelled irritably, and Hikari stopped to look over at her friend, seeing how hurt he was underneath.
Iruka started, briefly remembering how his childhood had been . . . and then his words and actions grew softer.
"Naruto?" he mumbled, and Hikari peeked up at him.
"What do you want now, sensei?" he grumbled out.
Iruka began scratching his chin, looking up at the sky. "I was thinking . . . how about after you clean all this up I can take you both out for some ramen—the good stuff."
Hikari and Naruto beamed up at him as Iruka looked back at them.
"Now that's some serious motivation! We'll have this cleaned up in no time!" Naruto all but shouted, becoming faster.
And in no time at all, they were done and headed off to Ichiraku.
As the three of them sat around eating their ramen, Iruka began talking to Naruto.
"Naruto?"
"Hmm?" Naruto questioned as he slurped up his favorite ramen.
"Why would you do that to the Hokage faces? I mean, you do know who the Hokage are don't you?" Iruka tried to reason things with him.
Naruto slurped up the last of his ramen before responding, Hikari mildly paying attention to the two's exchange.
"Of course I do. Everybody knows, they were the greatest shinobi of their time, right? The best of the best, undefeated ninja champs?" He said before thinking back to the last face carved into the rock wall of the Hokage monument. "And the Fourth Hokage is the one who saved the village, from the Nine-Tailed Fox. He was the most amazing!" he murmured.
Hikari then remembered the day in class when they heard the heroic tale of the Fourth Hokage, how he gave his life to destroy a terrible demon . . .
A sudden twinge grabbed Hikari's heart, like something had just poked at it when she thought of the "demon." Strange, but she didn't think anything of it and went on with eating and listening to the two beside her. They continued to chat—Naruto boasting how he would be the greatest Hokage ever.
Yep, good ol' Naruto! Hikari thought with a small smile.
After their meal was finished, Hikari and Naruto walked back home.
"Iruka-sensei is really cool, huh?" Hikari spoke, gazing at Naruto beside her.
"Yeah, I guess . . ." Naruto mumbled, looking up at the stars that lit their way.
Hikari giggled. "So, ready for our final Graduation Test tomorrow?"
Naruto looked at her with a big grin, closing his eyes. "You know it!" he told her confidently.
They both had a good night's rest before the morning came, and it was time to head to school.
Many students went ahead of them, and seemingly all passed.
"Hikari," Mizuki called, looking at the white-haired girl with a smile. "It's your turn."
Hikari took a deep breath, smiling in return.
"Hey, you'll be fine, believe it!" Naruto told her, eyes bright as she nodded her head and followed Mizuki into the room.
Time passed, and Naruto waited for his friend to emerge, but why did it feel like it was taking longer? Ugh! I need to know what's happening!
And then, the doors opened and out came a positively beaming Hikari carrying a Leaf Village headband.
"Alright!" Naruto shouted, jumping up and running to his friend with excitement.
"Naruto! Look! I got my own headband!" Hikari exclaimed with excitement matching that of Naruto's.
"That's so cool, Hikari! Just you wait, I'm gonna go in there and get one too!"
Hikari nodded at him. "Good luck, Naruto, I know you can do it." She told him sincerely and he nodded, racing in.
"Okay! Here I go!" Naruto shouted once he entered.
"Ah, yes, Naruto. Go ahead," Iruka gave him a smile of encouragement.
"Transform!" Naruto said, forming the hand sign as his chakra was brought forth.
As soon as the white puff of smoke disappeared, Naruto and his teachers looked beside him.
Instead of a clone of Naruto beside him, there lay a horrible, drowned-rat looking version of Naruto.
Naruto was busy trying to hold in his laughter while Iruka's eye twitched in annoyance. Didn't he ever take anything serious?
"YOU FAIL!" Iruka all but shouted.
WHAT?? Naruto thought as he was tossed out.
"Naruto?" Hikari questioned as she walked up to where he was tossed. "Did you pass?"
Naruto recovered and stood up, his eyes in slits.
