An Anbu Story

Ch 7 Naruto

Naruto's sapphire eyes took in the fight going on in front of her. Ino and Shikamaru were sparing in front of her, this was just the beginning. Naruto still had monthly missions, she normally left a clone on those days. 

Both Shikamaru and Ino are mid chunin level now, both are turning ten in a matter of weeks. 

Shikamaru is smart, he plans every move he makes before the outcome. But he has little instinct and speed. He can get sluggish after a while of fighting and needs time to plan. His plans are almost always flawless but when they do he can improvise but needs a chance to think about it.

Ino likes to dive in headfirst. She paces herself better than Shikamaru, but that's because she has less energy. She has gotten to a point where she can almost predict where someone will hit, but she doesn't have the stability or strength to block it correctly. 

If Naruto is being honest the only reason she started to teach them is that she wanted to make Danzo proud, she wanted to pass the knowledge that he taught her. She had no intention of actually getting close to them. 

After all Danzo sensei treated her better than his Anbu, but he still was cold to her. That is the relationship between student and teacher. That the relationship she thought she was going to have with Ino and Shikamaru. 

But, when she thinks about the past 2 years, the birthdays, the shopping trips, the playing. A warmth fills her chest. Warmth Naruto knows can get her killed someday, but she doesn't care. She basks in it, the warmth seems like it was made for her. 

Despite everything Danzo told her about getting attached to people, she can't keep her face straight whenever they walk into the training grounds. She can't keep the rage she feels whenever Ino comes into the training ground with tears in her eyes from bubbling up in her chest. 

Emotions are fatal in a fight

Those are the words she took as gospel. It was fine to have fun when off a mission, but the second you leave the village you have to learn that it is life and death. 

Naruto knows this and she wants to keep that life away from her new friends. Ino who smiles lights up the room. Shikamaru whos grin makes the shadows disappear. 

But she knows that both want to leave the village. With every wistful look, they get when they see her in Anbu wear, every longing stare to the village gates. 

She will get then a mission, but in order to convince Jiji, she needs to do something first. She needs to tell them. A dark voice in her head whispers that they will hate her. Turn on her like all of the other villagers. It makes sense after all. She is nothing but a human sacrifice. 

A smaller voice tells her that they will understand. Naruto wants to let herself think that, but she is a ninja born and raised. She knows the chances of that are slim. She knows what the effects of crushing hope can do. 

So she tries to crush that hope while she walks to the training ground. But the small light is stubborn to the point that she tries everything and it only shines brighter. 

She walks into the training grounds and smiles. Ino and Shikamaru are waiting for her, on the big rock by the water. Shikamaru just said something that made Ino pull her head back in laughter. 

Her eyes meet Naruto and smiles. 

This will end today

Ignoring that though Naruto walks up to the rock and climbs up the tree that hangs over the moss-covered boulder that Ino and Shikamaru are sitting in, casting a cool shadow against the pale light. 

She doesn't wait for resolve to waver, she delves into the story of her birth. How the Kuuybi was released and killed hundreds. How her father the fourth Hokage sacrificed himself to seal it inside his newborn daughter. How every year she was hunted on her birthday for something she couldn't control. How she met Danzo sensei. How he saved her. 

She talked until the sunset. Telling them about the one picture she has of her mother, About the people she met in Root. 

With every word she felt herself shrink, pulling herself together, keeping her eyes steady on the floor. 

Shame filled her every pore. Unshed tears brushed her eyes. Until the end of her story where she finished choked sobs. 

She could look up. To see the disgust and hate in her eyes she was better off looking down. She's been happy these few years. She found a family that she could talk to about the smallest things and make it seem amazing. She was let into their clan homes and even Ino's mother who hated her kept her mouth shut. 

Shikamaru's parents and Ino's dad told her stories of her mother and father during their academy days. 

Is it over

The thought made more tears pour down her face. Until she was held against a familiar chest and a ruff hand went through her hair. 

" Hey it's okay, Calm down now" Shikamaru's voice soothed, which made Naruto's cries harder. 

He continued to whisper calming words to her and patting her back as Ino's hands went through her hair. 

They... aren't mad