Naruto 1. Acceptance

Hello! I, Mareliko, am a fairly new writer to the site, but not a stranger to it by any means. What I would like to ask of you kind readers is that any criticism you leave is constructive, not all-out, pointless flaming. This includes reviewing badly just because you hate Anime because it is Japanese and they are "stealing all our jobs" (yes, I have seen this before). So, if you have these problems, please don't complain to me about it.

Also, just as a heads up for this story, there will be NO PAIRINGS, just for the fact that it is based on trust between students and their teacher. I don't really like the fact that most Naruto teachers are portrayed as pedophiles. Also, this story takes place most of the time when the rookie nine are 9-10 years old, meaning they have not left the academy yet. It will tend to jump into the present time (when they are 13-14ish) at the end of every chapter.

Thank you and, without further ado, I give you……THE DISCLAMER!

I do not own (insert random Anime/Manga title here, such as Naruto), because that would mean that I have done off the rightful owner, and taken the story over, which I haven't…yet.

……

Golden spikes of blonde hair swayed as two mischievous blue eyes peered around the corner, into a large room. It was the very classroom that Uzumaki Naruto had been held back in for years, almost putting a damper on the young boy's mood. At least he was able to push hardships like that away quickly… anyways, in this almost-abandoned room sat one figure, bent over his desk to grade his students' papers. The man himself seemed as if he were about to fall asleep, sitting in the stuffy room that was overly heated and lit from the large windows. Well, the dull silence would have to be broken _sometime_…the blond threw himself into the room.

"Iruka-sensei!" A hyperactive mass collided with the drowsy figure.

"Oi, Naruto!" A grin; feigned annoyance. "You're crushing my papers." After several pointless attempts, Iruka stopped trying to get Naruto off his lap and allowed him to overlook the various quizzes and tests splayed across the desk. "So, what has you in such a great mood today?"

Naruto looked up at his teacher, a wide grin across his face. "Nothin'." He glanced back to the papers. "Hey! I actually almost passed this one! Are you losing your edge, sensei?"

Iruka's eyes narrowed, but his own smile was still present. "Of course not. But you haven't actually answered my question yet. I know you have _something_ to tell me, or you wouldn't have run in the way you did. What is it?" The boy was rewarded with one of his teacher's rare lopsided grins, blaring a knowing look.

Naruto glanced around the room, eyes shifting in the search for any unwanted listeners. When the coast was apparently clear, a small hand raised itself to Iruka's ear, whispers soon after. "I'll tell you at Ichiraku's!"

"You little rat! You've practically trapped me! And I have papers to grade…"

"Well, I'll stay with you, if you want, sensei……"

Iruka looked down at Naruto, who was pleading for a reason to stay with the man he considered to be his father. The said man sighed. "Alright. We'll leave in an hour or so."

……

"Hey, hey! You want to hear now?" Naruto bounced in his seat next to Iruka, waiting for his pork-flavored noodle and broth feast to appear.

"Okay. I'll listen to you now. That is, if you're willing to tell me with out spending more of my last paycheck."

The blond blushed. "Aww…sensei! You make me sound like a criminal! Well, anyways, I was hanging out with Kiba, Shikamaru, and Chouji, right? Then, suddenly, I saw Sakura-chan! She was playing nearby with that scary girl, Ino, so I called out to her. She actually looked at me with out making a face! I think she might be starting to like me; she probably thinks I'm cute." The very thought sent the boy into fits of hopeful giggles.

Iruka stared at Naruto, a smile trying to force its way onto his face to block out the shock (not that the boy would notice anything). She always mocked him whenever he said hello? It had also been mentioned she made fun of him behind his back…How could Naruto stand it? Was he just unaware of the things that went on when his back was turned?

"Naruto…how long has Sakura made fun of you like that? Has she or her friends ever directly made fun of you?"

Naruto looked away from his teacher for a moment, looking slightly crestfallen. "Well, you see…I've always been made fun of. You've seen it happen. They all just…try to ignore me like I'm not there."

Iruka nodded at the boy, trying to show sympathy to his misunderstood student. He looked away to ponder on this heart-breaking occurrence when he suddenly locked eyes with the ramen server only a few inches from his face. The teacher gave a small yelp; in the period of time this hardship had been explained, their orders had come up. Both Iruka and Naruto left the conversation to later discussion in order to enjoy the treat provided by a very generous Chuunin's paycheck.

Several moments passed-after eating had commenced-before either of the two spoke again. It was Iruka who finally broke the silence.

"So what else has been happening to you? I really haven't seen much of what's going on, so please, tell me what else the other children do to you. I've got all evening to listen."

Naruto stared up at his teacher, just grateful for the chance to be heard. "Well, you see," he began timidly, very unlike himself, "it's not just the other kids. It's the villagers, mostly. I try, I really do, but they just don't want me near them. It's like I'm diseased…when I tried to help the old woman, who lives nearby me, with her groceries, she dropped them and ran away from me." The boy looked as if tears were welling up in his eyes. "That's not even the worst of it…"

A dejected whimper made its way out of Naruto's throat, making the man sitting next to him shift and move towards him, as if his presence would at least be some kind of comfort to the boy. Iruka had of course known the villagers didn't accept Naruto, but he didn't think it to be at this kind of level. The blond always seemed too hyperactive and carefree to even give the notation a second thought. "I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner, Naruto…it must be really hard for you."

