A Fox's Love Chapter 2: The Flats, a naruto fanfic

A Fox's Love

Chapter 2: The Flats

"Demon Speaking"

"Normal speech"

"Thoughts and emphasized words"

(Clarifying)

As soon as I published my story I quickly went to writing my second chapter. I'm planning on writing Naruto becoming a genin before chapter ten so I will have to have quite a few time skips.

"I know the world hasn't been kind to you. You have seen mostly the bad side of everything but do know Naruto. The world is as good as it is bad and it's been like that since the beginning of time. And it will continue to be like that."

-Amasa counseling Naruto

Naruto

I was currently watching other kids play outside from my bedroom window with envy. It had been just over two months since I met my caretakers and life seemed much better. But even I couldn't just shake off the fact that I wasn't allowed to leave the apartment without any of the caretakers watching over me.

"Naruto are you ready?" asked Ida using her usual annoyed tone of voice.

Ida Fermata was a pretty woman who was in her mid-thirties, and she still had enough curves in the right places to make nearly any man propose to her. Her black hair and brown eyes seemed to stare at other men's souls.

"Yes." I replied even more annoyed at what she and Amasa had planned.

Although I think she may have been more annoyed at the fact that I nearly devoured the whole table during breakfast. She took one look at my face when I finished eating nine pancakes, ten sausages, and three apples. (The looks and glares she would send me nearly every day, seemed to always be about something I didn't know about. Not that I really paid attention to a little hate.)

Amasa said I was growing as fast as a weed from all the food I was eating. About two months back I was around three feet nine inches tall. Two months later I grew to four feet and two inches tall. Since I couldn't fit into my old clothes Amasa thought my new clothes would make me look more like a gentleman.

I was dressed in a freshly dyed and washed pair of black trousers that were a little tight around my legs. I had on a white fancy collared shirt that tugged on my neck, as if someone was tying a noose around it. The fine wellington leather boots Amasa bought me felt as if someone was trying to constrict my feet. I wasn't used to wearing any of this especially for service days.

I began to tug at my collar.

"Boys such as you should be ashamed for taking advantage of what they get." Ida said while smacking my head with her hand.

"She seems to be one of those people that just love you."

I was confused "What makes you think that? I mean she is an ass but…"

"And you are always silent like a craven. It's no wonder you have no friends." As soon as Ida stopped talking, she quickly moved by my side and grabbed a strand of my wavy blond hair.

I cringed at the sudden pain radiating from the roots of my hair as she began to pull it. I wondered if she was trying to tear my head off with her bare hands as the pain began to grow more and more by the second.

"Ow Ow Ow. Stop It!" Ida quickly stopped as soon as she received her reward.

"Nice to know you can say stuff that isn't either yes or no."

"Ah-ah-ah-ah... she is right you know. You are too quiet. It's almost sickening to watch." The voice seemed to grow more malicious by the day.

"I wonder if I'm sane to hear a voice as mean as you!"

"It's always good to wonder."

Ida soon left me to myself by the window to go put on her makeup. How she ended up as my caretaker, was a question that just wouldn't go away? However the real question after all was why I keep hearing the voice?

"That is a good question. But try not to delve too deep into it. You need to after all… go pray. How about you do that?"

…

Arti was a tall muscular man who towered over most people. He was around twenty five and I assumed he was just over six and half feet tall. He was my third caretaker and a self-dedicated black smith. His service day clothes were tight around him almost as if just a single move was enough to rip them. He told me in a more peasant voice than mine that "Well little one. It must have been many years since I last bout myself a new pair of clothes."

Arti was a nice man but even I wondered if a first grader at the academy could out smart him. He just seemed well… too dumb.

"You shouldn't be saying anything. I mean you have the intelligence of a fag gatherer."

"And you have the heart of a demon."

"And what if I do? What are you going to do about it?"

I didn't reply back knowing full well that an argument with the voice would just end up with me being berated until my eyes watered.

Amasa opened the door to the monastery and walked the four of us inside. Because today's service hadn't started yet we were greeted with the few dozens of people that were currently inside. People stared at me in fear and moved away from our group as if I was some sort of murderer.

It had been over a month since Amasa wanted me to become more social. If he thought watching from the side of his shoulder, while talking to clients, was anything close to social, I couldn't help but think he was a little crazy. If anything kids my age were more scared away by his hovering presence than their actually fear of me.

"Or they hear whispers in their ears about how much an ugly monster you are. Ever considered that?"

