Konoha : Naruto's playground

He didn't visit the hospital right away, he couldn't really think of a 'proper' way to act in the situation that he was facing. Sure, he had experienced a worse tragedy than this, but in a grotesque sort of manner, he was far too young to realise what death and devastation really meant when he was so small.

Some would say that he was merely running away from his problems but he knew that was not the case. Others would say that he was just delaying the inevitable heartbreak that he would have to face sooner or later and that...was maybe half the truth.

The real reason why Uchiha Sasuke didn't attempt to see his cousin as soon as he was told of his arrival was because he didn't want to see the strength and joy that had once been Uchiha Shisui, reduced to a static shell of the legendary Shinobi he had been. He couldn't reconcile the image of his upbeat cousin in his head with the words his Sensei had told him that morning.

It was something to be said that all thought of the upcoming Chuunin Exam had been pushed aside in the young Shinobi's mind.

He walked dejectedly down the hallway towards the ICU of Konoha Central Hospital his hair limp and sweaty from the intense workout he had forced himself to endure that morning. How could such a strong ninja be taken down in the space of a few days and to such an extent?! He couldn't begin to imagine what Shisui's opponent had been like.

He turned the corner of the hallway leading to the wide double doors of the Intensive Care Unit, nurses and surgeons rushing in and out in their hurry to treat the patients within. It wasn't the A&E department by any standards, but it was fairly busy with the state of the Shinobi admitted. This was where the long-term debilitating injuries were treated and in Shinobi terms that usually meant 'career ending' although the staff never seemed to put it that way.

Sasuke remembered the events of that terrible day vaguely; it had all happened so quickly for him and before he knew it, his immediate family had been reduced to two. The once silent and stringent Uchiha Clan Complex had become a shadow of its former self; the alleyways and side-streets completely empty of the kind voices that used to reverberate around the place throughout the day. He couldn't even remember the faces of his aunt and uncle anymore, time having withered away his memory of the smiling elderly he would meet on the street every time he would leave for the academy all those years ago.

He walked as if in a dream, his legs moving mechanically as if he were heading in a direction out of obligation and regularity. His head was lowered, his raven fringe hanging over his onyx eyes as they peered unseeingly at the bleached white floor of the hospital. He pushed open the double doors of the ICU and was met with the typical hospital sight.

Beds were lined up on either side of the expansive room, opaque cream curtains drawn around the ones that were currently in use. The units that were empty sat gleaming in the afternoon sunlight, a stark opposite to the horrors that await the families of the patients. Sharp beeping of the equipment rang out every now and then as the machines gathered on the right side of every bed monitored the almost lifeless bodies around the clock.

Sasuke felt sick.

He walked slowly to bed eight, the one designated with a large white plaque and the name 'UCHIHA' in block capitals. He swallowed heavily as he moved to push the heavy curtains aside but then froze as he heard voices.

"...blames himself 'Kashi! He didn't have a chance to do anythin'! None of us did!"

Someone sighed behind the curtain and Sasuke recognised the tone. What was Kakashi-Sensei doing here? He decided to hold off entering over listening in on the conversation for a while, it's not like they hadn't noticed him anyway. There was a very pregnant pause before Kakashi's deep voice sounded quietly over the shrill beeps of the ECG.

"I doubt we can do much about it. This is Itachi we're talking about after all..."

Sasuke had to slap a hand over his mouth to stop the gasp rising from his throat.

'Itachi?! What's he got to do with this?!'

"That's not good enough! He's beatin' himself up over it and I don't know how to help him!"

"Maa...Naruto will come through, he always does. I guess we'll just have to believe in him again."

The elite Jounin's voice came out scratchy, almost as if there was a lump in his throat. Sasuke felt an unnatural amount of hate rise in his stomach when he heard the name of his blond-haired nemesis. So he was involved in his cousin's situation? He was going to beat the crap out of that boy as soon as he saw him.

"You okay 'Kashi?"

There was another stretched silence filled with a certain feeling of tension. Sasuke almost left right then; it didn't feel right intruding on the privacy of others. He heard the scrape of a plastic chair on the ground as someone stood up.

"I..."

"He reminds you of Obito, doesn't he?"

There was a small amount of rustling which the young Uchiha couldn't quite place.

"I was at the Cenotaph this morning and I realised something..."

Sasuke's whole body shook at his Sensei's next words before he turned and sprinted for the exit.

"I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse that his name isn't on it..."

Within the curtain, Anko cocked an eyebrow. Her eyes widened for two reasons but only one was readily apparent.

When Kakashi looked up, she was startled to see tears running down the right side of his face and soaking into his mask.

XXXXXXX

"Taka Report."

Said ANBU agent saluted smartly before standing to attention. The light-voiced operative spoke quietly and quickly, producing the effect of a top-secret mission debriefing that no other Shinobi except the Hokage himself could attend.

"As submitted in my portfolio, ANBU Captain Shishi led us to the first mission objective on the outskirts of Nami no Kuni. We located the possible areas designated as possible Nuke-nin hideouts and we sent Mitarashi Anko and Uzumaki Naruto to scout them out."

Sarutobi's eyes widened marginally.

"So he accepted the mission then?!"

An acknowledging silence met his question. He sighed warily and leant back against the headrest of his chair.

"Continue."

"Shishi-Taicho determined that Uzumaki-san was the best option for reconnaissance and so he and Mitarashi-san were sent to investigate. His Airboard proved invaluable and we managed to confirm three of the possible locations as inapplicable due to his aerial view."

The Sandaime picked up his pen and scratched a few words on the scroll sitting on his desk directly in front of him. He pondered the situation deeply; things seemed to be falling from Hi no Kuni's favour particularly fast. Missing nin were appearing out of the woodwork and there were deeper things at work here.