The statement had some kind of effect on the boy, because only a couple seconds later, Naruto looked up at Iruka and smiled. "Thanks for treating me, sensei. I really like it when we can sit and eat out like this. It makes us like family, right?"

Iruka grinned right back at his student, amazed at Naruto's ability to recover so easily from what appeared to be an emotional blow. "Sure! From one orphan to another, these times of eating ramen and talking will show that we are family. Want another bowl?"

Now, Iruka couldn't be sure, but he assumed the tears in Naruto's eyes now were from the last statement. That kid sure loved Ramen…

"R-really? Another one?" Tears of absolute delight poured down Naruto's face. "Maybe Miso? No, I think I'll get Beef…" The boy continued to rant and rant about the flavors of his heart's desire, while Iruka's doubt that Naruto could seriously hold an emotional conversation grew and grew.

"Oi. Did you even hear what I first said?" Only a shining face, gazing off into what appeared to be heaven (a.k.a. the menu board) answered him. Iruka sighed, as he still would for many years to come. "You idiot…I'll take it you want beef…"

……

"Thanks for walking me home, sensei. It's getting darker earlier now, and I might get attacked by evil squirrels! No, seriously," Naruto tried to figure out at this point why his teacher seemed to roll his eyes so often (usually accompanied with a heavy sigh), "they were huge! They were in my house when I came home one night and they tried to eat all my ramen stashes; which reminds me: I'm all out! Will you take me shopping soon, Iruka-sensei? Well, if we do go shopping you can get some of those really yummy candies-"

This thread of unending conversation seemed to last for a while, until Naruto tired himself out (amazing…) and silence dominated this part of the trip. Naruto's tension seemed to rise at this point, implying to Iruka that the boy wanted to spend as much time with his as possible. He apparently guessed correctly because, soon after, Naruto began to talk again. This time, Naruto was asking about Iruka.

"Sensei? How old were you when you lost your parents?" The young blond slipped his hand into the older man's, looking up quizzically at him. When Iruka didn't answer right away, Naruto squeezed his hand, reassuringly. "Sensei?"

"Well, I was a lot older than you. Heck, I was even older than what you are now. I would have been 12 that year…" Iruka looked thoughtfully into the darkness lying ahead of the two. "It was a really hard time for me."

"How did you lose your parents? Was it to the Kyuubi?"

Iruka squeezed Naruto's hand lightly, the boy not understanding the gesture until many years later when he learned his worst secret. "Yes," Iruka responded quietly, "yes, I lost them both in Kyuubi's attack on Konoha. After they died, their home was left to me, and that's still where I live today. I've told you this before, I think."

"Oh. Well, did you know my parents? Did they fight the Kyuubi too?" Naruto was eager for information about anything in his past. They had gone through this routine before, but Naruto seemed to forget about the answers, hoping to get knowledge he wanted.

"No, Naruto. I'm sorry but I did not have the pleasure of meeting them." Iruka smiled apologetically and Naruto turned away disappointed. But, this time, Iruka had something else to say too. "However, I'm sure they must have been really good people if you were their son. If they were here, I'm sure they'd be very proud of your progress, not only as a shinobi, but also as a human being."

"Sensei…"

……

After what seemed to be about an hour-really only being a few minutes-Naruto and Iruka arrived at the blond's apartment complex. Naruto started climbing the main stair well when he suddenly stopped and turned to face Iruka.

"Hey, sensei? Do…do you want to come in for a bit? I could use some help organizing my training scrolls. I think I might have torn one, too…"

Iruka picked up on the boy's desperation for attention, and now that he had it, it wasn't getting away from him that easily. Iruka, though, was glad to comply with his student's wishes. If it would keep Naruto out of trouble for a week, then it was fine by him. Plus, if he went home, it would mean that he would have to grade more tests. Yuck.

"Okay. But you do know that I can only stay for an hour or so; just enough time to organize your scrolls and get you into bed. I have things to do too, you know." Iruka followed Naruto up the stairs, all the way to top floor where Naruto's apartment door way located. Naruto rushed up to his door and unlocked it, enthusiastic for the chance to spend some more time with his teacher. Once the wooden void had been opened, both entered the medium sized complex.

"Sensei! Sensei! See? All the scrolls are over there, on my table." Naruto gestured to the said furniture, piled heavy with multiple scrolls and some books. He grinned sheepishly, "I was training earlier, before I came to see you at the academy. I'm getting better all the time!"

Iruka once again grinned; this was the reason he had accepted Naruto when no one else really had. Sure, the boy had friends, but he had no adults in his life to be parents. For that matter, no one could even come close to what the boy needed attention-wise. Iruka was more than happy to be that person. After all, he was only making up for his own time of prejudice towards Naruto because of the Kyuubi. And, now that he had seen the boy's true personality, not warped by tales of possession, he found that he had been truly foolish.

"That's great Naruto. I'm sure that you will do great things in your time," Iruka responded, hoping to give the boy a little more encouragement for the future. As expected, a huge smile was his reward. "Of course, you won't get recognition for cleanliness in many, _many_ years…"

"Sensei! That's not fair! It's just because I leave stuff where it is for later. The cockroaches seem to be nicer when I don't move their houses around."

Horrified silence came from Iruka who looked as if he were about to pass out. Or possibly scream. "You live…with _cockroaches_?"