Red hot anger flared between my cheeks at hearing that but I did my best to not say anything mean to the voice, especially now that it was service day. Amasa ended up getting us a seat in the front row. How he did that so quickly upon coming in was amazing. The monastery the four of us went to every Sunday and every Id was one of the largest and nicest in the west side of Konoha.

It was both funded and kept together by the Inuzuka Clan a rich noble family that has had a presence in Konoha since its founding. After waiting thirty minutes for everyone to get to service the usual reserved seats along both front rows were quickly taken.

A tall wolfish looking woman stared at me from her right shoulder then went back to staring ahead. I wondered if it was normal to have slit-like irises but I held my tongue. Her whole family was wearing tailored suits and dresses that most of the people in this room would feel jealous of just owning. Her son was to my left, and as soon as she caught him tugging at his collared buttoned up shirt a quick slap to his head stopped his actions.

The monastery had the smell of incense and burning wax. The stain glass windows along the walls brought in colorful light as the organ at the far end of the room began to play.

On cue the whole monastery chanted "Peace was brought by the hands of the gods. We bring forth our loving hand to them."

The high priest brought out a book and told us to sit down. Like a normal service day we said our prayers and lit candles to each of the divines. Everyone went back to their seats to hear him say where our weekly donations were going to go to.

"I have received news that our country may be go to war against the dark heathens who won't embrace one of the greatest nations in the world. The southern tip of the Temujin continent is where these pagans reside in a split city state nation called Zaire. If we will go to war… our nation will need money. Spare what you can!" spoke Jova the high priest of the monastery as he held out the donation basket.

Every week we gave money to the monastery as a donation for the poor, (something I found notably good), for I knew there were many poor people in Hi no Kuni that needed the money. I happily donated the silver florin that Amasa gave me to the donation basket, knowing full well that I would be an ungrateful boy if I didn't support my nation in need.

Jova went to his podium after collecting the donation money and said "Selah, peace be with you all this afternoon."

With service day now over, every villager lucky enough to be in the monastery got up from their seats in perfect harmony in order to enjoy the rest of their afternoon.

I was waiting outside of the monastery intent on waiting for Amasa to take me home. He was after all the only caretaker I truly cared about. If it wasn't for all the work he had to do, he would have been my only caretaker. It seemed as though Ida was the only one that was always with me, and I knew deep down that neither of them trusted Arti enough for him to watch my back.

I was currently kicking around a rock with my boot as I heard a voice say "Hey you right there! May you accompany me for a little while?"

That voice came from a brown haired boy who was around my age. He had a distinctive wolfish look to him. It took just one look to know he was an Inuzuka, one of Hi no Kuni's most powerful and influential families. His slit eyes were just a giveaway along with his tailored shirt and grey pants. I quickly realized he was the boy who sat right next to me in the front row.

I looked at the front door of the monastery and saw Amasa and Ida chatting with several grownups. Arti already left to go back to the forge and I doubted I would hurt anyone by just playing with him.

"Sure, although I don't know exactly why you want me to accompany you?"

He looked at me as if he was examining an insect. The gaze was unfamiliar to me. Most people usually gave me either a death gaze or just plain out ignored me.

"Are you going to come or not?"

"Alright, names Naruto Uzamaki if you wanted to know. I guess it was a stupid question anyways."

"It certainly was… anyways, I heard about another dropper."

I looked at the front door of the monastery, and saw Amasa shaking hands with the high priest. Amasa turned his head and glanced at me. His glasses reflected the bright summer sun as he turned to go inside. Ida left the front steps to go somewhere leaving me all to myself. I quickly looked back at the Inuzuka and said "What's your name by the way?"

"Names Kiba… Kiba Inuzuka."

…. …. …. … ….

We arrived at the flats in a quick haste to see the fight. The flats were numerous groups of apartments and shanty towns where all of the lower class workers lived at. The roads were unpaved, the wells were dirty beyond belief, and anyone who had a toilet had to share it with numerous people.

My experience here was only brief though. It was around a year ago when I was last here, and I had just been kicked out of the orphanage. The phoenix orphanage was only a block away from the flats and I needed a place to sleep. To simplify my story it was plain out hell. I stayed with a homeless man and was nearly killed several times within a week.

Black clouds of coal and soot went into the air from the various factories vents. People from all ages wore dirty clothes and they all possessed a distinctive disgusting scent that made me want to vomit my breakfast out of my mouth.

