Lazyfox: Wahhhhhh! :'( My studio my precious studio! It's ruined! –cries mournfully at the destruction that had befallen the studio-
Random: -walks out the closet looking happy and satisfied- :3 Simply AMAZING~ I can die happy now
Lazyfox: Well, at least someone's happy. Happy you not seen what Kushina has done to the place! The repairs are going to cost us a fortune. And would you please put some clothes on! –covering her eyes-
Random: Whoops. Forgot about them –poofs into her regular clothes- sorry bout that ;) No need to worry we have plenty of savings and besides we can rebuild the Emo corner now!
Lazyfox: Yea, whatever just come on. We're heading over to your place until the repairs on this place is finished –poofs them to Random's house-
Random: Sorry for the mess haven't been here in like forever –blows away the spider webs-
Lazyfox: O_o Damn I knew you haven't been here in a while, but damn this place's a wreak
Random: I know, but that's what I get for taking years off from writing. Curse the loss of my writing muse
Lazyfox: Yea if you say so. Okay guys time to get down to business. I read that some of you are upset about Naruko not graduating and I am too, but to be honest I have a plan for that, so bear with me on that. With that said let's move on to the next chapter. As you all know I do not own Naruto or the characters just the story.
* Last time *
Two blond headed girls started at the final headband with heart stopping anticipation knowing that the other's dream would be crushed. Iruka stared at the final name to be called and let out a small sad sigh feeling his heart clenching painfully inside his chest. He did not want to make this announcement, but knew he had too no matter how much the news was going to hurt. Bringing up his sad brown eyes he locked gazes with sad, but accepting blue eyes as he announced the last name remorsefully.
"The final graduate is Ino Yamanaka."
* END RECAP*
Naruko knew what the results were going to be and she accepted it, but when Iruka called out Ino's name hit her hard. She felt a sting stir behind her eyes and she felt small and trapped in the room especially when she could feel the pity looks of her friends and sensei on her. "No I don't want their pity I don't need it!" she screamed to herself as she jumped out of her seat running out of the classroom and did not look back even when she heard the concern calls of her friends and sensei.
Shikamaru and Sasuke both jumped out of their chairs fully prepared to chase after Naruko, but Iruka stopped them and gave sympathetic glances knowing exactly how they felt. "Just let her be by herself for awhile. She just needs a few minutes to herself" he said softly.
Sasuke growled in irritation not liking this situation at all while Shikamaru didn't voice his displeasure you could see it in his eyes as retook their seats as the class fell into a state of awkward silence not knowing what to do now. As everyone lost themselves in their own thoughts they all failed to see the gleeful and evil smirk of a certain silver haired individual.
"Everything is going according to plan" Mizuki thought wickedly seeing the tormented and haunted look on Iruka's face knowing the other Chunin was hurting. "Enjoy the pain Iruka because a lot more is coming your way."
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Naruko ran out of the academy grounds into the streets of Konoha trying to ignore the tears streaming down her face and the aching inside her chest continuing to run blindly through the streets ignoring everyone she passed even a familiar man and his girlfriend in her mad dash to escape from the pain.
Asuma looked at the back of the fleeing blond and felt worry settle around him when he caught sight of the tears falling down her face. "Hime? What on earth could have happened to her?"
"Wasn't today the big graduation exam? Maybe she didn't pass" his girlfriend told him.
"Kurenai I can't believe that. Hime put her best effort into preparing for this exam and I know how much graduating meant to her, so there's no way she could have failed" he stated heading off to the academy.
"Where are you going?" Kurenai asked.
"To the academy. I'm going to get to the bottom of this" he tells her.
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It was time for the students to be released from the academy with everyone filing out of the school to find their parents to pass on the exciting news of their new status of Genin. Well, not all the graduating students were feeling excited or joyous.
"P..Poor Naru-Chan. She must be so de..devastated' Hinata sniffled trying to fight back her own tears for her friend.
"It doesn't make sense. Even if the dobe failed the Ninjutsu section she still should have passed. I mean did anyone else notice that essay she wrote" Sasuke growled feeling like punching something to vent out his anger.
"Your right Blue-eyes should not have failed, but she did. So the question now is How did she fail and why someone failed her?" Shikamaru stated going into his analogizing mood which got everyone's attention.
