Waiting.

Waiting was the hard part.

Well... not really, but Epsilon would have liked to think it was.

The hard part was watching, and not being able to stop it, because it had to happen. If it didn't, the entire plot line would change, probably for the worse.

So therefore, she was waiting on top of a roof of a building. It was already night, so she was becoming impatient. Across the road, Mizuki landed in front of Iruka's apartment. "Iruka-sensei, wake up!" He shouted.

The previously mention man opened his door in black sleeping wear. "What? What is it?"

"You need to come to Lord Hokage's right away." He spoke urgently. "It's Naruto. He stole the Sacred Scroll." 'Of course he did because you told him to, liar.'

Iruka's face turned to sheer panic. "You mean the Scroll of Sealing?! No!" The two quickly dashed towards the Hokage's tower with Epsilon not to far behind. She glanced back everyone in a while to make sure that the ANBU hadn't found her yet. It was hard to shake them, so she didn't want them finding her while she was watching the plot line unfold.

-

When she was comfortably settled on a roof far enough away not to be seen unless looked for, but to hear and see herself, she began to actually listen. They mostly argued about why it was bad or a crime or whatever. She didn't care because she knew the real reason.

"Lord Hokage, this is not just a prank but a serious crime!"

"That scroll contains secrets that were sealed by the first Hokage! Secrets known only to our village!"

"If it falls into the wrong hands, they could destroy our entire way of life."

The Third Hokage glanced up and spotted Epsilon sitting lazily against the roof tiles. As soon as they made eye contact, she froze. She wasn't supposed to have been seen. She didn't move and the Hokage gave her a slight nod, like an 'alright you can keep listening'. Well of course she was confused, but listened anyways. "Alright. Bring Naruto here at once."

He lifted his arm sideways and they scattered, saying "yes sir" prior to leaving. The old man gave her another look that said 'we'll talk about this later' and turned around to head back.

She blinked a few times, shaking out of her stupor, and took off after Iruka. She could keep up with his speed, which surprised her, but he was going in the wrong direction. She didn't want to mess up the plot line but....

Iruka stopped turned around once there was a hand firmly clasped around his own. "Zeta, what are you doing up? I don't have time for this."

She turned and pulled him in the other direction. "Come on. You're going the wrong way."

He sent a suspicious glance her way. "What do you mean?"

She turned back to look at him while still moving. "I know where Naruto is."

Reluctantly, he moved a bit faster with her so they could run. "How did you know what I was doing?"

"Does it matter?"

"I guess not."

-

"Here." The duo stopped, and sure enough there was Naruto. He was sitting on the ground with the scroll on his back panting, all because of his training and desire to pass the ninja test. Of course Iruka didn't know that because Epsilon didn't bother sharing it. Naruto had to say it anyways.

She let go of his hand and he turned around to thank her, but she was gone. Well not really gone because she was only a few trees over, but close enough.

Now this was the hard part though, because all she could do was watch.

He walked towards Naruto and his shadow loomed over the boy. Naruto looked up with wide eyes. Iruka was hunched over, sweating bullets, and panting from the run. Wasn't he supposed to be Jounin? "It's all over. Heh heh heh..."

Naruto stood up and rubbed the back of his head like he'd been caught. "Heh heh heh..."

"Huh?" Iruka spoke quietly and stood up straight.

"Got me already. Not bad. You're quite quick sensei, I only had time to learn on technique."

He's been out here practicing. I can tell how hard he's been working.

The voices filled in Iruka thoughts for her. Dang, could she read minds? That would be epic.

"Listen Iruka-sensei," He spoke enthusiastically. "I'm gonna show you this amazing jutsu and you're going to let me graduate and everything will be okay. That's how it works right? Anyone who learns a jutsu from this scroll passes!"

Iruka's face changed into one of surprise and confusion. "Huh? Where'd you get that idea?"

Naruto waved his arms around aimlessly. "Mizuki-sensei told me about it!" He spun around and jumped into the air, showing the scroll on his back to Iruka. "Believe it!" He turned to face the older man again. "He told me about the scroll, and this place..." His drifted off and his arms fell to his sides. He was looking at Iruka's face. Pure astonishment.

Mizuki landed on the other side of the tree that Epsilon was on, and she so badly wanted to punch him, but that was Naruto's job. She would definitely get a hit in the end though.

He threw kunai and Iruka whirled around. He shoved Naruto out of the way and shouted, "Look out!" He took the brunt of the impact. Before she could be spotted by anyone, she moved to another tree farther away.

