Reaper. Death: This story popped up into my head while I was eating ramen the other day, I don't know if it'll be good, but it'll be definitely be better than my first Naruto fic… Geez, what the heck was I thinking?!

I do not own Naruto, but I do own this laptop I am currently using.

XXX

~ Prologue ~

(Six year old Anzu)

'Oh-boo-hoo-hoo…'

Huh? Who was that? Is…is someone crying?

'Hoo-hoo…'

I gulped, clutching the mop I was holding, biting my lower lip as my classmates walked around me, hurrying with their chores Iruka-sensei had assigned us. I shook my head and began mopping again, trying to make sure the wooden floor shine. Maybe, just maybe, if I do a good job on this, Iruka-sensei will praise me!

'You really think he'll praise you? Silly girl~ he won't even bat an eye at you!'

I froze as my face paled. That voice…was it…speaking towards me?

'Of course, I'm speaking to you right now! Honestly, children these days! Humph!'

My small mouth opened, and I tried saying something, but nothing came out. I couldn't speak. My violet eyes widened at this before something hit me on the head. Something soggy and wet.

"OW!" I cried stumbling back, and then quickly reached up to pull that strange wet thing off—a rag.

A boy with short blonde spiky hair and bright blue eyes with whisker scars on his face laughed his head off, holding his stomach and pointed at me. "Haha! I got one, I got one!" He was wearing a dark green shirt, white shorts, and navy sandals.

I frowned and wiped my moist forehead dry as a girl with bubblegum pink hair with a black ribbon on top wearing a black sweater, white skirt, and navy sandals walked up to me and took the rag, glaring at the boy. "Hey! That wasn't nice, Naruto!"

Naruto stuck his tongue out and backed away, followed by his friends, who were laughing and grinning. Sakura huffed before looking my way and sneered, folding the rag. Her pink lips curved into a smirk as she gave me a look of distaste. "But then again, it is your fault, you know."

I blushed and looked down at the still wet floor, in the process of drying. Was she right? Was it my fault?

"Hey, Sakura, wanna go to the park and play?" A girl with big blue eyes and short blonde hair with an orange hair clip in it asked suddenly. She wore a dark tank top and white pants, her feet wearing black sandals. Sakura looked over to her and giggled. "Sure, Ino, but shouldn't we finish our chores? Iruka-sensei might yell at us if we take off all of a sudden."

Ino scoffed and pushed me, causing me to stumble forward. "Nah, this one'll do our chores for us~. Won't you?" Ino looked me dead in the eyes and I gulped. Her baby blue eyes looked angry, as if waiting to shoot daggers at me if I refused.

I shivered before giving a nervous smile. "Ah…yes! I'll do your chores, I-Ino—"

"See, Sakura? She'll do our work for us~! Let's go, let's go!" Ino and Sakura simply dropped their rags and ran off for the door, not even bothering to stop and thank me. Soon, they were gone and I was left with everyone else.

I squeaked when Naruto slapped my back, giving me a cheeky grin. "Hey, hey, hey, you! Can you do my chores, too? I wanna go eat some ramen!" I didn't get a chance to say anything as he simply shoved a bucket of water into my hands and ran off. "Thanks!"

Everyone else grinned at each other and dropped their cleaning supplies, running for the door. They either said 'Thanks, you!' or 'See ya tomorrow, loser!', but none of them said my name.

They never said my name. Not even once.

I clutched the mop and took short breaths. "My…my name is Anzu…" No answer. Not that I expected one, they were already gone. I simply sighed before setting my mop down and picking up all the rags and dropping them into the bucket.

It didn't take me long to finish mopping the classroom and cleaned all the windows. I carefully poured the water from the bucket into another bucket, making sure the rags didn't slip into it. I opened one of the windows and dumped the water into the window sill's flowers that grew. I smiled before looking up at the sky and then the Leaf Village. Clusters of buildings huddled together here and there, metal poles that stretched way up in the air connecting thick wires here and there, and the Hokage Monument that stood in the background.

Looking at the Leaf again and again still took away my breath. I had just moved here from a faraway Village that had different customs and people. My parents wanted to move here for work from the Hokage and they didn't dare dream to pass up the offer. I moved away from my home and came here. Although only some adults were kind to me, nothing changed about me having any friends.

I had none. I was too quiet, sensitive, and shy to talk to anyone. Even talking to Hinata, who was just as shy as me, was impossible to come talk to.

"…" I pulled the bucket back into the room and closed the window. Quickly putting the cleaning supplies away in the corner closet, I stretched and walked out of the classroom, making sure the door was locked closed. I then walked down the wooden floored hallway and saw the doors that led out of the school.

Before I could grab ahold of the door handles, I heard grunting. I froze, a bead of sweat rolling down my face. I wanted to move, but I couldn't, and the soft grunts grew a little louder.