"Wait Shikamaru. Are you saying someone tempered with Naruko's score?" Sakura asked in disbelief.
"That's actually what I'm saying. Naruko shouldn't have failed so now we have to prove it" he tells her.
"I don't believe this. When I find the no good bastard who did this I'm going to kill him!" Ino raged angered by the thought of someone sabotaging Naruko like this.
"I knew there had to be a mistake. There's no way Naruko would fail not when her dream was on the line" Choji said making his face go cold in anger for the scum who hurt his friend.
"So I'm not the only one who believed that bullshit about Naruko failing" Asuma said coming up behind the group catching the kids by surprise.
"You got that right. Blue-eyes doesn't fail at anything she does, so of course I'm not going to accept the news of her supposed failure" Shikamaru gritted out showing signs of his anger in his facial features.
Asuma seeing the fired up expression in the usually lazy-boy's appearance brought a proud smirk to his face. "Good then lets go catch this rat and nail his ass to the wall for hurting our little Hime."
"HAI!" the kids yelled all determined to prove Naruko was sabotaged.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Up on a tall building facing towards the Hokage monument sat a sobbing Naruko as she tried fruitlessly to dry her eyes or to stop the aching in her chest. "Kuso! Why won't these tears stop! I knew I was a failure so shouldn't I feel any type of sorrow just disappointment. It's my own fault so why? So Why won't these tears stop falling!" Naruko screamed to the faces on the mountain as a cascade of tears flowed down her scared cheeks."Why can't I do anything right?! I try and I try, but nothing seems to go my way. I just want to prove myself and show everyone I'm not a failure. That when they look at me they see someone they can be proud of instead of a freak," she said softly burying her face into her knees.
"Maybe you can" Said a gentle voice from behind the sobbing girl.
Naruko jerked her head up and almost gave herself whip lash as she turned towards the person behind her. "M..Mizu...Mizuki-se..Sensei?" she inquired through her sobbing before feeling embarrassed about crying in front of a Chunin and scrubbed harshly at her tears.
Mizuki looked disgusted at the mess of a girl but shook of the feeling as he plastered on a fake gentle and caring face as he crouched by the girl gently patting her head soothingly. "I know it's tough watching your friends graduate, but I think I know of a way you can graduate with them, but to be honest it's against the law to perform this secret exam."
"Really. What is it?! I'll do anything if it means I can graduate" Naruko asked near the point of begging.
"Well, Naruko I want you to graduate so I'll tell you. You see you have to sneak into the Hokage tower and steal one of his forbidden scrolls and master one jutsu from it. If you do this successfully without being caught then you graduate" Mizuki said giving her a fake encouraging smile.
Inside her head Naruko knew this challenge was wrong and would get her into serious trouble and not only that it would be like she was betraying her grandpa, but the though of being taken away from her friends and most importantly from Shikamaru overruled all her thoughts. "Okay. I'll do it. I steal the sacred scroll."
Mizuki smiled deviously petting Naruko's head with fact affection. "That's a good girl. Once you get the scroll met me at training ground number three deep inside the woods their's an old abandoned cabin. We'll meet there" he tells her.
"Why do I have to meet you in the woods?" Naruko asked finding that to be a little suspicious.
"It's a place where you can practice that new jutsu without having someone find you. Remember if anyone finds you you fail the test and since I'm the instructor for this exam it has to be a secret spot only the two of us know about" Mizuki explained hoping Naruko would fall for his lies.
Naruko looked unsure for a moment before casting away her doubts deciding to focus on her new mission. "Alright. So when do I start?"
"Right now. You have until dawn to pass this exam or your going to have to reenter the academy next year" Mizuki said taking a step away from her giving her one last pat on the head.
Naruko nodded and jumped off the roof keeping herself hidden from the villagers as she approached the Hokage tower.
Mizuki watched the girl disappear before looking disgusted with himself. "Well that was disgusting, but at least I got the stupid demon following my plan. Now time I just have to sit back and wait for things to fall into place" he said deviously as he too disappeared off the roof.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
"So Shikamaru how do you plan to prove Naruko's score was tampered with?" Ino asked as her and the others followed behind the Nara heir as they broke into the abandoned academy.
