For the past two weeks, everyone had been studying in their own way for the final test to become a Genin, Sasuke and Mieko were studying for both the physical side and the theory side relentlessly. Sakura was studying on her own though reluctantly because she wanted to study with Sasuke and Naruto was of course not studying and merely practicing all the forms he had learned in the academy, his excuse was that he did not need to know the theory side because he would need more time to practice his skills. And Ino was practicing with her dad day and night.

On the day, each student was called upon by alphabetical order, Sakura had come out of her test boasting how she completed it flawlessly to Sasuke, of course, he merely hummed and waited for his turn. He too had past but did not boast, he stated he completed the test and that was it. Mieko had passed just as flawlessly as Sasuke and immediately returned to reading her book, ignoring Sakura who continued to talk to Sasuke. Naruto had come out of his test with a frown, he plonked down on his seat and remained silent but everyone knew that he did not pass. Mieko looked up from her book to her friend and frowned when he saw the frustration and hopelessness on his face.

"Well I'm heading out to Maritz for celebration, you want to join me Sasuke?" Sakura asked hopefully, her cheeks tinted pink.

"I'm busy" he stated and walked away, Sakura frowned but was glad when the others in their class offered to join. Once the group left Mieko silently followed Naruto, he stopped and sat down on the swing where they had first met.

Without a single thought, she stepped up to him with a smile "Hi"

"…Hey, Mieko" he replied dejectedly, the tigress frowned and knelt down to his eye level. Her tail curled around his arm comfortingly.

"How are you feeling?" she asked softly.

"Apart from not passing the test, sure I'm great" he threw his arms up to prove his point "So much for passing with flying colours."

"Naruto…" she bit her lip, thinking hard on what to say next "I'm…" she sighed and threw her arms around his neck, pulling him to her when he began to fall back "This doesn't mean you are never going to be a ninja, it just means you will have to wait a little longer" Naruto nodded silently and hugged her back tightly.

"Thanks…Mieko, you always know what to say."

"I'm always trying to make people happy" she smiled though he did not see it, his face was nuzzled into her neck. It felt wonderful for her to be in his arms, comforting him like he had done for her all those years ago, she had come to him a few days after the incident to apologize for not seeing him when she promised. He didn't really care and immediately accepted the apology, he watched as she began to tear up and as soon as he hugged her she broke apart. Her tears were never ending but he did not care, he would wait for thousands of years just so he could see her smile again. It took a while for her to smile genuinely but soon she was back to her old self "As much as I would love to stay here in the rain getting soaked I need to get home before papa freaks out" Naruto nodded and gently pushed her away "I'll come see you tomorrow ok?" he nodded once more "Goodnight Naruto."

"Night Mieko" he mumbled, she gave him a small smile before leaving.

Mieko was sitting in her room munching on a chocolate bar, wondering if Naruto had gone home after she did.

"Find Naruto!" the tigress jolted from her chair and ran to the window seeing multiple Shinobi's running around the hidden leaf village.

"What has Naruto done now" she hissed as she grabbed a black jacket, she opened her window and immediately began running around the village in search of her friend, she knew he would not go to areas where everyone would look, she would need to look for him in places that were hidden.

She searched high and low, going to every place that was deserted and void of ninja but there were no signs of the blonde haired boy "There's one more place" she thought, knowing that was the place she would go to practice things she wanted others not to know.

She jumped on a large tree branch in time to see Iruka sensei turn into a silver-haired man "How did you know it was me and not Iruka?" the silver-haired man hissed, Naruto puffed into a white smoke and came back as…Iruka?

"Because I'm Iruka" she narrowed her eyes at the state her sensei was in.

"You're a fool" the man hissed "Why are you protecting that freak? He's the one that wiped out your family!"

"I don't care what you say you're not getting your hands on that scroll" Iruka hissed out angrily.

The silver-haired man smirked evilly "As if you could stop me" he stated smugly "Don't you get it, Naruto is just like me" Mieko narrowed her eyes at the mention of her friend's name.

