Chapter 06

"Alright kids, this is where we will train you physically," Iruka said pointing at a bunch of 12 year olds who were currently running a very complicated obstacle course where they had to jump through hoops while dull kunais and shurikens were thrown at them. I'm honestly surprised someone so young could move like that, it seemed abnormal, but then again they were training to be ninja after all.

"Woah! Are we going to do all that cool stuff too Iruka-Sensei?!" Naruto asked for the class.

"No, not yet," the man smiled, "for today, you kids are going to undergo physical training," he grinned, "ten laps around the field! Get moving!"

The kids looked surprised and a little startled. Clan kids like Sasuke just obeyed while a few lazy ones like Choji and Shikamaru walked instead of running. Iruka did manage to get us all running in the end, with me bringing up the rear thanks to me...less than stellar physical stats.

Naruto, seeing me struggling, held back as well, walking besides me as I struggled to finish one lap. "Come on Yami! You can do it!"

I grumbled, "I-I try," I groaned, "don't hold back-run faster."

Naruto blinked, "ah, you sure?"

I nodded, "don't hold back to make me feel better moron," I panted, "run."

Naruto grinned, "alright!" And he took off like a bullet pulling up third right behind Sasuke and some other civilian kid that looked like he was used to heavy labour.

I was the last to finish, panting and sweating like nobody's business. I was mildly aware of Naruto picking a fight with Sasuke about who really won, but I honestly was too exhausted to give a damn.

Ping!

Due to constant exercise you have gained +2 VIT!

I groaned, at least I gained something. I hate physical exercise. Fuck me.

It took me ten minutes to recover. Iruka took us all back inside and let us rest for a while before giving us another lecture on why physical exercise was important before letting us go home.

"Alright Yami! Let's go play!" Naruto cheered.

I groaned forgetting the promise I made the blonde. I sighed, "right, let's go," I grumbled as he practically dragged me out of the academy. The other kids looked at us funny but let it go, the orphan kids openly glared at Naruto and I, but said nothing as I left.

We reached the park, to be honest it was huge for someone of my stature. Naruto guided me to the swing set as he quickly began to play smiling all the while.

"This had been the best day ever! Dattebayo!" Naruto grinned, ah his infamous verbal tick.

I sighed, "I hate physical training, I feel like I've been rung out and hung out to dry!"

Naruto laughed, "yeah! You looked like a zombie Yami!"

I grumbled, "thanks orange monkey. I don't understand how you can be so fucking hyper all the time! It's not fair!"

Naruto blinked, "what's fucking?"

My eyes went wide. "Shit! I mean fuck! I mean," I closed my mouth with both hands, "Naruto, please don't tell anyone I told you that!"

Naruto blinked, "but what does it mean?"

I grumbled, "it's a bad word Naruto. Please don't tell anyone, kids like us aren't supposed to know it."

"Then how come you know it?!" Naruto asked with sparkling eyes.

I sighed rubbing my temples, "because I'm smart like that. Listen, please don't tell anyone, okay? Promise me."

Naruto quickly nodded, "I promise!" he held out his pinky. I looked at the finger, what was he trying to do? Naruto blinked, "you don't know the pinkie promise?"

I shook my head, "no, what is it?"

Naruto grinned, "well it's a promise you make between to friends! You hold each other pinkies together and make a promise you can never break."

I chuckled, "alright fine," I bent my pinkie around his.

Naruto smiled, "I promise not to break my promise!"

I smiled, "thanks Naruto. Now, what's say you and I play on the slides?"

Naruto's eyes went wide, "yes please dattebayo!" He jumped off the swing set and pulled me along towards the slide. We played for hours until the sun began to go down. I honestly forgot how it felt being a child, so carefree and full of joy. It was...a nice life.

Naruto and I found ourselves looking down on the park from atop the slide. Children were leaving with their parents, all of them looked happy and smiling. I noticed Naruto's eyes saden a little watching them leave.

He suddenly spoke up, "hey Yami...do you ever feel lonely sometimes? You know, without parents?"

I shrugged, "honestly Naruto? I don't really thought of it. I don't remember my parents," literally, "and right now...I'm more focused on staying alive."

Naruto blinked, "eh? What do you mean by that?"

I sighed, "the world's a very scary place Naruto. There are people out there who can kill me in seconds. So right now my goal is staying alive."

Naruto snorted, "that's a horrible dream Yami!"

My left eye twitched, "yeah? And you got a better one?" I asked the question on impulse, but I already knew the answer that was coming.

"Yeah! I'm going to become Hokage!" Naruto cried out at the top of his lungs, the convection in his eyes spoke volumes to me, I can honestly see why so many people saw him as a charismatic leader when he grows up.

I looked at him, "you know, a Hokage needs to listen in class."

Naruto hung his head, "I know," he looked up at me, "so what? Do you have a dream like that?"

I smiled, "well…no, I don't. I honestly don't know what this world has to offer me. What do I want….well, I suppose I want to know just who I am."

Naruto blinked, "eh? What are you talking about ? You're Yami. Duh."

I rolled my eyes, "not that you dummy! I mean I don't know what kind of person I am!"

"You're Yami! How hard is that for you to understand?!"

"You're the one who doesn't understand moron! There has to be more than just Yami! I need to know what kind of person I can be in such a world!"

Naruto blinked, "huh? What do you mean?"

"I don't know if I'm a good man, and brave man, a honest man or even a greedy man," I shrugged, "I don't know who I even am."

Naruto narrowed his eyes, "how many times do I have to tell you, you're Yami!"

I grumbled, "Naruto that's not..." I paused and wondered, could I really be that? Yami...all this time I thought I was trapped here, but what if this isn't a trap, but a gift? What if….what if I was given a chance to live a better life? A happier life? Then….can I honestly say I shouldn't learn to enjoy it?

Who knows what kind of life I lived before this, whatever happened back then...that's gone now. I need to focus on what I can see and do, and that means this new world before me deserves my full attention.

I looked at Naruto, "what do you think I should be?"

Naruto blinked, "eh...well I don't know. You're pretty smart, maybe you can be like Iruka sensei."

I snorted, "yeah right, no way I'm going to become a teacher, I would go mad before I spend my life teaching people."

"Hm...well...maybe you should be my assistant!" Naruto smiled with a broad grin, "yeah! When I become Hokage, you can be my assistant and help me run the village!"

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