"Taicho and I headed into the Village to see if we could gather any further Intel to locate the base. After meeting with the client, Shishi-Taicho realised that Team 9's patrol ran dangerously close to one of the targets on the outskirts of Nami no Kuni's border. We made haste to the designated area only to find that Team 9 had been attacked and Mitarashi-san and Uzumaki-san had intervened on their behalf."

Sarutobi sat up straight, his eyes calculating as he glanced up at the white surface of the operatives mask. This was what he had been waiting for...

"Before I continue, Sandaime-Sama, there is another matter which may interest you at this point."

Hiruzen nodded quickly.

"There was a...incident that occurred before we reached our preliminary objective. We had set up camp in a clump of trees not far from the Kaiza and Naruto Bridge when we were attacked by a group of ex-Iwa Jounin, possibly part of the same Nuke-nin coalition. Shishi-Taicho allowed Uzumaki-san to fight them alone."

Sarutobi breathed in sharply.

"What?!"

"There were three of them. He showed great potential and took out all three without having any harm come to himself from the entire engagement."

The Sandaime stood quickly, his eyes wide as he stared at the unmoving face of his subordinate. Was this possible? Was Taka lying to him for some reason? Maybe the operative was one of Danzou's ROOT after all...but that couldn't be possible as he had checked Taka's history himself. No, the ANBU agent in front of him could be trusted implicitly.

Could Naruto truly be that strong?! Who had taught him, or had he taught himself? The idea was so foreign to the elderly Hokage that he could barely keep his thoughts in order as questions erupted in his mind.

"You...are sure they were at Jounin level?"

Taka nodded smartly.

This changed things, drastically. If Naruto was as strong as he now thought then as a civilian he had nothing to prevent him from leaving or turning against them should the opportunity present itself. If the Villagers' unreasonable hate were to get through to him eventually, they could have a potentially disastrous situation on their hands. He needed to find a solution and quickly.

"When Shishi-Taicho and I made it to Team 9, the squad had been relieved by Team Budgie. The only one-"

"Team Budgie?"

Sarutobi positively felt a great grin spread over the ANBU agent's face.

"Oh yes, Hokage-sama, Uzumaki-san designated our cell names before we split up."

"...Right."

Sarutobi managed to respond weakly before flopping back into his chair.

"Apparently he likes Budgies."

"Get on with it Taka!"

She was definitely smiling behind that mask the damned woman!

"Maito Gai was the only Shinobi left fighting a group of the Nuke-nin. Shishi-Taicho moved to assist so I moved on to complete our primary objective along with Uzumaki-san."

Hiruzen gestured for her to continue as he mulled the information he had been given. So Naruto was at Jounin level at least and he worked very well with his friends, yet on an overall power basis that was too less to go on. A Shinobi's strength was never determined by the number of enemies he could take out but rather in which fields his preferences lay. So far he knew that the blond Jinchuuriki was at least proficient in two of the three major categories; his Taijutsu and Ninjutsu were evidently well-founded if Taka's report was anything to go by. He glanced down at the page of neatly scripted paragraphs sitting in front of him. Naruto seemed to possess a new Taijutsu style similar to Tsunade's super strength technique. Where the last of the Senju used rapidly consecutive firing of her Tenketsu to generate a push of Chakra so forceful that it was akin to a speeding bull, Naruto powered his limbs using Wind Chakra. There was an inherent flaw to the technique, one that made the Konoha Jinchuuriki possibly the only person who could effectively use that style. Without any protection from the extreme bursts of force that his limbs would be subjected to, he would very likely end up damaging his body, but the pain would only be a very short-term side effect due to his rapid healing ability. Maybe there was a way to minimise the chance of injury...

Sarutobi glanced up when he heard a slightly nervous tone appear in his subordinate's voice.

"Sandaime-Sama...he destroyed the base all on his own! He combined three Jutsu from two elements and blew the base up without any other source of explosives."

"W-What the-"

Sarutobi and Taka had disappeared and reappeared beneath the windowsill, two Kunai against the throat of the Gama-Sennin. He raised his hands in a placating gesture.

"Whoa! Hey, it's me Sensei!"

Sarutobi sighed and pulled back, pocketing the Kunai beneath his robes.

"Damn it Jiraiya-kun! How many times have I told you not to do that?!"

Jiraiya grinned but didn't answer.

"So he combined three Jutsu in one?"

Taka hesitated until the Sandaime nodded his acceptance at the question. The report was, after all, meant for the Hokage's ears only.

"Hai. He destroyed the base alone and then we were attacked by Uchiha Itachi."

The venerable leader chewed the bottom of his upper lip as he heard his student gasp. He knew what Jiraiya would be thinking at this point but the information they had didn't seem to add up. If Akatsuki was indeed involved then why had Itachi come alone and what benefit would they have from killing Shisui in that situation?

How had they even known of the mission for that matter?

"Taka, that will be all, you're dismissed."

The ANBU operative nodded and turned towards the door. She stopped just as her hand touched the doorknob.

"Sandaime-Sama."

He glanced at her and his eyebrows rose as she moved a slender hand to push her mask up. She left it resting on the top of her head revealing pale white skin, black eyes and smooth, straight purple hair.

"I think they knew who I was...from the very beginning."

Sarutobi kneaded his forehead with the palm of his hand in agitation. What good was stealth if it didn't work at all?

"That's fine Uzuki-san. You can have the rest of the week off after today's recon mission."

Yuugao nodded uncertainly before disappearing through the door. Hiruzen could literally feel his student's laughter even though he couldn't hear it. When he looked up at his face, he met Jiraiya's grinning visage.

"Heh, I think he was too clever for you Sensei!"

Sarutobi slapped his forehead exasperatedly at his ex-student's comment.

"I presumed that something of this manner would happen. If Naruto-kun didn't realise then the rest of his team most probably would."

