Announcement: My first original novel. The (sort of) Dark Mage, is complete and available on Amazon as both a paperback and ebook. It's a humorous light fantasy story about dark magic, monsters, and undead. And rabbits.

You can find it by going on Amazon and searching the story title. I have also provided a direct link through my website, which you can find by visiting my profile page.

If you enjoy my fanfiction please give my novel a try.

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Author's Note: This is just a little one shot based on a challenge issued by LD 1449. The theme was showing similarities between Orochimaru and Naruto.

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Anko was sitting at her favorite outdoor restaurant munching on some sweet dango when she heard a commotion and looked up. Out in the street a small boy of six or seven was drawing a lot of attention. He was skinny and looked a bit dirty. He had on baggy dark green shorts and an old faded shirt with the village symbol printed ion it. Towering over him was some fat slob cursing him as the boy stood there trembling. People walking past were stopping to listen. Far from objecting to what they were hearing many of them nodded and added in their own harsh opinions.

The little boy looked like he wanted to run but the man had him by the shoulder. The kid's eyes darted about; he had the look of a cornered animal. It was clear he didn't expect any of the people surrounding him to help.

Without warning the man suddenly brought his hand down and slapped the kid in the face. The boy fell to the street and began to cry. This only seemed to make the man even angrier. The small crowd stepped closer as if enticed by the boy's pain.

Then suddenly an ANBU with a boar's mask was suddenly there and the situation was halted before it could escalate any further. The ANBU looked at the man who had struck the boy and spoke a few words. The fat pig looked unhappy with whatever had been said but nodded and shuffled away with a few last choice words for the sobbing child. He didn't seem too worried about the possibility of being arrested for striking a child in public. The others also quickly got moving again.

The ANBU looked down at the boy and shook his head dismissively. He leapt away without saying a single word to him or even offering to help him up. He carried out his orders and nothing more.

Funny how he showed up in time to prevent anything serious from happening, but not soon enough to keep the kid from getting hit and reduced to tears. Anko thought as she took another bite of dango.

She knew who the gaki was of course, everyone in Konoha above a certain age knew him. Uzumaki Naruto, the jinchuuriki who held the Kyuubi, and object of the village's collective hate and scorn.

She grinned sourly at that thought. She's been in a similar position once, hated and despised by people just because of her connection to her sensei. Of course when Orochimaru abandoned her and the village she was already a ninja and able to protect herself. A few idiots had tried to take out their anger on her and wound up in the hospital for their trouble. Better than anyone else in the village she could understand what the kid was going through. She sympathized, at least a little. That didn't mean she was getting up out of her seat to try and help him. It wasn't her job to save every helpless soul. Besides, the world was a cruel place; the sooner the kid learned that the better.

Still, she watched as he got back up to his feet, all the while wiping his eyes.

He looked about at all the people passing him. No one had any sympathy in their eyes. They were looking away, pretending he didn't exist. Either that or a few were glaring at him with undisguised hatred. Why? Why do they all hate me?! What did I ever do to them? "I hate you all!" He shouted at them. "Someday I'll be Hokage and make you all pay!" He ran away as fast as he could.

Anko stopped eating. For one of the few times in her life she had no appetite for her precious dango. She'd gotten a clear look at his eyes. They'd been filled with hatred and a bitter resentment.

She shuddered as she remembered the one other time she had seen that look.

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Eight Years Ago

The twelve year old was at the usual meeting spot waiting eagerly for her beloved sensei. When she saw him arrive she hurried to his side eager to begin the day's training.

"Orochimaru-sensei!" She called out.

The pale Sannin turned to look at her with a weary half smile. "No training today little Anko, you may have the rest of the day to yourself."

"But why sensei?" She asked with crushing disappointment. She loved sensei and was always happy to train with him. More than anything in the world she wanted to make him proud.

He looked away from her and out over the village. "I have just come from a meeting with my former sensei. He has finally chosen his successor."

"That's wonderful!" She shouted. "Congratulations sensei! I know you'll be the greatest Hokage ever!"

He glanced over at her and smiled. "Amazing a child sees what my own teacher and mentor cannot. You should be proud Anko," he reached down and affectionately rubbed the top of her head. "You are wiser than the Lord Hokage."

"What do you mean sensei?"

