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[ABrokenRomeo]

Chapter One: Crimson Droplets


The first time he felt the bite of a kunai, he was seven years old and an angry chuunin had buried one into the hilt into his hand. He never went to the doctor for it though, the doctors at the hospital didn't like him. He ran home, all the way across the village into the slums that were falling apart, up the creaky stairs - past the bitter old woman the spit out curses and insults at him - through the creaky door that barely locked - it had been kicked in several months ago. He sat on his bed, staring at the small throwing knife imbeded in his hand.

"Kit...." The dark growling voice said, the dark voice had been there all of his life, he sang him to sleep at night, he whispered small reassurances that it would all be alright.

"What fluffy?" That's what he had named the big animal that was there when he closed his eyes, and there when he slept. It was there when the rocks and the bottles were thrown at him.

"You need to take that out of your hand...I wouldn't want my favorite kit to bleed to death"

"Silly Fluffly - I'm your only kit" but the young Uzumaki Naruto complied, and wrenched the small knife from his hand - the feeling was intoxicating, the feeling of his flesh being torn - it was...nearly addictive. It for just a moment helped him forget about all the things the villagers said, forget all the angry glances. He stared at the knife for a moment, before sliding it into his drawer..for the day he would need it again.

Six Years Later

Uzumaki Naruto sat on his bed, tears pouring down his eyes - his first friend, Nara Shikamaru, had been told by his parents to "Stay away from the Demon Boy" and of course, being twelve - and having deadly ninja for parents - He stayed away from Naruto. The pain was too much for him now, too much sadness - to much regection. Even Kyuubi's talks didn't do it for him anymore, but then it - the kunai he had from when he was six, came into his mind.

His head turned to the drawer, and he slowly opened it - he stared at the edge - still sharp, and clean - his blood had not rusted it, then again, Kyuubi made sure his blood never stayed around long after it was spilt, something about demonic techniques and spells. He reached in and grabbed the dull black knife, his eyes locked on its shining surface.

He brought it slowly up to his hand starring at it intently still, he remembered the pain - how it washed away all the other worries, how the sweet feeling of the blade piercing and slicing his flesh was almost addictive. He slid his orange jacket off - his body was rockhard and far to fit for even a normal ninja. That was the Kyuubi's doing, he had insisted Naruto traine, but never let him pass the Genin exam - said that if he looked like an idiot - then people would fear him less. He brought the kunai up to his forearm, Kyuubi's instistence on him reading medical journals had taught him there was a good amount of flesh there.

He felt his stomach cramp just alittle - The Kyuubi could tell what he was thinking about, and it obviously disagreed with it. He ignored the pain in his stomach, as he brought the Kunai across the flesh of his forearm, it was a slow - purposefilled cut. The minute the blood began to fall from the flesh, all the agony of the day was forgotten. However - the pain quickly began to subside.

"No...not yet..." he said quietly, and cut yet again. The flair of pain increased as the blood flowed down his arm, he sat there for several minutes, staring as the flesh literally patched itself up - leaving two long scars across his arms. He was...perplexed to say the least - his injurys never left scars before.

"Hey - Kyuubi - whats up with the scars?"

Stupid Kit! You think I'm going to spend the extra chakra to make sure theres no scar tissue when you inflict the wounds on yourself? No way kid.

With that the giant fox was silent, but Naruto just shrugged - thats fine, the scars would remind him of when he didn't have to feel the pain, and afterall it was just a cut here and there right...it wouldn't get any worse? Right...

[ABrokenRomeo]

Several Months Later

He had done it. He had passed the Genin Exam finally, but not without Mizuki informing him that the entire village knew - atleast all of the adults knew about his secret. They hated him for being the guard to a demon who hadn't even meant to attack their village.

He reached for the drawer, and pulled out the newly shined Kunai - it wouldn't due to get an infection. So Kyuubi insisted that if he continue this "Idiotic Way of Coping" that he should atleast be as safe as he can be about it.

He pulled up his sleeves and stared down at his scarless arms, he smiled softly and closed his eyes.

"Cancel the Genjutsu Kyuubi-Sensai." He watched as his arms faded from perfect skin to a criss cross of paler skin, hundreds of scars that ran up and down his forearms. He sets the Kunai to his skin and presses downward, the kunai bites into his flesh.

A sharp inhale as he pulls back slowly, the pain has become less and less, so he has to push deeper in. He watches more and more blood flow down his arm, but as soon as the Kunai sis pulled away the wound starts to dance with Red Chakra, and the wound heals and the pain fadded away.

Again the Kunai bit into the flesh, and again he pulled. He watched the blood flow down and drip unto the floor but it quickly fizzled away. The wound once again closed as he stood up and pushed his sleeve down. He had to get to the Academy afterall. He set the Kunai back into the drawer.

He stood up and put on his smile, making sure it looked real as he could. He walked down the stairs and out into the street. He was proudly displaying his Hiate, but he could still hear the voices as he made his way toward the school.

"They let HIM become a shinobi?"

"He's going to end up killing us all!"

