Something to Fight For (Naruto)

Meeting (Face to Face for the first time)

"What do ya need?" Haruka could barely breath as her Nii-san stood in front of her and spoke to her, for the first time ever. Sure, she had been transformed that one time as an Anbu, but that didn't count. She hadn't been her.

Naruto thought she was crazy. He had opened his door, expecting Iruka or some other Chunin to take him to the Hokage for one of his pranks, but instead got a psycho girl. She had a bandaged chest and bandage skirt with short spandex, huge knives, weird ass hair and a Kitusne mask. Sure, she was pretty, but still. Definitely crazy. Worse, she just starred, her eyes wide, like everyone else. He hated it. Glaring, he was about to slam his door until she spoke up.

"Wait!" Haruka spoke just as he almost slammed the door in her face. She was still in shock, but could function. She was so excited to be here, actually talking to him, that if she had a tail it would be going double time, but still as nervous as ever. "I-I'm sorry. I was shocked you answered, as no one else had been opening their doors for me." She gave a close eyed smile. It wasn't real of course, not that she wasn't happy to be there, but she had not ever really smiled naturally. Still, she had practiced a lot because to not smile made people suspicious and wary, and that was not good.

Naruto was weirded out by her voice. It was husky and formal, which was strange. Still, he had no idea what to think. Maybe she sounded weird because she was an alien that just learned their language and had come to kidnap him for his awesome ninja skills. That had to be it. Still, he didn't run. If he was kidnapped, he could fight off this girl! Believe it!

"Well, what do ya want? I gotta go train! Believe it!" Hearing his catchphrase relaxed her enough to get her thoughts straight. To think, so many times had she heard it and even said it when pretending to be him and this was the first time it was directed at her. It felt good.

"I apologize. I would just request to borrow a kitchen knife. I can return it shortly." Naruto shrugged and told her to wait there, coming back in seconds with the item in question.

"What's your name? I'm Naruto Uzumaki, the future Hokage! Believe it!" Haruka again smiled indulgently. She knew his dream, having heard it hundreds of times, and would always 'Believe it!'. Why not one else did was beyond her.

"I'm Haruka, the future ninja serving the future Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki, Believe it." That wasn't necessarily true, for she expected to die young. Very young. Naruto would grow to have powerful enemies and she knew she would give her life for him. Still, it would be nice. Maybe an Anbu guard the Hokage.

Naruto's eyes widened. Never before had someone confirmed his dream, even supported it. Who was this Haruka? And why had he never seen her before? When he went to say something more, she interrupted him.

"I must go, but I shall be back in about an hour to return this. Thank you, Ni... Naruto." Haruka flashed away, sweating. She had almost called him Nii-san, which would have ruined everything. She would have to be careful, call him Uzumaki most likely. That would avoid any confusions from lettering. She rushed into her apartment, leaving her Nii-san confused and shocked in his doorway.

Now, for her brand. She removed the bandages over it, and turned the oven on as high as it could go. She set the knife on it once the desired temperature was reached, and tied a tourniquet on her upper arm, above the brand. (anyone guessed what she's gonna do? That little unsocial psycho stalker. ;)) She gathered a bunch of bandages and shoved them in her mouth. An experimental scream showed that little to no noise escaped. After a minute, the knife was hot enough. Taking deep breaths to calm her shaking, she quickly set into her task, leaving no time to second guess herself.

She slashed her brand with the red-hot knife,, making an x, with a slash through it. A total of three slashes. The whole time, she was screaming, crying and shaking at the pain and memories it brought up, but kept the knife steady. She had gotten the brand forcibly at age four, and it had definitely left some mental scares against burning and heat. But she had to do this. She knew it would tell anyone that she had runaway from the gang the brand belonged to. She had not done this earlier for the brand had given her a small amount of protection on the road, when the people avoided her at the sight of it, lessening confrontations.

It took twenty minutes from all the pauses she had to take from the pain and to reheat the knife. She was for once grateful for Rioko-sama's trainings that made her a bit more resilient against pain than normal people. Once done, she healed it enough to stop all bleeding but to still leave a scar. Once done, she rested for twenty more minutes, calming her heartbeat.

She wiped off the sweat off her face with her old shirt. Then, to finish her outfit, she wrapped her arm, begging at the top and going down to her wrist, leaving her shoulder bare. All the bandages would make her seem injured to future enemies and allow freedom of movement. And, you never know, she could need some extra bandages in a pinch. Sighing, she left to return the now clean and cooled knife to Nii-san.

Naruto had been waiting very close to his door, looking out the peephole every ten seconds looking for Haruka, training forgotten. She was amazing and weird, he decided, and he would make her his friend. If she was to be a ninja, and since she was probably the same age as him, she would be in the academy, tomorrow. And he needed to ensure her friendship before the others could take her away. So, when he saw her about to knock on the door, he flung it open before she could even lift her hand, smiling largely, eyes a little nervous and desperate.

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Thanks for reading, You Butterflies of Youth! (Oh, Rock Lee, you spaz) And I found this song, kinda like how she feels about Naruto. Except no romance, and opposite genders. And less... I dunno. But like he's the number one whatever. And it sounds catchy... X3