"No, no! Sensei, I was just kidding. See? You think I'd let them in my house, but I kill them all before they can get anywhere!" The boy failed to mention the few he had missed, but his response seemed to at least calm down his teacher.

"Nice…well, let's get to your scroll work. We have an hour."

Naruto smiled contentedly, already heading towards the table pilled with chaos. "Thanks again, Iruka-sensei."

"Anytime, Naruto."

……

The short hour had passed, and Naruto had to say goodbye to his only source of what could count as his parental support. "I really wish you could stay, sensei."

"Don't worry. You'll see me at school tomorrow. By the way, you did do your homework, right?"

Naruto zoomed off to another room of the apartment, only to return just as fast. "Yup! See, see? I think I'm beginning to get this whole charka thing…"

"That's _chakra_, o diligent student of mine. Well, at least you are definitely improving in the concept of homework. I'll see you later, Naruto."

Before Iruka could actually leave, Naruto ran up to him and gave the best hug he could muster. Quietly, he bid his teacher farewell, still wishing for him to stay. "Bye, Iruka-sensei…"

Iruka looked back down at Naruto the way a father would: lovingly, proudly, and kindly. "Naruto, before I go, I just wanted to let you know something," With a questioning glance from his student, Iruka continued. "You've really shown how much you've grown in these past months; in all honesty to you, I don't think I could have been prouder with my own son. I actually think of you to be that to me: a brother, son, and close friend. Take care."

Naruto suddenly sniffled, trying to look away from Iruka. "T-thanks sensei, but I have to-to go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow, " therein which he closed the door behind Iruka, trying to make it so his teacher couldn't hear what he had caused. But Iruka wasn't a shinobi for nothing; as he walked down the hallway, his smile only grew larger as he heard the soft sobs coming from Naruto's door. However, Iruka knew these couldn't be tears of sadness, for he could hear between a rather large break, a small timid voice called out.

"Bye, dad…"

……

Present time

Naruto looked up at the skies, almost blue as his eyes. He slowly turned over in the grass to observe the figures next to him; a beautiful young woman with pink hair worn short-Haruno Sakura. He had finally gotten to be with her on a team and she had only made him care for her and respect her even more.

Past her were two others. Uchiha Sasuke, who would be forever his rival and, though he wouldn't admit it to anyone, his closest friend. The other was his Jounin teacher, Hatake Kakashi, who had trained each of his three students to the best of his abilities.

These three others were like Naruto's family now; the only other he wish could be there was the man he had, and still sees as a father. Sure, they've had their rough times, but most of them only made them stronger, together. Naruto would always look up to Iruka as one of the only people who had truly cared about him, just like these other people did now.

: _Uzumaki Naruto received the Gift of Acceptance from Umino Iruka:_

……

Ches! First chapter is done, with more soon to follow. And yes, just for the entire plot's sake, Sasuke is not really psychotic in anyone's perspective. Speaking of which, next chapter: Sasuke. I hope I'll have it up soon!


	2. Acknowledgement

Okay, I said that I would make all these kiddies about 10 years old, but I have decided just to wing it and make them the best age in their case. Hence, Sasuke is 7 years old, a couple of months before Itachi massacred the entire Uchiha family.

Also, I would like to thank AmeKisame, ANIMEANGEL77, MeeLee, Junsui Kegasu, and mia for your support and my first five reviewers. It makes me feel really appreciated! cries tears of joi. And, for all you Sasuke fans out there, here's the little chibi for you now! Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Hey, if you read the first chapter, you would see that I already "Disclaimer-ed." I DON'T OWN. Please don't sue!

……

A raven-haired boy stood at the far end of the academy's yard, watching the teachers herding up the rest of the students to their parents. He determinedly looked away from them, continuing to throw shuriken at a dummy target. He knew he would have to get home soon, but not until the point where he absolutely had to. His father expected that when he came home that night, he would somehow be an expert shuriken thrower. Just like Itachi…

Once again, Uchiha Sasuke shook his head to clear himself of those troublesome thoughts, and unleashed another barrage on the unsuspecting target. Sasuke smiled as he hear the satisfying thunk as 14 or so of the metal stars embedded themselves into burlap and straw; he looked up, satisfied. However, shock hit him soon. Where was the 15th star? Sasuke looked around until he spotted it, caught in to wall right behind the dummy. He and missed it by a hair's width. Not good enough…

Sasuke grudgingly walked over to the wall and tore the shuriken out, sending small chunks of plaster to fall to the ground. Sasuke stared at the small star in his hand. Not good enough…

The boy then decided to examine the actual target. At least most of that had gone well: three in the heart's region, five in the stomach, two in the head, and one, surprisingly, in the neck. Sadly, to Sasuke, the other three had landed in non-critical areas, two in the upper arms, and one in one of the fake thighs. Sasuke frowned. Not good enough…

Walking over the dummy, Sasuke took the shuriken he held form the wall and stabbed it through the dummy's head. He glared at the straw falling, as if it had caused all his problems. He began to pull out all the other shuriken.

"Not good enough…maybe just one more time…" Sasuke realigned himself at the perfect throwing distance, and began his training again. The shuriken ended up in pretty much the same way, except the neck's throw had decided to end up in the wall with another star. Sasuke yelled and threw himself down to the ground in frustration. Why wasn't he getting any better? _Why?_ He wanted to show his father that he to could be as good as Itachi, but he wasn't getting anywhere.