"So I see you found our little hideaway." Mizuki spoke

Iruka looked to him with a pained face. "So that's the way it is huh? I should have known." Seconds past. "Naruto! Give me the scroll now." He spoke as the yanked the kunai from his leg.

"Wait a minute." He looked back and forth between the Jounins. He was clearly startled. "What's going on here?"

Iruka panted heavily, the run now taking its toll. "Naruto, don't let Mizuki get the scroll! It contains forbidden jutsu that could put this village in grave danger. Mizuki used you to get the scroll for himself, for his own power."

Naruto's face twisted into one of anger. Mizuki just stood on the tree branch with a smug look on his face. "Naruto, Iruka's just trying to scare you because he doesn't want you to have the scroll." Once again, Naruto was confused. He turned to Iruka and a look of betrayal flashed across his face.

Epsilon cringed. Watching hurt more than she thought it would.

Well if you don't want to watch it, eNd iT.

She block them out, but she could only last for so long.

Iruka's words jarred her back into the present. "Stop lying Mizuki. Don't let him trick you Naruto!"

"Ha ha hah!" Mizuki laughed. "Oh I'll tell you who's really lying."

Iruka became panicked. "No Mizuki!"

"They've been lying to you your whole life Naruto." He continued. "Since the decree twelve years ago."

"What decree?" Naruto asked slowly.

"Everyone knows it 'cept you." He taunted. "Iruka's trying to hide it from you even now. He'd do anything to shut me up."

Naruto looked up to him. "What is this decree? Why does everyone else know about it?"

"Don't tell him it's forbidden!" Iruka interjected, desperately trying to stop the other from saying it.

Mizuki grew an evil look on his face. "The decree is that no one can tell you that the Nine Tailed Fox is inside you."

Naruto's pupils shrunk and all the unhappy emotions passed through his face. He was mostly horrified, but one emotion flashed through his face that nearly broke her.

Understanding.

Not of why he had the beast inside him, but why people treated him so poorly. In the anime and manga this wasn't so painful to see. To her now though... It hurt so bad. She didn't even realize that tears had been falling until one hit her hand.

"The fox spirit that killed Iruka's parents and destroyed this village has taken over your body. You are the Nine Tailed Fox."

That brat is not the Nine Tailed Fox. He doesn't deserve that title.

That was one of the newer voices. He said it as if it was an honorable thing to be the fox spirit.

"Stop it!" Iruka desperately yelled.

"They've all been sneaking around, hiding things from you your whole life." Mizuki's smugness made its way into his voice. "Didn't you think it was strange how they treated you? Like dirt! They hated you for just being alive."

"No!" Naruto shouted. His own chakra spiraled viciously around him, reacting to his own emotions. "No no no NO!"

Naruto... Epsilon thought helplessly. This had to happen, so she refused to interfere, but it was getting harder and harder to refuse.

"That's why you will never be accepted in this village. Even your beloved Sensei hates your guts!" Iruka promptly groaned in pain. Mizuki grabbed one of the two giant shurikens off his back. "Die Naruto!"

Epsilon reacted.

She tied string to the end of a kunai and flung it when Mizuki threw his. Naruto desperately crawled away, and Iruka started to move. Her kunai passed through the hole in the center of the large shuriken and stuck into a tree. She wrapped the string around her left hand and held tight.

"Naruto get down!" Iruka shouted and ran to him. He positioned himself above the boy and braced for impact.

When the string was at it's full length it yanked on her hand and drew blood, but she held fast. The shuriken embedded itself in Iruka's back, only about two inches less than it should have. It still must have hurt him, but it was less painful and did less damage than it could have done if she hadn't intervened. She sighed and looked up to the sky. 'So much for not intervening...'

Iruka grunted in pain again, and Naruto looked stunned. Mizuki's face contorted into one of disbelief and pure anger. "But, why?" Naruto asked softly.

"Because we're the same." That hit Naruto hard. "I lost my parents, and no one seemed to care. They didn't have time for me. They just forgot I was there. My grades dropped. I became the class clown. I just wanted them to see me, and to know my name." There was so much pain laced in his words. "My score wasn't good enough to get their attention, so I did crazy things. Then I had to pay for it. It was hard. I know that's how you feel, Naruto." One of his tears dripped off his face and hit Naruto's. "You feel lonely and it hurts inside. And I could have been there for you more. Naruto lifted his torso up. "I let you down, I'm sorry. No one should have to suffer that much. No one should be alone like that."

She heard Mizuki chuckling off the side. Why didn't the bad guys even attack when the good guys are talking to each other? 'Because it's anime. Don't question it.' "Don't make me laugh!" His smug expression returned again. "Iruka always hated you. He was orphaned because the Nine Tailed Fox killed his parents, and that beast is now inside you. He'd say anything to get the scroll from you."