To say the least droppers were sights to see whenever ones bored or just want's riches. I remembered when I first heard about them in the working station. Everyone who worked in my row waited until lights out to sneak our way to the orphanage gate. If I had known that droppers were men who were beaten to a bloody pulp I would gone straight to bed.

"So exactly why do you want to see someone getting dropped Kiba?" I asked in a respectful manner.

"I heard my uncle talking about these fights and I wanted to see them for myself. Don't know why but I thought it would be best to come here with someone rather than go alone."

We passed women wearing thin clothes from outside saloons. Men wearing fancy clothes persuaded customers to go inside houses overflowing with smoke. Shops and cafes were mostly desolate except for the few customers who the time to get food and supplies. It was a peaceful day in the flats from what I could tell. Kiba wasn't taking the flats as easily as I would have thought.

We continued on until we came to a crowd of peasants cheering in harmony with the loud shrieks of pain. Women held their hands to their mouths in order to deal with the bloody sight. Men pumped their fists in the air and yelled out curses at the grunts of men. We were able to squeeze our way to the front of the crowd only to stop as soon as we saw a bloody man flailing on the ground.

A fat gray bearded man wearing nice clothes and a top hat yelled out to everyone in the crowd "The winner of this match is none other than the notorious and heroic Ramadi!"

The crowd of peasants cheered praise to the victor who was panting across from his slender opponent. Ramadi was about as tall as Arti, his charcoal black hair glistened with sweat, his exposed chest was covered with bruises and various marks of soot, and his tanned skin was almost as tanned as mine. I wondered though if he was sick due to his pale face and his various shakings.

"Now comes the part we all have been waiting for… drop him!"

I stared at the bloody slender opponent who was on his knees crying. Ramadi picked the poor lad a couple of inches off the ground with a little strain. He then turned his opponent over bridal style letting beads of sweat rain down on the ground. Ramadi's muscles clenched with a florid color, showing the crowd how much strength he was going to put into this. In a single second the helpless opponent was shoved onto Ramadi's raised knee. A loud crunch caused a sickening uproar of applause within the crowd.

The opponent was on his back, gargling each time he opened his mouth. Men and women were being handed shining coins and pieces of paper that had the King face on it. Everything was back to normal until the gargling man started to choke on something in his throat. Everyone became silent upon hearing that noise.

"Come on take him to get checked up!" shouted a tall yellow skinned man wearing a handmade straw hat.

Two boys who both looked around eleven years old dragged the man away from the ring of peasants. I could distinctly see yellow bile spewing from the poor lad's mouth. I felt a tight tugging along my white sleeved shirt and turned to see Kiba with a concerned look on his face.

"Let's get out of here."

I nodded in complete agreement and followed my companion to the monastery. We were after all only just over two miles away from the monastery, it wasn't a bad walk to get here, and I doubted it would be a treacherous walk back.

As soon as we got out of the ring of yelling people I couldn't help but say to Kiba "It's alright the guys not dead. That's actually the first time I've seen someone get dropped like that. They usually just beat them on the ground till they pass out."

"How do you know about all this stuff?"

The question took me off guard. I actually just wanted to comfort Kiba because seeing someone get dropped for the first time is always shocking. Even so, Amasa told me over a month ago that you can't hide from your past forever. I never believed him until now. I just wanted to stop thinking about the orphanage and about all the beatings.

"I grew up around here."

We passed several shops and we were about to go past the Western Gate Post Office when Kiba replied back "My mom always told me that anyone from the West side is either an animal or a low life. Yet she wants me to hang out with all the East side jerks like the Hyuga."

"Who are the Hyuga?"

Kiba looked at me for a second giving me a questioning glance "It's hard to explain. They pretty much own half the East Side of Konoha. They hate the Uchiha in the South Side. I rarely find much use in playing with their heirs… cause they usually pick on me."

"Why do they do that?"

"It's because I'm from the west side. Many clans and political people look down on us for living here. They even look down on the Aburame clan. The Hyuga and the Uchiha know their better than us. I guess their children can't help but think so too."

As soon as we arrived by the post office a man dressed in fine wool clothes bumped into Kiba hard enough to bring my companion to his bottom.

"Watch where you go, you lit brat bastard!" he yelled with incomprehensible dialect.

The man had on expensive trousers and a clean buttoned down shirt. He had dark black eyes and greasy black hair. I grabbed Kiba's left hand and pulled him to his feet.