"Stupid Itachi, why does he have to be so special? I bet if I train hard enough I can do it!" Sasuke fully lay down, trying to catch his breath. "Why doesn't father think I'm special, too?" The boy rolled over. Why wasn't he getting any better at this? Sasuke lay like this for while, just brooding over his father's stubbornness and his life's difficulties. He didn't mean to, but his eyes started drifting shut…maybe, he would shut his eyes for a bit and get back his energy…

……

Sasuke shot awake. No! How long had he been asleep? The sky was a deep burnt-orange color; it was twilight. The boy attempted to jump up, but came face to face with another person. An _older_ person.

"Oi, oi! Watch it! Jumping up like that, you might break your nose (or mine, for that matter!). What are you doing out here still, Sasuke-kun?" The stranger looked Sasuke up and down, maybe to see if he was all right?

Sasuke quizzically looked at the young man, wondering how he knew his name. Oh, wait: he was an Uchiha. Everyone knew him, but he didn't know them. Sasuke looked away with bit of a sour look to his face. The stranger looked puzzled at the gesture, but shook it off.

"Hey, do you mind if I take the shuriken in, now? I was instructed to do that a while ago, but it looked like you were sleeping on most of them. I didn't want to disturb your rest."

Sasuke looked at the man again. Did he know him? The guy acted like they were friends or something. He kind of liked the idea of someone to talk to. "Do you work at my academy?"

"Hm? I didn't know _you_ owned it." The stranger chuckled warmly at his own joke. "I'm sorry; I'm Umino Iruka. I'm becoming a teacher at the academy soon. I was an assistant for a while, so now I'll get a job here. So how about it? Can I get the shuriken for Tobo-sensei now, please?" Iruka looked at Sasuke slightly pleadingly, but Sasuke knew it was all just a ploy. The man was getting a kick out this…he probably though it was really funny he had fallen asleep.

"Fine. You can have them. I'm done practicing now." Sasuke handed the bunch of stars to Iruka. Then, he turned to leave.

"Oi! Would you like to help me get some stuff organized first? I still don't know where everything goes…do you?"

Sasuke sighed. Of course he knew; he used _everything_ everyday. But now, he wouldn't be on time. Oh, well. His parents could wait a few hours. "Fine."

The man smiled. "Thanks."

……

The two were working in Tobo-sensei's office, sorting through all the random scrolls and equipment used by the students that day. That included a bunch of accident reports.

"Wow. You guys are really accident-prone. How do most of you survive the academy and actually make it being a ninja?"

Sasuke flipped through all the pages containing information on all the unfortunate technicalities of the day. Most of them were about that Uzumaki kid. Sasuke suddenly felt very shy as he held up the papers to Iruka, who stared at him with a questioning intensity. "M-most of the troubles are from Naruto." He timidly withdrew from the papers as the man took hold of the flimsy sheets. He guessed this man was all right. And, because he was new, he wouldn't expect too much out of the over-strained child already. Not to mention, he wouldn't know much about Itachi, either.

"I see…" Iruka's face changed - as he read the documents - from a slight frown, to a quizzical look, and finally, ending in a wide grin. He even chuckled once or twice. "I really hope I don't get your class right off the bat. You guys are crazy!"

Sasuke laid his thin arms out on his teacher's desk, resting his chin between them. He gazed up at Iruka, analyzing him. Why would such a spirited and strange person like him become a teacher? There were some things in this world he had yet to understand. As he tilted his raven-decked head, something caught the boy's eye.

"Uh, Iruka…-Sensei?"

"Hm? What is it, Sasuke-kun?"

"Do you," Sasuke leaned closer to the man to verify his suspicions, "have your ears pierced?"

Iruka looked blankly at the boy. Then he slowly reached up to his left ear, thoughtfully rubbing at the lobe. "Yes, that's right. Good eye, there Sasuke-kun. However, I stopped wearing earrings about a month or so ago. The other people who worked here said it looked too unprofessional. I would have thought they would be completely closed by now and already healing." Iruka brought down his hand still staring at Sasuke. "The other teachers all said you seemed different from the other students. I guess they were right. You really are an Uchiha."

Sasuke seemed to huff at the final comment. "Of course I'm an Uchiha! Did you think that I was lying? I have a strong family and a really special older brother! Have you ever heard of Uchiha Itachi? Well, that's him! And, someday, I'm gonna be just as strong, and smart, and special-"

"Oi, oi! I didn't mean it that way, Sasuke-kun!" Iruka waved his hands in front of him in a non-offensive gesture. "I only meant that you are really going to grow up to be something special. It's obvious you got some really good genes from your family, and you are using them to their fullest potential. You don't get that form someone your age quite often."

Sasuke only sulked even more. "That's not true. I'm not doing as well as I could be. Itachi could do all this _and_ he activated his Sharingan when he about my age now. He was better than me at everything…"

Iruka looked at Sasuke, a kind of curious sympathy lingering in his eyes. "So, is all that extra training you were doing earlier just a way to catch you up to your brother?"

"Yes! I really want people to look at me for what I do, not what they want me to be; like Itachi. Everyone I meet smiles at me and then says, 'Oh! You're Itachi-san's brother! Well, I hope you grow up to do great things, just like your older brother,' or 'You should be proud to related to such a great shinobi! I wish all the time that I actually get to meet him someday.' They don't see me as Sasuke, but as another Itachi! Why don't they see that? Why _can't_ they see that? Even my father…" Sasuke became very quiet.

