~*~
Bonds of Blood
By: Animeroxsmyworld
Chapter 12: Four Years Later
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“Are you sure all our information is right?” A man asked gruffly as he came to a halt, the small radio piece in his ear buzzing lightly. The branch he landed on shook slightly from his weight, but still held, two more branches in the distance signalling that more people had stopped as well.
He wasn’t alone.
“Geez Yuki, stop worrying. This’ll be easy.” Another man reassured, his voice crackling through the ear piece. Yuki just shook his hooded head as he starred out in front of him. His goggles adjusted mechanically, focusing on the structure ahead.
The Konoha gates starred back at him in the distance, their great height making them visible through the foliage of trees.
“Besides, just think of the money.” The same man continued.
“Iki, maybe you should stop daydreaming about that damn money and pay attention.” A new voice reprimanded, this man’s voice surprisingly older then the others. Iki’s scoff was distinguishable in the ear piece.
“Pay attention to what Haru?” Iki asked sarcastically as Yuki began leaping through the trees again, this time at a slower pace. Yuki rolled his eyes. Here they went again. “There’s no one here.”
“Exactly.” Haru cut in sharply. “There isn’t much protection. I’m not sure if their just stupid or if they already detected us and set a trap for us somewhere.” He continued.
“Well I guess there’s only one way to find out.” Yuki replied, words of agreements coming from the other two as the Konoha gates began getting closer.
~*~
“Wow, I can’t believe the Graduation test is only five days away.” Sakura whispered excitedly. It was now their last year at the Academy and graduation was approaching fast.
“I know. We’re going to be ninjas soon.” Kyoko whispered back, a smile tugging at her lips. The seating arrangement had been moved around and switched over the years so that Kyoko was now seated in the back with Sakura while Ino was in the front somewhere with one of the guys from class.
“That’s only if we pass.” The 12-year-old pinkette reminded as she waved a small finger in Kyoko’s face. Kyoko’s smile grew as she swatted the finger away, the two trying to not attract too much attention to themselves seeing how class was in session.
“Please! I’ve been practicing all the jutsus they taught us. I’m ready for anything.” Kyoko assured, pulling out the lollipop from her mouth.
She still loved her candy too much, even after the years. Sakura opened her mouth to reply when she blinked and perked her head up.
“NYAHAHAHAHAHA!”
Everyone craned their heads to look out the window.
Naruto went running past the window, his body covered in various paint splotches varying in color. The offending buckets were held in his hands, paint sloshing everywhere as he ran.
But that big, goofy smile was stretched on his face as he looked over his shoulder where two Jounin men were chasing him.
“YOU BRAT! GET BACK HERE!” They yelled as they made to grab at him. Naruto continued to laugh, calling them ‘losers’ as he jumped over one and dumped the open paint bucket on the man’s head.
The bucket crashed to the ground while the man stopped in his pursuit, temporarily stunned, while Naruto continued to run, the other man still chasing him.
“That…that…”
Everyone’s attention turned back to Iruka who had snapped a piece of chalk in his hand, his right eye twitching.
“You all have a study period now.” He ground out as he went to the window, throwing it open. He didn’t hesitate to jump out of it, landing on the ground only a few feet below.
“NARUTO! YOU’RE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!” Iruka yelled as he soon disappeared, joining the chase for the blond prankster.
“He skipped class again.” Sasuke sighed to himself, only loud enough for him to hear as he rolled his eyes and continued doing the assignment Iruka had been teaching them.
The absence of a teacher let the class erupt in noise, everyone turning to talk to their friends instead of doing work.
“I can’t believe that idiot. What did he do now?” Sakura asked with a scowl, casting a glance at the window before turning back to Kyoko, who had been joined by Ino as soon as Iruka had left.
“Something stupid probably. I swear he’ll be the only one who doesn’t pass.” Ino sighed, shaking her head.
Kyoko just nodded in agreement.
She was still a little uneasy around Naruto. She couldn’t be with him when it was just the two of them alone. It brought back old childhood fears.
The years of him running up and greeting her, always turning up and asking her what she was doing, had whittled away her immense terror of him, Naruto Uzumaki. The loud blond prankster, she could handle.