Shikamaru ignored Ino's question as he concentrated on picking the lock to Mizuki's office. Once he got the lock picked he walked into the room and towards the desk to begin his search. The others took the hint and spread out to look for clues.
"I know we want to prove Hime didn't fail and all, but do you really think Mizuki would be stupid enough to leave behind evidence of his crime?" Asuma asked watching the six kids scan the room.
Shikamaru flipped through the papers on the desk until he found a hidden booklet under a stack of papers and let a smirk on his face as he held up the test booklet towards the stunned Jonin. "This answer your question?" he asked smugly.
"I'll be damned. Way to go kid, but what made you suspect Mizuki?" Asuma asked taking the booklet from Shikamaru.
Shikamaru gave a frown as the image of the Silver haired man appeared into his mind remembering how he was giving Naruko a cold glare. "I never trust anyone who glares hatefully at Blue-eyes."
Asuma and the others gave small smirks at Shikamaru's reason. "I see well since we have our proof I'll bring this to my father so he can deal with situation personally, but as for you kids I think it be best for you all to head home. Your parents are probably worried since they didn't see you after school" he tells them getting nods from the kids as they filed out of the room.
Before Shikamaru left the classroom Asuma stopped him by grabbing on his shoulder. "Yea Asuma-Sensei?"
"Good work tonight kid. Keep that attitude up and you might just pull rank in no time and don't worry about Hime by now she's cooled off and you can talk to her" Asuma tells him confidently before busting out into a goofy grin. "Besides I think Hime would like to see her prince charming after he so gallantly saved her from her cruel tormentor" he teased poking Shikamaru's flushed cheek.
Shikamaru blushed at being called Naruko's prince. Slapping away the Jonin's teasing poke he huffed and left the classroom muttering about troublesome sensei's as he headed home with his friends.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Naruko crouched in the shadows of the Hokage tower outside her Grandfather's office watching as her grandpa thoroughly examining his paper work or so she thought. Taking a closer look she saw that her grandfather was not reading a document, but a copy of Icha Icha and was giggling perversely at the material inside the book. "Oh wow I can't believe it. Grandpa's an undercover pervert like Nii-Chan. Hehe at least I got some blackmail on him" she thought mischievously as she crawled passed his window headed to the scroll room.
Once she reached the scroll room she picked the lock on the window and climbed inside the room hoping she find the forbidden scroll fast. Scanning the room she gave a happy cheer seeing the scroll hanging on the wall in front of her. Rushing over to the scroll and taking it off the wall she failed to notice her triggering the trap set inside the room until she felt herself hit the wall. Naruko lay on her side trying to blink away the daze in her eyes and was scared when she saw the door bust open by an Anbu agent in a Hawk's mask and her Grandpa.
Hiruzen stood at the door with a stoned face preparing to deal with an enemy, but was stunned when he saw it was Naruko inside. "Naruko? What in the name of Kami are you doing in here!" he demanded going upset with his granddaughter.
Naruko flinched away from the stone cold and hurt expression her grandpa was giving him giving him a small remorseful look before she jumped to her feet and dashed out the window. "I'm sorry Grandpa, but I had to do this. Please forgive me" she prayed as jumped off the neighboring rooftops.
"Naruko! Get back here!" Hiruzen yelled going to the window to watch the blond haired girl disappear into the night. "Oh Naruko what are you planning?"
"Sir, we need to send out a party to catch the girl before she opens the scroll" the Hawk masked Anbu stated.
Hiruzen bit into his lip before sighing. "Of course. Send out all personal Chunin and Jonin. Naruko must be found immediately" he ordered shadowing his eyes as he retreated back into his office. "Kaede watch over Naruko and make sure does not do something she will regret."
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Iruka was laying down inside his room staring at the ceiling feeling awful about today's events. His mind kept going back to the image of Naruko's heart broken expression when he did not call her name. He turned to his side in curled up hoping that would ease the ache he felt in his chest and stomach, but it only made him feel worse. "I failed her as a teacher. I should have done more to prepare her for the exam especially with her ninjutsu skills, but if I did I would have shown favoritism and that wouldn't have been fair. If that is the reason then why do I feel so low down and rotten" he thought beating himself up about Naruko failure.