"You Bloody Fuck!" yelled a man wearing a black tail coat.

I stood still too shocked to move as he pulled out an iron barreled pistol out of his front coat. The loud blast shook my ears and I assumed it shook Kiba's too.

The King's Westside Monastery

Amasa stared at a peculiar painting in the far corner of Jova's office. There was a man and a boy in winter clothes walking away from a Snow covered church. Both of them were carrying a long stick and people looked at them both oddly. Everything in the picture was painted bleak with brown, white, black, and even a little of green and dark orange. Everything was grim, except a single woman wearing a red dress. Amasa wondered why she was holding her hand out towards both the man and the boy.

"Ah, so you noticed my painting." replied Jova.

"Odd thing it is. Where did you get it?"

"A painter from the continent of Weyrnia painted it well over a century ago. The painters name was Pieter something. I heard he came from a country called Mercia. Beautiful place from what people tell me. Anyways Teru Inuzuka donated the painting along with three pounds of gold florins. It must have cost him a fortune though… but he told me he bought it from a merchant vessel from Dravot. Ah-ah-ah I guess now I can help build those new wells in the flats now, right?"

"Teru Inuzuka gave you three pounds of gold florin! How many coins was that?"

"I don't know around fifty. I mean he's been more generous than most of his clan members lately. The only exception is he never shows up to service day or any other holiday like the Id's. I don't like that he's turning his head around and not praising the divines… but as long as the money helps people I really don't care."

"I remember the time before the enclosure act. This city wasn't as dirty. The people weren't killing or raping. You rarely needed money to help people back then. And the trees… in just ten years this village can change just so much, it makes you wonder dear friend."

Jova stared at me. He was dressed in white wool robes, which had the ten rings of each divine laced in black thread at the center of his chest. Golden needle laced thread trailed down Jova's robes, which made Amasa think that his outfit was almost like a golden veil.

"You did a good deed in helping that boy out. May the divines help him prevail against the demonic creature that plagues him day and night!"

"He's a good boy. Handsome actually… I bet he will one day attract girls all the way from the North Side of the village. He's still learning how to read and wear clothes normally like a gentleman. From what I understand they teach kids in the orphanage how to work rather than how to read and write. Is that true?"

"Well it's like you said. Times are changing. People are starting to use machines more and kids need to go to work in order to fill in some of the jobs. That program you just mentioned where we spent money teaching kids to read and write. I hate to say this but it was failing. I did my best to keep that program from falling under and I even made a case to the council about it. But when they heard a report from Hiashi Hyuga, about how only a fifth of the children actually learned to read and write. Let's just say my case fell to death ears. Why do you ask?"

Jova went to his desk and unlocked a wooden cabinet. He brought out a brown colored wine bottle that had a tight vintage label around it with the red words Red Caudae.

"I don't know seems like a case worth fighting for. I expected the boy to be more open. He's just… well… unsociable. I've taken him to my office and he does nothing in there but look out of the window. I've tried to bring him to the park to find companions and make friends. And it's just…" Amasa said while watching his friend pour wine into two glasses.

"Have you tried talking to him about it?"

"I try but he's always thinking to himself. He rarely opens up. And the thing that freaks me out about all of this is… I can't blame him one bit."

"Where is he now?"

"Ida left to take care of someone and Arti well… he… let's just say he went to his forge. I saw Naruto playing with one of the Inuzuka's before I came to talk with you. He's probably still out there now."

"You know what? You're a very good person for taking care of him. I can't imagine anyone doing a better job than you."

"The thing is… there are most likely many people who would have done the job better than me. The only reason why I took the job was because-"

A man wearing a green flask jacket barged into Jova's office and yelled out "I'm sorry to interrupt you two but a serious issue has arrived!"

Butch Avenue

Kiba stared at the lifeless corpse on the road. Carts loaded with grains and coal passed by us in a fast pace. I was currently sitting on a wooden crate pondering about what had just happened. It had happened just so quick, the man… he just brought out his pistil. Then the next second the finely dressed jerk fell to the muddy road lifeless.

"What's your name boy?"

The words floated in my head for a few seconds before going out. The waves of blood coming out of the holes in the man's neck and chest continued to pump out in small crimson waves. A group of coal covered men and children stood around me in a ring. The whole crowd was trying to do their best job in glaring me down, as if I committed the heinous crime. Whispers and curses accompanied their glares.

