Saga of Tanya the Kunoichi

"Did you hear… that's the boy who caused the death of the 4th…".

"I heard he's the son of the Fox demon…".

"Why did they let him walk around like this…"

"Is the Hokage really not doing anything about him…".

Whispers and murmurs act like a brewing storm.

At the playground, Naruto is playing football with other kids that's there.

Suddenly one of the adult come in and pulled one of the kid.

"Tsukasa… don't play with that kid. He's … bad luck".

Huh?

Naruto watches as his new friend is taken away. As he turned to look around, he felt the gazes. 

Why are they looking at me like that…?

Naruto felt himself isolated, as if an invincible pressure was weighing on him. Naruto tried to ignore the feelings. Maybe it's just his imagination.

'Naruto! Catch!', Kota kicked the ball, hitting Naruto's head.

"Oww!".

'Haha! Naruto! What are you looking at!'.

Naruto chuckled, completely forgetting the pressure earlier.

"Here I come!", Naruto played with Kota and a few others.

Returning home, he felt the gazes again, but brushed it off as just his overthinking.

The next day…

"Oi! Kota! Let's play hide and seek!", Naruto comes running with a huge smile seeing Kota at the playground.

'Ah. Naruto…'. Kota seems tense suddenly. 

'I… My mother- My mother wants me to go back home early. Sorry…'. Kota avoided looking at Naruto's eyes, and walked away.

Kota.. Don't play with that yellow haired kid. Don't you stay near him! You understand?

Kota just nods, albeit feeling guilty. Seeing his mom had tears glistening and even anger in her eyes, he doesn't understand why but he doesn't want to cause her mother to feel sad. His mother looks at the picture of his late father who died during the Kyuubi attack, he's not sure what she's thinking…

Naruto, for the first time felt a stinging pain in his chest. 

Huh?

"Kota! Wait!". Kota didn't turn his head and walked away.

Seeing how he looked at him, avoiding his eyes, he felt… isolated.

Why?

Naruto looked around… and he suddenly felt it again. The glare, the gaze…

Those eyes…

Naruto felt his heart sting more, and the heaviness in his chest caused him to feel each breath become heavy. He wanted to cry… tears felt like flowing out of his eyes.

He shook his head. He doesn't understand. 

He looked at the other kids at the playground. But why… why are they avoiding me too?

"G-guys… can I play too?". He said hopeful to join in their games of marbles.

… 'We are full'. The boy said coldly and ignored Naruto.

"Oh… I see. It's fine haha…". Naruto said with a smile… but his heart stinged.

Nnhh… Naruto sniffed. The tears are about to fall. He turned around and ran back home… he doesn't want to stay here anymore...

…

Tanya is reading the newspaper today. But hearing the door open, she frowned.

"Nii-san?", she turned to see her brother coming in. When he had just gone out half an hour ago.

Nnnh… nhhh… Naruto closed his face, rubbing his eyes.

Naruto suddenly burst into tears.

???

Tanya is bewildered. What could happen to make his seemingly always-on-morphine brother cry like this.

'Tsu-chan… I… I…'.

Tanya just sat there, unsure what to do. She takes a deep breath. 

"Nii-san, tell me what happened".

'They… they… Kota… Kota doesn't want to play with me…'.

Tanya is trying to process and understand what exactly is causing Naruto to cry.

"Why?".

'I… I don't know…'.

That doesn't help much.

"What did he say?".

'His mother wants him to go back early…'.

"And? You still have other friends to play with".

'They… they don't want to play with me either…'.

Tanya rolled her eyes. Not everyone will like everyone. You can't just ask random people who don't know you much to simply feel good about playing with them. For her, it's normal that Naruto got rejected.

"Just play with those familiar to you. Don't force yourself onto people. Not everyone will like you. That's just how it is".

'I… Okay…'. 

Naruto turned away into his room. He's unable to truly express in words what caused the pain in his heart. He felt dejected and lay in bed, feeling down and heavy.

…

I guess I could bring him outside tonight to get some treats.

As much as Tanya doesn't really care much about childish problems and Naruto's nonsense, she feels a responsibility and it's her duty as Naruto's legal guardian.

After some time, Tanya went to knock on Naruto's door.

"Nii-san. Let's eat out today".

Naruto, hearing that suddenly brighten up. He went to wash his face and get ready instantly.

Coming out of the door, Naruto is giddy again.

'I want ramen!', his bright blue eyes almost blinded Tanya's own.

"Okay, okay. Let's go". 

Tanya smiled a little, marveled a little at how easy it is for a child's emotions to change, finding them quite amusing.

Night time in Konoha is lively. Shinobi hanging out in izakayas after a whole day's work or mission, drinking booze and sake. It reminds her of her last life.

Tch. Wonder if those guys end up like me or if they get through everything.

She reminisces about the guys she raised and is proud of. She is certain they would continue to be the excellent soldiers they were even if it's not her leading them.

"Nii-san, which ramen you want".

…

?

She looks over at Naruto, who's suddenly quiet, his face looking down.

"Nii-san".

'Ah… um… I want Uncle Tojo's place…'.

"Alright".

As the two walk side by side, Tanya finally realises what's off. The gazes around them.

Huh… She heard the hushes and whispers, pointing at them. She can tell from their eyes - the underlying negative emotions. As if, there's fear, disgust, annoyance, irritation, anger.

She keeps walking with Naruto, and can confirm this wasn't just in her head. She doesn't have much care per se, but it's quite annoying to be gawked at and trashed talked at.

