Naruto: Winds and Changes

Naruto began to tremble, while he never paid attention and didn't like to study he had never been dumb. Stupid? Maybe a little. But living on his own since he was five had forced him to develop a little faster then most. No he was not the brightest person, but he did have a decent amount of common sense and a keen ability to read others, something that had helped him immensely in the past when he had run into several drunken villagers.

He knew that Mizuki was telling him this for a reason, that the child who the Kyuubi was sealed into and he were in some way tied.

Mizuki confirmed his theory a few seconds later, "you are the child he sealed the Kyuubi into! You are the nine tailed fox!"

Naruto slumped to his knees. Everything made sense to him now. The glares, the hatred, the people muttering behind his back, telling their children to stay away from him. A part of him was actually angry that he had not realized this. His birthday was the day of the Kyuubi's defeat, people hated him with a passion, the one time he went out during the Kyuubi festival because he wanted to celebrate his birthday he had been beaten by a group of drunken villagers.

All of it made sense.

So I'm a demon then…?

Naruto was so caught up in his turmoil that he did not even see the giant Fuuma Shuriken heading his way.

A second later Naruto found himself staring into Iruka's tear streaked face, he looked over to see a giant shuriken sticking out of his sensei's back.

"Why?" Naruto asked, his voice cracking with emotion.

"Because we're the same," Iruka said with guilt lacing his words. "I was just like you, back when I was in the academy I was so lonely, so I played the fool. I know what it's like to feel that kind of pain, it hurts doesn't it? I'm so sorry Naruto, I should have done more to help you."

"Hahahaha!" Mizuki laughed behind them, "that's a good one Iruka! But we both know you hate him more then anyone! After all, it was the demon who took your parents away!"

Naruto's eyes widened when he heard that. Naruto did the only thing he could do given what he was being told, he grabbed the scroll and ran.

"Naruto!" Iruka's voice sounded after him.

Naruto continued jumping through the trees as fast as he could to get away from the two chunin.

"Naruto!"

Turning around the blond saw Iruka coming towards him. "Naruto! Mizuki was lying! He was just saying that stuff to confuse you!" The chunin academy teacher held out his hand. "Give me the scroll so we can keep Mizuki from getting it!"

However, Naruto merely spun around and launched himself back at Iruka, smashing his head into the chunin's gut.

The two tumbled down the trees and onto the ground.

"How?" Iruka questioned as he held onto his stomach, "how did you know," there was a puff of smoke. "That I wasn't Iruka?" asked the Mizuki.

Naruto smirked, "because." There was a puff of smoke, when it cleared it revealed Iruka. "I'm Iruka."

Mizuki scowled, "why are you protecting that demon anyways? You know what he'll do now that he has his hands on the scroll. Naruto is just like me. He'll use the power that's inside the scroll to destroy Konoha! That's what demons are like."

"Your right," said Iruka, surprising Mizuki. "That is what a demon would do…"

Naruto who had taken to hiding behind a tree as he listened in, froze at those words. I see… he thought sadly. So Iruka only see's me as a demon too…

"But that's not what Naruto would do," Iruka's words caused Naruto and Mizuki to snapped there attention back to him. "Naruto is not the demon. He's my student and a proud ninja of Konoha! Sure he made not always get things right and he's a little… well he's really clumsy and doesn't act all that smart. But he's nothing like you! Naruto is a one in a million kind of person and I believe in him!"

Naruto went from depressed to elated, Iruka believed in him. For as long as he could remember only the old man and a nice father/daughter couple at Ichiraku Ramen believed in him. Having another person who believed he could succeed was an elating feeling.

"You know Iruka I was going to save you for later, but I've changed my mind." Mizuki sneered as he began spinning his shuriken on his arm as he got ready to launch it. "Die!"

Just as Mizuki got ready to throw his Fuuma shuriken at the Iruka a blond and orange streak crashed into him, launching a foot into his face. The Chunin traitor scowled as he landed several feet back, glaring at the person who had hit him.

"If you lay one hand on my sensei, I'll kill you!" Naruto declared, giving his opponent a defiant glare.

"Hah! I'd like to see you try demon!" Mizuki shouted with an insane grin.

Naruto put his hands in a ram seal and began amassing his chakra for another jutsu that he had seen in the scroll. "Tajuu Kage Bunshin No Jutsu!"

Both Iruka and Mizuki gaped as hundreds if not thousands of Naruto's appeared within the forest. They were every where, a literal see of orange that almost blocked out all of the green of the forest.

"What's wrong Mizuki-teme? I thought you were going to kick my ass!" one of the clones shouted.

Another cracked his knuckles, "well if your not coming to us, I guess we'll just go to you!"

The clones all jumped up and headed towards the terrified traitor.

Naruto grinned as he looked down at the mass of black and blue flesh that had at one point been Mizuki.

"Hehe, maybe I went a little too hard on him," the blond said with a sheepish grin.

Unbelievable, Iruka thought in awe. To be able to have learned such a powerful jutsu in less then an hour… and the number of clones. He said that he wanted to be surpass the Hokage's and I'm beginning to believe he just might do it.

"Naruto," Iruka said, getting the blonds attention. "Come here, I have something I want to give you."

Naruto blinked before walking over to him, "what's up sensei?"

"Close your eyes for a moment," Iruka said. Naruto did so and as he did felt a weight being removed from his head before a new one took it's place. "Ok, you can open them now."