"I'm going to ask you one more time! And you better answer or else I'll put manacles around those slim hands of yours!"

I looked up and saw a tall officer of the city guard. He had a clean shaven face with black hair and brown eyes. He was dressed in a finely ironed out black uniform, with shining bronze buttons going down his chest, he also had on black trousers and a blue custodian hat that finished his look. More officers arrived at the scene, wearing similar outfits with black leather boots stomping the muddy ground. Unlike the man yelling at me, they had on blue shallow tail coats with high collars.

"Baryon stop yelling at that boy!" yelled an officer with short brown hair and gentle looking grey eyes.

The officer was younger than the others but his masculine presence was just as potent. I was surprised to see a blue headband around his forehead, with the insignia of the leaf pressed onto a metal plate. He wore the headband with pride rather than the officers wearing the average custodian hat.

I was always excited to see a shinobi walking about. It might have been an old dream I had when I was growing up. I wanted to be powerful and at the very least be a person people would look up to. Each time Might Guy would visit I was always the one who would ask him questions like "is the job really cool? Have you ever defeated a deadly shinobi? Can you show me a jutsu? Do you think I can a ninja too one day?"

He would usually say something along the lines as "The flames of youth are strong in you. But beware of the dark flames of youth."

His responses to my questions always left me in a confused state of mind. Amasa told me that I was going to be enrolled in the academy soon so I shouldn't keep asking Guy any more questions. Not that I really listened to him. As of now though, I'd say my excitement of seeing a shinobi was thin.

The brown eyed man now identified as Baryon looked into my eyes for a split second, trying in his best attempt to stare me down. He yelled back at the shinobi "Why should I? He witnessed a murder and it's my duty to figure out who did it!"

"Examine him long and hard, and tell me if you truly want to put manacles around his hands."

The officer looked at my face. He placed his rough hand on my chin, and forcefully moved my head left and right. His brown eyes quickly widened as if he realized something.

"Ahh god-damn it… if you're a bloody genius how about you ask him?"

"My names Kiba Inuzuka and his names Naruto… I can't remember his last name."

I was surprised by Kiba's outburst and even more so when the officer with the black eyes replied with a smirk "An Inuzuka… so you… let me get this straight. When did you meet Naruto?"

Kiba looked down at the ground not meeting the officer's gaze as he said "I met him around noon."

"Was it his suggestion to come to the flats where people end up like that piece of shit?"

"I-I… it…was" stuttered Kiba while whispering the word was.

I wondered what was wrong until a furious looking brown haired woman marched her way through the ring of onlookers, accompanied by four men wearing headbands. I knew for certain that I was certainly fucked as I saw her familiar face.

"Hey what in the ten divines names are you doing ma'am… oh lady Tsume… I beg your forgiveness. Is there something you need?"

"Yes! I want us to speak inside of that post office with… my… both of those boys there."

"I'm sorry but they witnessed a murder. We can't just let that slide. I mean, we asked around and half the other witnesses say they were in front of the perpetrator. They will have no choice but to go in front of a judge and explain what happened."

Tsume didn't take the man's comment lightly as she replied with pure malice "You like that hat of yours don't you? I know you do so I'll only say this once. Bring those brats inside the office now or else you and your friends won't have a job by tomorrow! And I'll make sure a more reasonable man wears that hat."

With a look of horror the shinobi-officer replied "Look just do what she says now."

The sun was beginning to set as I was dragged inside of the dirty post office.

…. … …..

It must have been the divines messing with me or I was just plain out unlucky. It had been just over two months since I was last placed in a similar situation. After being captured by masked men and questioned by doctor Ryoko I tried my best to not cause any more trouble. I stopped thieving and I did my best to stop cursing. Even with a mysterious voice in my head, I did my best to be a good boy.

"That friend of yours is going to get you into trouble. I know you think you are such a good boy but I can't help but say. You are fucked!"

I couldn't deal with the voice right now but even so I doubted Kiba would throw me under the carriage so quickly.

"If I'm worried about anyone getting me into trouble it's that woman. I also know even if I get out of this unscathed. I'm still going to have to deal with Ida and Amasa."

"Then you are double fucked. If anything you will need me later on."

I was currently locked in the basement of the post office. A single cuff around my ankle, kept me chained to the bronze pipe in the far corner of the basement. The air smelled of dust and mildew. The bright orange light of the sunset creaked through the basement window. The chair in which I was on creaked with every movement I made. The only excitement in the room was my dangling feet, which were hovering above the dusty ground.