But there was a side of him that she remembered so vividly that she had secretly nicknamed it. That was what truly plagued her.
The fear of the demon.
“How long do you think it’ll take Iruka to catch him this time?” Sakura asked, resting her cheek on her hand. It was Iruka who always caught Naruto. Like routine one would say.
“I give him half an hour.” Ino replied, Sakura agreeing.
“Nah, I’d say fifteen minutes.” Kyoko replied as she stuck her lollipop back in her mouth, twirling the stick with her fingers.
The girls watched the clock as they continued to talk, sharing their ideas about what their lives would be like after they became ninjas. Kyoko had still kept up with her gymnastics routine at home, under Hari’s command, and could do flips around anyone in class. Sakura and Ino had the same ideals of being the best kunoichi and dating Sasuke, to which Kyoko rolled her eyes.
The Uchiha was a mystery at times. He practically gave everyone the silent treatment, or some sort of blank stare. Well besides Naruto, but it was figured that they were best friends so it wasn’t so weird. Then oddly enough, there was her.
He talked to her strangely enough.
But she still talked to him on a regular basis since they were eight.
And because of that, the girls in class knew her as the girl who could actually get Sasuke to talk so if they ever needed to let Sasuke know something, they got her to tell him.
The classroom door opened and Iruka stormed in, a bound Naruto under his arm. Iruka had two paint splotches on his Chuunin uniform, probably from where Naruto had tried to fight back.
“Told you.” Kyoko whispered to the other two females, the two glancing at the clock.
Fifteen minutes.
“Ok everyone!” Iruka barked as he dropped Naruto roughly in the center of the front clearing. “Since Naruto decided to be a wise guy, we’re all going to go over the Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Jutsu).”
Everyone groaned, Naruto especially. He sucked at that jutsu.
Iruka knew however that this was the jutsu they would need to perform to graduate from the Academy. It was more helpful for them to review this jutsu then to review one like Henge (Transform) when graduation was so close.
They all lined up at the front as Iruka untied Naruto, a little more harshly then necessary. Naruto rubbed his wrists as he walked into the line, lining up alphabetically.
He walked past Sasuke who gave him a quick blow in the side.
“Dobe.” Sasuke muttered at the blond for pulling a stunt like this. Naruto just glared at him as he fell into line.
“Teme.” Naruto growled back, close enough to the Uchiha for him to hear. Sasuke glared back. It was almost dangerous sometimes for their family names to start with the same letter.
Iruka began calling names out alphabetically by family name, the person going up and performing the jutsu.
Aburame Shino went up, performing the jutsu perfectly before falling to the back of the line. Whether he was happy or not was hard to tell. The bottom half of his face was hidden by his high collared, grey trench coat and his eyes were hidden behind round sunglasses.
Always had been.
Akimichi Chouji followed after him. He performed rather clumsily, but still got the desired result. The chubby child walked down the line, pulling a bag of BBQ chips out of the pocket of his green jacket.
Haruno Sakura waltzed up after a few others performed. She brushed her now long pink hair back, and squared her shoulders. Smoke appeared and cleared away to reveal two more exact copies of her, each wearing the exact, one piece red dress and green shorts she did.
“Yes!” She cried silently to herself, pulling a fist close to her side in an almost victory like pose.
Hyuuga Hinata timidly followed after her. The poor girl didn’t look up the whole time. Her short blue hair hid her face as she performed the jutsu, copies of her flickering to life before she walked down the line, looking like she wanted to shrink down into her huge beige sweater to hide from prying eyes.
“Alright! My turn!” Inuzuka Kiba whooped as he jumped forward, Akamaru barking from his spot in Kiba’s grey jacket. Kyoko’s finger twitched at the sound, but she didn’t respond any other way.
Not after Hari had got fed up with her, tied her so she couldn’t move, and set her in the living room next to Fuji’s bed.
She had panicked and freaked out for a good long while until she eventually grew tired and then calmed down, submitting herself to her fate. The most Fuji had done was licked her face consistently, sat on her, lay on her, or stolen her socks to use them as toys.