Jiraiya hopped from the windowsill, landing smartly next to one of the maroon chairs pushed to the side of the room. He plopped down unceremoniously and gazed up at his venerable leader innocently.

"Well?"

Jiraiya tilted his head to the side and Hiruzen was reminded why he thought the Gama-Sennin was the most annoying of his students.

"Don't look at me like that! What did you find?"

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed slightly as he leaned forward placing his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together beneath his jaw. He frowned slightly as he began his latest report.

"Itachi was definitely the one to attack them; I confirmed it as soon as I got your message."

Sarutobi sighed at that. He shouldn't have held any hope to the contrary but it would have been so much worse if an unidentified variable suddenly jumped into the situation.

"Anything else?"

Jiraiya rested his jaw lightly on his entwined fingers, his mouth stretching slightly from the pressure.

"I followed the trail as far as I could go but it was long gone before I even got there. There was a funny rumour going around at the time and I caught word of Orochimaru's name a few times..."

The Sandaime stood up once again, this time his eyes were unfocused as he mulled over this latest development.

"Orochimaru, did you say..."

The Toad-Master didn't reply as he watched his old Sensei warily. He knew how Sarutobi felt about the farce that had occurred when the Snake-like man had abandoned his home Village. He also knew that the Sandaime still felt that he was guilty for his small lapse in judgement. Internally, the Toad Sage winced at the route his thoughts had taken; it was a small mistake, one that could have been easily remedied and yet, those niggling problems were always the ones to grow into something so much more dangerous.

"What do you think, Sensei?"

Hiruzen clasped his hands behind his back as he turned to stare from his window. At that moment, staring lucidly at his old teacher's back, he felt an expansive distance between them, one that was bridged by age and an indomitable will to protect the Village that the elder Hokage seemed to possess with every fibre of his being. He didn't know what the Village would do without Sarutobi; if he were to die...

"My end is nigh, Jiraiya-kun."

His eyes widened in shock and he opened his mouth to reply but he was cut off.

"You know it, the Shinobi know it and the council knows it. I no longer see any point in beating about the bush in this matter. I must appoint a successor before it is too late."

"B-But Sensei!-"

"I intend to ask Naruto-kun."

Jiraiya couldn't hide his shock; his jaw literally hit the floor as one word screamed through his mind.

'WHAT?!'

Sarutobi turned towards him, his eyes shadowed by the bushy grey eyebrows. He gazed sternly at his subordinate, his son as far as relations went to him.

"He has all the necessary qualities. He has the drive, the determination and given a couple of years and I'm sure his strength would far surpass the ledge we have built ourselves."

"Sensei, no disrespect, but yours has been cracking for a while now."

Sarutobi studied Jiraiya's face intently.

"Were you referring to my power or my mind? I do hope you weren't referring to my mental disposition Jiraiya-kun."

The white-haired Sennin whistled a jaunty tune as he glanced around the familiar office like a baby in a candy store.

"I confess, I am no longer in my prime but that does not mean I am a push over!"

Jiraiya nodded lightly. He had successfully diffused the heavy atmosphere that had dogged his Sensei's proclamation; he was never one for serious discussion although he had his moments. It was possibly the main reason behind the Hokage not choosing him as the Godaime.

Jiraiya shook off his thoughts as he returned to the matter at hand. There was no way that the blond-haired brat was going to accept the position, in fact it would more than likely break him if it was even mentioned to his fragile mind. If he was guessing correctly, and he was sure that he wasn't mistaken, Naruto was facing the biggest challenge he had faced yet at this very moment.

"Sensei, he's not going to accept."

"No, I don't suppose he will..."

Jiraiya couldn't help it at this point; he stared unabashedly at the once strongest Shinobi in the entire world.

"Then why bother?"

A thin, wiry hand reached up to pull on the small, grey goatee perched on the Hokage's chin. Jiraiya knew that to be the only quirk the Sandaime possessed when he was agitated.

"I must. It's not only for me, but for Minato too. He has the ability and the strongest Will of Fire I have seen in the modern generation. I would be a fool to disregard someone of such potential."

He couldn't answer that, he had no rebuttal to change his Sensei's mind when it was justified in part by such a strong foundation. Ironically, Naruto didn't even know that his father was the Fourth and so even if it was brought up before him as a reason, he would be perplexed that such an unrelated point would be used as justification for his selection, but then again, in the grand scale of things that would have little meaning. The Hokage was chosen by the previous one, past and present and it would not be any different this time around.

"The only question is, how shall I approach him?"

Jiraiya had a reply on his tongue, but for some reason he couldn't voice it.

XXXXXXXX

Naruto stretched the kinks from his back as he sat on the wooden chair next to his dining table. It was a Spartan affair to say the least; a simple oak, four-legged, uniform table with a single matching chair behind it. The wood was old and beaten yet it served its purpose every day for the young blond. Having waited the obligatory three minutes for his Ramen to complete its hot-water cooking, he ripped the lid off and tore into the delicious noodles and broth. There was nothing quite like a hot cup of Ramen to start the day, although if you asked him, he wouldn't hesitate to recommend Ichiraku's as a breakfast priority.

His half-lidded gaze flittered to the single window set in his kitchen. The only other aperture in his candid apartment was in his bedroom and sometimes it annoyed him when the sun would rise whilst he was sleeping. It never failed to wake him up.

It was another bright day for Konoha, the sun almost at its zenith in the cool-blue backdrop of the sky. If he didn't have things on his mind he might have admired the way the golden glow bathed the Village in its magnanimous radiance, but today, he just couldn't seem to concentrate.

He started as he heard someone bang loudly on his front door. Pushing back his chair, he strolled casually to the heavy green door and pulled back the chain and lock with a rattle. Cracking the door open slightly, he peered out to the balcony.

