WELCOME

Ok so welcome to my new (sort of) story. As always I'd like to begin by stating I do not own Naruto. I'd also like to take the time to explain this story. So this is a re-write of of a story I didn't complete and dropped several years back. For a bit of explanation feel free to check my home page. Long story short I got sick of writing and took a sabbatical. Now I'm back to finish my story but I'm not happy with what I wrote nor do I want to just delete the whole thing. So I've decided on a re-write. As for when other chapters will drop, I can't give a firm date but I'm aiming for a biweekly release schedule. Feel free to hit me up with any questions. So now, without further adieu, please enjoy...

~Capital City - Midday~

In a cavernous, limestone chamber located deep in the heart of the city, four hooded priests knelt chanting over a raging fire in a stone pit in the center of the floor. The chant, ancient words from a bygone era, echoed off the walls filling the room with an eerie serenade. The hooded figures remained almost motionless as they continued the chant as they had done for the past two days with barely a moments rest. Their brown, ankle length robes with caked in grime from the muddy floors. On a broken wooden bench on the far end of the room lay three loafs of dry bread and a single bucket of water. It was all they were to partake of during their month long pilgrimage.

As tradition dictated, the priests chanted and prayed to their Gods in perfect harmony as they could still smell the feint aroma of the of the burning goat they'd sacrificed days ago. Before they could begin their ceremony, it was tradition to sacrifice an animal to the Gods. This was done for two reasons. To gain the favor and attention of the Gods and for the smell of the cooking flesh to entice the priests and thus prove their devotion to the Gods by continuing their ceremony above their needs.

The ceremony was a yearly act where they would beseech the Gods for bountiful harvests, rain during droughts or the simple protection of their people. They were just arriving at the cadence that sought for the health, wisdom and well being of their king when the flame they surrounded began to flicker and rage about suddenly. Steadily the fire rose to where it nearly touched the high ceiling. The priests stopped their chant as they stared in disbelief at the wild flame.

One of the priests quickly leapt to his feet in a panic and ran to the small wooden door which was the only way in or out of the room. "Help!" The man screamed as he banged on the door ferociously. "Let us out! Let us out!" Smoke quickly began to fill the chamber as the men used the long sleeves on their robes to cover their mouths. It was a futile exercise. The guards posted nearby were instructed to never open the door until the entire ceremony was completed. Ten days from now.

One of the other priests grabbed the one by the door and pulled him away. "Get a hold of yourself Mizuki! There is no need to fear! Can't you see this is a sign from the Gods?!"

Mizuki, a silver-haired man in his mid twenties, pulled back his hood to show his shoulder-length hair. "Yes Iruka?!" He screamed. "It's a sign the Gods are angry with us! And now they plan to burn us alive within these walls!"

"No," Iruka said as he pulled back his hood. He was a dark-haired man with a large scar across the bridge of his nose. His eyes were kind and despite the danger and panic in the room he was calm to the point of tranquility. The other priests in the room seemed to relax as they saw his face.

"The Gods are not angry," Iruka continued as he approached the flames and stared deep into the raging inferno. "This is a test." That's when he saw it. In the very flames he could see seven dragons. Creatures he recognized from legends past. They were large. Much larger than any beast he'd ever laid eyes upon. One dragon had but a single head. Another had two. And yet another had three. Each one had one more head than the last until he saw the seventh dragon with seven snarling heads. They were massive and imposing. They destroyed everything in their path and they stood atop a mountain of charred, mangled bodies. But in their wake of death and destruction, Iruka saw life. A single flower, near the feet of the seventh dragon. Life. Cleansed by fire and born through sacrifice. A new world was coming.

Suddenly the flames began to die down until there was nothing but smoking embers. As the overwhelming sensation left him, Iruka looked about the room at the startled faces that stared back at him. He was on his knees. At some point during the vision, all strength had left him. His face was streaked with tears.

"Incredible!" Mizuki exclaimed as he helped Iruka to his feet. "What do you think it meant?"
"I-I know," Iruka muttered as he tried to steady himself. "The Gods they…spoke to me through the flames. I was given a great vision. And with it, a task."

"Madness!" Mizuki replied skeptically. "You've been given no vision! And if you had been, why would the Gods chose you? You're the youngest of us!"

"Age and experience has no bearing on the whims of the Gods Mizuki," another priest said. He was older, bald, with thick, gray eyebrows and deep brown eyes. "Tell us Iruka. What did the Gods tell you?"

"I cannot say it to you," Iruka answered as he headed towards the door. "I must first relay this message to our king."

"What are you doing Iruka?" Mizuki asked. "You and I both know the guards will never open that door."

"We'll see." Iruka said with a smirk before looking towards the door. "I know you can hear me. We have been contacted by the Gods themselves. And I have been entrusted with a great purpose. I message must be given to our lord and king." For a moment everyone remained silent, waiting for a response that never came.

