Hello, everyone~! Welcome to the long awaited chapter, Chapter eight~! Here, I shall reveal the secret of Yumi that you've all desired to know! So, enjoy~!

Naruto awoke with a start, jumping at the pounding against his door. He groaned and slid out of bed.

"Coming…I'm coming!" He called. The pounding only got worse after that.

"Uzumaki-kun! You have to hurry! Uchiha-chan is missing!" Riyoko's panicked voice called. Naruto threw open the door, wide awake.

"Say what!"

"I mean it! She was supposed to be at the training spot now that Gekkou-kun's back, but she never showed up! We went to see if she was still in her apartment and she wasn't even there!" Riyoko explained. Naruto darted back inside and yanked on his clothes, rushing out with Riyoko.

"You got any ideas for looking for her?" Naruto asked. Riyoko was deathly serious, "We were thinking of using Kuroko-kun's Kekkei genkai. It can track anyone's chakra anywhere." He explained. Naruto scowled, Bastard must've cheated a lot at Hide n' seek… He thought. He shook his head and looked to Riyoko, "So, where is he?"

"I told him and Gekkou-kun to wait for me while I grabbed you, Uzumaki-kun," He replied. Naruto blinked, "I figured no one else knew Uchiha-chan better than you…" Riyoko finished. Naruto looked ahead and frowned.
Yumi-chan…Where are you? He thought.

They arrived at the waiting spot and Shinichi looked generally bored where as Taisho looked positively terrified. Riyoko put his hands on his hips and looked to his two students and Naruto.

"Alright. I've brought Uzumaki-kun to help in our search. I've notified Iruka as well, so he should be here any minute now." Riyoko explained. Just then, Iruka appeared, his face holding a worried frown.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto gasped. Iruka looked to Riyoko, "What's the plan, Riyoko?" He asked. Riyoko made a noise as he crossed his arms.

"We're going on a small search party to look for Uchiha-chan. We don't know how long she's been missing but she didn't show up to training and she wasn't home…" Riyoko explained. Taisho frowned, "Maybe she's out somewhere looking for supplies…" He suggested, trying to cheer himself up rather than the others. Shinichi snorted.

"I've looked through all the shops. She isn't there." He told him, making Taisho slouch and whimper. Iruka rubbed his head, "This is really bad…" He muttered. Shinichi snorted and Naruto shot his attention to the Kuroko boy.

"I think its pointless wasting our time looking for her. She's a Genin now, she can care for herself." He stated. Naruto glared and growled, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt.

"Naruto!" Iruka and Taisho gasped. Naruto growled more, "You piece of crap…! Yumi-chan is your teammate! It isn't a waste of time! She's missing and it should be your main concern to find out where she is! What if she's dead in a ditch somewhere!" Naruto snarled. Tears stung his eyes at this point, worried for his crush, "What then, huh! Don't you care at all!" He snapped, his voice cracking and shaking. Shinichi didn't seem to care as he pulled the Uzumaki's hands from his shirt.

"First of all; the last thing I would dare consider Uchiha as is a teammate. She is nothing more than an obstacle, a means to obtain my ultimate goal. Second of all; if she was dead in a ditch," He paused and smirked, "it would be an awful waste of power…"

"You son of a bitch!" Naruto screamed and pulled his fist back. Riyoko grabbed him and calmed him down.

"Let it go, Uzumaki-kun! Kuroko-kun is in a terrible mood right now."

"I don't give a damn if he's in a bad mood! He has no right to talk about Yumi-chan like that!" Naruto yelled, struggling in the Jonin's grasp. Iruka frowned, "Naruto, calm down."

"Please, Naruto-san…" Taisho said. Naruto growled lowly as he stopped struggling. Shinichi just smirked more and laughed softly, "So violent."

"I'll show you violent!"

"Naruto!" Iruka snapped. Naruto calmed and yanked himself from Riyoko's grasp. Taisho looked out over the building they where standing on and gasped.

