Stupid Fourth Hokage!

She arrived at the land above the Hokage rock, looking at the Konoha Police Force members trying to deal with Naruto's shadow clones that's holding them back. 

What's worse is these shinobi can't even deal with Naruto's shadow clones! What a waste! She walked step by step approaching the cliff. The shadow clones noticed Tsuyu's arrival and anger eventually.

"Gasp! It's Tsu-chan! RUNNNN!!!".

One shadow clone screamed in panic and ran off, with the rest scattered like monkeys. The ones painted on Minato's Rock Face also scattered in fear. Some poofed themselves, some jumped off the cliff, while others ran in different directions. 

Her eyes scan left and right, trying to see the real one. But she had no magic eyes and she really couldn't figure it out. Her eyes darkened, quickly she locked her eyes onto a single victim.

With a flash, she grabbed one like a catching a running chicken, looking at him like she's about to eat him.

"A-Ahh! T-Tsu-chan…-".

"Where's the original?", she said coldly, scaring him so much.

"I… He's… there-!", the shadow clone pointed in a direction, towards the forest.

"Lead me to him".

The shadow clone didn't dare to disobey… after all, the real Naruto wouldn't dare to disobey her once she showed those glares either.

***

Hu…hu… How come she's here! 

Naruto thought she's doing whatever out there. Thankfully, he escaped… well, actually, no.

"... Uzumaki. Naruto".

Naruto felt a chill creeping up his back hearing the cold voice behind him.

"Tsu-chan…", he turned around to face her, but his eyes were looking elsewhere.

"... if you want the villagers to respect you… you shouldn't have disrespected the village's hero…", Tsuyu's tone was mild, contrary to her anger. She didn't ask why he's doing that. She understood the reason.

Naruto looked up at her, his expression a little surprised at her words. He thought, Tsuyu would get angry and scold him coldly.

"... it's not like the villagers ever change. It's been years and it's still the same…", he said bitterly. Naruto is not so blind to not see the villagers still view him as an outcast. Even if they aren't blatantly pushing him away, they would ignore his existence and distance themselves like he had some bad body odour or something.

Tsuyu opened her lips, trying to find a counterpoint. But he's right, so what can she say?

"... So far… no".

"See! You know it!", Naruto's tone becomes loud and harsh, on verge of lashing out.

"... it doesn't matter what they think of me. Not anymore! Whatever!", Naruto crossed his arms, turning his face away acting pouty.

But his eyes contained deep sadness and heaviness, that he had to accept this fact. 

It doesn't matter…? Tsuyu feels Naruto is giving an excuse. While it's true he wished it did not matter, and it shouldn't matter, but he still feels it matters. Otherwise he wouldn't have cried about it nor would he have felt stupid.

"Yes. It doesn't matter. Those people are strangers. They don't know you and you don't know them either". Tsuyu said, reinforcing Naruto's own words.

But hearing these, Naruto felt like getting angry again.

"What do you know! Every day- they-". Naruto bit his lips. He takes a deep breath, holding his chest to soothe the ache.

This brat… you still care. She rolled her eyes inwardly. 

"... but I shouldn't… I know I shouldn't… it's not like they matter… they don't care about me… I don't care about them", Naruto looked down, kicking away at a rock.

"It's natural to get hurt from rejection, nii-san…".

Naruto takes a deep breath, recovering from his feelings. He lay against a tree, looking up at the sky, or looking down at the ground.

Tsuyu moved nearer, resting her back on another tree constantly observing and trying to read on him. She remained silent, trying to give him space to talk now that he's not closing her out entirely.

"... do you…".

Tsuyu perked her ears.

"... think I am pitiful…?".

Tsuyu went silent for seconds, thinking over it.

"No. Nii-san. I don't think so".

"... you know I had the fox in me earlier… why didn't you tell me?". 

"You aren't ready to know. Besides, it's a village secret", Tsuyu muttered the sentence, but she felt uncomfortable saying it. She knows Naruto wouldn't like it.

"...yeah… right… not ready~ whatever~", Naruto's voice was almost choking.

"... I don't even know why people hated me back then… it's… it just sucks… you could have told me… you could have… made it easier…".

"...", Tsuyu turned her eyes towards the trees and flora in front of her. Thinking over his words. At the moment Naruto knew - he did crash out. But it's also true he did get better afterward. Tsuyu had watched him, and knew these were true.