Before he could beat himself up some more a loud pricing knock came at his door. Groaning the miserable Chunin got up and went to answer the door and was a little surprised by his visitor. "Shikamaru? What in the world are you doing here at this time of night?"
"Is Blue-eyes here? I went to check on her at home, but I couldn't find here so I thought she came to you" Shikamaru stated.
Iruka felt uneasy about this discovery. "No she isn't. I haven't seen Naruko since she took off out of the classroom this afternoon."
Shikamaru frowned deeper. "Neither have I. This isn't like Naruko she doesn't just disappear without someone knowing where she is."
Iruka was about to comment on that when Kakashi and Rin appeared in front of them. "Iruka please tel me Naruko is with you" Kakashi asked with a edge of worry laced in his voice while Rin was looking nervous even with her anbu mask covering her facial expression.
Shikamaru and Iruka's worry soon turned to panic at sight and sound of the distraught duo. "No she's not. Why? Has something happened to her?" he demanded.
"Kuso! We have to find her fast. Naruko stole the third Hokage's forbidden scroll. Everyone in the village is looking for her and I'm afraid what could happen to her if someone other than us finds her" Kakashi explained letting his brother instincts take over.
Shikamaru and Iruka gasped in disbelief. "That's impossible. Blue-eyes would never steal. Let alone from her own grandfather" Shikamaru said going on the defensive for his blue eyed best friend.
"Shikamaru we wouldn't believe it ourselves if the Third himself didn't tell us" Rin said knowing how hard it was to take in the news.
Iruka gritted his teeth not liking this situation more by the second. "We don't have time for this. Naruko in danger the longer we stand here. Lets break off into pairs and search and when we find her we can ask her why she did what she did" he purposed wanting to be off searching for Naruko now.
"Right. Lets go before anyone else finds her" Kakashi said disappearing with Rin as they rejoined the search leaving Iruka and Shikamaru to head off in the opposite direction.
"Iruka-sensei do you know where we can find her?" Shikamaru asked following behind his academy teacher.
"Not really, but this is Naruko where talking about I can always find her when she's hiding from people when she's in trouble" Iruka teased lightly hoping to bring a little light to this situation.
Shikamaru gave him a small smile of thanks before turning serious determined to find Naruko before she could get hurt.
Iruka watched the seriousness in Shikamaru's eyes and felt a little encouraged by his display before he felt his guilt coming back. "This is my fault. She's probably doing this as a form of rebellion for not graduating and it's my fault I was a lousy teacher to her" he said sadly.
Shikamaru glanced at his depressed sensei and gave a low growl of hate towards Mizuki for making Naruko's father figure feel like this. "Your wrong Iruka-Sensei. Naruko didn't fail because of you or because of herself. She was sabotaged by that low life Mizuki" he reviled.
"What do you mean?" Iruka asked stunned by this revelation.
"I. No we as in everyone wouldn't accept the fact Naruko failed so with Asuma-Sensei's help we sneaked our way into the academy after it closed look for proof that Naruko was sabotaged and I found it on Mizuki's desk. The idiot forgot to destroy Blue-eyes' original test showing she made a perfect score on her written exam" he explained watching the confusion disappear from his sensei's eyes and turn into a fiery hate.
"Mizuki that bastard! How dare he do that to Naruko. After we find her I'm going to make that bastard pay for hurting her" Iruka growled enraged by this new development.
"I'm right there with you Iruka-sensei. No gets away with hurting Blue-eyes not while I'm around" Shikamaru whispered. "Putting our plans for revenge lets find Blue-eyes first then we can make the low life pay."
"Right" Iruka agreed moving faster feeling more desperate to find Naruko so he could apologize to her and make everything better for her. "Naruko where ever you are stay safe we're coming to get you."
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Naruko leaned up against the old cabin wall panting in hurried gasps of breaths feeling utterly exhausted. "Good grief. How the hell is a normal person expected to learn any of these jutsus! All they do is bleed you dry of your chakra" she groaned out looking ragged and battered from her extensive training before a wide and proud grin spread across her face. "Hehe good thing I'm not a normal person."
"You may not be normal, but you are troublesome that's for sure" Shikamaru commented gazing at her lazily with a hint of anger while Iruka was looking at her with suppressed anger.
