Chapter 9
“What I did, I did because I judged it needed to be done. I feel no shame or sorrow because of what i have done. I did it because I judged it was too dangerous for our family to allow this alliance between Sasuke and Naruto, so I acted and asked Naruto to step away from his relations with our family.” Fugaku spoke quietly, his face empty. Sasuke looked at him and spoke quietly and with as much respect as his fragile voice could show.
“Father, I was not in an alliance, I was in a FRIENDSHIP!” He hissed, stressing the last word.
“Friendships and alliances are two different ways of saying the same thing. You were forming a bond with him, a bond that our famliy could not condone, nor allow. Our political standing in this village is at best fragile.” He gave a pointed look at Itachi. “And having my sons, the sons of the Head of our clan, becoming close with a... an undesireable... is not becoming of our clan, nor will it be sustainable in our current poilitical climate.” Fugaku said without mercy.
“What father, is so Undesireable about Naruto-kun?” Itachi whispered fiercely.
“Itachi. He is a child orphan, he is an outsider, and he bears the brunt of the village’s hatred. All he does is remind this village of how much they lost. He is a constant dose of salt in this villages unceasing wound. It is unfortunate. It is regrettable, and I may not like the present circumstances but it is what it is. We Uchiha still have not overcome our own challenges from the Kyuubi’s attack.”
“Fugaku!” Mikoto broke in turning around her face in a sudden panic. Fugaku paled realizing just how much he had allowed to slip in his silent rage.
“Father, What did the Kyuubi’s attack do to our clan?” Sasuke said with quiet seriousness. Fugaku studied his young son.
“The village Elders and Danzou believed that the Kyuubi’s attack-”
“Fugaku! Stop!” Mikoto pleaded. BUt Fugaku plowed onwards.
“was perpetrated by someone in this clan. I will not deny that idea has it merits, unfortunately no one in this clan, save Itachi has the ability to even supress the Kyuubi, let alone control it.” Fugaku growled.
“Then why blame our clan for it.” Sasuke pressed.
“It is illegal to talk about, Sasuke.” Fugaku said with a sigh.
“I don’t see what all this has to do with Naruto?” Sasuke said quietly, and Itachi smiled.
“Sasuke, we are your parents and we have to try and decide what is the best thing for our child.” Fugaku said in a steely tone. Sasuke felt his temper rise for the first time against his parents.
“Well obviously you don’t know what you are talking about! Naruto needs me! I was his first and best friend, and He was mine.” Sasuke growled back.
“Sasuke, you have cousins.” Mikoto spoke in a placating voice.
“Heh, they are either three years younger than I or three years too old. I have been set in a gap of sorts.”
“Sasuke there are always other people you can be friends with.” Sasuke felt sick, his parents were asking him to cut away two years of his life, two years of hard work. For the first time in his life, he stood up without acknowledging his parents, and walked out, shaking with silent fury.
Fugaku was struck dumb by his son’s sudden change in temperment. Sasuke’s face had clouded over in rage, and his eyes sparked, and he spun on his heel and marched out of the study without a word. Fugaku looked over at Itachi, who was also slightly surprised at his brother’s reaction.
“What is going on?” He said still in shock and leaned back in his chair.
“Aren’t you going to go after him, Father?” Itachi asked after a minute. Fugaku studied his oldest son and shook his head.
“I do not think I shall. It appears he inherited my temper and your mother’s stubbornness.” He suddenly smiled. “I think that Sasuke shall make a fine shinobi one day. If he feels this strongly about this Naruto, then I cannot do anything to stop him I suppose.” He gave his eldest a good look.
“I certainly hope that the peace between the two of them, shall reverberate through the village.” He turned backto his papers, obviously dismissing Itachi. Itachi got up and rushed after his little brother. He made the sudden turn around the corner and bumbed into Sasuke who was waiting for him.
“Itachi! ouch! Anyways! Itachi a jounin came to our door, and said you were needed! They said Naruto stole something fromt he Hokage.” Sasuke seemed frantic as he spoke. Itachi nodded, and dashed out the door to the waiting silver haired jounin.
“Kakashi-san. What is this about Naruto?” He said quickly, hoping Sasuke woudl stay in the house.
“Yeah, Naruto stole a scroll of Forbidden techniques from the Hokage’s Private library.” He said in a quiet voice.
“No way. Those are guarded by powerful wards, how did he get them?” Itachi said surprise coloring his words.
“The Hokage wasn’t very clear on that point but he gave out the command that Naruto be apprehended immediately. Those techniques are both poewrful and dangerous, and if they fell into enemy hands it would be disastrous.” Kakashi spoke quickly then nodded and disappeared.
“Ah, Naruto what have you done now?” Itachi said before disappearing himself.
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Sasuke had hidden himself at the door, and had heard every word.