"Who cares about graduating anyway!" He huffed and stormed out suddenly, his humiliation and rejection taking its toll.
"Naruto!" Hikari yelled after him, suddenly confused and more than a little concerned for her best friend. She started running after him, but Naruto was faster and had already disappeared.
Naruto? Where could you have gone? Hikari thought to herself, already having gone by their houses and the park looking for him.
She stopped by Ichiraku, holding the flap above her head with her arm and peeping her head in.
"Well hello there Hikari," Ayame greeted with a smile, and Hikari smiled back.
"Why don't you sit for a while and eat a bowl?" Teuchi, the ramen chef, said before noticing Hikari's headband tied to her forehead. "Congratulations! I see you graduated!"
"Oh, thank you." She told him gratefully with a grin, closing her gray eyes briefly before growing serious. "I've actually come by looking for Naruto. Have you seen him any?"
"Hm, Naruto? No . . . I haven't seen him any . . ." Teuchi pondered, scratching his chin in thought.
"Oh, okay thanks!" Hikari said, trying not to get depressed at coming empty-handed yet again. She ducked out of the shop and ran down the street while he shouted back at her.
"Hey, at least eat a bowl of the new spicy ramen!" But Hikari was already gone, looking for her lost friend.
She eventually resorted to using her light to track him. She's never really tried it before (because there had never been any reason to) but she—and her light—knew Naruto very well so it shouldn't be so hard.
Hiding in a relatively remote place and staying hidden in a tree, she put her hand over heart and closed her eyes. Reaching deep within herself, she brought out the light that rests within her.
Opening her eyes, she was greeted by her bright companion.
She smiled warmly as it wrapped comfortingly around her, filling her with reassurance that she desperately needed at the moment.
"Okay, I need you to help me find Naruto." She told it, and it instantly straightened up and started leading the way. "Wait!" she called out, quickly jumping from tree to tree as it ghosted through the air at a steady pace.
Meanwhile . . .
Naruto sat with Mizuki on an empty building balcony.
Naruto still looked depressed, and it didn't help with what the villagers said earlier today . . .
All of the students gathered in the Academy schoolyard, talking amongst themselves as their parents came to get them and congratulate them.
Parents passing saw Naruto, hidden among the shrubs and trees where he sat at the tree that him, Hikari, and their friends would sit at when they were little.
Sure, he was a good distance away from everyone, but he could still over hear them.
"Hey, isn't he the kid who—?"
"Yeah, that's him. The only one who failed!"
Two adults talked, their eyes cold and judging on the young boy.
"Serves him right . . ."
"Can you imagine if they let someone like that become a shinobi . . . ? I mean, think about what he is . . ."
"Don't even go there."
And that's all Naruto needed to hear. He swiftly jumped from tree to tree to get away from all of the harsh words . . . and happy laughter that he couldn't have.
He just wanted to leave and never look back, but something stopped him.
"Hikari . . ." he whispered, stopping on a tree branch overlooking the Leaf Village.
He couldn't just leave her! She was all he had . . . And he was all she had. They were inseparable, and Naruto was determined it was going to stay that way.
That was when he started searching for her, but the village was busy because of the Graduation and he couldn't find her.
And then Mizuki-sensei found him and wanted to talk . . .
"Iruka is a really serious guy . . . His parents died when he was young. So everything he's accomplished he did by himself, with a lot of hard work and discipline." Mizuki told him, the evening breeze rustling their hair as he tried to make Naruto understand.
"So? What's that got to do with me?" Naruto questioned sullenly.
Mizuki glanced at him. "So you remind him of himself."
Naruto was shocked. Like himself? How . . . ?
"He wants you to be strong with all his heart, but that will never happen if he goes easy on you."
"But . . . I really wanted to graduate." Especially with Hikari.
"Then, I guess I have to tell you. It's a secret, but I'm gonna let you in on it." Mizuki said while Naruto turned to him, anxious to hear this "secret."
Hikari was dead tired. It turns out, running around and using her light all day really drained her strength. She now sat up against a building, panting and trying to catch her breath.