Iruka sighed, trying to find a way to explain this to the boy, and comfort him at the same time. "Well, you see, Sasuke-kun, everyone will always see your brother as a genius, and a lot of people really admire that in the ninja world. That's probably one of the easiest ways to claim fame. I won't lie to you; when I first saw you a couple of weeks ago, I wondered the very same things. But I also decided to try not to expect all these things from you and give you space to grow. It's always hard, living in someone's shadow." Iruka stopped talking, pausing to let a small frown make its way across his face.

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably, wishing he had a chair to sit at, or something. Iruka seemed to pick up on his discomfort, even in his own solemn silence. "Would like me to get you a chair from the teacher's lounge? Sasuke gave a small nod, being his only answer. Iruka gave Sasuke a reassuring smile, then walked out of the room, looking for his inanimate target.

After the other had left the room, Sasuke let out a sigh of relief. This new teacher was playfully intense…just the way he spoke seemed to give clues to other meanings that might be hidden in his words. He also happened to be one of the most emotional ninjas he had ever met. Most shinobi would always wear a blank expression or would be constantly serious. And, when they smiled, they never seemed to mean it…it was a chilling feeling.

However, this Iruka-sensei liked to laugh, and did it often, in a very true and warm manner. Sasuke could also tell what he felt, just by watching his eyes; Sasuke saw shock and admiration at the notice of his piercings, and sorrow in the later bits of the conversation. This show of emotion was a welcome break.

Another thing he enjoyed about this new teacher was that he had already set down the fact that Sasuke was not Itachi. It was something he had been waiting for a long time, this realization. And, he could tell, no matter how much Iruka joked about it, that he was really enthusiastic about having his class. Sasuke made a silent wish right then that he would get to have him as a teacher. He was tired of Tobo-sensei's constant comparisons and expectations.

The boy suddenly looked up when he heard the scraping of the door sliding open. There was Iruka, grinning, as he dragged in his prize.

"I found that they were hiding padded chairs in there! The nerve…Tobo-sensei was probably afraid I'd fall asleep on my job or something…" The teacher deposited the chair near the desk, right next to Sasuke, and took his own seat.

Sasuke looked at the chair, then at the man, back to the chair, and finally, took a seat. He shifted for a bit, attempting to be comfortable and able to see the papers at the same time. When he had settled, he joined Iruka in sorting paper work. It was silent for a bit, with just the sound of writing, fluttering, and stapling to keep the room from being completely dead. However, seven year olds, no matter who, were meant to talk at some point.

"Iruka-sensei? Can I ask you something?"

Iruka held on to the papers he was working on, but allowed his eyes to travel to Sasuke. "Sure."

"Why did you become a teacher? You seem like you should be out in the field." Sasuke' s onyx eyes grew wide with curiosity.

"Ah. So you're still trying to learn about me?" He took Sasuke's embarrassed blush as a yes. "Well, the main reason is I can't stand some of the normal shinobi rules. For example, I can't hide my emotions to save my life. My best friend, Mizuki, could always tell when I was lying or not. People can tell exactly what I have on my mind, no matter what I do to try and cover it up. They say it's my eyes." Iruka raised his eyebrow slightly when Sasuke nodded in agreement. Great. Now even kids noticed that…

"Well, the other reason (yes, Sasuke-kun, I will answer your question in long, boring detail) is I'm 'too soft.' A shinobi is supposed to be given a mission and carry it out without hesitation. I could do most of the assignments, but some involve killing. I couldn't live with myself if I were to kill a child or a civilian if it was for the good of a mission. Shinobi aren't supposed to 'feel,' but I do." Iruka stopped to look at Sasuke, who was staring intensely at the desk. "Did I answer you're your question?"

"Yes, you did. I guess it makes sense. But why would you rather teach children how to kill?"

"I'm not teaching kids how to kill, Sasuke-kun," Iruka's voice grew soft. "I'm going to teach them how to live."

……

It was about 9 o' clock when Sasuke finally decided he should go home. His mother was probably freaking out…

"Thanks again, Sasuke-kun. I got all my work done and have learned where all the best chairs are hidden thanks to you. I'll hopefully be seeing you tomorrow." Iruka smiled at Sasuke from the academy's front entrance. Sasuke smiled back, hiking his school bag higher up onto his shoulder.

"Sure! I'll probably stay late again to train, but definitely not this late. I'm getting better all the time!" Sasuke's grin got bigger.

"I'm sure you are." Iruka smiled proudly, already becoming more connected to his students. "But, before you go, I want to give you something." Iruka stepped towards Sasuke. Sasuke looked up curiously at the man, wondering what he could possibly have.

Iruka kneeled down top about Sasuke's eye level and handed him a loosely wrapped bundle. "It's something I found while cleaning earlier; I think you might like it."

Sasuke looked quizzically at the bundle, and slowly unfolded it. Inside of it were 10 training shuriken, a beginner's scroll of techniques on said weapon, and five practice kunai.

"I thought you might like to be able to train at home more without worrying about returning anything to Tobo-sensei. These were actually extras, so nobody will notice or care if they're gone." Iruka scratched at the bridge of his nose, across his recognizable scar. "I also wanted to tell you something before you left for home. When I said earlier that I would never see you as Itachi, there was another reason for it; Itachi is where he is today because it was given to him. Being a genius means that things come to you naturally, and you don't worry about having to get skill, but perfecting it. In your case, you have had to work for everything you have today, _and_ perfect it. That means you've probably worked harder and with more determination than your brother ever could have. That, Sasuke-kun, is true power. I don't doubt that someday, you will do great things."