"Naruko you idiot! Do you have any idea how much trouble your in young lady!" Iruka demanded letting put some of his pent up anger.
Naruko Jerked her head up beaming happily at the two men ignoring their comments as she jumped to her feet looking excited and happy. "Shika! Iruka-sensei! Hehe looks like you guys found me, but it's too late to fail me cuz I learned this awesome knew jutsu which means I can graduate. Believe It!" she said excitedly.
Shikamaru and Iruka gave her confused glances cut off guard by her declaration. "Blue-eyes what are you talking about?"
"The secret graduation exam. It's for those who don't pass their final exam at the academy. All I had to do was steal this here scroll and master a jutsu out of it without getting caught before sunrise. Well, I mastered not only one jutsu, but two before found me Iruka-sensei so that means I get to graduate with everyone once I show you one the jutsu's I learned" Naruko explained excitedly feeling accomplished with her skills.
"Naruko who in the world told you a story like that?" Iruka asked while taking in her tattered and exhausted form noticing all the cuts and scrapes on her arms, legs and face along with her torn outfit. "My lord she has been training. She practically looks dead on her feet and what is up with that puddle of blood at her feet?"
"Mizuki-Sensei told me about it. He said it was a secret exam no one can know about except for a select few. He also the one who told me about this spot" Naruko said losing some of her cheer when she saw the angered expressions on Iruka and Shikamaru's faces. "What's wrong? Did I get something wrong with the exam?"
"Blue-eyes this was a set up by Mizuki. You never failed the graduation exam it was all Mizuki's doing. He sabotaged you and then tricked you into stealing that scroll" Shikamaru tells her.
"What? That can't be why would he do something like that?!" she screamed horrified beyond belief as the betrayed face of her grandfather flashed through her mind. "You mean I...I betrayed Gr..Grandpa because of a lie!"
Iruka and Shikamaru felt their heart clench at how distraught Naruko was becoming at the thought of betraying her grandfather and wanted to say something to calm her, but were alerted to the sounds of approaching projectiles. Shikamaru leaped towards Naruko successfully knocking her out of harms way while his left shoulder ignite in a flare of pain. While Iruka took the extent of the attack shielding the kids from the kunai and Shuriken shower.
Naruko was horrified by the sudden attack on her best friend and father figure. "Wh...what's go..going on!"
At Naruko's demand an evil and malicious laugh filled the once quite night air as a dark silhouette appeared on a near by tree hidden in the darkness until a stream of moonlight illuminated the silhouette reveling Mizuki's evil and twisted face.
"Looks like you found our little hiding spot Iruka, but I guess I had to much expectation for the demon bitch to actually accomplish a simple task like this" Mizuki said cruelly giving Naruko a nasty smile.
Shikamaru hissed in pain as he ripped the Kunai out of shoulder and threw it at Mizuki's head watching him dodge it effortlessly. "Shut your mouth! Don't you ever call Naruko that!" he yelled glaring hatefully up the silver haired man.
Naruko flinched never hearing Shikamaru yell like that before or show so much hate in his always kind brown eyes.
Mizuki ignored the Nara heir angry outburst and fixated his gaze on the wounded Iruka and the trembling blond. "To be honest I'm a little surprised at you Iruka. I never thought I see the day you show affection for the monster that killed your parents and left you all alone."
"Shut up Mizuki! There is only one monster here and that is you. How dare you lie to Naruko and make her feel pain" Iruka growled ripping a kunai out of his leg making it gush blood.
Mizuki let out a harsh and maniacal laugh. "I'm the liar? That's where he's wrong Naruko. I have never lied to you, but everyone else has. All the people you care about and hold dear have been lying to you your whole life even that dead grandma of your's" he sneered savoring the look of pure horror on Iruka's face. "I'm going to enjoy tearing you apart Iruka and the first thing I'm going to tear out is your heart."
Naruko made herself look up at this evil man not wanting to listen to him anymore. "Shut up! Like I'm going to believe anything you have to say and don't you dare talk bad about my Grandma you sick bastard!" she yelled covering her ears with her trembling hands.
"I know it's hard to accept Naruko, but what I'm to tell you the truth and even Iruka can't call me a liar for it. You see their's an S class secret keep in this village that everyone knows about well except for you. Reason why you don't know is because the Third Hokage made a decree stating no one in the village is allowed to tell you that you are..."
