Kei-Kei Yuki: First off let me just say, thank-you all who favorite, follow and review. I'm so nervous about posting this story up that I didn't think many people would have liked it honestly, due to certain changes I made, but thank-you so much. I love all of you guys~!
A/N: This takes place before she meets Hinata. Also, if you wish to see another chapter, I'm gonna need a beta for this. Sorry for any grammar mistakes you might spot.
Drabble Two
Iruka: The Hope that Found the Light
Located in one of the numerous training grounds in Konohagakure, stood a woman who was alone as she stayed behind to train more. She stopped for a moment to catch her breath, the slight breeze tousling her dark tresses. Being a shinobi Iruka knew she couldn't afford to be lazy. If she let up on her training even a little it could cost her her life on the battlefield. Whipping the small beads of sweat the dripped down from her forehead. She analyzed her target, took out her three kunais and threw them with accurate aimed at the dead center of her the red target mark.
After catching her breath, Iruka saw the results of her training. Kunai and shuriken littered the ground, and surrounding her were covered in the remains of her traps and her explosive tags had burned the grass in some areas. Seeing how she had been practicing for the last six hours without no break.
Iruka froze when she heard something in the distance. She cautiously made her way over to where she heard the noise and as she got closer, realized the sound was a crying child. Peeking behind a tree, she saw crouching by the blue river bank was a child with vibrant blonde hair and clothes too large for her small body. Iruka breath hitch as she soon realized exactly who was this sniffling child. Though it wasn't until the child removed her hands from wiping the tears from her eyes did she catch a glance of the whisker-markings placed on each of the girl's cheeks.
Seeing those markings brought forth the image of young kitsune, yet instead of cute, it brought forth the horrid memories of that night when she lost both of her parents to the nine-tailed fox. That demon would have destroyed the village if it weren't for the Fourth Hokage. Iruka felt anger boil in her stomach, her hands instinctively curled into fists. Iruka took a deep breath, trying to quell her deep-rooted rage from the past. She chanted to reminded herself that the blonde girl was just a child. That when she remembered her goal of wanting to become a teacher so that she could pass on the Will of Fire to the next generation. A generation that included the girl who held the monsters that killed her parents.
Shaking her head to rid the thoughts, Iruka decided that perhaps it was best that she leave. Not wanting to have something to do with the blonde pigtailed little girl, though, when the child hiccup between sobs and started speaking, Iruka falter in her steps. "W-Why is Naru-chan alone? Why does Naru-chan not have parents like the other kids? Why... W-Why d-do e-everyone stay a-away from Naru-chan and call her a monster or a thing? Why?!" The little girl's words stabbed Iruka in the heart. That girl couldn't be more than six years old and yet there she was, completely and utterly alone. Taking another glance at the girl, Iruka eyes were wide, a gasp escaping pass her lips as she locked eyes on that small little girl crying by the river.
Cause as she glanced back, she no longer saw vibrant blonde hair and whisker-marking eyes, only the image of a little girl with brown hair and light brown complexion that was of her younger self. Crying her eyes after the decease of her parents. Constantly asking herself: "Why am I all alone? How comes no one notices me? Why did my parents have to die?" Though the phrasing may be different, she and that little girl, were very similar.
Rather Iruka was conscious of it or not, slowly she began making her way over to the little girl. Who sooner than later notice her presence and back away from her with apprehensive shown in her eyes. "W-Who are you?! This Naru-chan spot!" The little girl proclaimed, feet planted firmly on the ground, a cute frown etches on her face. Her cheeks wet from the tears she was shedding earlier before Iruka made her appearance.
Iruka said nothing to the little girl but only stared at her. She noticed that the girl was adorable with short messy blonde locks tied in a sloppy pig-tail fashion. Her face was round and chubby, framed by strands of blonde locks. Her eyes were large, azure in color. Dressed in a large white T-shirt that went down to her knees, dark blue shorts peeking underneath, sandals on her feet.
