Finding Light (Naruto Fanfic) //ON HOLD//

♥ 8. Getting to the new stage, welcome to the new age!

Sasuke POV

I kept glancing at my ripped up shirt as I walked home. That girl... Kiko... She's definetly skilled, but not skilled enough.

Although she has won this time, it wasn't because I was worse than her, but instead, I went easy on her.

But considering that I had to give myself distance away from her, she has skills.

I look forward to our next battle... I smirked and silently slipped inside the Uchiha house hold.

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Tsukiko POV

"WHAA! TODAY WAS THE EXAMS?!" Naruto held on to my arms as he silently cried, drenching my top.

"Ugh, ew Naruto... Get offa me..." I pushed him away, but he grabbed hold of my other arm and started bawling.

"I DIDN'T KNOW!! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME KIKO!! YOU BIG POOP!"

"Gee, I don't know. Maybe I didn't tell you... BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW EITHER?!" I pushed him away again and this time, he squared up his shoulders and wiped his teary eyes.

"NO! THERE'S NO TIME FOR CRYING! I HAVE TO MAN UP TO BE A HOKAGE IN THE FUTURE! BELIEVE IT!" I grimaced at the loud noise while he started prancing around me while I sighed and shut my tired eyes.

"Sit down Naruto! We're going to start the exams now! Instead of dancing like a fool, maybe you should work on your jutsus? Let's not have a repeat of last year eh?" Iruka sensei scolded him and Naruto sullenly sat back down, stopping his frenzy rant.

"Okay class. Let's get started... First off is-" I zoned out from his mini lecture to glance at Naruto. He was pouting and leaning his head on his hands. He seemed okay. A little bit irritated though, so I guess I should cheer him up. Right?

I started poking Naruto, "NA-RU-TO~ Naruto. Uzumaki Naru-toooo~"

"Whaaat? Kikooo. Your pokes hurrrt." Naruto turned his head towards me and poked me back harder.

"Naruto, if you pass this test- No. When you pass this test... Uh, I won't make you do the ramen test that I made you do before and I won't yell at you if you start to eat it anytime... Alright? I'll also buy you a month worth of ramen. Uh, and I guess I could train with you too someday and uh... Yeah." I chuckled nervously. I wasn't use to cheering people up. Neither was I good at it. As you can see, I'm not good at any... people stuff.

When I looked at Naruto, I was relieved to see him smiling again, "Yeah, I'm gonna pass this test. Believe it! I promise Kiko! Let's be the best ninjas and get the month worth of ramen!" Naruto stuck his hand out at me and I took it with my own, shaking it once and letting it go. I turned back to the front humming a random tune while waiting for my turn to come.

"Kiko Hotaru. Next!" Iruka called out and I lept up from my seat to go into the examination room.

"Wish me luck Naruto! I'm gonna pass for you!" I stuck my toungue out at Naruto.

He gave me a thumbs up before replying, "Same here! You better give me those ramens when I pass!"

~~~~~~

"Kiko Hotaru, the youngest bandit there ever was... Nice to meet you." I stood in front of two judges. One of them was Iruka and the other one, Mizuki. Mizuki's whole composure told me that he was a calm guy and that I could rely on him, but his eyes were the one thing that gave away his evil thoughts. Curls of black, evil mist swirled in his eyes and I immediatly glared at him furiously, making Iruka nervous.

"Calm down Kiko." he whispered into my ear and I stepped back letting go of my glare.

"Well, I guess we can start the exam then?" Mizuki asked me and when I stiffly nodded, he told me the instructions.

Hm, okay. I just have to make two clones of myself. Is that right? I made the hand signs and when the air around me poofed, I had two other clones of me. One on the right, and one on the left. I fist pumped and faced the judges.

"Great job Kiko. You passed. Go take a headband on that table." Iruka told me and I jokingly saluted at him before glaring once more at Mizuki and leaving with my new found headband.

When I went out, I ran to Naruto and pounced right in front of him, making him to be surprised.

"WAH!! You scared me Kiko! So?? Did you make it? Did'ja did'ja?" I faked a sad expression and forced out tears onto my eyes.

"Na- Naruto... I-I..." I started bawling silently and Naruto started freaking out, giving me a bunch of tissues from who knows where?

"Ah! It's okay Kiko! It's okay! You have next year and I'm always here for you, believe it!" He held a fist up in the air and kept it there until I wiped my act of tears and showed him my band with a smirk.

"You didn't really think I'd fail, did you?" I stuck my toungue out at him and waved my headband in front of his face.. "Now all that's left is for you to pass Naruto-kun."

"What?! You scared me! Arg, okay... I guess I'll have to pass now..." Naruto held his fist out and I bumped it with my own making him chuckle.

"Hey, I'll be waiting outside, kay? Come get me when you pass." I waved at him and stepped out of the class to wait.

~~~~~~~~

Wherever I looked, I could see families congradulating or scolding their children for their gains and losses. I sighed from my place on the tree branch and slumped down further onto my back when the laughing and giggles made my stomach sick and turn over inside out. However, when I remember Naruto, I smiled. He was part of my family now. My stupidly crazy family.

"Kiko Hotaru!" I suddenly sat up straight when I saw Naruto squeezing out of the midst in the crowd of parents and children.

"Oh, over here Naruto!" I motioned to him and he spotted me. The whole time while he made his way over to my tree, he kept his head down, fixing his eyes on the floor. I frowned and when he came up to the tree, I lept down and asked him how the test went.

"Heh, you wouldn't believe it Kiko! I didn't pass! But its okay, maybe I'll pass next time..." The whole time he talked, Naruto didn't make eye contact so I lifted his chin up so I could see his true feelings. He avoided eye contact again, but I forced him to look at me by snapping my fingers in front of his eyes. When I studied his eyes, I could see despair and sadness lingering.

"Oh... well, good try. You'll certainly get it next time." I patted his back as we sat, side by side on the swing that hung from the tree I was sitting in previously.

"Yeah..." Naruto stared off into the distance and when I looked towards that direction, I saw a whole family, smiling and caring for each other. I looked back at Naruto and saw that he had a solemn expression.

"You, know Naruto?" I suddenly asked him after a while of silence.

"Hm? What is it?" He said and I patted his back.

"You know why we'll get through this together?"

He shook his head and turned towards me.

"It's cause we're family, and families watch their backs for each other and make sure they don't get through a tough mountain all alone. Yeah?" I grabbed his shoulders and hugged him tight when he nodded in response. We stayed in that position for a while before Mizuki suddenly came up to us.

"Hey Naruto! I came to tell you that- oh, you were here too Kiko?" Mizuki paused in his rant to glance at me.

"Psh, no. I'm not here. Just keep on talking." I waved him off and got off the swing. Before I went past Mizuki, I whispered harshly in his ears, "if you harm Naruto in anyway, I'll kill you. Got it?" I wasn't going to let anyone hurt Naruto, and when I saw him flinch, I nodded approvingly and waved once to Naruto before leaving.

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Hehe... I know. It's not long at all, but my brother wanted the computer really soon and I wanted to give the readers something to read :/

I hope you enjoy reading my story!!

Vote/comment/fan <3

Thanks for bearing with me, whomever kept up with my story...

xoxo, j4m