Sasuke looked at his new teacher, eyes growing watery. He immediately turned to hide his forming tears, but Iruka had already seen them; he decided not to let on, though.

"Bye, Iruka-sensei!" Sasuke took off down the street, weapons in hand. Iruka watched him, until he was out of view, then slowly, with a satisfied grin on his face, turned and went inside the academy.

……

Present Time

Sasuke diligently tossed handfuls of shuriken and kunai at the scarecrow doll slung up against a tree (much to the dismay of his teacher, Hatake Kakashi). All his hits were perfect. Sasuke looked up at the sky, and quietly sat down. His void-black eyes dropped form the clouds to examine the star he held; stamped across the one of the edges was 'Property of Konoha Nin-Academy.' Sasuke smiled to himself and watched as his other teammates practiced.

:_Uchiha Sasuke received the Gift of Acknowledgement from Umino Iruka_:

……

Okies, just a few things about this chapter:

1) I couldn't find the name of Sasuke's main academy teacher (the one seen in his flashbacks while he is fighting Naruto 'to the death'), so I named him Tobo-sensei. If anyone knows his real name, please tell me!

2) I give the impression that while in his age group of 17-20, Iruka would be one of those kinds of people who love to joke around, hang with people and basically act like a very attractive social butterfly. Then, he got a job at the academy and had to sober himself up a bit (but that side still lives with him in secret!). Hence, the ear piercings.

3) Did anyone else notice how much I make Iruka have the habit of yelling "Oi!"?


	3. Recognition

…I think I love you people. I honestly do, especially my regulars (AmeKisame, Junsui Kegasu, and MeeLee) and my others (CuriousDreamWeaver, RobinAmon, ANIMEANGEL77, and mia). You people are really the only thing that gives me the will to keep writing, and I'm just glad you enjoy it enough to support me, too! DOMOU ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU! ( Thank you so very, VERY much!)

By the by, I wanted to give all you lovely people out there a heads up: expect me to only update on weekends! I am a very fluent procrastinator as it is, and it would be a miracle if I _ever_ get a chapter up on any day of Mon-Fri. So, sorry if keep you waiting too long!

And now, you are permitted to delve into Sakura's past, wherein she is about 10 years of age. I bid you have a pleasant journey and an enjoyable experience.

Disclaimer (Which I have done twice now, thank you very much…): Me don't own. Me only write. No sue?

……

The children of Konoha Ninja Academy rushed out of the school's open doors the second the teachers had dismissed them. It was a giant wave of small forms darting every which way, desperately trying to put as much distance between themselves and their everyday torture. With kinetic energy output rivaling that of an ANBU in battle, the children of Konoha ran home for the day.

As usual though, a small flock had stayed behind on the lawn of the old building. And, in the same sense of repetitiveness, they were the same bunch of kids that stayed everyday, rain or shine. In the middle of the all-girl mass was a raven-haired wonder, Uchiha Sasuke, who wished every one of his fans would drop dead on the spot.

"SASUKE-KUUUN!"

"No, Sasuke-kun! Look at me!"

"I LOVE YOU, SASUKE-KUN!"

Now, this last comment came from a very bright-eyed, pink haired girl by the name of Haruno Sakura. She had been very shy at first about her crush on the Uchiha, but now, she was just as good competition as the rest of her loser classmates. In fact, she knew one day she would be the one to hold Sasuke's heart. Her Inner Self told her so.

Sasuke looked around with obvious disgust, glaring at every girl circled around him. None of them seemed to notice though, so he gave up the attempt to scare them away and simply pushed his way through the ring. Then, in the split second he was free of the mass, he took off running, leaving his fan club to pout at their loss. The girls dispersed, each returning home, leaving Sakura to brood by herself.

Sakura looked around with forlornly with her large emerald eyes, wondering if anyone was still in the vicinity. "Sasuke-kun never seems to pay attention to me…I wonder what would make him want to be with me?"

The young girl trudged around to the back of the academy, retrieving her equipment bag where she had dropped it. The said item had been deposited as soon as the kunoichi in training had spotted her dark haired crush. Sakura looked at her bag in distaste as if the cloth item had been the one to hold her up in her advancement on Sasuke. Why did her run form her?

Sakura sighed, picking up her supplies, about to leave to general premises of the academy, when a thought came to her mind. Of course! Maybe Sasuke would like her more if she trained and got super strong. She eyed the leftover kunai that had been used in practice that day.

"Brilliant! We're so clever, Sasuke-kun is sure to notice us! And, when we can beat up all those other girls, we'll be unopposed!" Sakura's inner self crooned, delighted with her own superior reasoning. Even Sakura herself giggled at the prospect, getting more enthusiastic about the training idea.

"Yosh! Lets go catch Sasuke-kun's heart!" The girl dropped her bag once again, ran over to the target arrangements, picked up a fistful of the throwing knives, and chucked them at the targets set up. She glanced up to see the results only to be sorely disappointed. Out of the ten kunai thrown, only three had actually hit the target, and they were on the outer rim of the board. She huffed in frustration.