"You see." Mizuki said. "It's pointless."

The smile faded from Iruka's lips as he now glared at the door as if he planned to will the door open. "Open this door now!" He commanded with such authority everyone in the room seemed to shrink away from him.

Another moment passed before the sound of a key scraping into a lock could be heard. Slowly, the door opened as two burly guards stood in the doorway. "Surely the Gods guide him!" The elder priest exclaimed in shock. Two hundred years and never had this door opened before the appointed time.

"Send word to the king immediately!" Iruka said as he addressed the men. "The Gods have spoken and he must know of my vision. Tell Lord Madara that the Sins are coming!"

Ramen Studios Proudly Presents

With Characters and Locations Created by Misashi Kishimoto

Uzumaki Naruto / Uchiha Sasuke / Haruno Sakura

Seven Sins

The Broken Age

Chapter One

The Boy on the Farm

~The Land of Fire~

~Seventeen Years Later~

The boy guided the plow as the large brown horse pulled it along, digging up the earth in deep, straight lines. The late morning sun beat down on his bare back as he continued his monotonous task. As he reached the far end of the large field, the boy tugged on the reigns, stopping the horse and took a deep, fatigued breath. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he looked around at the large open field. The tilling was all but done. Just a few more passes and he'd be done.

The boy adjusted the bandages that covered his entire left hand and wrist before looking up at the white clouds in the clear blue sky. Taking another deep breath, he removed the reigns from around his waist and walked over to the front of the horse. "How you doing girl?" He asked as he gently stroked the horses head. "Almost done. Then we can get you some food and rest."

The boy walked over to a small grassy hill just away from the land he'd been working. Near the top of the hill sat a large tree stump. Sitting on the stump was a small worn, leather satchel and a beat up, metal pail, half full of water. He reached in and picked up a metal ladle that sat inside the bucket and took a deep drink. He then reached into the satchel and removed a filthy, white cloth and used it to wipe the sweat from his chest, neck and upper back before sticking the now damp rag into his back pocket.

Finally he reached in his satchel and removed a slightly bruised apple. Walking over to his horse he fed it to the animal as he stroked its neck. "Not too much longer girl," He said soothingly. "Just one last push and we'll be done."

Once the horse was done, the boy returned to the stump and sat down. Dipping the ladle into the bucket once again, he took another deep drink before looking towards the field and his work. Beyond the farmland was a field of large oak trees and to his right, in the distance sat the wooden barn that sat like a beacon for him to return to. The boy felt a deep satisfaction as he admired his work. Sliding off the stump and into the grass the boy lied down on his back with his hands behind his head. He closed his eyes with a small smile on his face as the sun beat down on his bare chest. He loved these little moments out in the sun. His arms, back and legs ached from his arduous labor, but it was a feeling he cherished.

Just then, he heard the unmistakable hum of engines growing closer and closer until the sound was so loud it drowned out everything else. The ground shook as the ship came into view. It was a sound completely alien to anything else he knew. The boy opened his eyes and sat up just in time to see the large, metallic air ship slowly passing above him. The boy shaded his eyes from the sun as he looked upon the metallic beast as it flew by. It was darkened grey and glistened in the sun and seemed to blot out the sun as it passed over head. He could see the black and gold, imperial flag near the stern waving in the breeze as the ship flew out of sight. The boy sighed. "One day." He muttered to himself as he watched the ship until it vanished passed the trees.

Once the ship was gone, the boy returned to his break. Closing his eyes and lying down in the soft grass. His peaceful slumber was suddenly interrupted when he found himself drenched in water. "Shit!" He screamed as he darted up to one knee and looked about. That's when he saw a tall, older man with grey, spiky, waist length hair tied into a ponytail with two long bangs that framed the sides of his face. He had a small wart on the side of his nose and wore olive colored pants and a short, bright green kimono. He had a wide, toothy smile on his face has he held the now empty pail in his right hand.

"You plan to just laze around forever kid?!" The man asked.

"What the hell, Grandpa?!" The boy yelled.

"I should be saying the same thing to you Naruto." The old man responded "Is this what you call hard work?"

Naruto pulled out his rag and wiped away some of the water from his face. "I was just taking a little break! It's no big deal!"

"Yeah well, it's called work. Not take a nap the second things get hard time!"

"C'mon Gramps!" Naruto exclaimed as he tossed the rag aside and walked passed his grandfather. "Look around! I'm practically done!"

Following his grandson towards the field, the man looked around. "Practically done, is not the same as being actually done. Is it kid? It's like me saying I'll practically put my foot in your ass or actually doing it." The man stopped. "But, I have to admit, things do look like they're shaping up nicely."