Where are you Naruto?! She felt like screaming, staring up into the night sky. She was so worried. I hope he's not in trouble . . .
She then heard several people yelling nearby and grew curious. She decided to investigate and quietly snuck over to where a large number of adult shinobi gathered with the Hokage.
"This time he's gone too far!" One yelled haughtily, scaring Hikari a little and she ducked down further. Who are they talking about?
"Lord Hokage, that scroll holds secrets to our village, secrets that the First Hokage sealed away. If in the wrong hands, it could bring destruction to our village!"
"Agreed. Bring Naruto here at once!" And the Hokage dismissed them and they all scattered throughout the village while Hikari remained speechless.
Oh no, Naruto what have you done? She stood up, determination taking over her exhaustion. "I have to find him before the others do!" she said, quickly running across rooftops and searching for her friend.
Hikari knew that Naruto was reckless, but never this reckless!
Naruto sat by an old shed in the middle of the woods that nobody came to anymore. There he sat with the scroll open, reading the first jutsu and learning it.
Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu . . . Why did it have to be the one jutsu I'm bad at? Naruto thought, but he did it any way. He really wanted to pass, so he could fulfill his dream of being the Hokage, the very best Hokage.
With time and effort, he managed to master it and make it his own.
But that was the only jutsu he got to before Iruka found him.
"It's all over . . . I finally found you," Iruka said, standing over Naruto who was still out of breath.
Naruto looked up and saw his sensei. He stood up and started laughing. Great! Now I can show him this technique and he'll have to let me pass!
"Caught me already? Your quick, sensei! I only had time to master one technique," Naruto said, scratching the back of his head and grinning.
He's been out here practicing, I can tell he's been training hard. Iruka thought, slightly shocked by his student.
"Listen Iruka-sensei, I'm gonna show you this awesome new jutsu and then you're gonna let me pass and then everything will be okay! That's the way it works, right? Mizuki-sensei said that anyone who learns a jutsu from this scroll gets to Graduate!" Naruto said excitingly, beaming at Iruka who stood appalled.
Mizuki? Why would he . . . ? Iruka thought but then kunai came flying through the air toward the pair.
"Look out!" Iruka said, pushing Naruto out of the way as the kunai dug into his flesh—pinning him to the building behind him.
Naruto gasped, sitting up. "Iruka-sensei!"
Hikari heard Naruto's shout and quickly landed on a nearby tree only to see Iruka pinned and bleeding.
She gasped, her hand over heart. What is going on?
"I'm impressed that you managed to find our little hideaway so quickly, Iruka." Mizuki said, crouched on a tree branch above.
Everyone turned to him, Hikari and Naruto shocked, while Iruka was accusing.
"So that's the way it is? I should have known!" Iruka said while Mizuki smirked and stood up straight.
"Naruto! Give me the scroll, now." Mizuki ordered to the confused boy.
"Wait a second, wh-what's going on here?" Naruto questioned while Hikari thought the same, both of them looking from Iruka to Mizuki.
"Naruto, don't give him the scroll! It contains forbidden jutsu's that could put this village in great danger. Mizuki used you to get the scroll for his own power!" Iruka said, painfully removing one of the kunai from his leg.
Hikari saw his pain and wished for it to go away. Suddenly, her light circled around her and she looked at it questioningly. She then knew that it must have felt her strong desire and surfaced, strengthening her resolve.
With determination in her eyes, she sent part of the light to Iruka, where it lifted the pain.
His eyes went slightly wide, but then he saw Hikari nearby, and knew it must have been from her. So, Lord Hokage was true about that. The legend of her powers . . . Thank you, Hikari. He thought, feeling the pain slowly leaving.
Naruto was shocked at having been used by Mizuki-sensei, a man he trusted.
"Naruto . . . Iruka's just trying to scare you, so you don't take the scroll. He doesn't want you to have it," Mizuki told him softly, convincingly.
Naruto looked with wide eyes at Iruka, not knowing what to believe.