"Everyone! There's a big crowd gathering near the river!" He stated. Naruto was the first to run off, followed by Taisho and the others. They pushed themselves through the crowd and gasped at the sight. Yumi was tied to a pole, beat up and barely conscious. There was a group of teens that Iruka automatically recognized as students he had to expel.

"Welcome, one and all! Today you're gonna see the greatest secret that Konoha has ever tried to hide!" The oldest one stated as he stood next to Yumi. Riyoko scowled, "I'll go tell the Hokage." He said and ran off. The teen smirked and leaned against the pole.

"Yes, the greatest, darkest secret in all of the Land of Fire!" He stated. Another teen stepped up and smiled, "That's right! Today you're going to see something that'll make you fear your lives!" He stated. Naruto was ready to grab Yumi but Iruka stopped him.

"No, Naruto. If you intervene, the Hokage will punish you as well…"

"But, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto protested. Taisho grabbed Naruto's arm and smiled, "Trust in Riyoko-sensei, Naruto-san…" He assured. Naruto frowned but nodded, "Ok…" He muttered.

"Shall we begin everyone?" The first asked. Everyone was silent and he smirked, "Then, let's get started!" He stated. The teens made the snake handseal, "Release!" The oldest next to Yumi poked her with two fingers and stepped back. Her body began to shimmer and everyone gasped. Her ears disappeared and bushy red cat ears materialized a top her head. A long scruffy red tail seemed to slither out from behind her. There was gasps and screams of surprise. The oldest smirked, "That's right, folks! Our very own village has a nasty little secret! We have our very own demon!" He stated. Murmurs were heard going around the crowd.

"A demon!"

"She's a monster!"

"Get rid of her!"

Yumi's ears twitched and she jerked up, snarling angrily.

"A monster! Is that what you bastards think of me! Why don't you come over here and say that to my FACE!" She yelled. They all screamed and moved back in fear. She stopped and stared at them. Their horrified faces and shocked expressions were enough to make her freeze. Her heart pounded in sorrow and she slouched against her restraints.

"I knew it…I really am…just a monster…" She muttered.

"Stop it!" Naruto yelled and ran over to Yumi.

"Naruto!" Iruka called. Yumi looked up, "Naruto?" She asked. He took a kunai and cut the ropes tying her up, grabbing her and holding her.

"Are you ok, Yumi-chan?" He asked gently. She nodded weakly, "I've been better…" She joked. He smiled faintly at her and glared at the crowd.

"You should be ashamed! So what if she looks different from you! She's still a person, dammit!" He yelled. The Hokage appeared and shooed the crowd away and turned to the teens. They gulped and tried to escape, only to have multiple Jonin's pin them down.

"Naruto, take Yumi home a treat her wounds…"

"Ok…" Naruto nodded and took Yumi to her apartment.
Thanks, Ojii-san… Yumi thought.

"Ow…"

"Gomen, Yumi-dono…"

"Ow…!"

"I said sorry…!"

"Ow!"

"Please, don't be mad!"

"GOD DAMMIT, THAT HURTS!"

"AH! GOMEN NASAI!"

Naruto laughed softly as Taisho tried his best to heal the injured Neko.

"Having fun, Taisho?" Naruto asked. The emerald haired boy smiled slowly looked back, smiling nervously, "The time of my life…! Why do you ask?"

"Cuz you look like you're having a hard time!" Naruto laughed. Yumi growled, "Why don't you come give it a try!" She snapped. Naruto laughed more, "No thanks! I'm good!" He answered. Yumi snorted and tried to stay quiet as Taisho healed her.

"What happened, Yumi-chan?" Naruto asked. Yumi looked up and then glanced away.

"They grabbed me on my way to the training grounds. I don't know how long they were beating me, but it felt like forever until I blacked out. I woke up hearing people talk about me and now I'm here…" She muttered. Taisho frowned, "Gomen, Yumi-dono. I was so worried about you when you disappeared." He muttered. Yumi smiled, "I'm good now though, Taisho, don't worry." She told him. Naruto sighed and the two looked at him.

"I can't believe the village found out about you the hard way…" He muttered. Yumi waved it off, "No biggie. They were gonna find out anyway…whether they knew already or not…" She told him.

