Origins

The two men stood still. Various weapons lay, stuck in the ground, in a circle around them. Their eyes, which had sharingan, looked around patiently.

"You think he's gone?" One man asked.

The other man shrugged. "It's been hours since he came out of the shadows. He could be miles away by now."

One man took a step out, into where the weapons lay, dormant, sleeping. Thrown already, but that was hours ago. As soon as he put his foot down, a swarm of shuriken flew from the trees around them. The shuriken hit enough vital spots. The man died almost instantly.

Another man lay awake, unable to sleep. He thought of all his past adventures. How his past dreams had come to life. It was seriously only yesterday that his finally dream came true for real. He had finally become Hokage.

He suddenly heard a bell. From his doorway. "What's with the bell?" Naruto said, half-consciously. He got out of bed and walked out of his bedroom. He opened his door when he finally got there. Outside, on the rainy doorstep, was a basket with a baby and a note in it. Naruto took the note out of the basket and read it.

"Oh no…" He said. He pulled the basket inside and closed the door.

"So, why are we all here?" Konohamaru asked.

It was the next morning after Naruto found the basket at his doorstep. He had gathered all his closest friends, and allies; everyone he could trust.

"Yeah," Kiba said, "You better not have called us here for nothing!"

"Okay, okay…" Naruto started, "I was awake all through the night and…"

"NARUTO! YOU CALLED US HERE FOR INSOMNIA PROBLEMS? YOU JERK!" Sakura yelled.

"No." Naruto said calmly, which was unlike him, "I called you all here because of this." He held up the letter in his hand.

Sakura stole the note from him. "What is this?"

"Read it and you'll find out." Naruto said

"This better not be a joke, Naruto!" Sakura said, still yelling.

She read the letter aloud, her tone now lowering:

"Hidden Leaf Village,

Let this girl be a lesson to you all. Her village is gone. Her people are destroyed. She is only spared because of the curse laid upon her. In ten years, I shall return to her if the curse has lifted. If it has, then she shall be slain. Let this be a warning. Your village is next if you do not cooperate. My terms will be seen to soon enough.

-Uchiha Sasuke"

Everyone in the room stood, shocked.

"This is bad. Really, really bad." Sakura said.

"If we don't know what Sasuke's terms are, were all dead." Konohamaru said.

"True. But we don't have to. They'll…" Sakura said.

"It's true." Hinata said, slipping from her seat, "He, or they, might kill us."

Naruto nodded. "Nonetheless, she's the last of her clan, and she needs to be protected."

"Why do we need to protect her?" Konohamaru asked.

"Yeah! Tell us, Naruto-sama!" Kiba asked, persistently.

"Senkū Tāra." Naruto said.

Everyone gasped.

"Senkū?" Kiba said, "But that means…"

"Yeah…" Naruto said. "Sakura. Can I trust her with you?"

Sakura stood there, shaking. She couldn't talk.

Naruto sighed. "I'll take her." Hinata said. "I'd be nice to have some company at my house anyways."

"Thanks Hinata." Naruto said. Hinata blushed from Naruto's compliment.

(Author's Note: I don't own Naruto or any other affiliates. (What a long word.) I do own the new characters and the plot.)