Chapter One
--Darkness Falls
"You said that you were going to treat me to Ramen!" Naruto pouted at Iruka. He had promised Naruto that if he somehow managed not to screw up three missions in a row, he would be treated to 3 bowls of Ramen. Iruka dug in his pocket and flipped open a tattered leather wallet. He reluctantly took out a few bills and stared at the rest of his month's pay disappointedly.
"Fine… you win.." he finally said, after minutes of uncomfortable staring from the blonde-haired rookie ninja.
***
"Chicken Ramen please!" Naruto yelled enthusiastically into the depths of the bar. Hearing no response and seeing nobody he peered over the hopped over the counter. Instead of landing softly on the ground he jump with interrupted by a large bulge right behind the counter. The bulge let out a squeal of pain and anger. Naruto lost his balance and fell flat on his face.
Rubbing his forehead attentively he looked up at what had caused his unpleasant fall. The pink-haired female ninja, Sakura, was holding a large pot in one hand, and massaging her head with the other.
"What where your going you loud-mouthed brat!!" Sakura barked at Naruto. Any normal person would be frightened of her when she screamed, but Naruto was far too used to this to be affected.
"Why are you at the Ramen bar, Sakura-chan?" Naruto said, leaning very close to her face.
"No, baka, I work her part-time." She stood up and walked over to a huge stove and placed the pot on top of it, flipping the knob to ignite the flames underneath. She closed her eyes irritably and began to walk towards Naruto. Her fist was raised and ready to strike when a shadow fell from above and blocked the small amount of light flowing through her eyelids.
When she opened them she found that Naruto's back was to her. Both him and Iruka-sensei were staring at the man who had suddenly appeared in front of the Ramen bar. He was a blonde like Naruto and had spiked hair, mostly sticking to the left and some hanging in front of his young, smoothly shaped face---Or at least his mouth. The rest of his head was completely covered with a black cloth.
When the man finally spoke it was like running long nails over a chalkboard. "My name is Naku. I am from the Hidden Village of Speed, in the Wind Country." Ever word he spoke made the hair on Sakura's back stand on end. "Uzumaki Naruto, come to the gates of the Practice Area number forty-four three days from now." The man who called himself 'Naku' began to calmly walk away.
Naruto stood with his usual confused frown on his face, lips poked out. "And why should I?" He said, putting both hands on his hips.
Naku stopped in his tracks and slowly turned to face him again. Again he spoke with the same chilling voice that made Sakura shudder visibly. "If you do not come, we will come looking for you; And next time I won't be so polite…"
--Darkness Falls
"You said that you were going to treat me to Ramen!" Naruto pouted at Iruka. He had promised Naruto that if he somehow managed not to screw up three missions in a row, he would be treated to 3 bowls of Ramen. Iruka dug in his pocket and flipped open a tattered leather wallet. He reluctantly took out a few bills and stared at the rest of his month's pay disappointedly.
"Fine… you win.." he finally said, after minutes of uncomfortable staring from the blonde-haired rookie ninja.
***
"Chicken Ramen please!" Naruto yelled enthusiastically into the depths of the bar. Hearing no response and seeing nobody he peered over the hopped over the counter. Instead of landing softly on the ground he jump with interrupted by a large bulge right behind the counter. The bulge let out a squeal of pain and anger. Naruto lost his balance and fell flat on his face.
Rubbing his forehead attentively he looked up at what had caused his unpleasant fall. The pink-haired female ninja, Sakura, was holding a large pot in one hand, and massaging her head with the other.
"What where your going you loud-mouthed brat!!" Sakura barked at Naruto. Any normal person would be frightened of her when she screamed, but Naruto was far too used to this to be affected.
"Why are you at the Ramen bar, Sakura-chan?" Naruto said, leaning very close to her face.
"No, baka, I work her part-time." She stood up and walked over to a huge stove and placed the pot on top of it, flipping the knob to ignite the flames underneath. She closed her eyes irritably and began to walk towards Naruto. Her fist was raised and ready to strike when a shadow fell from above and blocked the small amount of light flowing through her eyelids.
When she opened them she found that Naruto's back was to her. Both him and Iruka-sensei were staring at the man who had suddenly appeared in front of the Ramen bar. He was a blonde like Naruto and had spiked hair, mostly sticking to the left and some hanging in front of his young, smoothly shaped face---Or at least his mouth. The rest of his head was completely covered with a black cloth.
When the man finally spoke it was like running long nails over a chalkboard. "My name is Naku. I am from the Hidden Village of Speed, in the Wind Country." Ever word he spoke made the hair on Sakura's back stand on end. "Uzumaki Naruto, come to the gates of the Practice Area number forty-four three days from now." The man who called himself 'Naku' began to calmly walk away.
Naruto stood with his usual confused frown on his face, lips poked out. "And why should I?" He said, putting both hands on his hips.
Naku stopped in his tracks and slowly turned to face him again. Again he spoke with the same chilling voice that made Sakura shudder visibly. "If you do not come, we will come looking for you; And next time I won't be so polite…"