Hidden behind the mask

1

They called me Demon, Monster and told me I was unwanted by my parents. They said I was a good for nothing and a danger for the village. 
So I showed them. I showed them that I was strong. I showed them that I was no danger to the village but not one of them understood. I was giving my life for their safety every day. I fought for them I bled for them. I even gave up my childhood for them but they didn't care. 

Now I am alone. 
Unwanted by everyone. 

But at the same time not allowed to leave. 
They may have broken me but I will not let them pay for it by putting them in danger. 

"Look, it's the demon brat again. I wonder what he's up to now. Probably one of his stupid pranks again."

The glares had intensified over the years but after I had turned 10 they didn't just stick with simply glaring. No, they got violent. It reached from a simple glare to being raped in the middle of the street. Nothing and no one stopped them from doing it. Not even me.

I was alone in this cruel village. 
So to keep everyone in peace I put up a mask. 

A mask, making me look dumb and naive. 
I'm not, though. 

My codename is Kitsune. With my now 14 years I am one of the strongest Anbu members. I was the fastest just as fast as my father used to be. I was the strongest, just like Tsunade-baa-chan. I had perfected my seals and my body was now full of them keeping whatever I had close to me so the villagers wouldn't be able to get to them. 

Walking the halls of the Hokage tower gave me several respected bows. That was as long as I had my fox mask on. They wouldn't be showing me shit if I was just walking through this building. 

"Kitsune, I have an important mission for you. It will maybe take several years to complete it but I am sure you are the only one I can trust with this."
Staring at the old man Hokage from my bowing position I gave him a simple nod. I was sure of my abilities but there was something in his voice that made me wonder about this mission. 
"I want you to watch over our last Uchiha. You will be put in his class and go through the last year as Naruto Uzumaki. The prankster everyone believes you to be."
I looked at the old man with wide eyes. He actually wanted me to give up my Anbu position just to guard some dumb Uchiha that can't look after himself? 

"Hokage-sama, I am sure there are plenty of other people suited for something as protecting the last Uchiha." 
Before I could continue my thought any further the old man shut me up and put out his hand. 
"You will get your mask back as soon as Sasuke becomes a successful Chunin. Until then you will be Naruto Uzumaki the prankster of Konoha and dead last in your class."

Slowly I placed my mask in his outstretched hand. This mask was the only thing keeping me safe at night from those villagers. Without it, I could kiss my good night sleep goodbye. Not that I slept a whole lot anyway. 
"Wear this to complete your act and there will be no slip-ups and the Uchiha must be kept unharmed. I will also assign Kakashi Hatake as your Jounin. I believe the two of you have worked together already and should be able to keep him safe."

Looking at the weird suit he was holding up I slowly grabbed it with my pale fingers. It was coloured in an obnoxious orange and way too visible to be walking around unnoticed. How in the world was I supposed to hide with that thing on?
"You know what transformations to put on and how to behave. Change before you leave this room." 

With that, the old man walked out of the room. 
Stunned I just looked at the suit and sighed. No other choice. 

With heavy limbs, I shed myself from my beloved Anbu suit and got into this weirdly coloured suit. Looking in the mirror for a few seconds I sighed. I would miss my pale blond hair that was put up at the back of my head. I would miss my icy blue eyes that could make a grown man shiver in his boots. But most I would miss my face. Not to sound self-centred but I had to admit that I was attractive. For my 14 years, I was tall and thin. I had muscles but they hardly showed with my thin stature. My hands were defined and my fingers long. On every inch except for my face were seals carved into my flesh. My face was slim. My cheekbones stuck out and on each cheek, I had a band-aid covering those ugly whiskers. My eyebrows thin and my eyes sharp. 

With closed eyes, I put on the transformation and looked into ocean blue eyes. I was shorter but still thin. The whiskers were now openly shown on my tan skin and my hair was a bright blond. With a sigh, I turned and left the office. A wide smile on my face. 
There was nothing to smile about. How could the old man make me do this stupid shit? 

