Azumi's POV
I suck in a deep breath of air before exhaling slowly enjoying the crisp morning air and admiring the beauty of the village as I walk around, my guard trailing a few steps behind me. The morning sun is blazing above us as we continue our walk through the village, the heat beating down us. I didn't have any scheduled sessions this morning so I took it as an opportunity to go for a walk through the village. People had already begun to wake up, already getting work and setting up stalls for the day. We walk past a couple of students rushing off to the academy clearly running late.
I wonder what Sasuke must be doing in the academy now? I think to myself as I take a turn only to collide with someone causing both me and the other person to fall on the ground because of the impact.
"Ow, watch where you're going!" a boy who looks to be my age grumbles as he rubs his head which had hit my own.
"Sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going" I replied standing up quickly and offering a hand to the boy to help him up. It was then I was able to take in his appearance more. He had blonde hair which was slightly held back by a pair of green goggles atop his head. His bright orange clothes slightly messed up with what looked like pain. My eyes moved over to the cans of what I now confirmed to be paint still in his hands, amazed that he hadn't dropped and spilt them when we collided. I made eye contact with him and was surprised to see such brilliant blue eyes staring back at me, it was as if I was staring out into a vast ocean. My own purple eyes must look dull in comparison.
"Who are you to yell at m'lady!?" my guard says from behind me, now getting in between me and the strange boy. I stand there observing the two as they begin to get into their own little squabble. I let out a slight laugh before I realize I should probably break it up soon before someone notices a ninja of the Kurokawa Clan in an argument with a boy much younger than he is.
"It is quite alright Tenzo, it was my fault" I say with a smile before I step forward and put myself between the two of them, stopping their banter. The boy just stares at me silently, as if he too is observing me and what I will do next. I decide to introduce myself, smiling at the stranger and holding out a hand in greeting.
"Hello, I apologize for my guard, he really didn't mean any harm. My name is Azumi Kurokawa, may I ask yours?"
I don't fail to notice the shift in the boys demeanor as he realizes that I am not mad at him as he stops staring at me suspiciously. Instead, he grabs my hand which is still in the air waiting for him to shake it. He squeezes it tightly and shakes it up and down rather aggressively, a large grin now adorning his face, his blue eyes sparkling.
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki! And you better remember my name because I'm gonna be the future hokage! Believe it!" he declared loudly, the big smile never leaving his face.
"Well, it is an honor to be acquainted with the future hokage" I said with a smile and a laugh amused at this new boy I have met. I let go of his hand once he's done shaking mine before my eyes flicker back to the cans of paint he is still holding. Naruto just chuckles happily as I give him a big smile before I turn towards my guard.
"Tenzo-san? Would you please go and get me a drink? I'm quite thirsty, you do not have to worry I will stay right here" I smile at my guard as innocently as possible. He seems to not want to leave and stands there for a minute trying to decide whether it would be wise to leave me here alone with a boy I just met less than 10 minutes ago but seems to decide that he's not a threat and leaves in the end. I grin widely at his retreating figure, happy that I can finally ask Naruto what it is he plans to do with the cans of paint he has on him.
"So Naruto-san, what are you going to do with the paint?"
"Oh this? Heh, why don't you come with me and find out?" He laughs happily. He doesn't give me a chance to reply as he's already grabbing my hand with his free one and pulling me through the village. I can't help but laugh at the situation I'm in. It reminds me of the past whenever Sasuke and I would run off to pull pranks on our parents or siblings. I shake my head slightly at the ache in my chest that begins to form at the thought of the past.
Naruto leads us to a stop, letting go of my hand and reaching into his jacket to pull out two large paint brushes. An evil, mischevious glint in his eyes and a wide smile that hasn't left his face since he first dragged me off. I laugh as I look to where his eyes are pointed, the great stone monuments of the Hokage.
We both stand looking up at the hokage stone faces with a smile, I started to have an idea what the cans of paint were.
"Well Naruto-san, you are quite the troublemaker" I say with a chuckle, beginning to question myself and whether I would really do something so daring. Ever since I could remember I've been told stories of the past Hokage and all the good they did for the village. I can't believe I am now in a situation where I would have to consider disrespecting them in such a childish prank.
"Come on, why don't you help me out sis? It'll be tons of fun, ya know?" Naruto laughs, again not waiting for me to respond as he pushes some paint and a brush into my hands. I stare down at the objects in my hand wondering whether I am really going to do this.
I will surely be lectured about this if Mother were to find out... b-but I don't want to let Naruto down
I give myself a encouraging nod, dipping the brush into a paint bucket and then looking at Naruto who was already staring back at me with a proud look on his face, his paint brush all ready to go.
"Let's do this"
~*~
"Naruto-san, I'm starting to think this was a bad idea" I yell as Naruto pulls my hand trying to get away from the two ninjas chasing after us.
"Naruto! Come back here just wait till I get my hands on you!" One of them yells out from behind us, Naruto just continues to run and pull me along with him. The ninjas threats landing on death ears as Naruto's laughter continues to echo through the village.