Smoke appeared, two more Kiba’s materializing, all grinning that fanged smile of his. The red tribal markings stood out vividly next to the dark brown faux fur trim of his hood.
After a few more people, it was Namikaze Kyoko’s turn.
She walked up, adjusting the lollipop in her mouth. Her hairstyle had remained the same since she was little, minus the fact that her hair, when worn up, had grown from shoulder length, all the way to her waist.
Worn down, it probably reached her butt.
Ino and Sakura had tried to tell her that high pigtails were a little childish now, but she just shrugged. They looked good on her.
She performed the jutsu, internally sighing in relief when two images of her came to life. They all wore the same light blue vest that stopped just under her small bust, a white tank top underneath that, with black pants.
After her was Nara Shikamaru who complained about the whole ordeal, making an effort to actually complain to Naruto about this being his fault. Naruto just shrugged the comment off.
The Nara grudgingly performed the jutsu, not even bothering to stay up for a second more then he had to before he walked away, scratching at his mesh shirt as he went.
After awhile, it eventually got to Uchiha Sasuke who didn’t say anything as he went up. He had stayed pretty much the same since childhood, minus the effects of puberty and what not. Though, he had traded in his black long sleeved shirt for a high collared, navy blue t-shirt.
As expected from the top student, he performed the jutsu perfectly, all three Sasuke’s looking equally bored.
“Ok, Uzumaki Naruto.” Iruka called out, a glint coming to his eye as the cause for all this came to the center, his shoulders hunched and his hands shoved in the pockets of his orange and blue jumpsuit.
Though it was hard to tell what colour it was supposed to be because of all the paint splotches on it.
“Yeah yeah.” Naruto waved off nonchalantly though inside he was having a mild panic attack. He sucked at this jutsu! Truly and utterly sucked!
He braced himself, placing his feet shoulders width apart as he went through the hand signs. Smoke appeared and Naruto looked around.
“Pfft hahahahaha.” Kiba laughed as only one Naruto was there, and it was sprawled out on the ground, strangely discoloured and almost sick looking. Naruto’s face reddened as he glared at the Inuzuka.
“Sorry hahahaha sorry man hahaha.” Kiba laughed as he tried to smother his own laughter to no avail. A few others joined him.
“Shut up!” Naruto yelled angrily, stomping his foot. “Just you watch! I’ll get better than all of you!” Naruto declared as everyone continued to laugh.
“Everyone, quiet down!” Iruka barked, everyone muffling their laughter at his command. It turned to snickering as Iruka commanded Naruto to go back in line.
Naruto stormed back to his spot as Ino past by him to go up, her long ponytail and purple skirt brushing him as they past.
~*~
Naruto walked around the Village, hands shoved in his pockets as he brooded to himself. It wasn’t fair! Why couldn’t her perform that jutsu? He had done all the hand signs right!
“Stupid jutsu. Stupid Academy.” Naruto grumbled under his breath as he kicked a rock, watching it skitter across the ground. He continued to kick it with the toe of his blue sandals, the rock doing little to satisfy his need to vent.
His hands and arms were sore because he had to clean up all the paint around the Village. He had only been successful in painting one of the faces on the Hokage monument before he was found out and chased.
Then after the Academy got out he had to change his outfit, and then clean up the paint under Iruka’s supervision, which lasted until the sun just started to set. And now, he was here.
If things continued the way they were, he wasn’t going to graduate.
And he needed to graduate if he wanted to ever become Hokage!
“AH! YOU PERVERT!” A woman screeched, Naruto jumping and looking around frantically.
Whatever happened, it wasn’t him!
A loud slap echoed through the air, Naruto cringing before jogging so he could turn the corner. He was treated to the sight of a very attractive woman stomping away from a white haired man who was sprawled on the ground, his left cheek sporting a very red handprint.
“SCREW YOU JIRAIYA!” She yelled, her auburn hair swaying around her angrily.
“Wait! No come back!” The man called out as he regained consciousness, reaching a hand out to the woman’s retreating form. She put more energy into her steps and the man hung his head dejectedly.