Naruto wouldn’t steal...Not from the Hokage! He owes a lot to him... He thought to himself, as he looked out to asure the area was clear.
Then he dashed out. If he had done it, he knew where Naruto would be. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him hoping against all hope to get there before anyone else.
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Sasuke was still running as he neared the front gate, but he had been more stealthy in his movement. HE was almost to the gate when he heard a voice behind him.
“Sasuke? What are you doing here?” Iruka’s confused and concerned voice burst from behind.
“Iruka-sensei?” He turned feeling a small spark of hope.
“Sasuke, it is too dangerous for you to be out right now! Go home.” He scolded.
“No, I can’t. Is it true what they said abotu NAruto?”
“Where did you hear about Naruto?”
“I overheard it from Itachi! He wouldn’t have!”
“I’m sorry Sasuke.” Iruka stepped up and placed a hand on Sasuke’s shoulder.
“It is true that he stole a powerful item from the Hokage.”
“No. Iruka-sensei! He must have been tricked! there is no way Naruto would do something that stupid!” Sasuke said insistantly.
“I agree. But no one can find him. So we can’t prove anything.” He turned form Sasuke and prepared to leave.
“Iruka-sensei, I think I know where he is.”
“What?! Tell me now!”
“No, I’m coming with!”
“Fine, but when we find him, stay hidden until I give you a signal. And if anything happens you run and get help.” Sasuke nodded but hid his hands behind him. Then he took off, motioning Iruka to follow.
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Naruto was studying the scroll he had gotten from the Hokage’s Library. He had already learned several things from it. This was a really cool scroll that contained powerful techniques and incredible secrets. He had picked the first technique in the scroll, the Shadow clone technique and learned it relatively quickly, then he turned the page and saw a familiar symbol. It was the whirpool symbol, that was on the back on sleeves of the Konoha vests. He touched it, somehow, he felt connected to it. He pulled more of the scroll out to see, the whirpool was next to a sealing technique.
The life tier sealing ceremony Technique? What is this? He thought as he began to delve into the mysterious sealing technique. As he read about it, the more intrigued he became. The technique was a way of binding another person’s chakra using the living force around them. He put the scroll down as he began to perform the seals and practice the technique.
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Iruka and Sasuke heard Naruto before they saw him. The sound of earth cracking and cursing told them where he was. Iruka made sure that Sasuke was hidden before steeping out to see Naruto.
“Naruto! You are in trouble now!” He growled as he walked up to the boy. Naruto was wearing a black tee and blue pants. And he was filthy.
“Aww, Iruka-sensei! You weren’t supposed to find me!” sounding like a petulant child. “I wan’t down yet! I only got one technique down!”
“Naruto! You stole a powerful and dangerous scroll of secret and Forbidden techniques!” He hissed at the boy. Naruto’s eyes widened in shock and he sent a look at the scroll at his feet.
“I-I...I didn’t know! I promise!” Naruto’s voice was low and broken. Iruka stopped at the look on his face. He looked like a beaten animal who had given up on life.
“Naruto,” He said softly. “How did you even know wbout the scroll.” Naruto sniffled and wiped at his eyes.
“I’m sorry... I made trouble didn’t I? All I wanted to do was to get stronger! Mizuki-sensei promised that-”
“Mizuki told you about the scroll?”
“Huh? Yeah, and he told me to take it to a secret place, and learn some techniques so that i could prove to everyone that I could become a powerful nin, and then everyone would allow me to keep my friends!” Naruto was almost in tears, by the end of his sentence.
“Ahhh....Hush hush now Naruto. It’s ok. You didn’t know.” He quickly hugged the boy, trying to console him, realizing the wounds his quick words had inflicted.
“No! It’s not! I can’t be weak or useless! If I wasnt then the whole village wouldn’t hate me, and Sasuke could be my friend, and no one would care!” HE crued pitifully into Iruka’s shoulder.
“Hush now, Naruto! It’s alright! no one will blame you. Its-”
“All Mizuki’s fault? Right?” A voice called from the trees above. MIzuki stepped into their sight.
“Ahh Naruto. Even now you have failed miserably. Can’t even properly hide yourself from prying eyes? How did you expect to be a ninja if you are such a blatant failure.” Mizuki purred.
“Mizuki!” Iruka growled, and pushed Naruto behind him. “Go Naruto. Take the scroll and run.”
“No.” Iruka felt a shiver run down his spine at the sound of Naruto’s voice.
“No, Iruka-sensei. I don’t think I shall.” He stepped out from behind Iruka. “You tricked me?” His voice was deadly cold.
“Of course, Naruto. Did you really think i cared for a monster like you?”
Naruto reamined silent, then he looked up at him. Mizuki flinched back, the ferocity and hate in his eyes were palpable.