"Stop lying, Mizuki! Naruto, don't let him trick you!"
Mizuki laughed cynically. "Oh, I'll tell you who's really lying."
"Stop! Don't, Mizuki!" Iruka said, knowing what was coming and he didn't want the two children to know, especially this way.
"They've been lying to you your whole life, Naruto." Mizuki started, fully ignoring Iruka. "Since the decree thirteen years ago . . ."
"What . . . decree?" Naruto asked.
What is he talking about? Hikari wondered.
"Everyone knows about it except you and your little pal, Hikari."
"Don't tell him, it's forbidden!" Iruka shouted.
"What is this decree? Why can't I know about it or Hikari?" Naruto questioned.
Mizuki glanced at him, an evil glint in his eyes. "The decree is . . . No one can tell you that the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox is inside you!"
Naruto and Hikari gasped. Naruto from shock and horror, but Hikari felt like her insides were turning in a weird way . . . Like the revelation was changing something about her . . .
"The Fox Spirit that destroyed our village and killed Iruka's parents has taken over your body. You are the Nine-Tailed Fox!" Mizuki shouted.
Iruka began shouting at Mizuki to stop it but it was already too late. Naruto began putting the pieces together . . . Why he was always alone, why people hated him and shunned him.
Hikari felt like something kept beating painfully against her chest, trying to push her back but she remained rooted to the spot. Afraid to think, afraid to move . . . Naruto . . . she thought hazily.
Mizuki continued. "They've all been sneaking around and hiding things from you your whole life. Didn't you think it was strange how they treated you? Like dirt! Like they hated you for just being alive!"
"NO!" Naruto shouted, his chakra swirling around him in his anger and hurt. No, no, no, no, NO!
"Naruto . . ." Iruka said, in despair at having him find out the truth like this.
"That is why you will NEVER be accepted in this village! Even your beloved sensei hates your guts!"
No . . . Iruka thought, thinking back to how he had grown up, all alone . . . Without the love of a family. Being orphaned, isolated, picked on, frowned upon . . . He's hurting inside.
"Die, Naruto!" Mizuki said, throwing his giant shuriken star at the defenseless boy.
Hikari was too immobile to do anything, and Iruka shouted for Naruto to get down. The next thing Naruto knew, Iruka was standing over him, saving him by taking the blow. The ninja weapon stuck out from Iruka's back.
Mizuki growled, having missed his real target, but pleased that Iruka wouldn't be getting in the way.
"Wh- . . . Why?" Naruto asked, his eyes glistening.
"Because we're the same." Iruka spoke, and his words rung through Hikari's ears like a light in the hazy fog clouding her mind. Those words that were spoken to her so long ago . . . When her and Naruto had first met. The instant connection there, in their shared pain, but why did Hikari feel like they had a connection that went deeper than just pain?
Hikari held her head, feeling a wave of emotion consume her.
Iruka's tears fell on Naruto's cheeks as he continued while blood seeped from his wound. "After my parents were gone, I was so alone . . . I didn't know what to do. My grades dropped, I stopped interacting with the other kids. Everyone seemed to not care, like I wasn't there."
Naruto felt tears come to his eyes.
"That's why . . . when I see you, Naruto and Hikari . . . It's almost like I can feel what you're feeling. Because I know what it's like, you feel lonely and it hurts inside. And I'm so sorry that I couldn't be there for you two more."
Mizuki laughed. "Iruka, stop all this sappy dribble. Do you honestly think he believes you? Or even cares? He's a demon! Nothing but a monster with no heart, and no soul!"
Naruto ground his teeth together while everything in Hikari broke.
No! Naruto isn't evil! He has a soul and a heart. He's normal, just like everyone else! Yet, why is there a burning deep inside me from the knowledge that there is a demon inside Naruto? He's still the same person! Hikari argued in her mind.
"NARUTO!" Hikari abruptly shouted, done with all of the doubts in her head and the strange feelings in her body. Everyone looked up at her in surprise.
Hikari? What is she doing here? Naruto thought, his eyes wide.