As for the reason… She thinks there's only one logical answer. No wonder. This is why his brother is like this. But… how do the villagers know? She cannot answer this. And it probably does not matter even if she knew how. Whether a person who's supposed to keep the secret accidentally tells the chatty auntie next door, or it's an intentional foul play, she cannot let this have an effect on Naruto's mental development.

The two reached uncle toji's place.

"Welcome! Have a sea-".

Uncle Toji looks at the siblings. His eyes landed on Naruto, and his facial expression distorted to that of… anger.

"We are closing early! Eat somewhere else!". He huffed and left abruptly.

Naruto felt a pang in his heart. His body froze, unable to move. He doesn't understand.

Why? I don't get it… why is everyone… 

Naruto felt heaviness in his chest. Isolation, rejection, tears glistened in his eyes again. 

Just then, a hand grabs his firm, pulling Naruto out from his stupor.

'Nii-san. We will eat somewhere else'. Tanya's commanding voice and fierce eyes somehow gets Naruto to move his feet.

Tanya pulled Naruto out of the shop. As they went out, a customer came in and uncle Toji welcomed him warmly as usual. Naruto is not stupid enough to not understand what this means.

And it hurts him so much… and it hurts more when he doesn't understand why.

However Tanya noticed something peculiar about the situation. If I am not mistaken, uncle Toji specifically looks at Naruto more… perhaps…

…

She walks with Naruto across the street some more, arriving at another ramen restaurant. They have gone there a few times and are familiar with auntie Aiko.

'Naruto, we will eat at home'.

Tanya said as he entered the ramen shop first.

"Ah. It's Tsuyu-chan…", Aiko, the owner of the restaurant, had an awkward tone in her greetings. But at least she doesn't see the negative emotions from her nor other customers inside. At most, she's 'associated' - as if she's the brother or family of a 'monster'.

I give her a sweet smile like a 4 year old girl had, ignoring the whispers around me.

"Auntie, I want to order takeout. One tonkotsu ramen with extra toppings and regular kaisen ramen please", Tanya said politely.

Aiko had an uncomfortable body language, but nodded and went to prepare them.

Naruto, uncomfortable standing alone outside with the gazes and whispers directed to him, comes into the store to stay with Tanya. But then the gazes of the customer turned on him instantly.

Tanya didn't say a word. Aiko had placed the 2 takeouts in the packaging, ready to hand it over. But her grip tightened, almost shaking. Her expression changed when her eyes turned to Naruto. As if she's looking at the very person who murdered her child.

'Tsuyu-chan, here…', she handed them over to me with a complex tone. 

I thanked her politely and pulled Naruto out with me. From her tone and facial expression, she can confirm to a certain extent the villagers don't know that I too had the 9 tailed fox in myself.

This will be difficult…

Tanya looks at Naruto with pity, and even annoyance at the whole situation. Even if she herself is aware of her own inability to connect in depth with others; she has a better moral standard to not treat an innocent child of 4 years old like a monster.

"Nii-san. Listen to me".

Naruto raises his chin up, and looks at his sister.

"You don't have to care about what others say, or how they see you. You know yourself whether you deserve to be treated in such a way or not. Understand?".

'Yes… I understand…', Naruto just nods. He tries to digest his sister's words… and he knows she's right. But it still hurts… 

"Good. Let's go back home before the food gets cold".

The two come back home. Naruto ate the ramen silently…, and didn't have his usual nonsense blabbering about his day.

The silence even caused me to feel a little off - as if I missed coffee in my morning. After we were done I cleaned up the table and the plates, washing them quickly.

'Tsu-chan…', Naruto said with a sulking voice.

"Yes?".

Naruto seems to want to say something, but is unable to.

'Nevermind'.

Naruto heads off to his room.

Tanya can sense Naruto's mental state definitely in bad shape. But she doesn't know what to do about it. She had said what had to be said, and it's up to Naruto to grow up and realise the futility of caring over what others think and say. As Tanya closes his eyes on her bed, suddenly there's a knock on her door.

The door creaks open, and Naruto pops in with his pillow.

"Tsu-chan… can I sleep with you tonight?", Naruto felt a sense of loneliness after everything.

Sigh.

'Fine'.

Despite my feeling of discomfort and awkwardness of sharing my own personal space, I suppose I had to give in for today.

Naruto tucked himself under the blanket, hugging his pillow and using half of mine to rest his head on.

…

After a minute, Naruto spoke suddenly.

'Tsu-chan… why are they so mean to me…'. Naruto's voice broke. He's crying again.

Tanya gathers her thoughts about it. She can't just tell Naruto he had a monster inside of him that had once destroyed a part of the village and killed a lot of people. Emotional repercussions aside, it is supposed to be a secret. There's also the fact that knowing doesn't change a thing about how others would treat his brother.

'I just… I don't get it… nnh…', Naruto sniffed.

 Tanya handed him tissues, not wanting him to dirty her bed.

"Nii-san. It hurts only when you let them hurt you with their words and actions. And those people, they know nothing about you. And frankly, we don't know anything about them either. However, I know and you know yourself you don't deserve to be treated like crap. You have to grow up and stay strong. Understand?".

'Yes… Tsu-chan… I will stay strong…', Naruto nods.

Tanya nodded, satisfied at Naruto's answer.

"Now get to sleep. It will feel better in the morning".

'Nn…'.

The long day is finally over… however, it's just the beginning for both of them.