"ARGH! It's clear why Sasuke looks down on us now!" ranted her inner mind. "We can't even hit a target right! What, do you not even have aim?"

"Shut up…" Sakura's face drew into a dead glowering pout, put off by the fact that even her own mind had insulted her. "I just need more training." Even then though, Sakura knew she would have to spend weeks on that. This was going to be impossible!

Sakura and her Inner Self gave out on giant yell of frustration, and forcefully threw the remaining kunai off to the side.

"**_OI_**! Watch what you're doing!" Sakura jumped in surprise at the voice right next to her; precisely in the direction she had thrown the weapons. She turned with dead horror to face the damage she had inflicted.

There, only a couple yards or so away, was her teacher, arms filled with boxes of scrolls, two of the stray knives caught between his teeth, and the rest of them imbedded into the files he carried. Thank goodness he was a Chuunin, and had used the papers as a kind of shield. Still, the fact she had indirectly attacked her sensei…Sakura visibly paled.

"_Iruka-sensei_! I'm **so** sorry!" The girl rushed over to her teacher, tears appearing in her eyes. "I didn't mean to-oh my god, I-I was just practicing and-and I- oh, _god_!" Sakura was already dancing in place, trying to rid her of the awful sensations of shock and horror at nearly taking off her teacher's head. "I'm sorry, _I'm sorry, **I'm so sorry**_!"

Iruka glowered ruthlessly at the punctured papers he now carried, and turning his attention to the distressed girl, spat out the kunai he had caught. Even though Sakura, being the lowest level of shinobi, couldn't sense chakra easily, she was suddenly overwhelmed by the pure ferocity radiating from her sensei.

"That's…quite all right, Sakura-chan. I'm _sure_ it-was only…an accident…" Iruka's words came out in an overly forced manor. It was terrifying how calm he attempted to make his speech, even though his shaking form and narrowed eyes told the exact opposite. Sakura only began to cry harder.

"I'm **_s-so SORRY_**!" Sakura dropped to her knees, leeching on to one of Iruka's legs in the process, rubbing her face and sobbing into the dark material.

"Oi! Sakura-chan! You're going to make me-" the motion of trying to keep his balance _and_ continue to carry the box caused Iruka' s foot to clip out from under him. He landed next to Sakura with an oddly satisfying 'thunk.' "-fall."

In the midst of her sobbing, Sakura gave a slight giggle at the indignant look on her teacher's face. The lingering dust clouds and lopsided headband, knocked loose in the fall, didn't help either. Plus, there was a slight flustered blush coming to his cheeks. Priceless.

Iruka sighed, all frustration apparently gone, and looked over at the laughing girl, seemingly unamused. "Pray tell, what do you find so funny?"

Sakura ducked her head down, now feeling embarrassed. "Excuse me, Iruka-sensei. I didn't mean to laugh at your misfortune."

Iruka stood up and actually smiled at this comment, emitting a warmer chakra feeling rather than a murderous one. "Well, at least my 'misfortune' cheered you up." He bent down, picking up the mostly intact box. "Well, I best clean up the training grounds. I'll see you tomorrow, Sakura-chan." Iruka began to walk away when Sakura called out.

"Iruka-sensei! I'll help you. I was the last one to use them anyway, and…I need to apologize for almost…killing you…"

Iruka chuckled at this, his smile growing. "Sakura-chan, I don't think you could kill me even if you wanted to. But, the help would be appreciated, so thank you very much." He helped Sakura off the ground and the two of them started the search for the kunai.

……

"Iruka-sensei?" Sakura looked up at her teacher, still carrying the box from earlier, but filled with quite a few more papers and some random training items. He courteously offered to walk her home, at it was later then either of them had hoped to leave the academy.

"Hm?" Iruka looked at his student, pink hair seeming vivid red in the twilight sun.

"Why am I not as good as the other kids with things like kunai throwing and shuriken? I don't think I have any talents at all." Her head hung slightly, giving off a feeling of deep hurt.

Iruka turned around to look at her. "What makes you say that? And more importantly, why are you letting this bug you?"

"Well, you see, I-I really like Sasuke-kun, and…well, I'm really worried that he'll never notice me because of all the other girls that like him. I think that if I had really good shinobi skills, or special jutsus, maybe he would pay attention to me." Sakura looked up at her teacher, half expecting for him to bestow upon her the knowledge of the universe's best arts. All he really gave her was a deep sigh.

"You know, Sakura-chan? I don't think I'll ever understand women. Never. And, I don't think I'm really the best person you should talk to in the ways guys will notice girls, but I think I might be able to help you out with the training problem." With this assurance, Iruka stopped walking, set down the box, and picked up one of his grade books from inside. He flipped through a couple of pages until he found what he was looking for. He bent down to Sakura's eye level. "So, you don't think you have any talents, eh? Well, we'll just have to see about that."

Iruka placed the open book into Sakura's outstretched hands, allowing her to look over it for a minute.

"This…this can't be right, sensei!"

Right there, at the top of the highest scores, beneath Sasuke's name: Haruno Sakura. She flipped through the pages, all chronicling the test grades ever given or received. Every time, her name was right under Sasuke's. _Haruno Sakura…_ most of the time, she had even tied with him, staying at the very top of her classes.

