Chapter 3:

When Mouse returned from a mission, he noticed something strange. He almost froze in his tracks at the entrance. It was that energy Naruto emitted when her ability activated. Mouse's skin tingled in response to that power, but there was something more... a strong smell of blood.

Quickly, he spotted a ninja who mentioned a powerful explosion in the commercial area. "Who caused the explosion?" The ninja stopped at the demanding voice of the ANBU, shaking his head. "I don't know. All I know is that Uzumaki was attacked." Mouse clenched his fists, and then his foot struck the ground before he leaped, almost flying towards the hospital.

How could he be so stupid? October tenth was just a week ago. He had left her alone and unprotected against such ignorant people.

When he turned his head, he saw a large hole in a part of the commercial area and he sped up.

Entering the hospital, he didn't need to ask for her. He felt her chakra on the third floor. He felt so scared. When he reached the room, he didn't need to knock on the door; it opened immediately.

The Hokage gave him a solemn look as he placed a hand on Mouse's shoulder. This man had lived through the horrors of war, but his gaze reflected so much anger and helplessness. "She hasn't said a word since we found her," the Hokage said. He closed his eyes and swallowed, as though he had swallowed something bitter. "I heard the explosion and sent ANBU to find her just a few minutes ago. When I found her in the middle of a hole, covered in cuts, bruises, and burns, there was a pile of burnt corpses around her. At least I know they got their punishment, but... I don't know what to do." The Hokage lowered his head, his voice trembling as he massaged his forehead. He looked as if he had aged a hundred years. "I guess you want to see her. I'll leave you... I'll come back later."

Despite the Hokage already descending the stairs, Mouse hadn't entered the room. His fist slammed into the wall, and drops of blood fell from his chin to the floor, his lip cut from the strong pressure he exerted with his teeth. His eyes turned red, revealing his Sharingan.

She was just a five-year-old girl. Those people deserved to go to hell. Naruto only reacted when she was hurt, and that power reacted to that. If you didn't hurt her, she was simply wonderful. A little ball of sunshine that talked to you and had a smile just as wonderful as her entire being.

He took a deep breath and calmed himself first. He didn't want to give her negative vibes. She didn't need that...

When he had calmed down, he ran a hand through his curly black hair, trying to tame it. Although he had never been able to do so. His father would have told him that his hair was a wild beast in itself.

With his father in mind, he entered the room. He immediately felt the chill... No, the freezing cold. This was like a freezer. His breaths through his mask turned colder and became steam.

Yet, the sight was even sadder. In the bed was a completely covered lump. Naruto had called it her friend, and as her friend, this was such a horrible sight. He took a deep breath and approached.

"Stay away, please," she said. The closer Mouse got, the more he could see her trembling. "I-I'm a m-monster," Naruto said, but Mouse didn't move away. Instead, he gently passed his hand over what he could distinguish as Naruto's arm above the sheet. She sobbed softly under his touch. "It hurts," she said, but didn't specify where. "I j-just wanted... t-to go h-home."

Naruto struggled to find the words, and it took him a long time to complete what he wanted to say. "It is," Naruto sobbed harder, the windows started to crack a bit due to the cold. If he didn't do something, the glass would cut both Naruto and him. "You're wonderful." Naruto shook her head, and the crack grew. The 21-year-old inhaled.

"Even if I can't sleep, the dawn will come," his voice was soft but rough as he sang. His hand remained firmly on Naruto's arm. "As I watch over it..."

"Things are changing...~"

"Things are ending..." Memories of his parents flooded his mind, like that cold winter when he found his father, the snow he was lying in turned red, his mother, sick, and the pain he felt in that hospital bed.

"Things are starting...~"

"Even if they change...~"

"Even if they end...~"

"Even if they start...~"

"Dawn will break over and over...~" The ticking of his clock that he always heard on sleepless nights, his mind sinking deeper and deeper.

"Nothing will always be the same...~"

"But someday, they will connect again...~"

"At the end of a long night, one will realize there is light...~" His gaze turned to the small lump curled up in the blanket.

"That's why, even if it's scary, I can keep living...~" His hand lifted and pulled the mask off.

"Thanks to your light, shining brighter and brighter...~" The lump moved, and he saw her hands gripping the edge of the sheet.

"Even though people want to extinguish it...~"

"I know you'll shine...~" The sheet descended slowly, allowing the ANBU to see those blue eyes, tears still streaming from them.

"Look, dawn has broken~" Mouse smiled, causing a small trembling smile to appear on Naruto. The atmosphere stopped being cold.

She got up from the bed and wrapped her arms around Mouse's neck, hugging him tightly. The ANBU, seated on the bed, returned the hug even tighter. He noticed her arms were bandaged along with her whole body. The only thing he could do to endure the growing pain in his chest was to close his eyes and squeeze them shut...

…

The old man who was sitting in the chair in his office, the red bird like fire in the cage beside him, began to try to get out of its cage.