"How's that?" Iruka asked calmly.

"He wants the scroll for his own power and his own vengeance, that's how beasts are."

Own vengeance, why would Naruto get revenge on the town…is it because they ignored him' she did not like this one bit, why would he call Naruto a beast?

"He'll pour all his rage into the scroll and destroy everything" the man stated.

"He's right" Mieko's eyes widened "That is how beasts are, but that's not who Naruto is, he's nothing like that, Naruto is one of a kind, works hard and puts his whole heart into it…sure he messes up sometimes and everyone jumps on him but his suffering only makes him stronger, that's what separates him from being a beast so you're wrong he's nothing like the nine tailed fox" Mieko's voice hitched in her throat.

Naruto has…the nine tailed fox within him' was this why everyone ignored him, why did she not know of this…poor Naruto, he didn't deserve to be treated like the beast that was in him.

"He's Naruto Uzumaki of the village hidden in the leaves" she was proud of Iruka sensei for sticking up for Naruto, despite what the nine tails did.

"Huh, you really believe that dribble" the man snapped "Iruka, I was going to save you for later but I change my mind" the man pulled out a giant ninja star and began twirling it "You are finished!" Mieko was prepared to jump to save her sensei but something or someone stopped her. It was Naruto, he came out of nowhere and knocked the silver-haired man into his back, his star flying away from him.

"Naruto!" Iruka yelled in shock.

"Not bad" the man spoke and he stood "For a punk."

Naruto stood still in a pose that radiated strength and anger, the large scroll in one hand and the other hand fisted tightly "If you ever lay a hand on my sensei, I'll kill you" Mieko was surprised at the words that came out of Naruto's mouth, he's never said such dark words.

"Such big words, I can completely destroy you with a single move," the man said smugly.

"Take your best shot fool" Naruto moved his hands towards his face in a cross-like position, the air around him began to move rapidly along with the power growing inside of him "I'll give it back to you a thousandfold."

"LET'S SEE YOU TRY! SHOW ME WHAT YOU CAN DO NINE TAILED FOX!" the man screamed angrily.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" both Iruka and Mieko watched in shock as over a thousand copies of Naruto surrounded the man, they were not illusions but fully fleshed and as real as the real Naruto himself. Mieko had never felt so proud of her friend than at this very moment, she was glad she could watch him grow. The man looked around at the many clones frantically, his fear caused him to scream which in turn made all the Naruto's take turns in beating him up, Mieko had to hold a hand over her mouth as she watched this. "Sorry I kinda got carried away, you ok Iruka sensei?" Naruto asked once his clones were gone.

"Oh yeah," he replied softly "Naruto, come here a minute I have something I want to give you" Naruto looked at him cautiously, he closed his eyes and waited. Mieko smiled as she watched Iruka place the Genin headpiece around the blonde's forehead, she reached up to her head and touched her headpiece that she wore like Sakura did.

"Iruka sensei how much longer" Naruto whined.

"Ok, you can open your eyes now" Naruto did as his teacher told him and slowly opened his eyes.

"Congratulation, you graduate" Iruka smiled "And I have a big surprise, we're going to celebrate by going out for ramen tonight" Naruto's lip quivered before he broke into a large smile and jumped on Iruka, Mieko decided it was time for her to make herself known, she jumped down from the tree and called out their names "Mieko? You were there the whole time."

"Yep, and I am sooo proud of both of you!" she smiled sweetly, Naruto jumped up and ran over to his friend, she met him halfway and allowed him to tackle her to the ground in a bear hug "Naruto!"

"I graduated!" he cheered.

"I know!" she giggled and hugged him back.

"You have to join us for ramen tonight."

"I will if Iruka sensei wants me there."

"Well, you are the only friend Naruto has so it would be wrong of me to deny you the right to celebrate with him."

"Then I will definitely be there" Naruto jumped up and helped his friend up as well.

"Then we can celebrate yours as well."

"Naruto it's all about you, not me."

"But you never celebrated yours so you are coming with me, believe it!" he brought his thumb up and smiled goofily.