"Hey Naruto!"

He was met with the beaming visage of his brown-haired, female friend. He would have perked up slightly by her presence but he felt too emotionally spent to muster the energy.

"Oh, TenTen...what are you doin' here?"

The bun-haired girl frowned slightly at the dull voice and dead eyes she had been greeted with. It wasn't like Naruto to act this...somnolent and she knew from experience.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?!"

Naruto shook his head slowly as he pulled the door open further. He stepped back in surprise as someone's head was suddenly thrust in front of his face, large black, bushy eyebrows twitching in excitement.

"Naruto-san! It is my eternal pleasure that I am able to meet you on a wonderful morning such as this! I was wondering if you would like a spar to start this glorious day!"

Lee was punched into the ground as the Konoha Jinchuuriki reacted on reflex.

"Oh, I brought Lee and Neji along too! You don't mind do you?"

Naruto shook his head uncertainly as he stared at the lump on his foyer.

"Errr...Lee-san...sorry, I guess-"

Lee leapt from the ground, his mouth stretched in a huge grin, his pearly whites gleaming through the gap in his lips.

"Ahh! I see that your youthfulness is not diminished on such a fine morning! I have recently been introduced to a jumpsuit that may aid the both of us in our quest for our youth Naruto-san! Gai-Sensei gave me two of them and I don't mind sharing!"

The odd Genin pulled a bright green leotard from somewhere none of them were able to discern. Naruto and TenTen slammed him back into the ground, gear and all.

"YOU CAN TAKE THAT...THAT BOGEY SUIT AND STICK IT IN A TRASH CAN LEE!"

The exuberant Taijutsu Specialist sat up from the human-shaped crater indented into the concrete with tears of sadness pouring down his cheeks.

"Oh, TenTen! You must use your youthfulness to its fullest! I assure you that Gai-Sensei only has our performance at heart! Why don't you try one of them your-"

His head collided once again with the floor courtesy of the weapons-mistress' fist. Naruto shook his head as a small grin curled the edges of his mouth. TenTen smiled softly as she caught the expression from the corner of her eye; at least he wasn't a lost cause.

The blond Jinchuuriki turned as he felt a glare boring a hole through his head.

"TenTen, who's that?"

TenTen gave a start as she turned to the Hyuuga who had been left out of the friendly banter so far. Neji stood off to the side, a baleful glare aimed at the preteen standing at the front of the apartment.

"That's Neji! You remember Neji right?"

"Who?"

Neji's eyebrow twitched at the question. TenTen was cracking up inside as she realised what her blond friend was trying to do. So be it, she would play along with him since the stoic white-eye deserved to be knocked down a few pegs. It seemed the stunt they had played at the Academy hadn't lasted that long after all.

"Hyuuga Neji! The guy whose hair you lit on fire that time we turned the Academy upside down remember?"

Naruto tilted his head to the side as if he was confused and TenTen glanced at her serious teammate subtly to find his face reddening in anger. She almost lost it right there but managed to keep her face straight.

"Hmmm...I'm not sure I remember...although it's not every day that you light a Hyuuga's hair on fire...hmmm...that's true and all...hmm-"

"JYUUKEN PO: HAKKE ROKUJUUYONSHOU!"

Lee and TenTen had to spring behind their teammate and grab his arms before he was able to hit their blond friend with his deadly Taijutsu attack. Naruto stuck a finger in his ear and rotated it idly as he stared blankly at the furious Hyuuga.

"Hey Shirogan Tenshi, don't worry, I didn't mean it like that."

TenTen broke out into a fit of laughter at the nickname he had bestowed on her teammate and Neji seemed to realise how close he had come to breaking the law for attacking a civilian no matter how justified he felt it would be.

"Uzumaki, keep talking like trash and your days are numbered."

Naruto looked him in the eye for a few seconds before turning to TenTen and ignoring the threat completely.

"So? What you doin' here TenTen?"

The brown-haired girl wiped her eyes on the back of her sleeve as she straightened from her hunched position. The mirth shone in her eyes as she gazed fondly at her friend. He might not think of her as a friend, but he had always been one to her since the day they had met. She had been stupidly childish and immature when she had refused to accept that he had secrets and she was infinitely grateful that he had granted her a second chance; not many people would, not after being abandoned for so long and in the manner she had. She smiled softly at his tone, engraining every bit of his facial features into her memory; he was her best friend, of that she was now certain. She would never allow their friendship to be ruined again for the sake of such petty problems. Those days were behind her.

She strode forward in a bout of joy she hadn't experienced before. Enveloping him in a warm hug she spoke into his hair quietly.

"Never again..."

"Eh? W-What's wrong with you?! Wh-What ya' do-"

TenTen released him and gazed warmly into his eyes. Even now, he would still act exactly like he did before, hiding all the pain and sadness he bottled up inside himself. She would help as much as she can and the best way to do that was to support him through all of his problems.

"'Ruto, Naoto-san's gone out of town for a few weeks on a delivery run somewhere in Fire Country. He said I could stay at the shop but I didn't feel right about being alone. Is it okay if I crash here for a bit?"

He scrutinised her face. Her question shocked him slightly but after everything they had been through together, maybe this was to be expected. There was no hint of deception or enmity in her stance and she had apologised after all. He knew he had forgiven her at the time, but that was in the heat of battle. Could that acceptance extend to the rest of his life though? He looked up again to find her smiling at him. Almost immediately, the image of a gleaming sun juxtaposed over her face, the luminescence glowing on the surface of a waterfall as he launched himself from the top.

'That's right...I promised I'd forgive them if they were really sorry...'

He grinned as he stared back up at her again, his happiness infectious as the same expression only grew larger on his friend's face. In that moment the wall that had separated them for so long crumbled into pieces.

It was time to start anew.