He looked away from her again and back at the village and the distant cliff where three faces were carved into the stone. "I mean that I will not by Sarutobi-sensei's successor. It seems he has chosen Minato instead. He judges me… unworthy of becoming Hokage."

And that was when she saw it. It was there only for an instant but she saw it clearly. A look of such bitterness and hatred that it made her afraid.

When it was gone her sensei was back to his usual cheerful self and she told herself to forget it, that it was nothing. But now, looking back, she was sure that it had all begun in that moment. The path he chose, all his crimes, and the evil deeds he'd committed all started with that single moment of hatred.

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Naruto was trudging home alone miserable and hungry. The old man had given him his own little apartment when the orphanage finally refused to take him back again. He was fine with living all alone; he didn't mind it a bit. Who needed friends?

"Stupid people," he muttered. "I don't need anybody. I'll get strong and show them one day."

His stomach growled and he hurried his steps. He always went out because staying inside all day was too boring. But whenever he did people would always treat him the same way, they either ignored him or were mean to him. And they were mean to him for no good reason! He hadn't done anything!

Well… there were a few pranks when ye got bored. But the hatred had always been there, for as long as he could remember. He'd seen the other kids, in the orphanage and outside it, nobody else got treated like this. So why him? Why always him? It wasn't fair! Couldn't someone just be nice to him! Was that too much to ask?!

"Hey!"

"Ah!" Naruto jumped and turned quickly. "Don't hurt me!" He looked to see a little dark haired girl about his own age standing there with a paper bag in her hand.

Seeing his reaction the girl laughed. "I didn't know I was still that scary."

Naruto looked at the girl suspiciously. "Who are you and what do you want?"

Smiling the little girl leaned forward and flicked her finger into his forehead.

"Ow! That hurt!" Naruto whined and rubbed his forehead.

"Don't be rude gaki, at least not until you're a little older and know how to fight."

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"Don't worry about it," she said. "My name is Chichi. I saw what happened to you before. You didn't deserve that, in fact you don't deserve a lot of things."

"It's no big deal," he said. "I'm used to it. All the people here are just stupid that's all."

The little girl nodded her head. "Yeah they are, but maybe not all of them. Some of them might be all right." She handed him the paper bag. "Here, this is for you. Consider this proof that there are some good things in this village."

He took the bag. There was a sweet, tempting aroma coming from it. Opening it he saw six skewers, each with three fat dumplings. "What is this?"

"Nani? You've never seen dango before?" Chichi said shocked. "It's just the most delicious, wonderful, satisfying food to ever fall from the heavens!"

It did smell really good and he was really hungry, none of the restaurants would serve him and he mostly survived on instant ramen. But even though he wanted to try it he looked at the girl doubtfully. Except for the old man no one ever gave him anything except when it was some kind of trick. "It's probably poisoned," he said.

"Baka! As if I'd ever waste good dango like that!" She snatched the bag out of his hand and pulled out one of the dumplings. She bit it in half and shoved the rest into Naruto's mouth.

"Mmph!" The startled boy said.

Chichi chewed and then swallowed. "Good, isn't it?"

Startled Naruto decided it was safe if she'd eaten it too. And he found it really was good. "Yeah it is."

She handed him back the bag and licked her fingers. "Well, enjoy it. Bye."

"Hey, wait! Why… why are you being nice to me?"

The little girl looked back at him and grinned. "I just wanted to show you that there are good people here Naruto. Not everyone here hates you or will be cruel to you even if it does seem that way. Please remember that and don't hate everyone."

"Hey, how'd you know my name?"

"Are you kidding? You're famous!"

"I… I am?" He asked excitedly and puffed out his chest.

"Yeah! You're famous for being the village's number one gaki."

"Hey!"

"See you around gaki!" She ran off leaving a very confused Naruto.

He stood there and looked at the bag in his hand. "Weird," he said to himself. What a weird girl, but it was nice of her to give me this. He took out a skewer and happily began to eat. Maybe there are some decent people here after all.

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On a nearby roof top Anko dropped her henge and was herself again. Hopefully no one had noticed the exchange. She treasured her scary reputation and didn't need people to start thinking she cared. She honestly wasn't sure if what she'd done had made any difference but she hoped so.

She never wanted to see that look again.