"MIZUKI SHUT UP! DON'T YOU DARE TELL HER!" Iruka screamed trying to prevent Naruko from finding out the truth.
Naruko removed her hand from her ears hearing Iruka's scream turned her wide eyes on him before moving them to Mizuki. "A decree? Why did grandpa make a decree to keep a secret from me? What's the secret?!" she demanded knowing this could be the answer to all her questions though the though left a sinking feeling inside her stomach and an ache in her chest.
Shikamaru had figure out Naruko's secret out a long time ago and made it his mission to never let Naruko find out the truth knowing if she did it would cause her the greatest pain of all. "Naruko don't listen to him. He's just going to tell you more lies you can't believe a word he says."
"Oh it seems you figured out the secret too Nara, what a horrible friend you are. You didn't even bother telling your so called 'friend' what she really is" Mizuki sneered spitting out the word friend like it was poison in his mouth. "Listen up Naruko the reason why you have been shunned, tormented, and hated by everyone in this village is because of the tragedy that took place twelve years ago. The tragedy that left Iruka orphaned and left our village in ruin was all your fault Naruko because you are the Nine-tailed fox!"
Naruko froze up not wanting to believe his words. "No way. I...I c..ca...can't be" she said desperately wanting this to be another lie, but knew it wasn't.
Flashes of her childhood appeared before her. The looks of hatred from the villagers, the attacks, the names, and the looks of pity from her love ones. They all made sense to her now. Everyone knew what she was and no one brother to tell her about it. This filled her with so much anger and sadness.
"KUSO! KUSO! KUSO! KUSO! KUSO! KUSO!" she yelled creating a whirlpool of Chakra to surround her before she fell to her knees sobbing as she pounded her fist onto the ground.
Shikamaru and Iruka slumped over in defeat as the truth was finally reveled and saw Naruko's completely broken form slumped over crying out her pain.
"Mizuki you bastard how could you! She didn't deserve this!" Iruka yelled keeping his own tears at bay as he watched Naruko pound away at the ground.
Mizuki let another howl of twisted laughter fill the air. "You can stop pretending Iruka. I know you hate her. Everyone hates you Naruko! No one will ever except a demon like you. No one can ever love a monster like you!" he shouted throwing a his oversize Shuriken at Naruko's broken form. "Time for you to die, Naruko!
"
"NOOOOO NARUKOOOOOOO!"
*Splash*
Naruko heard the sound of mental clashing against bone and the dripping sound of blood. She felt no pain, but felt the warm stickiness of blood on her hands. Raising her head she felt her heart drop as she looked into familiar brown eyes.
"S...Sh...Shika...SHIKAMARU!"
Shikamaru coughed up blood as he faced Naruko watching as a few drops landed on her tear stained face and slowly raised his shaking hand to wipe it away. "Tr..Troublesome g..girl."
Naruko looked ready to cry again. "Why? W...Why did you save me!" she demanded fighting back her tears.
Shikamaru coughed again, but soon he turned his trembling lips into the smile he only shows to Naruko. "Be..Because he's wr...wrong. There is s..som..someone who can l..lov..love you. Wh..Who does Love you." he started saying before he began coughing again fighting to regain his breathing so he can finally tell her the truth.
Naruko felt like her world was crashing as she watched Shikamaru coughing up blood and gasp for breath. "Shika. Stop you have to rest and let me heal you" she pleaded trying to get him to stop not wanting to hear anymore lies. "There's no one who can love a monster like me" she whispered repeating Mizuki's words.
Shikamaru shook his head gripped Naruko's face in his shaking hands wanting her to look at him when he said this. "Blue-eyes h..he's wr..wrong because I...I...l..Lo..Lov..." he passed out before completing his sentence.
Naruko started panicking watching Shikamaru pass out and thought he had died. "NOO! Shikamaru you can't die you can't!" she screamed holding him close to her letting her tears go as she clutch his prone body to her. "Don't leave me" she pleaded.
Mizuki frowned at the sight of Naruko's tears. "A filthy demon like you shouldn't be able to shed tears of sorrow like that. I was planning on sparing the boy, but he decided to be an idiot and protect a waste of air like you and a perfectly good Shuriken to boot" he said detaching his second shrunken from it's holster. "Guess this time I'll make sure it hits you straight in the heart demon!"