She sweat dropped. 'Didn't he just say 'Die Naruto' though? ' Naruto turned away from Iruka and sent him a suspicious look. Then, with a quick movement of his feet, he was running. Epsilon made the hand sign for the shadow clone jutsu. She had never done it before, but had a pretty good idea on how it. She concentrated her life energy into her hands and whispered. "Shadow Clone Jutsu." A single replica of herself appeared next to her. She seemed wobbly on her feet, but it would be good enough. She sent her clone after Naruto.

"Naruto!" Iruka yelled after him. He reached out a hand in a futile attempt to stop him. He was too far away. "NARUTO!"

Mizuki landed on the ground under his tree. "Heh heh heh. You know, once he makes up his mind, nothing can change it. He's going to use the scroll to take revenge on the village." He stood up triumphantly. "You saw that look in his eye didn't you? Those are the eyes of a beast." Iruka yanked out the shuriken and her string went limp. She unwrapped it from her bleeding hand and continued watching.

"No." Iruka stood up with his back to Mizuki. "Naruto isn't like that!" He flung the giant shuriken blindly and Mizuki easily sidestepped to avoid it. She sprinted over and caught the shuriken before it could hit anything. It would come in handy later.

"You're a joke." She hated his condescending tone. "As soon as I eliminate Naruto and get the scroll, I'll be back for you." He then jumped away. Epsilon slung her arm through the shuriken hole and jumped down from her hiding spot.

"Get up." She picked up a log from the ground and tossed it to a now standing and astonished Iruka. "I think you know what to do with that."

He caught it and looked up at her. "Were you watching the whole thing?" He looked down and caught sight of her bleeding hand.

She ignored his question and pointed in the direction that Naruto was now in. "Go prove Mizuki wrong." Iruka must have decided to trust her, because he lept off in the direction she pointed to. She quickly but quietly followed behind. She wouldn't miss this for the world.

As she was running, she looked up to where she knew the Hokage was watching, and waved.

-

Epsilon followed Iruka through the forest. He had already transformed into Naruto and was now only waiting for Mizuki to find him.

Why would he help a brat like that?

Heh heh heh!

The voices were back and she couldn't stop them, but she was too focused to care. Mizuki, who was transformed as Iruka, came up on Iruka's side. "Naruto!" He yelled. "Everything Mizuki said was a lie! Give me the scroll, hurry! He's coming after you to take it away!"

The fake Naruto turned and tackled the fake Iruka. Mizuki went flying and skidded on the ground before coming to a halt. "Can't be..." He spoke. The real Iruka unslung the fake scroll from his back and sat against the base of a tree, panting heavily. His wounds were really taking a toll on him now. "How did you know, Naruto?" The fake Iruka turned and with a poof, transformed back into himself. "How did you know that it was me and not Iruka?"

The fake Naruto had a pained smirk on his face. With a poof, Iruka turned back into himself. "Because I'm Iruka."

Mizuki stood up. "You're a fool. Why are you protecting that freak?" She spotted Naruto safely hidden behind a nearby tree. She saw her clone watching the boy, but with a poof, she disappeared. Epsilon was getting tired. Keeping the clone active took a lot of concentration, she didn't know how the other ninja did it. "He's the one that wiped out your family." She looked back to the two jounin.

"I don't care what you say, you're not getting your hands on the scroll." Iruka retorted. Naruto looked down, a determined face making it way up onto his face.

"As if you could stop me." Mizuki spoke cockily. "Don't you get it? Naruto's just like me."

"How's that?" Iruka said disbelieving.

"He wants the scroll for his own power and for his own vengeance. That's how beasts are." Epsilon clenched her fists. "He'll pour all his rage into the scroll and destroy everything."

"Right." Naruto's eyes narrowed and he clutched the scroll closer.

So it's true. Iruka-sensei never believed in me.

Of course he didn't brat.

He thinks I'm some... Beast.

We both are.

Some kind of freak!

Epsilon didn't know what was happening. One was Naruto's inner thoughts, and she believed the other to be one of hers. But the more she listened, the more she was unsure that the voices in her head were really hers at all.

"That is how beasts are." Naruto's eyes shot wide open. "But that's not who Naruto is. He's nothing like that." The boy's eyes were wide with surprise now. "Naruto's one of a kind. Works hard, puts his whole heart into it. Sure he messes up sometimes and everyone jumps on him. But his suffering only makes him stronger. That's what separates him from being a beast." He sat up. "So you're wrong, he's nothing like the Nine Tailed Fox. He's Naruto Uzumaki of the Village Hidden in the Leaves." She glanced at Naruto and waterfalls of tears were pouring down his face.