And then, suddenly all of the energy left Hikari's body and she fell faint. Her body tipped over and started plummeting to the ground below.
"Hikari!" Iruka and Naruto both shouted, and Mizuki caught her.
"Well, well, what do we have here? I think she'll make a nice prize to some collectors, wouldn't you agree Iruka? Considering what she is." Mizuki let on in a sly manner.
What? What is Hikari? Is she like me? Naruto thought, shocked still.
"No. That's enough!" Iruka said, ripping the giant shuriken out of his back and standing up. "Unhand her right now, Mizuki!" Iruka shouted, throwing the ninja weapon straight for his head but Mizuki easily dodged.
"Your a joke. Once I take that scroll, I'll be unstoppable!" Mizuki said, laughing greedily before suddenly Naruto headbutted painfully into Mizuki's stomach.
He dropped Hikari, and Naruto caught her in mid-air before landing on the ground. He then took off with her and the scroll.
"Naruto!" Iruka called after him, but it was too late.
Mizuki laughed, getting up and dusting himself off.
"Did you see that look in his eyes? Those are the eyes of a beast. He's going to take his precious Hikari and together they'll wreak havoc on the village."
"You're wrong! Naruto and Hikari aren't like that at all." Iruka said.
Mizuki snickered. "Whatever, once I obtain the scroll, I'll be back for you." And with that, he took off after the two students.
I won't let you! Iruka thought fiercely.
Once Naruto was far enough away, he took cover among a group of trees. He softly laid Hikari down and tried shaking her.
"Hikari. Hikari, c'mon wake up!" he said over and over before, finally, her pale lids moved and she was brought to consciousness.
"N-Naruto?" Hikari whispered, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "Where are we?" she asked, looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings.
Naruto, who was grinning like a fool at seeing his best friend awake instantly sobered, looking down at the grass beneath him.
"Naruto?" Hikari questioned, confused as to why her friend looked so sad . . . And then it hit her. Trying to find Naruto. Mizuki-sensei's betrayal. Iruka-sensei getting hurt. Naruto. The Nine-Tailed Fox. Everything.
She gasped at the knowledge coming to her but the pain from before wasn't there . . . it's as if something concealed it. Put it under a lock. Could it be her light within her protecting her mind and body from the truth? She didn't know. But it had to wait, right now Naruto needed her more than anything else.
"So . . . you heard it all, right? I'm the fox demon," Naruto said, not sounding like himself at all.
"What? No your not!" Hikari shouted at him, and Naruto looked up at her. Hikari was shocked when she saw that his bright blue eyes had considerably darkened. And honestly, it frightened her. What if she lost her friend to this? To this demon?
"But it's true. Iruka-sensei, everyone in the village . . . They've always thought of me as a demon, a freak of nature. And they probably always will . . ." Naruto whispered. And Hikari is probably scared of me too. After this, she won't have anything to do with me and then I'll be all alone . . . A darker part of him thought, plunging him into certain depression.
Suddenly, Naruto felt a sharp pain sear his cheek along with a loud smack! sound.
It took him a few seconds to realize that Hikari had just slapped him!
He looked at her, blue eyes wide.
And then he saw something he never wanted to see. Hikari crying.
"Naruto . . . please . . . don't ever say such things again." She told him, her voice breaking, and Naruto could feel the darkness bearing down on him evaporate into nothing as soon as he saw the condition his friend was in. "You're special, Naruto. You always have been, and always will be. I know the villagers have always thought of us as outcasts, as monsters, and they probably always will . . . But we can change what they think of us, together. I know we can, Naruto! Because even though you've got this terrible beast inside you, I know you. The real Naruto. And he's brave, funny, a knucklehead, and a good friend—the best friend. He's Naruto Uzumaki of the Village Hidden in the Leaves!" Hikari shouted, and abruptly Naruto tackled her to the ground.
"Hikari . . . thank you." Naruto whispered with utmost earnest that it shocked Hikari.
They both sat up, with tears in Hikari's gray orbs and tears streaming down Naruto's face.