For Naruto, knowing the reason for the hate itself is a form of closure and acceptance.

That lying to him had reasons to be a wrong thing to do, and if she had told him earlier Naruto would crash out earlier but, he would feel better earlier too. The same could apply to every other information she's hiding.

"I thought, I know what's best for you. But at times, I am wrong… I don't know how you take it. I thought it would… break you". Tsuyu looked into Naruto's eyes, admitting her flaws, and what she thought.

"So you just assumed I will, what, act like a brat and cry all day?". Tsuyu glared at Tsuyu for thinking so low of him.

Tsuyu chuckled slightly.

"You did though for a few days".

"Y-You…!", Naruto pointed at Tsuyu in anger. However, an unexpected sentence comes out from her.

"... but I know I was wrong now… you take it well, you proved me wrong about you. You never let it break you, you never give up on yourself, and you still move forward".

Naruto parted his lips, feeling surprised at her words. The words felt like a soothing current amidst the turmoil in his heart. That Tsuyu did, some part of her, believes in him.

Naruto turned to the side, looking down at the ground again.

"Why… don't you tell me earlier you had the fox too…". Naruto knew what words Tsuyu would say, honestly.

"Sigh. Isn't it obvious?", Tsuyu said in a fake mocking tone.

"... If you had said it from the very beginning… I wouldn't be so mad… stupid Tsu-chan…", Naruto kicked a rock away.

"Yeah, yeah. Okay I get it. I shouldn't have lied to you".

"...and I am sorry for that". Tsuyu added, her tone carrying a hint of self-reflection. She looked over at Naruto, seeing him now. Sure, he's still sulking and in a bad mood. But as expected, his crash out episode only lasted for a short while - and he still didn't break.

Maybe if it's anyone else, they would have completely broken down, losing their will to even live at that point, or turned to hate entirely. 

"Wouldn't you feel it's unfair if you knew earlier. The treatment we received is different. They don't know about me. I thought you would be unable to accept it". Tsuyu still asked further, wanting to confirm what Naruto truly thought.

"Of course it's unfair! And who would accept it! Hmph!".

"But I won't just… cry all day…".

"You did…for last night". 

"S-Shut up!!". Tsuyu's face turned red slightly from embarrassment. He still feels mad though.

Silence prevails for a few seconds… Naruto continued.

"Even if… they know about you, I bet you wouldn't care about those stupid villagers… unlike me…", he said in self defeat. Knowing the difference between them for sure. He accepts that Tsuyu is different, that he receives better treatment than him and even would react better than him even if she's in Naruto's place. This acceptance is why he wasn't upset enough to break. But of course, he still feels bad about it. But it won't change anything between them.

Even if it's unfair, Naruto would never hate her. She is, will always be, his little sister.

"...", Tsuyu looked at Naruto, her eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. That Naruto knows her enough. 

"I know it's stupid… you had the fox but… still able to do amazing things… even if everyone hates you like they hated me it's not like you would cry because of that… that's so weird…".

Tsuyu let out a small chuckle. "Yeah. That's weird…". The image of her crying like Naruto really is bizarre, it's actually funny.

…

"I am different from you. Everyone is different, nii-san. What matters for me doesn't necessarily matter for you. What matters for you doesn't always matter for me".

…

"We each live for our own goals; not anyone else's. If you care about something, then you do something about it. It's your life after all".

…

"Unless you give it up… and if you want to give up, one should give up completely. That's how you move forward if you choose to", Tsuyu looked at Naruto as she said this. 

"I won't just give up! Why do I have to accept those people who hate me! I don't deserve it!", Naruto's tone turned angrier again. 

Tsuyu smiled slightly. She already expected this.

"Yes. You are right. You don't deserve it. So you wanted to prove them wrong. And truly, they ARE wrong. You don't have to prove anything. It's already a fact they are wrong, you know?".

"I know! … I just…".

"I want to prove it to their faces… I want them to, to see that they are wrong… I want them to regret it… I want them to realise they are stupid…".

"... One day they would". 

Tsuyu's sentence broke through Naruto's defense at the moment. He looks at her expression, seeing confidence and certainty on her.

"They would…?".

Tsuyu turned to think.

"Nii-san, to begin with, you understand why the villagers hate the fox, right?".

"I know… but I am not a fox… I am… I am me… why do I have to take the blame…".

"Yes. But the villagers haven't seen this yet… Once you go out there, make a name for yourself, have people know the true you - they would get it".