"Yeah, sure, chuck all my stuff out and you can use my room."

Her grin only brightened at his words and she punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Alright!"

TenTen dropped her duffel bag by the door and grabbed Lee at the collar, hauling him out onto the concrete balcony of the apartment building.

"'Ruto, we're going to train, wanna come?"

Naruto thought about it for a while, he didn't really have anything to do that day and it would take his mind off Shisui for the time being so he might as well have some fun. He nodded to TenTen, eliciting an excited shout from her bowl-cut teammate.

"YOSH! Naruto-san, your flames of youth are blinding me!"

His teeth went 'PING!' and Naruto had to shield his eyes; such was the brightness of this alien phenomena. In a deadpan voice and a sweat-drop on his head he remarked incredulously.

"Well your teeth are blinding me..."

XXXXXXX

Rain.

That was all he could see no matter which direction he looked. The sky was a dreary grey when he left and it hadn't changed by the time he had arrived. Clouds covered the expanse as far as the eye could see, even in the horizon. Every now and then they would shift as they collided; great bolts of lightning blazing from the heavens with loud thunderclaps. It was a very depressing place to live, Itachi noted as he walked calmly down a rain-swept street in Amegakure no Sato, a damp and dreary environment every single day, every single minute. Gusts of wind ruffled the area at irregular interval leaving his mouth dry and salty, his coarse tongue itching at the side of his mouth as he struggled on. If someone were to look at him through the gloomy weather, they would only see a dark figure with shining red eyes.

He thought he could never cry again after he had left his home Village. He believed with all his heart that the only path left for him was the winding, spiralling, potholed road that extended in front of his ailing soul. He could only continue despite hating his every movement and his every breath. It was a living nightmare, one that he knew if he didn't strive through, he would never be able to protect anything that was precious to him.

He almost snorted at the irony of the situation. Protection? Him?! What in the world could he protect?! All that seemed to follow him around was death and decay, hounding his every step as he sought to fulfil his mission. That was what a Shinobi did and he had been told that he was the best Shinobi in the world. He was being used like a pawn for a madman's scheming, a disposable cup to hold the tea whilst it's drunk. The weather of Ame suited him just fine; it reflected the state of his mind as accurately as could be done. Maybe it was his punishment to remain here in this godforsaken place, struggling to come to terms with his conflicting goals.

He strode forward, the entrance to the Akatsuki's lair appearing in the gloom as he looked up at the huge tower that housed the illegal organisation. Madara was standing outside, his black cloak fluttering in the wind as it was soaked through by the elements. He hated him with every fibre of his being; an evil, malevolent existence that sought the destruction of the world just because he had the knowledge to do so. He sought vengeance, the madness in his blood seeking to overthrow and destroy any semblance of peace that Konoha had worked so hard to gain.

He walked on, unheeding of the orange mask turned in his direction. His face was emotionless as he passed his superior, not even glancing at him as he continued to the safety from the downpour. He felt rather than saw the old Uchiha push himself from leaning on the side of the archway, his gaze fixed resolutely on the reason for his ire.

"You failed."

It was a statement of finality, a bygone conclusion that had been known before he had even set out to accomplish the mission. Itachi closed his eyes as he came to a rest, his back turned to the Uchiha Scion.

"I confess, I am...unsurprised at this development."

Itachi looked back over his shoulder, a single crimson eye staring at the true leader of the Akatsuki.

"Then why did you send me?"

Madara tilted his head as he reached up to remove his gaudy mask, his usual facade of joyous quirks absent from his demeanour.

"Maybe it was to test you. Did you forget what your role in this organisation is? Without the Mangekyou Sharingan you are useless to me."

Itachi stood still, an uncomfortable silence descending between the two. Outwardly, he was the cool and calm murderer that had killed his family in a single night, but inwardly he was raging at the evil man who stood so calmly, plotting the deaths of hundreds like it was an ephemeral exercise.

"The Sharingan holds many secrets, Uchiha-Sama. Maybe one day you will achieve your wish."

His head returned to staring ahead of him and continued forward to the shadowy hallways of the tower. Madara stood contemplating his junior's words. He turned to stare out at the rainstorm that seemed to blight Ame all times of the year, the product of Pein's Jutsu. A foolish man who wanted to be something he could never hope to touch.

"My wish..."

And then he laughed, the sound rolling and echoing around the voluminous entranceway. His form melted and he disappeared without a sound.

XXXXXXX

Naruto yawned as he plodded down a street on the outskirts of Konoha, one hand held up to shield his eyes from the bright midday sun. His fingers twitched on his other hand buried deep as it was in the pocket of his black three-quarters. He slouched and looked around dimly. The area was a scenic one, the cream pathway lined on either side by a neat row of evergreen trees, their branches swaying slightly in the gentle breeze that rustled through the leaves. There weren't many people out and about at this time of day but the ones that were seemed so happy and content to simply stroll around enjoying the picturesque scenery. The blond was uninterested in the stragglers around him though, he'd had a tiresome morning sparring with a Taijutsu freak from hell whilst trying not to die by aerial projectiles and blasts of Chakra when he wasn't looking. The only upside to all of that was that he knew if he had used the Kazeken, he probably would have destroyed Team 9 in an instant.

"Whose stupid idea was it to say no Ninjutsu or Genjutsu anyway..."

He muttered disparagingly to himself as he continued on his way, the brilliant orange light catching the corner of his eyes every time it managed to seep through a gap in his fingers. He was concentrating so much on trying to avoid the bright sun's rays that he completely disregarded everything in front of him and ended up colliding with someone who was approaching from the direction of the main gates. Stumbling slightly he managed to stay upright and turned his shocked gaze to his unwilling victim.

"Oi Mister! Watch where you're goin!"

