A Family Of Foxes And Snakes

Chapter 4

For the continuing year, Naruto and Hinata became really good friends. In fact, it was because of Hinata that Naruto was able to grasp the tree walking exercise a bit better. Hinata began to get a little bit more confident in her strength. During which Naruto made another friend, Nara Shikamaru. Surprisingly, their friendship started over a game of shogi.

Flashback

Naruto was telling Hinata about some new ramen flavor he tried out when something caught his eye. He saw a kid scream in frustration as he stomped off away from Shikamaru.

“Wonder what that was about?” he said out loud

“Shikamaru must have won again.” Hinata said without stuttering. She was getting better at not doing that.

“Won? Won at what?”

“Shogi.”

“What’s shogi?”

“It’s kind of a game which requires a lot of thinking.”

“Probably boring.”

“My father makes me play. He said that it is good for a strategic mind.”

“Still sounds boring. I bet I can beat him.” Naruto boasted

“N-N-No offense Naruto-kun but Shikamaru is one of the best. No one can beat him.”

“Show how to play and I’ll beat him easily.”

Present

Hinata shook her head and showed how the piece moved. She also showed him the object of the game. It only took two days for Naruto to get the game and he challenged Shikamaru. To say that he was stunned would be an understatement. Shikamaru just looked at Naruto with a bored look. He figured that it would be a good laugh so he agreed. At the beginning, Shikamaru dominated Naruto and was about to finish it when he saw Naruto smirk at him. Shikamaru was confused since Naruto was frustrated the whole game. That’s when he looked at the board and was amazed at what he saw. Naruto had actually managed to get within striking distance of his king. He couldn’t believe it neither did the kids who stuck around. They were more shocked when Shikamaru got into a weird sitting position. Naruto was confused by it but no one else was. Shikamaru managed to get out of his jam but Naruto didn’t make it easy for him. In the end, Naruto lost which pissed him off. The next day Shikamaru joined him and Hinata for lunch. From then Shikamaru, Hinata and Naruto were always seen together. Iruka was happy for him as well as Anko who dropped in time from time to check on him. There were still those whom Naruto had come to dislike. Number one on his list was Uchiha Saskue. He didn’t like him before and he didn’t like him now especially when he would egg him on. Saskue began to take notice of Naruto’s growing skills and wanted to test it. However, Naruto just ignored him as Anko told him to. Saskue was livid and taunted him. Luckily for Naruto, Hinata was always close by and calmed Naruto enough to just walk away. Another on his list was Haruno Sakura and Yamanako Ino. He put them both in the same place since both of them annoyed him. His crush on Sakura was long forgotten when she and Ino accused him of bothering their Saskue. Naruto yelled at the both of them and called them both names. That got him a beating which in turn got Sakura’s house teepee and Ino’s flower shop infested with bugs. Neither girl caught Naruto for it. Inuzuka Kiba was another one he disliked as well as Aburame Shino. Other than those people and a few others, Naruto had a better year than usual. Iruka as well as a few other teachers were impressed at Naruto’s improvement. He had gotten the Kawarimi, Henge and finally Bunshin. He was so happy that he was unable to come to school the next day because he pigged out on ramen as a celebration. His ninjutsu was coming along as well. He was starting to get the hang of the Karyudan and of Anko’s personal technique. He was trying to develop his own taijutsu and decided to base it off of snakes. So far he was getting no where. He actually developed one genjutsu but he still sucked at it. Anko decided to help him defend against genjutsu and Naruto created a jutsu that disrupted or dispel any genjutsu. Anko was there to see it as she did the Magen: Narakumi no Justu(Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique)on him. The Charka Parusuha(Pulse Wave) as Naruto called it canceled the genjutsu and travel a good mile into the village. Anko trained Naruto when she had time. She was amazed at his improvement and very proud at the decisions he was making. As the genin exam got closer, Naruto techniques grew by two. Anko got him another fire technique called Kasumi Engo no Jutsu. Though Naruto thought that the technique would be useless he changed his mind when Anko thought him how to make certain element seals. With some fire seals attached to his kunais, he created the Kasen(Fire Arrow). Naruto smiled in his sleep. He couldn’t wait. Two more weeks and the genin exam would be here. He knew that he was ready for it and this time he would not fail.

Anko sat at her favorite dango stand, enjoying her favorite dish when the Sandiame Hokage appeared.

“Oh, Hokage-sama. What can I do for you?” she asked. By the expression on his face, she wasn’t going to like it.

“There is an important mission that needs your skills.” he said

“Is that all?”

“It began tonight.”

“Tonight? Can’t you get someone else to do it? I kind of have plans tomorrow.”

“I’m sorry Anko but this is an important mission that just can’t be ignored.”

“But sir . . . ”

“Again I’m sorry.” Sarutobi said and then vanished. Anko looked dejected and angry at the same time. She had promised Naruto that she would be there to congratulate him when he passed. She had streamers and stuff at his apartment. Now her plan was ruined. How was she going to break this to him?