I was more worried about my companion, not because of the fact that he was going to blame me for bringing him to the flats. But because I knew the bloody crime we both just witnessed was most likely tearing him apart from the inside. He wasn't used to seeing men beating each other up for money. I doubted anyone could take the lawlessness of the flats too seriously until they witnessed it. Even I had to admit that lone cold autumn night, in which I watched men and women gamble over brawling men, was haunting. I witnessed beating after beating. The guys who slept beside me each night laughed and cheered each opponent on. It was both exciting and frightening. I was glad when they told me to follow them back to our beds when it was all over.

"You better as hell start talking young man or else I'll throw you in bloody a gibbet so everyone in the compound can witness a fool!" the loud outburst was accompanied by a loud slam.

"Oh boy."

Cursing and yelling continued to be exchanged back and forth above the basement until I heard loud footsteps move around. Thump-thump-thump. I moved my head up as I heard the door to the basement creak open. Boots stomped their way down the stair, until a tall woman with red war paint looked me down with a mad smirk. Kiba was behind her, his eyes were red and swollen. Fresh purple bruises were visible along his slender tanned arms.

The dusty air mixed awfully too well with the killer intent radiating off of her. Several men walked down the stairs wearing headbands of the leaf and green flask jackets. Everything was bad at one moment but it all turned worse the next. A large growling black hound ran down the steps of the basement while scratching the steps in the process with its razor sharp claws. The hound was massive roughly three feet tall and seven feet wide. It possessed mad red eyes and a brown furry chest.

"I don't know how were going to get out of this. If it leads to a beating just take it."

"So Naruto…" she walked closer until I had my head looking straight in the air to catch her eyes "It turns out you bring my son to the flats. My very own flesh and blood. You did this because of what… a tale you heard from your friends while living here. You are no better than despicable street trash. The waste people throw from their homes smells like a garden compared to you. A devils child you are. Damned swine!"

One of the men commented too "A swine huh. Makes sense they sleep in mud. They eat in the mud. They deserve nothing better than the butchers axe!"

Tsume continued "You better not come to that monastery again whores child or else…"

Hot furious anger started to grow in my chest. I yelled back "My mom wasn't a whore!"

Tsume's brown bangs and spiky brown hair, similar to her sons was brushed to the side by her hand in complete anger. My back started to get cold at the thought of what was going to happen next.

"How would you know?"

I became silent as she continued "If you ever come back to the monastery I'll make sure that you won't ever be able to go to anymore monasteries ever again. Just so you know you're not allowed to see my son again. Do I make myself-"

The creaking door to the basement stopped her fury as a tall tanned man with glasses walked down. Whoever was walking down those steps was whistling the Farmer in the Dell. The whistling stopped as Amasa smirked at Tsume.

"You know there is a law about chaining boys to pipes."

"Why are you here this is now a shinobi business… and as you can see. We have everything under control." Spoke one of the shinobi present.

"By law shinobi are only allowed to take part in cases involving shinobi. You have no choice but to let the cops deal with them. And for divines sake put that hound on a leash."

One of the shinobi grabbed a leash and complied with Amasa's request.

Tsume smirked with glee before replying "The nice officers gladly wanted the case off their hands so they gave it to us. Now, Amasa how about you take this boy of yours with you, and never cross my path again. I better not hear a word of your son playing with mine ever again. And never take him to the monastery or else I'll get those officers to arrest him if the issue should arise!"

One of the shinobi unlocked the cuff around my ankle and I bolted to Amasa's arms for some sort of comfort. His strong hands brought me to his right shoulder.

"So tell me Tsume how much does it cost to bribe an officer of the law in this town?"

"Depends on who you are, but just so you know I don't need to bribe my way through things."

Amasa left her presence not wanting to spend another minute in the room with her.

… …. ….

One of the officers came behind Amasa as he was carrying me home.

"What do you need sir?"

"Look we still need someone to go to court."

Amasa smiled before saying "That man got what he deserved. It's a sad truth but it is the truth none the less. If you want Naruto to go court you will need to come to my office and make your case against the Konoha council and a man named Danzo."

We left without hearing the officer's reply.

One month later

Mazashi Apartment 456

Amasa stared at me waiting for a response.

"Ego den tha prokalesei chaos." I finally said causing him to smile.

