“The one who...adopted me?” Naruto was shocked. “But...Why don’t I remember her? I would...” The woman in Naruto’s dream flashed in his mind. “...remember her.”
Iruka wiped his eyes again. “She...She loved you. With all her heart. Just like a real mother would.” Iruka had started to shake, the tears appearing in his eyes again. “She was a classmate of mine...She was older then all of us. She didn’t mind. She was a mother...A mother to everyone who bothered to notice her...She was...” Iruka sobbed. Naruto placed his arm around Iruka’s shoulder. “She was there. That day. The day Kyuubi attacked the village, the day you...” Iruka trailed off.
“The day the Kyuubi was sealed in me.” Naruto finished for Iruka. “So she knew I was a monster.”
--
“Please...”
Twelve-year old Iruka peeked into the hospital room, where his classmate, sixteen year old Tsume Korohiga, knelt to the former Third Hokage. There were many injured ninja in the room with them. Iruka could see a small bundle in her arms. Tsume was holding the bundle as if for dear life.
“Please...Please let me take him.” Tsume whispered, her voice shaking, tears trickling down her eyes. “Yondaime-sama...Yondaime-sama told me to take care of him. He entrusted me...To make this child a hero. I was there when Yondaime-sama died. He told me the boy's name is Naruto Uzumaki. His father is dead, and his mother and older sister are missing. Please...” Tsume was bowing very deeply on her knees. “Let me take care of him.”
“He’s a monster!”
“He holds the Kyuubi! He doesn’t deserve to live!”
All the ninja in the room yelled at the young woman. Tsume still knelt to the Third Hokage. The bundle started to cry. Tsume quickly cradled the bundle, which continued to cry. The ninja in the room continued to shout.
“He doesn’t deserve to live! He’s a monster! A monster!”
“He’s not a monster!” Tsume shouted back. “If anything, he’s a newborn who has lost both his parents!” Her eyes continued to fill with tears. “How dare you call him a monster? The Yondaime-sama said he was a hero!” The others, save the third, scoffed at her.
The Third looked down at her. “I will entrust this boy to you until either his mother is proclaimed dead or she returns.” The Third smiled. “He is your responsibility. Remember that.”
“Thank you…” Tsume said, bowing. “I will...Protect him. I swear.” She smiled at the little bundle, which, Iruka noticed, had blond, spiked hair. “I will protect you.”
Tsume stood up, about to leave, when Iruka opened the door all the way. His eyes were filled with hate. “That boy holds the Kyuubi in him?” Iruka glanced at the boy. He was definitely a spiked blond haired boy, with a tattoo on his stomach...a sealing jutsu... “That thing really is a monster.” Iruka looked back up at Tsume. “Why? That thing probably killed off your parents, right? It killed your parents! Why do you hold it so dearly?!”
SMACK
Iruka rubbed his cheek. Tsume stood, tears filling her eyes. “How could you…….?” She softly whispered, before pushing Iruka out of the way and running off, still cradling the bundle.
--
“Sensei……” Naruto’s eyes widened. “You hated me?”
Iruka looked down, ashamed, and nodded. “Yes. I did. I did hate you. I was a child who lost his parents. What would you expect?” He closed his eyes. “But that changed two years later. It all changed, and I began to realize what a fool I had been the past two years.”
“What was it? What happened?” Naruto leaned in closer, waiting for Iruka to speak.
Iruka opened his eyes. “When she gave her life for you, it all changed…..”