"Ok ok I will now we better get that scroll back to the Hokage" Naruto nodded and soon enough the three of them were racing through the leaf village, ignoring all who watched them. It wasn't about the villagers, it was about them, the three friends they were as thick as thieves. Even closer now they have shared this experience.

The trio had laughed and talked for hours, all were celebrating their graduation. It was until the late hours of the night did Mieko enter her house "You…are late" Mieko squeaked and brought a kunai knife out of her pocket, she sighed when she saw it was her dad.

"Spirits papa you scared the hell out of me" she put her blade away and took off her jacket.

"I apologize but you didn't answer me" he stood from the couch and headed towards her.

"I was out celebrating with Naruto and Iruka sensei."

"As great as it is celebrating with friends it is way past your curfew" he scolded.

"I know but…I'm sure you heard about how Naruto took a scroll a scroll from the Hokage's office?" he nodded "I went after him and…why didn't you tell me about Naruto being the holder of the nine tailed fox."

"No one is allowed to speak about it…the Hokage decreed it illegal. Even if you are my daughter I could not tell you."

She frowned "all those people…bullying him, hating him, and all because he has something in him that was placed there" she shuffled over to her dad and hugged him tightly. "why do humans have to be so mean?"

"I don't know my little kitten, but so long as there are a few who have a kind heart then that is all that matters" she nodded into his stomach and hugged him tighter. "Now" he picked her up "you need to go to bed little one."

"ok papa" Mieko replied tiredly, with a big yawn she snuggled into Kakashi's chest and fell asleep.

"My little kitten…"

Mieko was running around Sasuke's house frantically, her fear escalated as she saw the numerous bodies of her clan members, no one was alive and she prayed that Sasuke was ok "Please be ok…" she repeated over and over like a mantra, she skidded to a halt when she saw where she stood all those years ago "N-no" she looked at Sasuke's dead body lying on the ground, his lifeless eyes staring into hers "NO!" she screamed and ran over to him, she pulled him into her arms and began sobbing uncontrollably .

"Mieko" the Hatake girl froze when she heard the voice she dreaded to hear.

"Itachi" she spoke with pure venom, but he could hear and see the fear the radiated from her.

"Little kitten" he spoke again, using the nickname Kakashi gave her.

"W-why" she stuttered, wanting to hear his answer desperately.

"Because" he took a step to her, her fear spiked with every step he took "Because my little kitten…you are a beast!" she screamed when Itachi pounced towards her.

"NO! NO NO NO NO NO!" Mieko jerked and began frantically screaming.

"MIEKO CALM DOWN!" Kakashi shouted when he ran into her room. He heard her scream and feared the worst. He grabbed her body and forced her to be pressed against his chest.

"Sasuke! Sasuke!" she yelled over and over, praying he was still alive.

"He's alive Mieko now calm down!" her screams died down to uncontrollable sobs like in her dream.

"I thought Sasuke was dead I thought…" her breath caught in her throat.

"…You were dreaming about that night weren't you" he muttered softly.

"Y-yes."

"You shouldn't dwell on the past kitten" he ordered.

"I can't help it, papa, those dreams never end, it's usually ok when I sleep with you but this time you werern't here and I couldn't handle it."

"It's ok Mieko, it was just a dream and he's still alive."

"I know…sorry for waking you" she sighed and nuzzled his chest, beginning to fall asleep once more.

"Don't worry…I would do anything for you" he muttered as he stroked her hair. He hated seeing his precious daughter suffering like this, to see death so young…she truly was turning out to be like him. He felt rage for what Itachi had done to Mieko, she had to suffer through night terrors almost every night, she always focused on training much like he did when he was young and he hated it. He never wanted her to join the Shinobi because she's too sweet for it, she couldn't even hurt a fly but now she would kill a human being without thinking or feeling it was wrong.

He shouldn't be thinking on this right now, they would be meeting their team tomorrow so he wanted to be ready and awake so with a sigh and a yawn he moved closer to Mieko who sighed at the contact and fell asleep.