I was always in deep trouble and since the post office incident a month back I was forced to study till I grasped the concept of reading and writing. I wanted more time to play than read. It was after all Amasa's suggestion for me to grasp other languages.

Amasa was sitting across from me in the living room chair. He was reading the Konoha Tribune the most popular paper in the nation. I was doing book work

"Not bad, keep practicing and you might one day be a master of all languages."

"Why do I need to learn something to speak a language that few people know how to speak?"

"Because Naruto more than a few people know how to speak it. If you ever have to leave this village on a mission don't you ever wonder if you might need to know the native tongue of that country?"

"Dad… I-I… I mean Amasa… this is the first time I've ever heard you talk about my future."

"You think I never listened to your pestering about joining the academy. I mean if a career as shinobi will make you happy I'm more than willing to support your dreams."

"I… it's just… no one has ever really cared about what I've wanted until you took care of me. Is everyone really like Tsume and just…"

"Just what?"

Amasa stared at me, giving me a knowing expression.

"Is everyone just plain out evil?"

I felt a warm feeling in my stomach and wondered if that was the feeling of love.

"That's actually the feeling of hate."

….. ….. ….

I was currently leaning against the gated wall of the apartment complex. The blue sky was brighter than one would imagine. A light cold autumn breeze blew my way. I was dressed in a light red cotton shirt, with a cheap dark plaid grey wool jacket over it. I had on a pair of black wool trousers and two matching white socks. I started to find the use of shoes to be of much better than being barefoot. I was wearing a pair of suede brown leather loafers and a dirty plaid flat cap finished my look.

Villagers and carriages moved along the paved road. Merchants at their stalls were yelling out to people on foot about their fine wares. There were several barrels to my left that separated me from none other than Kiba.

"I just wanted to let you know that our first day at the academy is in a week."

"Kiba I wanted to let you know. I don't hold you accountable for what happened that day."

"Can you stop saying that? Let's just leave what had happened in the past and go on."

I said nothing else. We both enjoyed the rest of the day by causing mischief.

The next day

I was eating an apple by the doorway waiting intently by the door. Arti was still at his forge doing god knows what and Amasa was at work visiting clients. My sapphire blue eyes kept their gaze at the front door to the apartment. Knew one simple glance away was enough-

"Naruto put on some shoes you ungrateful child!"

I turned around to meet none other than the notorious Ida Fermata, whom had nothing better to do with her own time but ruin mine.

"Is there a problem with not wearing any sandals or shoes in a house?"

"This is a nice flat and if you want to end up where you brought that Inuzuka heir. You better keep on talking. Those feet of yours are dirty enough and I expect you to scrub throughly tonight. Did you walk in the dirt again?"

Her accusation shocked me. Not because it was false but mostly because it was spot on true. Yesterday it was my suggestion to Kiba to commit a grand prank on Mr. McGrath. He was a wealthy immigrant from a mysterious isle off of Dravot. A place where beer comes cheap and supposedly snakes don't exist. He was a grumpy old man who over saw shipments of tea. He lived in the nicest and largest apartment in the Mazashi complex.

Every time I passed by his steps he would growl with a roar "You ungrateful rat. Kids like you should be either working or going to school. There's no fun or any middle ground to that."

The voice would usually yell in my head "I never see him doing either or."

His comment got progressively worse by the day. Tenants and people upper-class folk in the West side took to his charades by calling me names. I often wondered if I was truly was a whore's child, a murderer, an ugly rat, and an ungrateful child. Still his comments never broke my mischief resolve so getting back at him was only natural.

To make sure no could figure out I was the one behind burying his rocking chair halfway below the ground. I had to be as quiet about the incident as one can be.

"Yes Ida…"

A loud poof of smoke appeared behind me. As soon as it vanished none other than Might Guy in his glorious green spandex suit became apparent. He was currently doing a weird stance by standing still on his left leg. He had his right leg to his chest and both of his arms were spread out as he said "The flames of youth are growing taller by the day!"

Ida started to grit her teeth do to pure annoyance as she yelled "Why are you here?!"

Guy responded back "The flames of youth usually come to this fine joint every Friday but I'm here to give this young warrior his supplies. Courtesy of Danzo Shimura."

I smiled as he presented me a knapsack full of weapons.

Finally done… sorry about not posting this earlier but I had finals and numerous exams last week. The story will pick up from here. From here on out the chapters will get more exciting. I promise you readers that.

Review please, for each review and follow helps me to write faster.