Finally, she flipped to her own status page. There, a picture of her was shown; she had Ino's ribbon in her hair and was smiling broadly. Underneath her picture were all the comments her teachers ever had about her, the most recent being the most familiar. She looked to the very bottom of the list, Iruka's neat handwriting being the most obvious. She read her status:

"_Haruno Sakura is very intellectually inclined, and has good memorization skills (see hand seal training). She seems to have memorized all the text she is given, and is extremely focused on her work. Out of all the students, Sakura seems to be the best suited in the areas of Chakra training and jutsus. Might be a tad obsessive about certain classmates, though…"_

_-Umino Iruka_

Sakura looked back up at Iruka, questioningly. "What do you mean, 'the best of the class in chakra control'? How can that be possible?" Her eyes grew wide. "Am I-am I even better than Sasuke-kun?"

Iruka nodded, pleased to see Sakura's reaction turn from shock to absolute joy. "That's exactly what I meant. You see, Sasuke may be pretty advanced for his age and some of the other students have already gained excellent physical abilities, but you have developed one of the most important assets a shinobi needs. You are already one your way to some of the best chakra control I've ever seen." Iruka reached up, allowing his hand to gently rest atop her pink hair. Then giving it a loving ruffle, continued. "It's amazing just to see how advanced each of you has become. I'm especially looking forward to see how you develop."

Sakura slowly closed the scorebook and handed it back to her teacher, and for the second time that day, was on the brink of crying. "I…don't know what to say, sensei."

Iruka just gave her a small smile and stood up. "You don't have to say anything. You earned it all yourself." He placed the book back into the box, picked it up, and began to walk again. "So, how about we get you home? Your mother's probably ripping out all her hair by now."

"Yes, she probably is, sensei."

……

The next day, Sakura stayed behind at the academy. However, it was different that the other days. This time, instead of running out of her room to chase Sasuke, she stayed there with Iruka, looking over the papers of her peers. She had told Iruka that she was curious about her last test score, but in truth, she had just wanted to see the data book again. So, as Iruka graded papers, Sakura looked at all the comments of her peers. Her gazed through each of their skills, seeing how each was special. Eventually, she heard dead silence coming from her teacher. She stopped reading and gazed over at him, locking eyes with his.

"I've been watching you for a while now, enough to see you weren't looking at your scores," Iruka remarked. He smirked knowingly at Sakura's embarrassed flush.

"I-I wanted to see what everyone else could do, like Ino-chan," Sakura squirmed under her sensei's gaze. "I wanted to see how everyone was special."

Iruka looked away from her, face calming. "Well, I found another special trait you have, Sakura-chan."

"Really?" She pressed in closer. "What?"

Iruka turned back to her, wearing an idiotic grin. "You're nosy!" Sakura's eyes grew wide with tears **_again_-** "-I kid, I kid! What I really just noticed about you is your ability to see things and people for what they really are. You're amazing with detection of jutsus and chakra control, and that seems to have carried over as a talent you might be able to develop towards people: like your affections for Ino-chan and your wish to support her. You are able to recognize the abilities of those around you."

Sakura thought hard about what Iruka said; was she really that amazing? She turned back to him. "You know what, sensei? I think you're right. I want to see how everyone else is special and help them develop that. Like, you," she leaned close to him, "I can tell you're going to be a really great father someday!"

Iruka scratched his head. "Well, I don't know about that," he looked away, blushing at his own ponderings. "I guess we'll just have to see, someday."

Sakura grinned, picked up her bag and headed for the door. "It's getting late; I'm going home now, sensei!" Heartily, she waved good-bye and dashed out of the academy, catching up with some of her friends. Iruka watched quietly as the girls ran off, seeking some unknown venture.

"Good luck, Sakura-chan."

……

Haruno Sakura bowed deeply to the gathered Jounin, one of them being her current teacher, Hatake Kakashi. He seemed to be distracted by some kind of note he had tucked into his obscene book…it figured. Around her, she could see other familiar faces peppered into the crowd; some of her other friends had come to listen to her lecture with Tsunade-sama.

Sakura took a deep breath, and then spoke in her loudest and clearest voice, addressing her audience. She was able to randomly select people through the lecture, analyze their abilities, and tell them each the most proper form of medical assistance they should ever request when injured.

Many people congratulated her afterwards. Her former teammate, Uzumaki Naruto, even gave her a bone-crushing hug, insisting that they go out to Ramen as a treat. As she walked away, her hyperactive friend in tow, she gave a lingering glance towards the academy, hoping to catch a glance of the man who had first inspired her.

_: Haruno Sakura received the Gift of Recognition from Umino Iruka:_

……

Woo! I've got THREE chappies now! Hazzah! Well, as usual, I've got stuff to explain…

1. Yosh- Basically a term that can mean 'Yes!' or 'Alright!' in the sense of a happy, go-gettum' attitude.

2. This is during a time when Sakura was not rivals with Ino, hence she is excited to encourage her friend's talents. Also, she is very enthusiastic to wear the bow given to her by Ino at a young age.

3. Now, if you look at some of the things Iruka tells to Sakura, not only while walking her home, but when they come up on the subject of children, you might either see a guy who just happens to be very unlucky with women, or possibly a gay man. I'm not encouraging you towards either of the opinions, but once again, I just ask that I do not get flamed by Homophobes, just because they think they see something others don't. Who knows? Maybe he will turn out to be gay in this story, maybe not. I shall see.

Thanks again, and may you all have a happy, happy week! Next Chapter: Inuzuka Kiba.


End file.

Naruto