The more Iruka stared at the girl, the more she was reminded of her parent's death. Which made her feel conflicted inside. On one hand, she did not wish to hold any ill-intention towards the girl. Though on the other hand, this little girl held none other than the Kyūbi no Yōko inside of her. The same demon who killed her parents and filled her dreams with terror. By all right, Iruka should feel the same amount of hate that most of the villagers have towards this child, yet... For some reason, she couldn't. Iruka was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of the girl's voice.
"Naru-chan is not a monster or a thing! Naru-chan...! Naru-chan is a person too!" Exclaimed the little girl, big watery tears welled in her eyes once more. "Naru-chan just wants to make friends too! But everyone hates Naru-chan! It... Hurts so much!" The little girl who appears to induce a habit of calling herself in third-person exclaimed with so much pain in her large cerulean eyes, that Iruka dropped down to her knees and brought the girl into a tight embrace.
"You're not a monster! You're not a thing! You are by all rights a person Naru-chan! A person with emotions just like everyone else." Iruka's sensitive heart broke at the sight of such loneliness and pain displayed in such small and innocent child's eyes. A child who hardly knew anything about the world, that Iruka couldn't stop her own tears from freely running down her face. She tightens her arms around the small girl who stood rigid in her arms, never before experienced such warmth or the embrace of another person. Despite all the reasons Iruka had to keep her distance from this girl, who the majority of the village isolated and treated her with scorn in their eyes.
She knew that she could not be one of those people. She understood why people sometimes called her foolish because of her overbearing kindness. She was aware that the decision she did at that very moment will have some form of repercussion from the other people in the village, but she did not care. It seems that after the blonde came over her shock, she finally began to speak.
"Naru-chan... Is not a monster? She's not a thing, but... A person?" Naruko repeated bits of the words Iruka had said to her. Pulling away from the girl, facing her directly, Iruka beamed a blinding smile at the girl that would be etched in her memory for forever. Long into the future, both would forever remember this precious moment.
"Hai! It doesn't matter what others may say, but know that, I do not think of Naru-chan as a monster or a thing, but as a person. So, you wish to come and get something to eat with me?" The young Jinchuuriki had her eyes glued to Iruka as if she was alien of some sort, though, after letting the words the other said, sink into her little head. A bright smile full of pure happiness, joy, and relief split across her face.
Happiness because she never ran across another person, besides the old man and the Anbu guard who was delegated to watch over her, show such kindness to her. Joy, because never before had anyone given her such an offer. Relief, because, finally she was accepted by someone. Deep within the void of darkness and loneliness, a tiny ray of light shined its way through as a hand stretch it way out to her. Naruko will forever remember this day because it was that hand that shows her the way out and given her hope.
"Naru-chan would like that very much, ummm,... ano..?" Naruko shot the woman who she did not know the name of a questioning look.
"Iruka." said Iruka, standing back on her feet.
Nodding her tiny little head, the little girl remembering some manners, she learned from the old man of when someone gives you their name, return the gesture. "The name is Uzumaki Naruko, Konohagakure next Hokage. Remember it, Dattebayo!" The blonde girl grinned, holding out a peace sign to Iruka, who could manage nothing more but smile and admire the girl for the highly impossible goal she set for herself. Becoming the next female Hokage of Konohagakure, someone would either have to be on par with the first lady Hokage or surpass her. Either way, if Naruko was really determined about making her dream come true, she'll need all the support she could get.
"Well than future Hokage, let's go get some food in that tummy of yours." Iruka smiled.
"Yay!" Naruko ran to catch with Iruka and before soon they were walking side-by-side, when the other all of a sudden reach out and grab hold of her hand gently. This course of action reminded Naruko of the many times she had seen many mothers and daughters walking down the village street, holding hands together. Naruko had always yearned to be in their footsteps and now, she finally had that chance, both exiting out the forest together, holding hands.
Soaring across the vast blue skies, were two doves, the younger female bird following after the older female bird. It was the beginning of hope and acceptance. Slowly, unaware to the little girl with the bright big dreams, this act of kindness will shape her into the person who she will become in the future.
End of Drabble Two