He paused after his exclamation. The man was very short and slightly tubby around the gut area. His face was covered in a sheen of glistening sweat as the light played over his bald patch. Naruto found he had to cover his eyes from the shine.

"Argh! What the hell's up with your head?! You got a bulb up there or something?!"

The man sighed, his beady black eyes flitting around anxiously as if he were expecting an attack from any direction. Naruto would have raised an eyebrow if he could see through the merciless reflection of light blazing into his retina. How the hell was it getting to him alone?!

"Excuse me young man, it's not exactly something I have control over is it? I am bald after all."

"GAH!"

'He admitted it so easily! Doesn't he have any shame?!'

Naruto dropped back a pace or two his mouth stretched in an expression halfway between horror and disgust.

"That...that can't be normal..."

"What was that young man?"

"Err...nothing..."

Naruto scratched the back of his head and turned sideways so that the man couldn't see his face.

'This is bad...very bad...if I stay with this guy I'll end up sayin' something about his head again...'

"Young man?"

"W-What is it mister?"

Naruto continued to face away from him so that his expression didn't betray the inflection he injected into his voice.

"I'm looking for the ANBU Headquarters of Hi no Kuni. Is it possible for you to take me there?"

"Huh?"

In his surprise, he turned to face the man fully. He had regained his footing and now stood before the blond preteen only a few inches higher than he was. His expression turned deadpan as he saw the look on the younger male's face.

"You're laughing at me aren't you?"

Naruto scrubbed his face with both hands to rid himself of the curling lips that seemed to stay on automatically in the presence of the rotund baldy. For some reason his mouth musles just wouldn't relax!

"Ah, well as I was saying...do you know where the ANBU Headquarters are?"

"No I-"

'Wait a second...ANBU Headquarters?'

Naruto's mind immediately switched gear. The man seemed innocent enough but his eyes spoke otherwise. Weren't the ANBU HQ meant to be a secret place? That was a very suspicious thing to be looking for and his Jounin friends had specifically deflated every question he had ever asked them about the base. No outsider should even believe that there even was a HQ...

Before his internal grin turned devious of course.

'Ehehehehe...looks like I found some gold...'

"HAI! I know where it is!"

The short man flinched slightly at the loud voice and he began checking the area quickly to make sure that nobody had heard.

"Shhhh! OK, well my name is Arakawa Miru. Can you lead me to it please?"

Naruto nodded quickly. He broke into a fast walk before pausing at the edge of the footpath with his head tilted to one side.

"RAMEN!"

The man paused as he mopped his bald patch with a purple and black spotted handkerchief.

"I beg your pardon?"

Naruto turned around to face him again.

"RAMEN! I WANT SOME RAMEN!"

"B-But we're going to the ANBU HQ remember? Can't you eat afterwards?"

Naruto shook his head sharply.

"YADDA! RAMEN NOW!"

Outwardly he portrayed tightly screwed eyes and a huge grin but in reality he was analysing the man's every move.

'There!'

He caught it, the brief expression of fury that flitted across the man's face as he stared at him in incredulity. Naruto didn't know who he was or where he had come from, but this Arakawa was looking more and more like a spy. He didn't know if he should help the guy or turn him in; either way it was the same for him right?

It wasn't like the safety of the Hidden Leaf was his concern.

The man was becoming frantic now, his arms wheeling about in the air as he tried to compromise with the screaming blond. Eventually he gave up and told the Jinchuuriki to lead the way. Naruto grinned devilishly.

The guy didn't know who he was when it came to Ramen, did he?

XXXXXXXX

"LOLLIPOP!"

Arakawa Miru looked up from his severely deflated wallet in incredulity. The boy had put almost ten bowls of Ramen...somewhere and still had space for something else?! It was unreal.

"But you just ate Ramen! Can't you take me to the HQ first?"

Naruto's grin turned owlish as he stared at the man.

"Why do you want to go there anyway?"

They held their gazes for a few seconds and a very real feeling of danger rose in Arakawa's body. The boy couldn't possibly know who he was, could he? No, that was impossible. This blond-haired preteen wasn't even a Shinobi so it was hardly likely that he knew anything about his business at all. Then again, he was equally unlikely to know where the ANBU HQ was unless the Leaf's Special Forces weren't discrete about it. So far he hadn't managed to spot a single one of the elite operatives and so it was unlikely, but possible. He sighed mentally.

'So be it. As long as I accomplish the mission."

He was beginning to feel fatigued with keeping the Henge up for so long, but as long as he had the coordinates, the mission would be over.

'Just a little longer...'

"Alright...let's get you a lollipop then."

He watched in bemused disgust as the energetic boy whooped and zoomed towards a sweets vendor at the side of the street. The sun was coming down now and with it the safety of night was approaching. If all went well, he could be out of the damned Village before the end of the day and no-one would be any the wiser.

But this Naruto...there was something very off about the child. Whenever he smiled, it didn't quite reach his eyes and there was always a slight hint of steel in those sapphire depths as if they were guarding something dangerous.

Metal was, after all, used for weaponry and defence these days.

The boy couldn't be any older than thirteen and yet his entire demeanour was guarded no matter where he was. He steps were soft, his stance perfectly balanced as if he had spent his whole life training as a high level Shinobi. Arakawa almost hit himself at that thought; it was impossible, he was just a civilian after all. If anything were to happen, he could kill him rather easily anyway...

Sighing in frustration, he paid the hefty bill for another load of the boy's incongruous need for food. This time he held three bumper bags of multi-flavoured lollipops, all the while smiling like a loon. Arakawa followed the brat dejectedly as he lamented the severe depletion of his resources; the mission had better pay heavily for all the trouble he had been through.

They stopped at a random training ground off to one side of the Village. It was getting dark now and the street lights were beginning to light up, at first flickering as electricity ran through them before spreading their beams as far as they could. The training ground had no such light; it was devoid of any life apart from the drooping grass that might as well have been straw for all the spy cared. He stared around perplexedly. Maybe the HQ was somewhere around here?