Hikari smiled at him, glad to have the old Naruto back.
Suddenly, both Iruka and Mizuki landed a couple feet away. Naruto and Hikari instantly quietened, hiding themselves behind a big tree.
"Why don't you just give it up, Iruka? You know you can't stop me!" Mizuki said arrogantly while Iruka sat against a tree, exhausted from his wounds and using up chakra before.
"I will do whatever it takes to stop you, Mizuki. Even at the cost of my own life," Iruka vowed.
At that, Naruto clutched the scroll to him tightly.
"Even for those worthless brats? Naruto is the one who wiped out your family!"
"No. He's not." Iruka said, and Naruto looked at his sensei. "And they're not worthless. They are valuable to this village, both ninjas of the Hidden Leaf!"
Hikari and Naruto gasped, both struck with awe and respect for their sensei.
"Well, Iruka, I was gonna save you for later, but I've changed my mind. You're finished!" Mizuki yelled, throwing a giant shuriken star toward him.
"Iruka-sensei!" Hikari shouted, running from their hiding space and running toward the wounded Iruka.
"Hikari!" Naruto shouted before he headed for Mizuki.
Hikari made it to Iruka and summoned her light, but the giant shuriken was moving too fast and it grazed her on the cheek before she managed to deflect it into the sky.
And that was when Naruto unleashed his surprise attack. He kicked Mizuki painfully in the chin, sending him flying back.
"If you EVER touch Hikari again, or take one step toward my sensei—I'll kill you!" Naruto vowed in a serious tone.
"Lucky move, punk." Mizuki said, standing up and rubbing his jaw.
"No! Get out of here right now, you two!" Iruka shouted at them, but he was ignored.
"Well, demon brat! Let's see you try this!"
"Take your best shot, fool. I'll give it back to you a thousand fold!" Naruto said, forming a hand sign and suddenly a giant puff of smoke surrounded everyone.
In its place were a hundred Naruto's, all ready for a beat-down.
"Whoa . . ." Hikari murmured, looking around.
This is unbelievable! And these are solid clones, Naruto has mastered an extremely advanced jutsu! Iruka thought, smiling at his pupil.
"What?" Mizuki was shocked beyond belief, dropping his guard as he gazed wildly in fear all around him. How could he make this many?
"If you're not comin' to us, then we're comin' to you." Naruto and his clone spoke before all of them pounced on Mizuki.
Within a few short minutes, Mizuki was bloodied and beaten, lying unconscious while Naruto went over to Iruka and Hikari.
"You guys all right?" he asked.
They both shared a look before smiling at their hero. "We're fine, Naruto." Iruka answered and Naruto gazed over at Hikari, noticing the bloody cut on her cheek.
"It's just a scratch, don't worry." She reassured him.
"Hey, Naruto. Close your eyes, I have something I want to give you." Iruka told him and Naruto did as his sensei said.
Hikari watched with a beaming smile as Iruka removed his own headband and slid Naruto's goggles off before placing the Leaf Village headband on his forehead.
When Naruto opened his eyes, he saw both friends grinning at him. He felt the new replacement on his forehead as dawn beckoned through the canopy of trees.
"Congratulations, Naruto. You graduate!" Iruka said and Hikari cheered.
Naruto bit his lip, feeling so many emotions at the moment before he exploded. "Iruka-sensei!" He then tackled Iruka back down to the ground, hugging him while Iruka groaned in pain.
"Sensei, you all right?" Hikari asked, concerned.
"Yeah, I'm just fine." Iruka spoke out, smiling at her. "Right after I do this!" Iruka squeezed Naruto's arm, to which Naruto yelped and then Naruto did the same to him. Hikari giggled at the two.
The Third Hokage smiled into his all-seeing crystal ball, having seen the events take place. He gave up the search party, telling his fellow shinobi that Naruto would return.
But he couldn't be any more happier.
Yes, even more progress was being made with the two. And Sarutobi could only hope that it would continue to grow and blossom as they journeyed through life.
Plz review!:D