“Wow, what did you do?” Naruto asked nosily as he crouched down next to Jiraiya. Jiraiya stood up, dusting himself off as he tried to regain some of his dignity.
“None of your business.” He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “She’s over reacting.”
“She called you a pervert.” Naruto continued. “You tried to do something dirty didn’t you?” He said, a knowing smile crossing his face.
“You know what brat? You really—“ Jiraiya started, rounding on Naruto and prodding him roughly in the chest. He stopped mid sentence, blinking in surprise as he took in Naruto’s appearance.
“Good lord you grew.” The Sannin whispered to himself. He hadn’t seen Naruto in four years. He looked more and more like Minato.
“Eh?” Naruto asked in confusion.
Naruto’s memory of course wasn’t the greatest.
“Never mind.” The white haired man waved off. “As I was saying, don’t stick your nose in other people’s business!” He continued, poking Naruto in the chest again. “It was between me and that lady.”
“So you did do something!” Naruto cried as he snapped his fingers.
“It was all for highly respected research.” Jiraiya sniffed, turning away from Naruto. “It’s not something I would expect a child to understand.”
Naruto blinked rapidly at this. “Research?”
“Of course! I’m the Great Toad Sage Jiraiya! My research is very important and something that only adults can appreciate!” Jiraiya proclaimed as he twirled around and struck a pose, imaginary water splashing up behind him.
Naruto just continued to stare at him, a blank look on his face.
“Oh?” Naruto said, starting to lose interest in the conversation.
“Oh yeah, I’m famous. Here, I wrote this.” Jiraiya said proudly as he reached into the pocket of his red vest. He retrieved an orange book, the words ‘Icha Icha Paradise’ written across the front.
“It’s because of my research that I can write such famous novels.” He gloated.
Naruto took the book, looking at the picture on the front before opening to a random page.
“Hey!” Jiraiya cried out in surprise.
He hadn’t expected the brat to read it!
Naruto’s face then turned crimson so quick it was surprising he didn’t catch fire.
“OH GOD! WHY’D YOU WRITE THIS?! PERVERT! PERVERT!” Naruto yelled suddenly, book in hand as he began flailing about. Jiraiya flinched as people nearby looked at the scene Naruto was making.
“Shhh! Brat shut up!” Jiraiya urged as he clamped a hand over Naruto’s mouth, the other arm coming around Naruto’s neck and forcing him into a headlock.
Naruto continued to flail for a while, his words muffled by Jiraiya’s hand.
“I swear if you stop right now, I’ll buy you something!” Jiraiya pleaded, putting more force behind his headlock.
For the love of God! Women were starring!
Naruto stopped instantly.
~*~
“Wow, thanks! I was starving!” Naruto declared happily as he polished off his sixth bowl of ramen. Jiraiya’s left eye was twitching as he starred at the bowls Naruto had stacked in front of him, all empty and waiting to be paid for.
“You’re an extortionist.” Jiraiya grumbled as he reluctantly pulled his wallet out of his vest, paying for his one bowl of ramen while paying for Naruto’s six.
“It’s just what I needed. Ramen really picks me up when I’m down.” Naruto replied, ignoring Jiraiya’s comment as he rubbed his full stomach.
“What? Having a bad day?” Jiraiya asked disinterestedly as he rested his head in his hands. At his words, Naruto’s shoulders slumped.
“We have to know how to do the Bunshin no Jutsu for class but I can’t make a single clone.” Naruto confessed, a dark aura surrounding him as he hung his head.
Jiraiya smirked, lifting his head slightly.
Now that was actually something he could help with.
“Psh! That jutsu is only good for confusing people. I know a jutsu that’s even better then that one.” Jiraiya offered.
“Eh? Really?!” Naruto asked, head raising. “Can you teach me Ero-sennin?” He begged, eyes shining as he clasped his hands together in front of him.
Jiraiya choked in disbelief and shock at the nickname for him.
“Ero-sennin?!” He roared, standing up.
“Just for that, I won’t show you.” Jiraiya sniffed, crossing his arms and stalking out of Ichiraku ramen. Naruto fumbled to get off his stool to chase after him.