"Calm down, Fawkes," the old man spoke in a dialect that certainly wasn't Japanese, before furrowing his brow in a look of concentration. "I know you felt it." The old man rose from his seat and opened the cage. The bird flew out and across the room. "The veil of the hidden side has opened." He extended his arm, and the beautiful bird perched on it. "And it seems we have a girl with magic." At that moment, the birth registry of witches or wizards opened. A quill began to move, writing a name: Uzumaki Naruto...

…

For Naruto, making friends wasn't easy in general. Her vocabulary remained limited, and the other kids weren't very kind to her due to what their parents said. So, for the most part, she began playing alone in the park when the other children weren't around, chasing a ball under the watchful eye of her favorite ANBU.

And Mouse loved watching her run freely. Most of the time, he couldn't do it, and it wasn't like the ANBU decided to educate her that way. They taught her the basics from an early age—reading, writing, how to slash a person; yes, it wasn't great for Naruto to be in ANBU for too long.

She had just turned six, her hair still short and messy. She wore a sleeveless shirt with a red swirl in the center and ironically orange pants. Many said Naruto looked like a boy... a male, but that was silly to Mouse. Naruto was too young, and she didn't care about those things. She scraped her knees and was adorable just as she was, with long eyelashes and a round face.

And very soon, that same girl would be able to go to the academy. The point is "able to," not that she "will go." Hokage-sama hadn't granted her permission or filled out any of her papers yet.

And this was the moment. Naruto would have to step into the light even if it wouldn't be easy. "Ouch!" Mouse tensed as Naruto complained and heard a thud against the ground. He looked to see a slightly bigger and chubby boy than her, but compared to Naruto, he was like a twig. "I'm s-sorry," Naruto tried to find the words quickly, but she was getting stressed. This boy was huge compared to her! He could easily throw her around if he wanted to. "I-I'm s-sorry... sorry," she apologized over and over.

This image breaks Mouse's heart. Naruto was about to scream; her power was going to go out of control. But he didn't manage to jump in time when he saw the boy's face—definitely an Akimichi, now that he realized. Confusion and concern filled his face. He probably didn't understand why Naruto was apologizing again and again. He moved nervously before shaking his head. "Don't apologize! I-I was the one who bumped into you, and I'm bigger than you... Oh, are you okay?" The boy reached his hand out to Naruto, but it seemed that Naruto thought she was going to be hit. She closed her eyes and flinched. A strong gust of wind hit the Akimichi boy, who staggered a bit, not understanding what had happened.

But she didn't cry. Instead, the Akimichi boy stepped back and squatted down in front of Naruto. A couple of seconds passed before Naruto opened her eyes, revealing teary blue eyes to the boy who gave her a small smile. "... you... not," Naruto struggled to find the words, turning her head a little. "N-not bad."

"What? Oh... I'm not bad," the boy furrowed his brow. "I apologized for making you fall... and I still feel bad. I didn't see you."

"Oh," Naruto said in a high-pitched tone. When she adjusted herself on her knees to get up, the boy did the same.

"What's your name?" Naruto blinked at the question and hesitated.

"I'm Chouji," the boy said, perhaps encouraging Naruto to share her name as well.

"... Naruto," she responded softly and smiled at the boy.

"Chouji!" Naruto jumped when an adult and feminine voice called the boy in front of her. "Come on, we're leaving!"

"I have to go! Goodbye," Chouji waved before running in the opposite direction. Naruto watched from a distance as two adults appeared, Chouji was smiling at them, and... maybe they were his parents.

Naruto's shoulders tensed, and she shook her head. Mouse descended from the branch he had been on, positioning himself beside Naruto. "He was nice... that kid... Chouji," Naruto clarified more and more.

The ANBU picked her up from the ground, causing Naruto to let out a yelp, but she heard a chuckle from the ANBU. "Yes, he's a kind kid."

Naruto gestured in ANBU sign language -"Do you think Hokage will let me go to the academy?"-

On the other hand, Mouse was working on teaching Naruto how to speak. "And do you think he will let you?"

Naruto hesitated before signing with disappointment -"No."-

"And... do you want to go?" -...

Naruto glanced over Mouse's shoulder where Chouji had been before looking at Mouse. "I want to," she said aloud, "but I don't know if... he'll let me... go."

...

-"No," - and Naruto was right. The Third Hokage shook his head, and she frowned.

-"Can I go?" - she asked again.

-"I've said no, Naruto," - the Third Hokage replied as he signed some papers.

-"B-but... everyone... when we're six... we go," - Naruto dashed forward and stood on her tiptoes in front of the Third Hokage's desk.

-"Naruto, we've already discussed this," -

-"No, we didn't," - Naruto complained loudly, stretching her arms and pouting.

Hiruzen looked at Mouse. - You and I know the dangers involved in this - Hiruzen said, but he heard a whine from Naruto.