The glares were back as soon as I left the office. I wasn't scared of the glares or any of the villagers. No, they were not even close to a threat to me. My only fear was putting this village in danger. 

They had discriminated against me but I was still stupid enough to keep these idiots safe from whatever came from the outside. 

The night had been horrible. No possible hiding space and after getting raped in an alleyway they had finally left me for dead. New cuts and bruises now occupied my skin instead of the many seals. The next morning I got up from the dirty street and brushed off the dust. Walking away from the scene, I unconsciously put my hand up to my heart. Originally in that space was one of my biggest seals. In it, I had stored my mothers Katana and my father's special Kunai with his Hokage cape. It wasn't hard to figure out who my parents were. Especially if you had the Kyuubi as your best and only friend and a glare that could make a man pee himself. 

It was time for my first day at He... I mean at the Academy.
I never went there.
I had simply worked my way up in the shadows.
No one but the old man knew how I did it and he had supported me full heartedly and now I was here. Infront of my soon to be: personal hell.
The place that would make me go to my limits just to keep this brat safe. I was pretty sure he was safe as long as he stayed within these walls and I doubted that his brother would be coming anytime soon for this brat. 

This mission would at least take two years. A year to finish the academy and another one to get ready for the Chunin exams. Two years of no hiding and constant idiotic smiling. Why would the old man put me up to this? I was trained for Assassinations not for protecting a useless little self-centred brat. 
Being the last Uchiha and all he must think so highly of himself. Sure of himself that he was this generations Prodigy. But he wasn't. I was. I had long past even the great Itachi Uchiha himself. 
I had become an Anbu before he even left the village. We had a few missions together where I could analyse him without being spotted and that dude had some serious issues. 
A huge inferiority complex and a sickness not yet discovered. 
He was bound for doom. I knew it. I knew it before even Itachi himself. 

"Today we will be having a new student. He will join you for the last year before the genin exams. His name is Naruto Uzumaki. Please be friendly to him and don't cast him out."  
That was my cue to walk in. 
I didn't give a rats ass about all these kids. My only target was the Uchiha brat. I couldn't have cared less about their weird stares and even weirder questions. My target was sitting next to the window just glaring at the air.
What a bucket full of sunshine.
This will be a great mission. 

Screw you old man and your stupid S-Rank missions. I will not survive this. The great Kitsune would die here. I would die protecting a self-centred brat and now officially dead last of this class. 

Please, someone, come and shoot me.
These classes were ridiculous.
I actually had to try to be dead last.
What in the world were these people teaching here? All this stuff was pre-school knowledge. Isn't this supposed to be the graduating class? 
I wouldn't even wish this on my worst enemy. Jashin please help me!

Hey, Kit. Why are we in this cramped up room?
Well, funny story actually. The old man gave us the mission to watch the Uchiha brat over there until he becomes a Chunin. 

That will at least be another two years. What was that geezer thinking? We aren't trained in protecting people. I want to rip someone's head off not make sure this kid doesn't fall and scrape his knee. 
I feel you Kura but whatever the old man says goes. You know that as well as any other Ninja in this village. I mean have you seen these hideous clothes? I look like a carrot. I hate this. 
Hey, think positive just two more years of this and then its back to S-Rank missions until we drop. Try to enjoy a bit of your childhood. You did give the rest of it away already. Why not make the most of it now?
Yeah, maybe you're right but this school is no good. How is that Uchiha supposed to become a Chunin if he can hardly become a Genin with this knowledge? 

I don't know, kit. I'll go and take a nice nap seeing as you won't be fighting anyone anytime soon. 

With that Kurama was gone again. That stupid, old, lazy Fox left and I was left alone in my misery. Well, at least I can catch up on my sleep here. Seven hours of sleep every day doesn't sound bad. The villagers won't be able to do anything to me here. Laying my head down darkness came over me not even seconds later.