Renewal [Rewrite]

~17~

~~~~~

I walked home alone, through the crowded streets which were still buzzing with activity. Normally I'd walk with Hinata or Tenzo, but they were both unavailable. While I was walking, I was almost ran over by an orange blur. After we both spun to a stop, I realized it was Naruto.

"What's the rush?" I irritably asked as he offered me a hand to get up.

"Sorry! I've got to be somewhere quick!" He replied, yanking me to my feet.

"Where would that be?" I asked, patting the dust off my butt in a very unflattering way.

"Um... The Library?"

I snorted, taking a minute to just full on laugh. I was about to call bullshit on him, but when my tears of laughter cleared up, he was already gone.

"Strange," I noted, racking my brain for answers. "No way is he going to the library, so where is he-oh."

Finally, it dawned on me.

Naruto failed the graduation exam and needs to pass, what better way than to learn a high ranking jutsu from some old ass scroll of forbidden and powerful shit? In other words, Mizuki has told Naruto to go steal the scroll.

I know what I'm doing tonight. Maybe fucking with the plot?

~~~~~

I tightened my ponytail and slung my quiver over my shoulder, holding my bow tightly in my left hand as any righthanded archer would. I kept a single kunai pouch attached to my right leg just in case. My cloak was off and tied around my waist like a rope, that way I could put it on if need be. I waited impatiently in my room as the sun set and many ANBU began rushing across rooftops and into the forest surrounding the outskirts of Konoha. Eventually, everyone had retreated indoors and the wave of ANBU ceased, meaning it was now or never.

I opened my window and jumped onto the ledge, glancing back at my room. Tenzo still wasn't home, and worse, he didn't know where I was going. I swallowed my guilt and jumped, not even allowing myself to freefall before my wings pumped against the air, bringing me higher, and higher into the sky.

I pushed my glasses further onto my face, keeping a hand there so I didn't lose them. Note to self: get glasses that are attached to my head using a band or something.

My head snaps in the direction of a shout and I glide over, making sure I was as silent as possible.

"No Mizuki!"

I land on a branch with a stumble and watch the scene below me unfold.

"Haven't you ever wondered why people avoid you?" Mizuki sneered. "It's because the nine tailed fox that attacked the village twelve years ago was sealed into you! You are the demon fox!"

Naruto stumbled back, a look of disbelief on his face.

"Even Iruka hates you! After all, you killed his parents!" Mizuki grinned.

"No! That's not true!" Iruka roared, despite his injuries.

Mizuki hurls a shuriken at Naruto, and with Naruto being too shocked to really move, he only stumbles back. My legs tense to intervene, but Iruka gets there first. The shuriken goes right into his back.

"I don't hate you," Iruka pants in pain. "I was just like you growing up. My parents died in the nine tails attack, leaving me all alone. So I played pranks and purposely messed up to get attention."

Naruto looked on the verge of tears and he fled, taking the scroll with him. Iruka flopped helplessly onto the ground and Mizuki began pursuing Naruto. I ran my options through my head over and over again. Help Naruto, help Iruka, do nothing and watch this all unfold.

"Fuck it."

I was just going to watch, but I hate just watching Iruka-sensei lay there as he bleeds out. He's my teacher after all. I carefully climb down my tree and run over to Iruka, kneeling by his side.

"Yuuto?" He huffed. "What are you... Doing here?"

"I live near here," I lied. "I heard a bunch of shouting and I came to investigate only to find you here."

"Does Tenzo know?" Iruka attempted to chuckle.

I stiffened. "I mean... no."

"Just do me a solid and help me get up." He sighed.

I examined the giant shuriken in his back, it was in deep enough that when it is removed it's going to bleed a lot. I have no bandages on me either. The best option here is to just leave it in.

"I can't remove the shuriken, but I can help you get to Naruto." I said.

"That's all I need."

~~~~~

We travelled along the forest floor, barely going faster than a jogging pace. Iruka's arm was slung over my shoulder and my cloak was on again. We went as fast as we could, but we still weren't moving very fast. The two of us pushed on until finally, we made it to a clearing, full of Naruto's.

"That's a lot of Naruto's." I whistled.

"The shadow clone jutsu," Iruka gasped. "He mastered it."

I smiled, watching as the horde of Uzumaki's surrounded Mizuki, then proceeding to beat him into a near-unrecognizable heap. The fight ended and I clapped, throwing in a whistle for shits and giggles. Really wish I had some popcorn.

Naruto turned to us and grinned, racing over to make sure Iruka was okay.

"Other than the fact he now looks like the worlds weirdest shark, I think he'll be fine." I said.

"Can you put me down Yuuto?" Iruka asked.

"Sure thing," I replied, lowering him down.

He sat down with a sigh and patted the space next to him while looking at Naruto and I. Naruto sat in front of Iruka and I took a seat next to him.

"Shut your eyes Naruto," Iruka said. "I've got a surprise for you."

Naruto shut his eyes tightly as Iruka untied his headband, then leaning over to tie it around Naruto's head. Naruto's eyes open and land on his sensei, noticing the lack of headband.

"Congratulations, you pass." Iruka smiled.

Our little happy moment was broken however when a gloved hand landed on my shoulder.

"Yuuto, what are you doing here?"

I turn around faster than ever before.

"Oh, hello there Tenzo, didn't hear you come over." I rambled.

"Two things are going to happen," Tenzo started, his arms crossed. "One, I'm going to go grab Mizuki and take him in, and two, you're coming with me."

"Yes, sir!" I nodded.

Suddenly his tanto was all the more intimidating.

~~~~~

After dropping Mizuki off at Konoha's T&I unit, Tenzo and I headed home for some much-needed rest. I still had to go to school tomorrow.

Ugh. Squad selections.

Too lazy to put any pyjamas on, I stripped down to my underwear and flopped into bed, pulling the covers up to my chin.

Now just to figure out to function on four hours of sleep or less. I did it in my last life, I'm sure I can do it in this one.

A/N

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