Naruto was pumped for the genin exam. He was even more pumped about the end of it. Unlike all those under times, he had no one waiting for him to congratulate him but this time his oneesan would be there. She promised him and told him that they would have a big party. He was ready for it nothing could ruin his day.

Naruto sat alone on top the Hokage monument. He looked at the leaf headband with a sad face. He passed the exam but no one waited for him. She wasn’t there for him and it broke his heart. What was worse were the comments he heard from the other kid’s parents. He left the academy grounds and went to his favorite spot. He wanted to hate her for breaking her promise but he couldn’t. The reason he passed was because of her. He sighed again and continued to look at the village. He was so depressed he didn’t recognize a very evil force behind him.

Anko stood on top her roof with a similar sad expression. Her mission did not take that long and she raced through one end of the border to Konoha just to try and make it. Though she tried her hardest, she didn’t make it. The apologetic look on the Sandaime’s face didn’t help her mood. It really didn’t help when someone decided to make a rude comment about Naruto. The chunin would be off duty for a while but the fact was that she broke her promise to him, to her otouto. She looked for him but she couldn’t find, not even in his hideouts for when he pulled a very funny prank. She sighed sadly when a commotion caught her attention. She jumped down and confronted the two chunins.

“What’s going on here?” she asked

“The forbidden scroll was taken. Uzumaki Naruto was seen fleeing the . . . ” the man was suddenly cut off by Anko holding him by his throat.

“I swear that if you’re lying . . . ” she growled

“Anko-san, please. Several people saw him with it.” the other chunin said. Anko released the man and sped off on the roof tops. She had to find Naruto before anyone else does.

Naruto couldn’t believe the bad day he was having. First was the broken promise, then his former sensei tried to kill him and Iruka and now he learned that he was the container of the king of demons, the Kyubi no Yoko. He realized that was the reason for the hate and loneliness that Naruto had experienced. He hid behind a tree as he heard Mizuki and Iruka talk. Tears fell down his eyes as he heard Iruka acknowledged him as one of his students. He saw as Mizuki took his other large shuriken and charged at Iruka. Having enough, Naruto intercepted him and sent him back a few feet. Naruto stood in front of his sensei.

“You shouldn’t have done that.” growled Mizuki

“If you ever try to hurt Iruka-sensei . . . I’ll kill you.” Naruto said

“You idiot! Why did you come out? RUN AWAY!” Iruka shouted

“Shut up! Punk like you, I’ll kill you in one move.” Mizuki boasted

“Try it trash! I’ll return the pain a thousand fold.” Naruto said

“Just try it, demon fox.” Mizuki challenged. Naruto forms a seal. He was curious about the scroll and took a peek. The first technique was a bunshin that he thought was cool. So he practiced it while waiting for Mizuki.

“KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!(Shadow Clone Technique)” Naruto shouted. Iruka and Mizuki were shocked that Naruto performed a high level jutsu. The whole forest was filled with clones. Not just ordinary clones, shadow clones.

“What’s wrong? I thought you were going to kill me in one move? Well if you’re not, then I’ll start things off.” In the dead of night, a loud girlish scream was heard through the forest.

Naruto walked home with a smile. His night was bit better than his day. He got a new move, he saved Iruka, he beat a chunin and he was cleared of all charges. It just couldn’t get any better. Suddenly, as he entered his apartment, streamers fell for the ceiling. In the middle, stood a smiling Anko. She looked at Naruto and saw that he wasn’t smiling.

“Well, that plan failed.” She said. She looked at Naruto. “I know that you’re upset that I broke my promise but I have a good reason.”

“I’m listening.”

“I had a mission. Hel, I finished it early and ran all the way from the border just to get here.”

“Really?”

“Really. I would never have missed you getting this.” she pointed to his headband. “I’m very proud of you, otouto.”

“Thanks, oneesan. Hey, did you know about the seal?”

“You know about it?” Naruto told her what happened tonight. Anko put Mizuki in the back of her mind in the ‘they hurt my otouto and will pay’ file. She also had to thank Iruka for accepting him. “Well, you had one hell of a night and you have a new move to your arsenal. I’d say that you’re on your way to being Hokage.” Naruto chuckled at that and Anko joined him. Naruto was now very happy because he now had two people who acknowledged him.

Authors’ Notes: Ok just a few things to mention.

1. I would like to thank S’TarKan, author of Team 8, for letting me use one of his techniques from his fan fiction. I asked him and he allowed me to use it. Thanks again S’TarKan and can’t wait for the next chapter of Team 8

2. As I’ve said, there will be no pairings in this fic. You, the reviews have been throwing me some ideas, some good, some bad and some that were just weird. So I decided to give you the choice of choosing the pairings. The list goes as follows;

Naruto x Hinata

Sakura

Hinata x Sakura(love triangle)

Sakura x Naruto

Sai

Neji

Neji x Sakura

Anko x Iruka

Kakashi

Konohamaru x Hanabi(spelling)

Mogei

Those are the pairing that I’m trying to choose so I’m leaving it to you. You vote matters. Later.