"You crossed the line this time Naruto!" the other yells from behind us. I allow myself to turn and look back at them. It shouldn't be funny to me but the look of them running after us so desperate to catch us makes me join in on Naruto's laughter.
"Give it up, you're just jealous because you don't have the guts to do what I do! Do ya? Losers! Wannabes! You'll never catch us!" Naruto taunts in response as he quickly pulls me to a sharp corner. I'm not sure how he did it but he managed to trick the two ninja by camouflaging us with a wooden fence.
"W-we were able to escape!" I manage to choke out once Naruto told me that the coast was clear. I clap my hands happily as the two of us burst out in a fit of laughter. I look down at my kimono now noticing the splotches of paint all over me.
Ah, mother will for sure kill me now
"Ahaha, that was too easy" Naruto laughs out proudly rubbing the back of his head.
"Oh yeah Naruto?" Another ninja says from behind us catching us by surprise. I turn to the new face with a sheepish smile as Naruto jumps into the air with a yell not having expected the newcomer.
"Where'd you come from Iruka-sensei? What are you doing here?" Naruto grumbles out in mock annoyance, I continue to stand there silently mentally preparing myself for the trouble I am going to get into once I go back home.
"No what are you doing in here? You're supposed to be in class and stop dragging others into your antics!" Iruka screams pointing an accusing finger at Naruto.
We're sooo in trouble now
~*~
"Naruto-san, may I ask why I'm tied up as well" I whisper yell at my new troublemaker friend who grunts in response, not happy to be tied up in front of the class. Once Iruka caught us he brought us back to the academy and tied us up in front of the class back to back. To say I am embarrassed is an understatement. I knew I would get into trouble but I was not prepared for such public humiliation. I can't even bring myself to look towards the other students sitting in their seats and staring at the two of us tied up on the floor. I especially put extra effort to not make eye contact with my own onyx-haired friend who is sitting in the audience. He hasn't stopped glaring at us once since Iruka dragged us in here.
"I'm at the end of my rope naruto, you failed the graduation test before and the time before that. Tomorrow you've got another chance and you're messing up again! And not only that you are also dragging other kids into this" Iruka says, his arms crossed and looking sternly at Naruto. Naruto just gives him a 'hmph' in return before turning his head away from his Sensei.
Narutooo I groan mentally, I had tried to reason and apologize with this Iruka-Sensei earlier but he would hear none of it.
"Fine! Because you missed it Naruto! Everyone will review the transformation jutsu!" Iruka yelled out pointing a finger at his class to make a point which just earned a few groans of complaint.
"If I may cut in Iruka-san, I am not a student here so may I leave?" I ask as innocently as I possibly can, looking up at the ninja from my seat on the floor. I manage to make eye contact with Sasuke who is sitting a bit behind Iruka and he is still staring back at me with his eyes narrowed. I flash him the biggest smile I can muster, knowing that that is sure to make him even more annoyed.
"Well-" Iruka starts before he is cut off by someone rushing into the classroom and punching him right on the face, the impact causing him to smack into the wall behind him. Everyone, including Naruto and I stare in stunned silence seeing Iruka picking himself off the ground. My eyes widen even more as I realize that it none other than my guard Tenzo who is the cause of Iruka's fall from grace.
"Iruka! What do you think you're doing tying m'lady up!" Tenzo yells as he rushes towards me and quickly unties the ropes.
"Lady Kurokawa, you have no idea how worried I was when I returned and you were no longer where I left you! If your parents had found out I lost you I would be big trouble!" Tenzo speaks frantically as he manages to untie me and helps me stand to my feet. Taking in my now disheveled appearance with paint all over my clothes and now dust as well from the dirty floor.
"L-lady Kurokawa?" Iruka says in shock as he walks over towards us, rubbing his now red and swelling face.
"Hai, it was a pleasure to meet you Iruka-san even if the circumstances weren't ideal! And I apologize for my guards behaviour" I replied with a smile as I give Iruka a small bow.
"Agh! What's the big deal with Kurokawa anyways?" Naruto yelled placing his arms behind his head and standing next to me. I laugh at his tone of voice, it's not ever day that I meet someone who does not care for my Clan. It is quite refreshing. By now the other students have left their seats and some have now moved closer to us. Others have used our disturbance of their class time to catch up on sleep, talk to their friends or simply stare outside at the clouds passing by.
"Watch your tone Naruto! You do not disrespect the Kurokawa Clan!" Iruka warns, earning another 'hmpf' from Naruto.
"What are you doing with that dobe?" Sasuke's voice brings my attention away from a bickering Naruto and Iruka and onto him.
"I'll explain everything later, go line up with your classmates" I said pushing him towards where the rest of his classmates have begun to line up as Iruka instructed them to. Sasuke simply rolls his eyes at me before silently going to line up with the rest of his class.
"Alright, let's go m'lady" Tenzo says from beside me, I nod my head. I decide against bidding my friends farewell as they are now busy reviewing the transformation jutsu.
I am definitely going back home to a ton of lectures... but... today was fun.