"But, it wasn't right how those guys treated you just now!" Naruto snapped. Yumi's ears fell back and she frowned, "Naruto, no matter how much you desire it, you cannot change what has been. I'm not proud of what I am either…"

"But, you should be, Yumi-dono…" Taisho said softly. She blinked at him, "Taisho?"

"Kami-sama has chosen who you are for a reason. There is a reason you were given this form. You may not know it now, but you will soon." He told her. She blinked more, "Where on Earth did that come from?" She asked. He looked up and smiled nervously, "A-Ano…I just remember it as something my Mother once told me!" He replied meekly. She eyed him suspiciously but waved it off, "Whatever. I don't believe in Kami-sama…"

"N-Nani! Then, where will you go when you die?" He asked. Yumi smiled, "That's easy! I won't go to your gay little Heaven! I'll go to the Spirit World and hopefully not the Nether World, that's a VERY bad place for souls to go to…" She answered. Taisho smiled faintly and shook his head, "Can't argue with that, then…" He told her. He leaned back and smiled a satisfied smile.

"There we go! All healed up!" He stated. She jumped up and flexed her muscles, stretching and moving everything to remove the kinks.

"Awesome! Thanks a lot, Taisho!" She said. He smiled more and nodded, "It was no trouble, Yumi-dono!" He replied. He stood and gathered his things.

"Well, I best be getting home. Fumiyo-chan won't be very happy if I'm late…" He stated. Yumi smirked, "Who's Fumiyo-chan~?" She teased. Taisho's face flushed.

"She's my dog. She's a tiny thing, but very grumpy if she doesn't get her petting and food when it's the time for it." He answered. Yumi laughed.

"Ok, I'll buy that. Later, Taisho!"

"Ja ne, Yumi-dono! Ja ne, Naruto-san!"

"Ittekimasu, Taisho!" Naruto called as Yumi waved. Yumi sighed and sat down on her bed.

"Well, it's obvious that training is canceled…" She muttered. Naruto sat next to her and smiled faintly, "I'm glad you're ok, Yumi-chan…" He said gently. She smiled and pat his head.

"Thanks, Naruto. Thanks for sticking up for me…"

"I'm your friend. I'll always be there for you!" He told her. She grinned widely, "Same goes for me, too!" She replied. [!] Naruto blushed softly and kissed her cheek.

"Don't scare me like that again, ok?" He stated softly. She blushed darkly and looked away, "I-I'll try…" She answered quietly. He grabbed her shoulders and she looked to him with wide eyes, "N-Naruto…?"

"I mean it, Yumi-chan! I nearly had a heart attack when Riyoko told me you were missing! I can't and do not want to lose you, dammit!" He stated angrily. She blinked, her blush worsening.

"N…Naruto…" She muttered. He blushed and let go of her, "S-Sorry…It's just…You're one of my closest friends…I don't know what I'd do without you around…" He told her. She grinned and hugged him.

"Alright, you've convinced me! I won't scare you anymore!" She replied. He smiled and hugged her back, "Thanks, Yumi-chan. You're the best!"

"Tell me something I don't know!" She smiled, pulling away. He began to think.

"Let's see…I bet you didn't know that…um…" He was at a loss for words. Yumi laughed, "See! There's nothing that I don't already know!" She stated. Naruto laughed, "I guess so, huh?" He grinned. Yumi smiled and stood, "C'mon, I'll treat you to ramen…"

"But what about…?" He stopped and pointed to her entire form. She smiled and waved it off.

"Like Taisho said, I shouldn't be ashamed of what I am. So, I'm not. Now, let's go!"

"Hai!" And with that, they bolted to Ichiraku.

Well~? What did you think? Pretty cool, huh? Now, you all know what Mizuki meant in Chapter Two! Also! [!] is very important! Look for these if you want hints for later chapters! Thanks for reading~~!

"Thanks, Naruto. Thanks for sticking up for me…"

"I'm your friend. I'll always be there for you!" He told her. She grinned widely, "Same goes for me, too!" She replied = Spoiler Alert!: This promise won't last for very long once the story reaches its end.