“I’m sick of people like you. I’m Uzumaki Naruto, a person. I am not a monster.” His voice slashed out like a blade. Mizuki laughed suddenly.
“Thats right! You don’t know! Do you want to know why everyone hates you Naruto?”
“NO! Mizuki” Iruka started at Mizuki but had to dodge backwards as kunai were flung at him and Naruto.
“HAH! Naruto! You claim that you are not a monster! Oh how wrong you are!” Mizuki spat.
“No, Mizuki stop!” Iruka begged while he moved trying to get closer.
“Naruto, do you know what happened to the Kyuubi after it attacked the village?” He asked in a loud voice. Naruto stared at him, and dodged around several kunai.
“The Kyuubi was sealed into a child,by the Fourth in a final act of heroism. With a technique that consumed the Fourth’s life force! And the child that houses the demon now? Why Narutp think about it, whoever that child is, holds the creature that murdered hundreds of Konoha nin.” He said in glee. Naruto froze, his eyes widened, as everything fell into place, the villagers hate, the Hokage in his life, and the Uchiha clan severing his bond with Sasuke. Tears burned in his eyes, as he thought of the irony of his words.
No, I’m not a monster, I just have one inside of me. He sobbed internally. Mizuki took advantage of Naruto’s shock and horror, by launching a massive shuriken at him. Naruto came to just in time to see the weapon too close to dodge, and too much to guard against. He closed his eyes, and thought about how in the end it was probably better this way.
- - - - - - - - - -
Sasuke heard everything Mizuki had said. Shock and understanding slammed down onto him like a weight of bricks. He was about to come out when he saw Mizuki throw the Shuriken.
“NARUTO!” The scream ripped itslef from his throat before he could stop it. Then he moved forward with everything he had. A flash of black and green appeared in front of Naruto, pushing them both down, before the impact happened, and Sasuke ran forward to his friend.
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“Naruto!”
That’s wierd why am I hearing Sasuke? Naruto opened his eyes and looked up into the soft brown eyes of his teacher.
“Hey Naruto.” He gave him a small pained smile.
“Baka!” NAruto whipped his head to his left and saw Sasuke holding a Kunai and glaring up at Mizuki.
“What are you doing here?” Naruto asked in quiet amazement.
“Please dobe. There was only one place you would’ve gone with the scroll. This is where we found those sunflowers. We called it our secret haven.” He said without looking away from Mizuki.
“Oh... THats right....” Naruto said and sat up, thats when he saw Iruka. The massive shuriken was sticking up out of his back.
“Iruka-sensei! Wha- Why?” He said feeling tears well again.
“Hush up Naruto! What kind of teacher allows his student to get hurt.” He said with a wince. Naruto stood up anger rolling off of him in waves.
“You trick me, and use me to hurt Iruka-sensei.” He said in a deadly voice. He glared upwards at the silver haired villain.
“Iruka hurt himself, trying to protect a monster like you.” He shrugged. At this sasuke, bristled.
“What the hell do you know about Naruto? If you ask me its the village and its people who are the monsters. Naruto is just a boy, just like me, he has dreams and hopes, and you people crushed them in the most brutal way possible.” Sasuke glared up at Mizuki. Naruto sent his friend a grateful glance.
“Sasuke. I’m going to punish this baka, for hurting Iruka-sensei. Then, you and me have to get him to a hospital.” Naruto said while running his hand throguh his hair.
“Haha, You pathetic drop out. You think that you can fight me a chunin of the village.” Mizuki sneered. Naruto shrugged, then he flashed through five seals,and settled into a seal with his hands clasped and his middle fingers wrapped around his index fingers.
“Living Style: Deadly Demon Plane Supressing Ivy.” He said channeling a massive amount of chakra out wards. Mizuki laughed.
“What kind of pathetic made up technique is -” Suddenly vines of ivy shot up the tree fromt he gound ensnaring him and binding his arms to his body.
“What is this?” He said, panic suddenly in his eyes.
“A gift to you.” Naruto spat at him. “This is one of the techniques i learned from the scroll.”
As soon as he said that, more vines exploded from the ground and bound him even tighter. Mizuki struggled against his green bonds to no avail. He tried to summon chakra to his limbs but all that did was tire him out more.
“I would suggest you settle down. The more you struggle against the bonds, the tighter they will bind you, and they will use your chakra to fuel their biding.” Naurto said simply. Then he focused more chakra into the vines, causing them to bloom. The leaves began to pop out and on the leaves was drawn a sealing spell. Mizuki’s eyes popped out of his head, when he saw this.
“Sealing technique: Binding Demon Ivy.” Naruto said, completing his technique.
The leaves flashed blue once and fell off the vines, and the vines dried up and fell from him. Mizuki stood there for a second then he wavered and fell forward from the tree. Naruto turned to his friend and smiled at him.
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