"Well? Where is the ANBU Headquarters, child?"

Naruto spun around, one hand scratching the side of his head, his brow furrowed in thought as he sucked on the sugary stick. Every time he swallowed the sweet saliva in his mouth, the bulbous treat would protrude from under his cheek, and the movement was really beginning to annoy the spy.

'I should just kill him and find it myself...'

"Umm...come to think of it..."

Arakawa perked up, the greasy black locks of his Henge's hair swaying slightly from the movement.

"I don't actually know where it is mister!"

Silence.

"Well it's not like it's some place everyone can go to is it? I mean, it's all like elite and all that...best of the best ya' know?"

Arakawa began to shake. This...this child had led him on a wild goose chase for most of the day, draining his money like water and all...

All for nothing.

He'd had enough. There was no-one around. The brat's life was forfeit.

He sprang forward in a burst of speed, his hand outstretched to grasp the neck of the unfortunate youth. He would end this pitiful life right here and make up for lost time before it was too late. He increased his speed to what would be mid-Jounin level; no civilian could even track him by sight.

He was stopped dead in his tracks as something closed around his wrist in a vice.

'I-Impossible!'

"Ya' know...I really have no reason to defend this dung-heap, but you made the wrong choice when you decided to attack me."

Arakawa trembled at the soulless voice that floated eerily from the preteen's mouth. He was just a child! A greenhorn! Even the Shinobi his age couldn't hold a candle to a ninja of his calibre! So how?

How was he holding him idle as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

"Have you...ever been afraid of death?"

His eyes snapped up to the blonde's mouth. It was a nightmare, the kind of scene one would expect in horror stories that kids would tell each other when they stayed around each others' houses. He felt it then.

Pure, unbridled fear.

"...afraid to die, oh no, what I mean is have you ever been afraid that everything you do just isn't good enough?"

He zeroed in on the boy's eyes once again and he regretted it. They were the eyes of the dead; wide and sleepy, ringed with shadows and solidified like liquid steel. At this ungodly hour, the moonlight that had begun to spread its tendrils over the land caused his sapphire orbs to lose much of their colour. They looked metallic with a hint of blue.

'Like seeing lightning before it hits you...'

He held him steady with one hand, so casually as if he was used to a full grown adult struggling against his grip. He looked up at the failing light of sun-down, his face oddly reflecting not a sliver of light creating a sort of halo around his face.

"As if you would try so hard to build a building, building and building with all your might, but then just as you're about to finish it, someone comes and knocks it down..."

He looked back down, still not a single emotion shining through the thick fog in his eyes.

"Then again...a spy like you wouldn't know anything about that, would he?"

He brought his free hand up and prodded his body with the tip of a finger. Arakawa's Henge shimmered and then fell as his true body reappeared to the world.

"Heh, you're one of Hebi-chan's ninja huh? That's just...too bad! Maybe you'll feel a bit of what he's gonna feel next time I see him."

He tried to back away, run as far as he could from the look of infernal rage that twisted the blond-haired boy's face. The kid reached up once again and flashed through a few one-handed seals before ending on a half-ram. He would have screamed if he could have, but there wasn't any time to even think about it at that point.

Immediately a torrent of vile, hideous Chakra blasted out from around the 12 year old's body. It was so very focused, every single little drop of it aimed directly at him. For the brief second before his bowels loosened and he fell into blissful unconsciousness, he felt the absolute terror that a mouse would feel standing in front of the gaping maw of a lion.

Naruto watched disinterestedly as the spy dropped to the floor limply. He threw the hand held in his fist as if it were garbage causing Arakawa Miru's arm to bounce as it hit the floor. He didn't have to wait long as a full team of five ANBU appeared in front of him.

"Uzuki-san."

The Taka-decorated ANBU mask flinched as she heard her name proclaimed whilst on duty. To their benefit, none of her teammates so much as flinched even though one of their own had been compromised. If Yuugao needed any further proof that the Konoha Jinchuuriki had known it was her all along on the mission to Wave, it was right there.

"Uzumaki-san. What happened here?"

He shoved his hands into his pockets and slouched slightly as he turned to walk to the edge of the field. The grass rippled slightly in the wind but he didn't seem to feel the least bit cold.

"Looks like you guys have a spy to deal with, neh?"

He shrugged as he shot a bored look back at the hitai-ate resting on 'Arakawa Miru's' forehead. That was probably a fake name too. Yuugao nodded as two of her subordinates moved to pick the man up.

"We might have to ask you some questions later, you don't mind do you?"

He shrugged again and Yuugao paused slightly before disappearing in a swirl of leaves along with her squad. The training ground returned to its previous calm and Naruto stood staring off into the trees.

"Are you gonna hide there all day?"

In a flash, Uchiha Sasuke leapt from his hiding place, his hands speeding through seals. His face was twisted in fury and tears trailed their way down both of his cheeks as he let looks his Jutsu.

"Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!"

He gasped as through the orange glow generated by the six balls of flame rocketing towards his enemy, he saw a fist speeding for his chest. He gasped in pain as the punch slammed into his torso, an unearthly amount of force totally changing the vector of his jump. He was thrown right through the bush he had been hiding in, in an explosion of leaves and wood splinters. He landed heavily in a clearing on the other side of the tree-line coughing as he struggled to breathe.

'What the...what the hell w-was that?"

"What's going on here...Uchiha Sasuke?"

Startled, he threw himself into a hasty roll, narrowly avoiding the Kunai that thumped into the soft dirt he had previously occupied.

"DAMN! Kurenai-Sensei, that...Sasuke's gettin' attacked!"

Kiba raced to the Uchiha's side and knelt next to him in his worry.