Before he could release the Shuriken he was knocked out of the tree by Iruka landing a powerful kick to his head crashing him to the ground. On impact Iruka grunted in pain as his wounds gushed out small amounts of blood as he panted over Mizuki's fallen form. "Naruko. I know this is difficult for you, but you have to get out of here. Take Shikamaru and run I'll handle Mizuki."
Naruko glanced up at him with frightened eyes, but gave a hasty nod as she gently picked Shikamaru up the best way she could as she ran deep into the forest.
Iruka watched them go before turning back to Mizuki. "It's time for you to pay Mizuki" he growled getting into his fighting stance squaring off with his former colleague.
Mizuki huffed whipping the blood off his lip. "Don't make me laugh Iruka. You can't do anything to me except by time for the boy and the demon bitch, but that still won't be enough to stop me. I'll find them and kill them!"
"I won't let you!" Iruka screamed charging at the silver man thrusting out his right fist towards his face.
Mizuki smirked and dodged the attack and delivered a vicious right hook to Iruka's wounded abdomen making the brunette spit up blood while clutching the bleeding wound. "Your pathetic Iruka. To think I once considered you my equal, but now your just another pathetic worm I have to crush to get what I want. And right now I want that scroll and the demons head, so consider yourself special I'm saving you for last" he said kicking out Iruka's wounded leg before heading in the direction Naruko took off in.
Iruka grunted in pain as he slowly climbed to his feet refusing to allow Mizuki to follow through with his threat. "Naruko, Shikamaru I swear I'll protect you, so just hold on" he vowed as he too took off after them.
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Naruko sat behind a tree resting against it as she slowed down her breathing and concentrated on what she had to do. She looked down at Shikamaru's sleeping face and gently moved his loose hair out of his face. "You idiot don't ever scare me like this again" she said softly to him as she focused her Chakra into her hands to perform her mystical hand ninjutsu to start healing Shikamaru's injury.
Time passed by slowly as she watched the bleeding stop and the wound heal, but soon her attention was taken from her healing when a loud crash sounded behind the tree they were hiding. Naruko ceased all breathing and movement as she heard Iruka-sensei and Mizuki's voice.
"Iruka you fool. What is the point of protecting the monster that destroyed our village and killed your parents. Are you that hellbent on keeping me away from desire?" Mizuki demanded.
"There's no way I'll let an idiot like you get your hands on that scroll" Iruka stated.
"Haha your the fool here Iruka not me. Can't you see that Naruko is just like me? She had the eyes of the demon back there. I bet she's using that scroll right now so she plan out her revenge on this entire village cuz that's just how a demon thinks" Mizuki mocked while laughing.
Naruko clenched her teeth angered about being compared to him and the demon. "I'm not them I'm not like that!"
"Same as you?" Iruka thought as he shadowed his eyes as he listened to Mizuki's pointless rant. "Yea, I guess your right."
Naruko gasped in shock not believing what Iruka had just said. "So it's true. Iruka-Sensei really does think I'm a monster" she thought feeling utterly defeated hearing the man she loved like a father call her a demon.
"That is how a demon and you would act, but that's not my Naruko. She's a one of a kind gem that makes everyone around her happy. She knows the true pain of never knowing the love of a father or a mother, but she still smiles. Her strength is greater than anyone I have ever know and for that I'm proud to call myself her sensei. So don't you ever call her a demon because that is not who she is. She is Naruko Uzumaki of Konoha and also my little girl so don't you ever disrespect her again!" Iruka shouted facing Mizuki with his ferocious glare conveying all his love for Naruko and hatred for Mizuki in that glare.
Naruko sat behind the tree crying her eyes out feeling Iruka's love for her from where she sat. "He recognized me and called me his little girl!" she cried feeling the happiest she ever felt at that moment. She listened as Mizuki clipped off his last Shuriken. "Sorry Shika I have to go, but I promise I'll be right back. It's time I showed everyone what Naruko Uzumaki can really do!"
"If that's how you feel then you can die for that stupid kid of yours!" Mizuki yelled preparing his attack only to be silence when Naruko slammed a high jump knee to his chin sending him and her flying back a few feet.
