The Boy in the Park

Chapter Thirteen

Naruko had stolen the scroll of forbidden techniques. Considering she had disappeared during the morning, after failing the exam for the third time, he actually was worried. The fact the Hokage had called for him to investigate meant he was really at his wits' end. He was a civilian, but what did he know of tracking or finding a girl? And for what it mattered…

Just how the hell did Naruko manage to defeat the Hokage to begin with!?

He knew Naruko wouldn't remain in the village —too many people she disliked— and once you excluded obviously the most known places…

There was only one place that came to his mind to check in: the meadow just outside the village where she trained in the late afternoon —and he watched, because nine times out of ten she actually managed to wound herself while training to exhaustion.

He carefully walked through the undergrowth, before finally reaching the meadow in question and…well, Naruko who was currently laughing to herself and scratching the back of his head to…Mizuki's praise?

"Well done, Naruko," Mizuki said with a smile. "You've passed the secret Konoha exam to become a Genin," he added then…

And stupidly, he decided to just come out in that moment.

"Naruko!" he exclaimed, getting the attention of both the Chuunin and the girl who brightly smiled at him.

"Aniki! Look! I passed!" she was smiling brightly…she really couldn't truly believe such a…he remembered it was Naruko he was talking of, the girl who believed spoiled milk wasn't spoiled because it never asked for toys.

"Naruko…get away from him," he swallowed nervously. He was a civilian, and he was weaponless. In a shinobi village that was probably reasonable, but here? Here it clearly was suicidal. Why did he come out? He should have called for help back…or the Hokage could have given him an escort or something.

"Aniki?" she frowned, perplexed.

"There's no secret test," he said carefully keeping his eyes on the smirking Mizuki. "He had you steal the scroll of forbidden techniques of Konoha…he's a…traitor," he understood it then why the man was smirking.

To him, they were nothing more than mere…flies. He was a Chuunin and they were what, a Bunshin-less Genin and a Civilian?

Maybe if he actually left the man to talk…

"What!? B-But! But why!?" Naruko held on to the scroll as she jumped back and away from Mizuki.

"You want to know why?" Mizuki smirked. He was conflicted on the other hand: if he let him talk…but if he didn't, they were dead. So better to let him 'vent'. Bad guys in stories always went with really long monologues, which gave time to the good guys to arrive.

He hoped the good guys weren't that far behind though…

"You know why people hate you, Naruko? Why they can't stand their children playing with you, or why the glare and whisper behind your back? You know why? It's because you're the KYUUBI!" Mizuki actually laughed at that, as he pointed his finger at the now trembling girl. "The Kyuubi wasn't killed by the fourth! He sealed it in you! You hold a demon inside of you, and that's why nobody likes you, and why your so precious 'Aniki' is at odds with his family to boot!"

Now it was his turn to widen his eyes. What did that have to do with his situation? He was all for letting the man rant, but really…an explanation?

Maybe he was just saying hurtful things to Naruko and nothing more.

"You think anyone would have neared you, you demon brat? He's paid to be your friend!" that was a lie! "He's paid to let you call Aniki! He's paid to…"

Naruko laughed. She laughed hard and then wiped away her tears.

"Mizuki-sensei, really…that was a good one," she chuckled. "Aniki is not like that!" she pointed her own accusing finger at the Chuunin-sensei. "And I don't know why you're lying to me like this, but I'm Naruko Uzumaki, and I'm going to be Hokage one day, Dattebayo!"

She moved her hands in a strange position. "And for slandering my Aniki, I'll make you pay! TAJUU KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"

The next moment, there was smoke.

Then, a sea of blond hair tied in ponytails. He swallowed nervously as he watched the amount of blue cerulean eyes blink in unison, before screaming.

"MIZUKI-SENSEI, YOU'RE GOING DOWN, 'TTEBAYO!"

He actually felt pity for the Chuunin when five Naruko held him still and two more began to stomp down on his nuts. He hissed in pain as if he felt those hits and moved his gaze elsewhere as the screams of the Chuunin slowly died down.

"Naruko…don't kill him, all right?" he said to the crowd of Naruko waiting for a turn.

"Don't worry Aniki!" Naruko smiled —he hoped it was the original one— as she folded the forbidden scroll of techniques and brought it to him. "Neh…he was really lying, right?" she asked carefully, her gaze fixed on him.

He nodded. "I'm not paid to be your friend."

"Not that, Aniki…" her mood suddenly sobered up as the clones disappeared —leaving behind a twitching and broken form of Mizuki behind. "Me…being the Kyuubi…"

He ruffled her hair hard. "This little cute blonde, a big bad fox?" he teased her —because his heart had to regain himself from the shock of having survived a near death situation— as he smiled. "I don't believe that, do you?"

"No," she shook her head. "I don't…but…why do the people hate me, then?"

He exhaled, and then got down on one knee, to be at her same eye-level. His hands went to her shoulders, as he made a small sad smile. "Some people are just stupid like that, Naruko."

"Aniki?" she mumbled. "Am I in trouble with Jiji?"

"Probably not," he sighed. "You're an easily duped brat after all," he chuckled as Naruko pouted. "But you scared me," he added then looking at her seriously. "I was really worried. Don't you ever dare do something like this again, understood? My heart isn't going to last long if you do."

She looked at him and then slowly hugged him, as he breathed deeply and returned the hug, gently caressing the back of her hair tied in ponytails. "I'm sorry," Naruko mumbled. "I swear…I swear I won't worry you again, Aniki."

Of course, that would not be the last time he'd end up worried about her…nor would it be the last time Naruko actually did something to make him worry…if only he had known…