"Hey, you ok man?"

Sasuke ignored him in favour of watching the direction from which he had been thrown. He thought he could take him, he thought he could get his revenge for what he had done to Shisui-nii, and yet...

And yet...he had been beaten as fast as he had attacked. Just how strong was Uzumaki Naruto?!

His eyes widened in fear as the bush blew up in a mushroom of leaves and air. The blond walked slowly through, the vortex spinning around his form and a soft, deadly glow of a ball of Chakra held in his hand. He made for a terrifying sight as his hair blew every which way from the breeze generated by the technique. He walked placidly, his arm held parallel to his body and unnervingly steely gaze fixed solely on the Uchiha Survivor's face.

Kurenai gasped. She had never seen the Jinchuuriki like this. Every story she had heard from her friends had told tales of a laughing blond tipping jugs of water over unsuspecting Shinobis' heads or humiliating Kages around the world. Here he was attacking one of the Konoha Genin as if it was the only thing that mattered to him.

How had this happened?

"Kiba, Shino, Ami, stay out of this. You are no match for him."

Kiba blanched at his Sensei's words. The boy was hardly any older than they were and yet she was fearing for herself even?!

"Naruto-kun! Stop this foolishness! Why are you attacking Konoha Shinobi?"

He didn't stop, he didn't even look as if he had even heard her speak. He just continued walking forward with his gaze unmoving from the visage of his attacker.

"Naruto! I will stop you; this is your last warning!"

Still no response. She bit her lip roughly; she'd probably regret what she was going to do later, but now was not the time to think about it.

"Magen: Jubaku Satsu."

Her form warped and twisted as the Genjutsu took effect. Naruto swung around when he felt the malicious Chakra invading his senses as he tracked the invisible movement of the Jounin Kunoichi. Did she really think that he, the inventor of the Invisibility Jutsu, would fall prey to something as inferior as this?

He swung his arm clockwise around his body, aiming to smash it into her face as she sneaked up behind him. Before he could connect, three things happened in rapid succession.

"FREEZE!"

Kurenai reappeared as two Shinobi blurred into view, the female holding the Genjutsu Specialist's raised fist clenching a Kunai and the male bodily grabbing the younger opponent in a choke hold.

"WHAT THE FLIP IS GOIN' ON OVER HERE?!"

Naruto gazed lazily up into the single grey eye boring into him, blazing with anger.

"Naruto, drop the Rasengan."

He complied and a tense silence fell over the clearing. Anko looked back and forth, studying the occupants' faces, looking for any hint as to what had happened. Her head whipped around as she heard the crunch of leaves of someone walking towards their position. Kurenai gasped as she caught sight of the woman, shaking herself free from the purple- haired Kunoichi's grasp.

The woman strode quickly into the clearing her resolve firm and her black eyes glinting slightly in the dying light. She didn't even spare a single glance at any of the others as she passed them, ponytailed, raven hair streaming in her wake. As she reached the fallen form of Uchiha Sasuke her hand flashed forward, slapping him across the face with the sound of a whip-crack.

"How dare you..."

She was furious, her eyes glaring down at her son, ever the regal Matriarch that she really was. Her son stared up at her in shock, his right hand grasping at the stinging red mark on his face. He had never seen his mother like this, he knew she had been a Shinobi before she had married, but it seemed he had become accustomed to her smiles and bouncy attitude that he wouldn't hesitate to associate with her whenever he thought of her.

"You think he was responsible, you think you had a right to revenge?! YOU NEED TO GROW UP!"

His head whipped to the side as she belted his cheek again. Tears began to leak from the corners of his eyes as he suddenly lost all momentum. That his mother, his kind, loving mother had just shouted at him barely registered in his mind. He was shocked beyond coherent thought.

She turned her back on him, walking back towards where Kakashi held Naruto in his grip. Her hand flashed out again but she paused just before she connected. She seemed to contemplate the action, gazing into the unresponsive eyes that the once friendly boy possessed. So different from the four year old she had known.

SMACK!

She wept. Uchiha Mikoto wept as she knelt down and hugged the shocked Jinchuuriki. His head was turned to the side from the slap; his eyes wide as soft arms encircled his body and dragged him from Kakashi's grasp.

"Youkou-chan..."

Naruto flinched at the nickname. He turned slowly, his soul trembling as he looked upon the woman that for all intents and purposes should have been a stranger to him.

"Youkou-chan!"

She pulled him close, drenching the front of his T-Shirt with her tears.

"How dare you hurt Youkou-chan?!"

His arms fell limp as he was hit by a memory, one dug from the very depths of his brain. It was something he should have remembered, something that was supposed to have been important to him, and yet like all things that occur in the passage of time, his memory of that day so long ago had dulled and fallen to the dregs of his mind.

"If you even so much as turn him out of your doors once again, I'm going right to Sandaime-Sama and informing him, do you hear me?!"

"Hey, don't cry Youkou-chan! It's a big world out there and I like you, see?"

'...Youkou-chan...'

"Y-You..."

He raised his hands slowly, placing them around the woman's neck and tightened his hold on her. She whispered into his ear slowly.

"Did you think I would hate you? Did you think I was avoiding you for eight years? Youkou-chan, why are you so silly?"

Anko and Kakashi stared at the scene with slight confusion. Did Naruto even know the head of the Uchiha? What was going on here?

"Did you think I would blame you for what happened to Shisui? It's alright to cry..."

"...it's alright to cry..."

And just like he had done in the past, the floodgates burst open with a soul-wrenching cry, the pain, anger and frustration bottled up for years on end, burst through the surface. He could no longer hold his facade, his shield to the world; the events in recent times were too much for his shoulders to take alone. She knew.

Mikoto knew that he was the kind of person to do that, just like his dad.

ZZZZZZZ