"But… it's like no matter what I do it won't change anything… and it felt stupid…".

"Idiot…", Tsuyu said jokingly.

"What do you mean?!" Naruto emotions fluctuate again.

"... You already have people who accept you, nii-san. They see you… I, see you".

"... you should see what's right in front of you, see those who accept you, not those who reject you. The ones who are already with you are proof things can change. Don't be stupid".

"Proof that… things can change…", Naruto muttered. The words struck Naruto deeply. The people around him that sees him… Tsu-chan, Kiba, Iruka-sensei, Hinata, Sasuke, and even those others that start to talk to him in class.

Naruto looked down, digesting her words.

"I am stupid… I know…", Naruto said weakly, in self mockery and acceptance. It's not like everyone as in EVERYONE hates him… 

Tsuyu went silent, letting Naruto take in her words. After seconds, Naruto suddenly said;

"I am sorry… Tsu-chan…".

"Hm…?".

"I… I shouldn't have said those things… I don't mean it… I… I don't hate you… I just… hate everything… I don't know", the words carries heavy guilt.

"... I know you don't mean it. I don't take it to heart".

…

Naruto turned to face Tsuyu. His eyes teary suddenly.

"No… I am really sorry… I am really…". Tears flowed down his eyes like a broken dam.

Sigh. This crybaby… Tsuyu smiled slightly, knowing everything is fine now for sure.

"I forgive you. Don't think too much. Just train harder to make it up to me, understand?".

"Nn. Got it…".

… Naruto looks at the distance, feeling the turmoil in his heart recede a lot. He felt relieved for once, after talking everything out.

"... Stupid Lord Fourth", Naruto cursed out of nowhere. Remembering the stupid Hokage who put the fox in him.

"... He is, indeed". Tsuyu agreed. 

"Yeah! He is stupid! How could he do this to me! Stupid!", Naruto stood with vigor with Tsuyu's support.

"Who put a hundred meter sized beast that could destroy a village inside babies. It's so unreasonable", Tsuyu added, shaking her head.

"Yeah! That's right! Stupid Lord Fourth!".

"And worse he just leaves just like that. And it's you who suffered. He had no sense of responsibility at all". Tsuyu also said this due to that guy being their own father as well.

"Yeah!!! He's a stupid Hokage! Serves his face right!", Naruto feels more and more spirited cursing him.

"The villagers are stupid too. We both saved the village in a way. Without us holding it, the fox would have destroyed the village already". Tsuyu shake her head again.

"YEAHHHH!!! EVERYONE ARE SO STUPID!!!".

...

"Hihi…", Naruto suddenly chuckled, giving a silly smile towards her. "Thanks Tsu-chan…". Naruto feels a lot better, cursing that guy and others with Tsuyu fanning the flames at the side.

"I am just telling the truth…". Tsuyu let out a soft smile as well. Though, the whole truth that it's his own dad would certainly make Naruto curse at him more.

***

Minato's consciousness inside the two of them cried with no tears, while Kushina's consciousness patted his back.

"Kushina… what do I do… I never expected him to hate me so much…".

"... No, it's not your fault. Naruto… he should have had a normal life…", Kushina recalled the way Minato asked Hiruzen to take care of Naruto before their death. She wanted to say that that guy is the real problem and she's sure in the Pure Land her self had already beaten him until he died a second death. But that's Minato's sensei after all so she can't say it outright.

***

The siblings just stay there, feeling the breeze, letting the sound of the forest wash the tension away. After minutes of just silence, Tsuyu felt they should get back home… or better yet, give this brat a treat.

"Come on, let's get Ichiraku".

"Yeah, let's go!". 

…

"WAIT!". Tsuyu almost forgot.

"What Tsu-chan…", Naruto's stomach already grumbled. But then he felt his hair stand on end seeing Tsuyu crossing her arms, her eyes turning cold.

"Clean up his stupid face. It's vandalism against public property, and it's the Hokage Rock out of all things. That's 500,000 ryo in fine maximum. I am already a shinobi and legally had to pay if they bring it to court".

"5-500,000?!?". Naruto gasped in shock.

"I… I am going right away!!!", Naruto rushed out quickly, afraid they had to take out so much money.

Silly brat…

Tsuyu watched him leave quickly in panic, and heard another curse towards the fourth Hokage for being too expensive, but she still followed after him with a little smile. 

That's the Naruto she knows…

***