Mizuki's eye twitched in annoyance. He unclipped the second large shuriken from his back. "You really believe that dribble? I was going to save you for later but I changed my mind." He spun the shuriken. "You're finished!" He launched himself towards Iruka.

So this is it.

Naruto burst from behind the tree and slammed his knee into Mizuki, sending him and the other shuriken flying. Epsilon ran and caught it before it disappeared through the trees. Now she had two.

Naruto landed cleanly while Muziki skidded in the ground once again. "Not bad," Mizuki commented. "For a little punk." He stood up.

Naruto set the base of the scroll on the ground and stood up. He placed his hand on the top of the scroll and shadows covered half his face, making him look deathly serious. "If you ever land a hand on my sensei, I'll kill you." She was going to use that line sometime in the future.

"Such big words." Mizuki taunted. "I can completely destroy you with single move!" He held up his fist.

Naruto positioned four fingers into a single cross. "Take your best shot fool. I'll give it back to you a thousand fold!"

Mizuki became enraged. "Let me see you try! Show me what you can do Nine Tailed Fox!"

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto shouted. In a giant poof, hundreds of copies of Naruto appeared everywhere. Epsilon had to jump back to avoid being seen. One had formed right next to her.

"Over here!"

"No I'm over here!"

"Mizuki look this way!"

"Come on!"

"Come get me!"

All the Naruto were shouted at him, and Mizuki spun in a circle looking from side to side. He was clearly panicked. He fell to the ground and backed up. All the Naruto her wide grins on their faces because they knew they had won.

"If you're not coming-"

"-then we're going to come after you."

Mizuki looked absolutely terrified. He screamed bloody murder as all the clones attacked at once.

-

After Mizuki's beating, he lay twitching on the ground with Naruto standing over head. He scratched the back of his head and grinned, trying to look innocent. "Heh heh. Sorry I kinda got carried away." He dropped his hand to his side. "You okay Iruka-sensei?"

"Uh, yeah." Iruka spoke with a grin.

He's amazing. He wants to surpass all the Hokage, and I'm starting to believe he might do it.

After hearing his thoughts, she so badly wanted to jump from her hiding spot and yell, "Believe it!" But then of course her cover would be blown.

Iruka grunted. "Hey Naruto, come here a minute." He said with a smile. "I've got something I want to give you." She became a little giddy. She loved this part.

Naruto walked over to him as he stood up. "Yeah Iruka-sensei?"

He smiled even warmer. "Just close your eyes." Naruto did as he was told and close his eyes. Iruka began to untie his headband and take it off his head. He started to tie it around Naruto's head when said boy began to complain again.

"Sensei, how much longer?"

"Okay, you can open your eyes now." The sun shone brightly behind them, as if congratulating Naruto. "Congratulations, you graduate." Iruka had a heart warming closed eye smile. Naruto stood there stunned with wide eyes for a few seconds. "And to celebrate, I have a surprise. We're going out for Ramen tonight."

All was quiet, and for a split second, she could tell Iruka thought he had said something wrong. Naruto all of a sudden burst from his trance and launched himself at Iruka. "Iruka-sensei!" There was so much joy in his voice.

"That hurts!" They both laughed and sat there in bliss for a while longer.

Once they were gone, and had conveniently left Mizuki behind, she hopped down from her hiding spot. She briskly strode over to Mizuki and unslung one of the giant shuriken from her arm, embedding it in the ground inches away from his face. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, but unfortunately for him, he was in no shape to be moving. "How pitiful." She sat down above his head. "You were beaten by a non-ninja." He slowly sat up, then to his feet.

"It was you wasn't it? You helped them the entire time. You knew where Naruto had gone and you told Iruka, the only person close to Naruto." His face twisted into a deep scowl.

She mock clapped, raised her eyebrows for effect. "Wow. Great job you figured it out."

Furious at her, he lunged at her. "I'll kill you for that!"

She held up her fist and slammed it into his face. With the combined momentum she heard a crack and he fell to the ground. He coughed out blood, and she noticed how his nose was now bent in an odd direction. She swiftly kicked him in the gut to make sure he didn't get up anytime soon. "Think about it logically, if I knew you plan from the start, then why did you think you could beat me now especially in your condition?"

She turned away from him and began walking back towards the village, feeling quite fulfilled in herself. She had always wanted to do that.

Despite that fulfilled feeling, her mind raised some important questions. Like, if Mizuki figured out that she was helping that fast, how long would it take others to notice the same?