“Wait! Wait ,wait! I’m sorry! Please teach me!” Naruto pleaded, grabbing Jiraiya’s vest and tugging on it much like a child.
“Get lost.” Jiraiya said, pushing Naruto away.
But Naruto just jumped back, grabbing onto Jiraiya’s arm this time.
“PLEASE! I won’t stop until you say yes! Please please please!” Naruto continued, his voice going up an octave. A vein in Jiraiya’s forehead pulsed as he tried to ignore the blond on his arm, walking down a few streets, but it was getting harder as the seconds ticked by and Naruto got louder and louder.
“FINE! NOW SHUT UP!” Jiraiya snapped as he came to a halt in the middle of a empty street.
“Yes!” Naruto cried out triumphantly, pumping both fists in the air as Jiraiya sighed.
‘Finally. Silence.’ The Sannin thought.
“So what’s this jutsu you’re going to teach me? Is it something super cool?” Naruto rambled excitedly.
“Listen. I’m just going to show you the signs and how to do it, and then you have to practice on your own because believe it or not, there are things I actually have to do.” Jiraiya told as he put a hand on Naruto’s head to stop him jumping around.
“You’re just going to go be a pervert somewhere else.” Naruto scoffed. Jiraiya forced his head down roughly, Naruto yelping in surprise and pain.
“Now this is called Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Jutsu).”
~*~
“Man, that was almost too easy.” Iki chuckled through the ear piece.
“Pay attention Iki!” Haru snapped, the use for the ear pieces becoming useless as the three ninjas landed on the same rooftop, their figures hidden behind a water tower.
They had waited a couple hours for the perfect time to sneak in, timing when the few guards at the gate switched shifts.
They had met some interference, but had taken care of it quickly.
“I am paying attention you old coot!” Iki snapped, green eyes glaring as he shoved the small, elderly man. Despite his size, Haru held his ground, and gave Iki a firm smack in the ribs in turn.
“Knock it off you two.” Yuki commanded, reaching a hand back and swatting the two away from each other. “We have to find the right place.”
“Tch. We just have to find the one with Kimi. She said she’d contact us when she was ready.” Iki replied with a shrug. It was almost as if he took this whole thing as a joke. Kimi was one of their comrades who had snuck into the Village a month ago to help with their plan.
Deciding that they couldn’t stay in one place, the three began silently leaping through the roof tops, taking in their surroundings as they went.
After ten minutes of aimless wandering, a crackle went through all their ear pieces, signalling a new signal.
“Sorry guys. I was side tracked.” A female’s voice apologized, a hint of irritation in her voice.
“What happened?” Iki asked curiously as they all began heading towards the weak signal Kimi’s ear piece was giving off.
She gave a small growl.
“Some man named Jiraiya. He was hounding me, asking me all sorts of questions, and then he groped me!” She hissed venomously as the three men approached her signal swiftly.
Iki burst out laughing, almost running into a chimney.
“IT’S NOT FUNNY!” She roared.
They found her in an alley a couple blocks away from a rather big estate, her auburn hair tied up into a loose bun and her bangs sweeping over her left eye. By this time Iki was snickering to himself, trying to smother it with his hand.
She glared at him, a look that could’ve killed on spot. The copper haired male was unaffected however and continued to snicker away.
“So it’s the big house isn’t it?” Yuki asked, the tall man trying to get Kimi’s attention before she decided to kill Iki, forgetting that they were comrades.
“Yeah, it is.” She nodded, turning sharply away from Iki to face Yuki and Haru.
Haru squared his shoulders, his onyx eye glinting in the setting sun. “Alright, let’s do this.”
“I’ll go in through the second window on the right, Haru you go through the back entrance, Yuki, Iki, go in through whatever window you want.” Kimi instructed.
“But stay silent!” She warned as an after thought. They all nodded, Iki with an eye roll attached to his movement.
In unison, they all moved towards the big house a few blocks away, all their movements like liquid shadows.
As he went unseen over the Namikaze Estate wall, a ray of light caught the forehead protector on Iki’s forehead, illuminating the Iwa symbol.
~*~
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Chapter notes: Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto
Authoress Note: Yeah I decided to change things up a little, but it’s my story and I love it.