Once stopping Naruko stood her ground panting in front of a stunned Iruka as planted the by her side. "If you ever lay another hand on my father. I'll kill you" she growled giving Mizuki the scariest and coldest glare she could muster.
"Naruko?" Iruka whispered feeling touched she called him father.
"You stupid Demon bitch! Do you really think you have a chance against me!? It'll be a cold day in hell before that'll ever happen!" Mizuki shouted pissed off beyond control.
Naruko gave him confident smirk. "Then you better bring a snowsuit with you cuz I think it's a blizzard down there" she proclaimed performing her new hand signs. "Take a look at my newest technique that's going to give you back all the pain you've dealt a thousand times worse! SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"
Both Chunin stared in amazement as the forest around them filled up with solid copies of the yellow and orange.
"Amazing. She master an A rank jutsu in such a sort time. Naruko you truly are an unpredictable knucklehead, but your my knucklehead" Iruka thought fondly watching the thousands of Naruko clones pound Mizuki into the ground.
By the time dawn was upon them Naruko had finally finished dealing out Mizuki's beating and was grinning her fox like grin at Iruka while scratching her head. "Haha guessed I kind of went over broad huh?"
Iruka chuckled fondly at her. "No. Not at all I think it was the perfect dose. Hey Naruko come here I want to give you something" he said motioning her over to him.
Looking confused by his request Naruko slowly walked over to him. "You have something for me? What is it?" she asked.
Iruka gave her another smile a little wider this time. "Close your eyes it's a surprise."
Naruko blinked at him, but shrugged her shoulders and closed her eyes. She heard a rustling sound before feeling something touching her forehead.
"Okay open your eyes" he told her.
Naruko blinked open her eyes squinting due to the sun beaming in her eyes. As her eyes adjusted she noticed Iruka's headband was missing while he was grinning like a proud papa.
"Congratulations Naruko. You've graduated!" he said cheerfully watching as her eyes widen in surprise.
Naruko stared at Iruka in shock hearing him talk about celebrating over ramen as her eyes teared up and she jumped joyously at him catching his off guard. "Haha Papa!" she screamed joyfully hugging him tightly as tears of joy trickled down her face.
"Ah Blue-eyes not so loud. I'm trying to sleep" Shikamaru mumbled rolling over to his side.
With that said Naruko hopped up and tackled the sleeping boy into a bone crushing hug. "Shika your okay! Oh Shika guess what? Ah you don't need to guess you can look see. See i have a headband now and that means I've graduated!" Naruko cheered lifting him off the ground making him dance with her in her own mock celebration.
Shikamaru was groaning while Iruka and Naruko were laughing, but in that small sunny clearing all you could see were three smiling face that seemed to shine brighter than the morning sun.
Lazyfox: Omg I cannot believe I just wrote over 7,000 words O_o Oh look it's 3:00 in the morning -left eye twitches-
Random: Yep she's going to crash soon so today were not going to be doing the wheel of misfortune
Crossover: -relaxing in his recliner- I have no objections to this for I may have sort of forgot to send in my torture idea
Kushina: Ah ha I found you bitches! Time to start up another round and this time I brought in my own home made super-da-whoop-canon. Time to Die Bitches! *Imma firin' mah -BOOM!-* (The cannon exploded in her face, luckily, for her, she only sustained cartoonish injuries) *Coughs out a soot cloud and blinks*
Minato: Hmmm honey I believe you should leave building of canons to your brother
Kushina: -grumbles- Whatever at least I have my other weapons of mass destruction
Lazyfox: Oh come on I did good this time! I made it super~ long and I made Naruko pass. Even though we all knew she would eventually
Kushina: I'm substained for now, but I better see some more action soon
Crossover: That's what I've been saying!
Lazyfox: -slumps in the corner- I never catch a break
Minato: Oh I know how that feels -pats back sympathetically-
Lazyfox: Well that's all for now. Naruko learns the truth of who she really is and was that an almost love confession from Shika?
Minato: BETTER NOT HAVE BEEN! -gets knocked out by Random-
Lazyfox: If it was what do I have in store for them next? Stay tuned and find out, so until next time...
Everyone: JAA-NEE!
P.s. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG BROTHER I LOVE YOU!