"Damn demon...should have killed him that night...killed Arashi.."

Ah yes, there was a sore point. Naruto's greatest hero - the man who had sacrificed himself for his village. The Fourth Hokage, Kazama Arashi. He was the reason he was dead, despite the fact that Kyuubi told him time and time again that it wasn't his fault. It still felt like it was...he stared up at the monument one day. He told himself every day that one day he would surpass all of them. That he would be the greatest Hokage in the history of Kohona.

He opened up the door and stepped inside. The teachers threw dirty looks at him as he made his way down the halls to Iruka-Sensai's class. He pushed the door open, and for once he noticed he was only the second one there. The first being the Academy's prized Student - Uchicha Sasuke. Oh how he hated Sasuke, everyone loved him - sure his brother killed everyone in his family and left Sasuke alive, but atleast he had people who would take care of him - the whole damned village loved Sasuke, just as much as they hated him.

He sat in the exact opposite side of the room then the supposed Genius. He took out a small notebook he kept thoughts and poems in that helped him release the need to cut himself constantly. He flipped open a page and started to write.

Slicing Freedom into my skin. Crimson rivers of choice flow freely from my arm. Monster Demon and Beast, Killer Murderer and Rapist. Called so many things and none of them true. Corrupting the youth and killing the eldery - bringing of the wrath of the fox - child of a demon, unwated child, that is me - but not all I shall ever be. I am strong and I will not faulter in my quest - I will be known not as a Demon but as an Angel, I shall crawl from the darkness into the light - I will not give in.

He closed the book when a dark haired girl sat down beside him. Hyuuga Hinata, everyone thought he was oblivious to the timid girls crush on him. He wasn't stupid - he played the role well but he wasn't stupid. He couldn't acknowledge the girls crush, she was in love with his mask. With the fake smile and the false confidence he put on every single day. That wasn't the real him, the real him was buried inside the pages of the notebook infront of him.

The rest of the time was spent waiting for the others to show up. Naruto spent most of the time doodling on the front of his notebook. Iruka came in, still bandaged some from the night before and started to read off the list of names. Naruto totally ignored his Sensai until his own name came up.

"Team Seven....Uzumaki Naruto, Hanuro Sakura and Uchicha Sasuke." Naruto was not in the least surprised by this. Sakura was the smartest, Sasuke was the strongest - and his masqurade was the weakest. His Masqurade would probably say something very stupid right now.

"OI! Iruka-Sensai! How come I have to be on a team with Sasuke - Teme!"

"Because Naruto - Sasuke finished at the top of the class while you finished dead-last!" Iruka didn't mean it harshly, he just had a habit of yelling at Naruto, which of course Naruto knew. He truely cared for Iruka, and he was happy when he discovered the man truely cared for him.

He sat back down quietly as they were told that there Jounin instructors would be there soon to pick them up. He let out a sigh and put his head on the desk to wait....

Dream Sequence.

"Worthless piece of trash!" he felt the kick to the ribs, he felt the ribs give way and almost instantly start to heal. His eyes turned up to the drunk above him, snarling at the young mans tiny form. He heard it then...the sound that would forever scar his mind. The sound of a zipper ripped through the night air.

Dream Sequence End.

Naruto's eyes snapped open and a cool sweat formed on his brow and he dug his hands into the flesh of his arm for a moment to try and forget the memory. The pain distracted him for a minute atleast.

"Yo" he heard a voice, the voice of his Jounin Sensai - nearly three hours late.

"Meet me on the roof" He says rather abrutptly.

A Few minutes later all three were on the rooftops.

"So why don't you tell us all about yourselfs."

"Sensai! Why don't you tell us about yourself first" Naruto shouted, had to let his masquarde stay in place.

"Well...My Name is Hatake Kakashi - I don't have any hobbies...and as for my dreams...well thats none of your business....you first Dark haired one.."

"My name is Uchicha Sasuke - I don't have any likes or dislikes..and my dream..no my ambition..is to kill a certain man and ressurect my clan"

~Hrmmm....no surprise there..~

"Alright Pinky your next"

"My Name is Hanuro Sakura and I like..." her gaze slide over to Sasuke. "My hobbies are.." Again it slid over to Sasuke. "My Dreams are...." again it slid over to Sasuke. "And I hate Ino-pig and Naruto - no baka!"

"I see...." ~More intrested in love then being a ninja~

"Alright Blondie - your turn."

~Time to play the part~ Naruto thought quietly.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto and I like Ramen and Sakura-chan! I dislike the three minutes it takes for Ramen to cook and Sasuke-teme! My dream is to be Hokage!"

~My name is Uzumaki Naruto, I like to study in the quiet of my room and Kyuubi-chan. I like Ramen...but sometimes it gets tiring to eat all the time but it's all I can afford. My dream is to one day be truely happy...and to be Hokage~

Naruto listened as his Sensai tried to freak them out with the sixty-six percent pass rate jargon. He looked over to his team mates, both who just glared at him. He forced the smile on his face as he waved goodbye to them, his thoughts on the smooth Kunai waiting at home.