Tale of A Golden Girl

Losers

About Two Weeks Ago...

Pulling themselves from the collapsed position they had fallen into, a battered figure stood shakily, desert sands spilling off of their hunched form in small rivers. In their right hand, they held a scuffed Konoha hitai-ate, one that had been blown off of its owner in their last battle before they disappeared. Broken puppets littered the area around the figure, and they could vaguely sense four chakra signatures. Two up ahead, and two behind them.

Ahead, one of them hailed from the Land of Fire, and the other, the Land of Wind. Behind them, was animal chakra, most likely a summon, and with it, was another member of the Land of Fire.

The figure looked down at the battered hitai-ate in their bloodied hand.

'One day...' The figure thought. 'When I have grown strong, I will return this to you...'

The figure turned around, ignoring their various wounds, and began a long trek away from Sand, and away from Leaf.

"We will meet again, Naruto..."

Present Time

The Chunin instructor, a young man in his early twenties named Akira Inuzuka finally got Naruto to sit down, ushering the loud blonde to the very back of the classroom, and to the only empty seat, by the window. The boy she had been seated next to, kept sneaking glances at her, hands wringing in his lap nervously.

Curious as to why he was so anxious, she turned to him, and poked him in the side, earning a small startled squeak. The boy looked over at her, their eyes connecting for the first time.

As soon as blue met black, Naruto knew exactly who the spiky haired child was, and even so, she asked, "What's your name?"

"Obito Uchiha." He whispered, shooting a glance at the teacher who was explaining some beginner's traps.

"I'm Nawuto, pleased to meet ya." She grinned, only showing so through the crinkling at the corners of her eyes.

"I know." Obito grinned back. "You yelled it so loud there's no way I couldn't know."

Naruto flushed.

'Gosh Kurama, Obito's so small... so small and innocent...' Naruto thought.

'Well he's five, did you really expect anything else?' The bijuu asked flatly.

'I've got to protect him.' Naruto decided, ignoring her cynical partner.

"Hey, wanna be fweinds?" Naruto asked suddenly.

Obito's eyes went wide, and Naruto blinked in confusion when his bottom lip trembled, and his dark orbs suddenly filled with tears.

"Y-you want to be friends with me?" He asked shakily, as if that was the most absurd thing he'd ever heard, wiping at his eyes with his forearms. "B-but everybody says I'm a loser..."

'Yeesh, he really is the number one crybaby ninja.'

"They call you that?" Naruto said instead.

Obito just rubbed at his eyes, peeking at Naruto uncertainly, as if he confirmed it, she would hate him.

"Pfft." Naruto snickered, feeling a sliver of guilt when Obito looked momentarily crushed.

Naruto took his hand and shook it vigorously. "That's so weird, 'cause people call me loser too!"

Obito's teary eyes were wide again.

'I honestly don't think you should proclaim such a thing so proudly.'

'Oh shut up.'

"Wh-wha!?" Obito exclaimed. "You too Naruto!?"

"Heck yeah!"