"H-Help…"

I turned around and I bit back a scream. Just a few feet away from me laid an unconscious teacher covered in his own blood, his face mangled, and his limbs twisted. I could only look in horror as the teacher tried to reach out for me.

"My, my, what have we here~? A lost little lamb that saw something she wasn't supposed to see?"

I gasped and looked past the now silent body, seeing Mizuki-sensei, his handsome face and light grayish-blue hair, looking right at me coldly. He was my other instructor along with Iruka-sensei, and he was more popular because he was like a prince and more laidback than Iruka.

"Mizuki-sensei! Th-This sensei is—!" I tried to scream, but it only came out in a whisper. Mizuki smirked at me and shrugged.

"Oh, little one, you weren't supposed to see this, now…you'll have to pay!" Mizuki lunged at me and I jumped back, my pupils dilated.

Mizuki stopped in his tracks suddenly and then smirked, as if he remembered something. "Oh, I just thought of something better."

That's when he brought out the shovel and a bag and I was forced to clean up the blood. He dumped the body into the bag as I mopped up the blood, daring not to disobey him. The way the mop swished around in the pool of blood made me sicken to my stomach…but I didn't hate that feeling. After the hallway was spotless from the blood and its rusty scent, he led me to the back of the academy and into the woods, where his large hand held onto my small hand, squeezing tightly.

I didn't know what was going on, but I was afraid. I was so scared. I almost wetted myself when he spoke up, "So, what was your name, little girl?"

I flinched but I complied, "Anzu Ienaga…"

"Anju? How strange," Mizuki-sensei murmured, causing me to flinch again. He mispronounced my name, just how everyone else did. Nor would anyone notice me or take the time to listen to me or learn my name…

We finally stopped in the middle of the woods, the large trees towering over us and I knew it was going to be night soon. Mizuki dropped the bag in front of me and handed me the shovel. "Dig," He demanded and I obediently took the shovel, plunging it into the earth before me.

It took me an hour to dig a hole big enough for the dead sensei, but when Mizuki was satisfied, he kicked the body into it and commanded me to fill in the hole. I did. I was now exhausted and my little legs trembled beneath me, my cheeks were dusted with dirt, smudges on my white sweater, and I was sweating very much.

Mizuki smirked in triumph as I put the shovel down and tried catching my breath, my violet eyes dulling. "You obey like a docile doll, Anju, how unexpected~. But I suppose it was your only choice if you wanted to live…"

I gulped when Mizuki crouched in front of me and pulled out a handkerchief, wiping my dirty red cheeks. He gave me a 'warm' smile and ruffled my black curls. He then pulled me forward and whispered.

"If you know what's good for you, you won't tell anyone…"

XXX

"I'm home," I said as I opened the door to the cluttered apartment. Boxes of instant food scattered here and there, newspapers littered around, and there were stacks of boxes that weren't unpacked from the day we moved here. As usual, I got no answer and decided to leave my navy sandals at the front.

I made my way into the kitchen, my violet eyes quickly scanning the kitchen. Empty. There was no food in the fridge, no pots on the stove, but there was some leftover food I assumed my parents brought home. That would be my dinner for the night.

I ate the spicy noodles hungrily, downing three glasses of water with it, and gobbling up a nutrition bar I found deep inside the cupboard. My mouth still burned from the spiciness of the food, but I ignored it as I went to my bedroom that was located in the back of the apartment.

Changing out of the white baggy shirt and pants I wore, I neatly folded them up and crawled into bed. Even though it was a little early, I went to sleep, feeling exhausted.

The images of the sensei's dead bodies filled my mind and I could still smell the rustic scent of the blood that dripped from the bag. I shivered and curled up into a ball, trying my best to ignore it.

XX (The next day) XX

"Nara-sensei has gone missing since yesterday evening."

I flinched, snapping the blue crayon I had in my hand, as I looked at a very worried Iruka-sensei, who was scanning over the clipboard he had all the time.

"Has anyone seen him yesterday?"

Everyone shook their head no and I followed suit, seeing Mizuki-sensei come in, giving me a harsh glare that said 'Stay quiet if you know what's good for you'.

I gulped and flushed, looking at the horrible picture I drew. The houses where rectangles instead of squares, the sky was smeared in blue in a zigzagged motion, and the sun was colored yellow in a scraggly circle. I was never an artist, but I didn't mind. At least, not anymore.

Soon, Iruka-sensei dropped the subject, and Mizuki-sensei paid attention strictly to me, announcing that he was going to be my tutor from now on. I didn't know what to say.

Mizuki-sensei smirked at me before slipping my picture from my desk. "Oh, did Anju-chan draw this? Can I keep it?"

I nodded, not being able to say anything else. He had me chained up. A leash he could tug anywhere he pleased.

I was a sinner. I aided him in his sin. I participated in Nara-sensei's death by hiding the body.

My life was ruined…

'Ooh-hoo-hoo…what will you do now, Ienaga-san?'

What can I do? I can't do anything anymore…

~ (To be continued) ~