Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto! Can I have a cookie?

A/N- Hey guys! This is my first fan fiction so please review with helpful tips! I hope you enjoy this short little prelude, the chapters with get bigger, don't worry! ;)

-Lynneon

Chapter 1

Naruto gasped in pain as he dashed through the alleyways of Konoha, stumbling as he went. 'Dang it! Why do they always chase after me? What did I do? What will I do!' "Come back here demon! Don't you want your pay?" Hollered out one of the drunken men. Another broke the end of his bottle, "Yeah! You deserve it, brat!" Tired as he was, the young blonde forced himself faster. 'Just a little more! The abandoned complex isn't too far now!' Naruto thought, a ghost of a smile crossing his lips. Hope swelled into his chest, and he darted out of the alley and into the door of the ancient apartment complex. 'I'm home free!' " Where do you think your going?" The Jinchuuriki froze. Trembling in fear he slow looked up. The image of a fist was the last thing he saw before it all went black.


~ (Later - Konoha hospital) ~

An old man stood next to a dragon masked Anbu just inside the injured five-year-old's room. The elderly man puffed a ring of smoke before turning to the nurse beside Naruto's bed. "Koria-san, how is he?" He asked softly, concern in his grandfatherly eyes. The nurse shot the elder a strained smile, "The... boy, will be just fine, Hokage-sama. Any cuts, scraps and other injuries are perfectly healed. It looks like he may have suffered of concussion but that is disappearing as well, though there might be some trauma, from either the concussion or the attack." The Anbu's fist tightened at the nurse's animosity to the boy. Sandaime nodded and asked her to leave. As she shuffled out of the room Hiruzen fingered his pipe and looked to the Anbu. "Ryuu-san, why so tense?" The simmering Ryuu nearly drew blood from clenching his hands.
"I-I didn't like her tone." 'Why can't they see him as human? What the Fox did has nothing to do with him. He saved us all, but instead of recognizing him we're shunning the poor boy. It makes me sick!' The Anbu officer took a deep breath and released it as a growl. Ryuu dipped into a stiff bow and strode away, leaving the Hokage puzzled. The elder looked over to the slumbering blonde. Sarutobi Hiruzen fingered his lit pipe in thought. "I wonder..." Hiruzen murmured looking out the window at the Hokage monument, " How exactly Ryuu-san meant that..." Unknown to Sandaime Naruto shifted in his sleep mumbling about the thunderstorm in his dreams

Uchiha Shisui walked out of the Anbu Headquarters with a sigh. He had just finished executing the traitorous men who attacked Uzumaki Naruto. Ryuu had disposed of the threat to the ball of sunshine and joy, and yet... the fourteen-year-old was worried. It didn't matter how many Anbu guarded him, in didn't matter how little violence came from the villagers, it didn't even matter if Naruto became a ninja. He was scared for him. Shisui would never forget the loneliness of being an orphan, and felt for the child. Five-years-old and he knew the hate of what should have been a caring village for him to protect. All that hate, without the love of his parents, or the support of a clan. As Shisui strolled through the village streets he made up his mind. Shisui stopped in front of the Uchiha compound and turned around. With the rest of the village in his sights he swore, 'Naruto, I will protect you from the baka villagers blind hate. I'll show you friendship before it's too late.' An image of Uzumaki Kushina telling Aunt Mikoto that she was pregnant flashed through his mind. Shunshin no Shisui smiled. 'It's the least I can do...'