-"... please," - Naruto's eyes were shiny, on the verge of tears.

-"I'm sorry, but –"

-"Please!" - Naruto shouted, and the glass trembled as she lowered her head and sobbed. Tears fell; she didn't know why, but she wanted to go... she wanted to be a ninja someday.

-"I'm too old for this. Listen, Naruto, if you go to the academy, you can't keep living at the ANBU base -"

Naruto sniffled. -"W-why?" - she mumbled softly, looking at the old man and wiping the remaining tears from her cheeks with her arm.

-"I'll explain it as simply as I can. When you were little, I registered you as if you were in a foster home. Nobody asked too many questions about it, so it was fine. But when you enter the academy, I don't run it; the council does." - Hiruzen paused, hoping Naruto would understand before continuing. - "Both... non-ninja people and clan heads need your information. Where you live is one of them."

Mouse thought that was a pretty cheap excuse. He could easily note down another address... but he didn't say anything about it. -"... if I go alone... will I go to the academy?" - Naruto was talking about living on her own, but Mouse was horrified by the idea. Naruto was only six years old... he didn't want her to become like... him. -"I'll live... myself," - Naruto pointed to herself. Mouse sighed. Naruto was stubborn; she had already made up her mind. There was nothing that would change it.

And so, Naruto got her own little place to live. She was somewhat self-sufficient, using the stove and occasionally burning herself a bit, but she would survive.

With that, Naruto entered the academy, even as the Third Hokage kept pushing her back, Naruto would pull because she hated being held back...

…

And so, Naruto's first day of academy began.

"Alright, Naruto, do you have everything?" Mouse started, and Naruto nodded. "Open your backpack and let me see what you're bringing."

Naruto pouted. "Fine," she said as she opened her backpack.

"Why are you bringing the rabbit?" Naruto turned her head slightly like a confused kitten. What was wrong with bringing it? "You don't have anything to write with... no notebook or paper either..."

"I remember... I'll remember," Naruto tapped her forehead with a finger.

"You also didn't pack any snacks, and..." Naruto turned and closed her backpack before running towards the door.

"Goodbye, Mouse!" Mouse stood there, unsure of what to do. Naruto had grown tired of listening... perhaps she had become too rebellious.

"Wait!" Naruto stopped just before leaving, her step bouncing.

"Quick, quick," Naruto complained.

"Remember... stay calm," Naruto's bounce softened along with her excitement. "... please ignore anyone who bothers you. If necessary, use your fists, but... try not to feel bad." It was terrible advice for anyone else, but Naruto had to do it. If she got angry, her power could hurt more severely than even Naruto's cotton-padded fists.

"Yes, yes! I know," Naruto finally ran out of the apartment. The ANBU straightened, adjusting his mask... he also had matters to attend to. After all, he was the ANBU Commander now, and... the Uchiha... weren't planning anything good for Konoha.

Naruto was nervous. For the first time since she had sat by the tree, she wouldn't be watching the kids enter—she would be entering herself. Part of her was overflowing with joy at the thought. But the other part of her... could feel the gaze of the adults on her small back, hear the whispers of people wondering what she was doing here, that she shouldn't be here.

She didn't let the comments affect her. They had... done worse things to her. She wanted to be strong like Mouse, Zarigüeya, Cat, Jabalí. She could endure it.

"Everyone, step back and let the six- and seven-year-olds in!" Naruto took a deep breath and turned to look at the branch of her favorite tree. Mouse gave her a nod, and she responded with a big smile as she joined the rest of the children...

There were fifteen kids in her class, apparently. The... sensei mentioned a few things as they walked down the hall, something about the Fire Spirit, being part of the cycle... Honestly, Naruto tuned it out, looking around for someone. When her eyes locked with the chubby boy's... Chouji! The atmosphere warmed, and she waved her arms, not noticing that she accidentally hit someone beside her. "Oh, I..."

"Hey!" The boy complained, and Naruto saw him. He had a white dog on his head and was showing his teeth. "Be more careful, dummy."

Naruto stepped back. She tried to communicate with him, apologize maybe... but sadly, she forgot the word "sorry" for a second and remembered that ANBU sign language wouldn't work here.

"Just stay away, loser." Naruto blinked at the boy, who pushed her on the shoulder. She rubbed her shoulder; that hadn't gone well. She gave a bit of a glare to the boy with the white dog on his head.

The academy might not be easy for Naruto after all.

Naruto was used to being quiet, but not to staying still in a seat—especially when the kids started mentioning what their parents had told them about her. When she was asked a question, they mocked her for not being able to answer correctly by speaking. They called her a crybaby and a baby when someone had thrown a rock at her during recess and she had cried.

But she refused to leave. She wasn't going to give up yet. But... when she raised her hand and tried to ask a question after carefully choosing her words... the sensei seemed to ignore her and even mocked her at times. There was only one person who accepted her concerns...

Thanks for Read!