Naruto suddenly paused and looked up at his grandfather. "Grandpa Jiraiya, was that…a…compliment?"

"Don't let it go to your head kid." Jiraiya replied. "Anyway, I think we've earned a break."

"I thought you said I can't take a break?!" Naruto yelled.

"I also said I might put my foot in your ass!" Jiraiya walked over to the horse and stroked its mane. "Anyway, I was thinking we could head into town and stop into Nawaki's for a quick bite."

Naruto had a broad smile on his face as his mind turned to food and meeting with his friends. "Yatta!" Naruto exclaimed as he pumped his fist. It wasn't often Jiraiya would allow him on a trip to the village. Usually he would go alone leaving Naruto to manage the farm. On most nights he would wait for the inevitable knock on the door by villagers who volunteered to bring his drunken grandfather home. Naruto would already have hot tea on the fire for Jiraiya who was often so drunk he was barely conscious.

Naruto spent most of his time on the farm, rarely venturing off the property unless it was to pick up supplies or drop off crops for sale. Even as a young boy he was rarely allowed to venture out except for when he had to go to school. It was the only thing about school he really liked. But after graduating a few months ago, he now rarely left the property. He was fine with that for the most part. He loved this land and loved working on it. The sense of accomplishment he felt at the end of each day was indescribable. His grandfather joked that Naruto cherished this land more than he did.

"Hey kid, quit day dreaming!" Jiraiya said as he looked at the boy. Go stable the horse and clean yourself up. I want to get out of here in an hour or so!"

"Right, right!" Naruto responded as he ran to clear up the equipment.

~Three Hours Later~

Naruto and his grandfather were riding in the front of a wooden wagon being pulled by two horses through the streets of Konoha. Konoha was one of the largest villages in the Land of Fire, second only to Capital City to the south. Naruto would recall the stories Jiraiya would tell him about what Konoha used to be in it's prime.

According to his grandfather Konoha was once a great metropolitan hub known for advancement in art, science and medical advancement. "A great city in the heart of ancient woods," he'd often say. "A place where man respected nature and worked in harmony with it. A town where scholars would travel to learn and debate with those of like minds. You could feel the pulse of the world that flowed towards a great future when you walked the streets."

But that was over a hundred years ago. Before the war. A war that turned Konoha and many villages like it, into ash and bone and where a new terrible Empire rose in its remains. And now, this once shining beacon, had become a crime ridden city of decay. The denizens would often joke that Konoha only had two types of people; criminals and their victims.

The streets were clogged with people as they slowly made their way under the mid-afternoon sun. They were on the main road which wound its way through the heart of the town. On either side of the streets were wooden stalls as far as the eye could see with people selling everything from fruits, vegetables and cooked meats to kitchen wares, blankets and little children's toys. The streets were clogged with people making their way to and fro.

The buildings and homes that clogged the town were but a shell of their former grandeur, Jiraiya would often say. Many of them were in fair condition, but it wouldn't take long before they would come across a building in complete disrepair, where the poorest of Konoha's citizens would still live at the risk of their very lives staying in the worst conditions. Broken windows and doors or sometimes missing walls or holes in the floors or ceilings.

Naruto looked up towards the mountain range that overlooked the village. The people referred to it as Hokage Rock. It was said that there was a time when the faces of the first, second and third Hokage's were carved into the mountainside. They remained as silent guardians and reminders that someone was there to protect the people. That was before the war. A war that crippled Konoha. After the city was conquered the invading army used explosives to tear the silent sentinels down. Now all that remained was a cavernous hole and reminder that no one can protect you from the Empire.

The Empire itself had a large presence in the village. On nearly every street corner Guardsmen could be seen moving through the crowd. Most of them were silent and respectful. But then there were others, who bullied the weak, openly took bribes from the merchants and walked about as though the city was theirs. Their main headquarters was located in the center of the city which was formally Hokage tower, the heart of this once glorious metropolis.

People happily greeted Jiraiya as Naruto and his grandfather made their way through the streets. It reminded Naruto of just how popular his grandfather was. Everyone knew of him. Naruto was two when Jiraiya brought him to Konoha to settle down. According to his grandfather, an old man owned the nearly twenty acres of land a few miles outside of Konoha. The land was barren. The soil was hard. Nothing had grown there in years. The man thought Jiraiya a fool for spending even a dime to buy it and was more than eager to take his money.

Jiraiya himself knew very little about farming. But he'd read every book on the topic, he said. And over the course of the next fifteen years he'd turned the farm around. What was once dead, was alive and thriving. And Jiraiya made sure to share his good fortune with the people of Konoha. He often sold his crops for a fraction of what they were worth and he always set aside some to give to the poor. By the time Naruto was fourteen his farm fed nearly half the village and was one of the few places you could find fresh, unpolluted produce. There was also no shortage of volunteers during the busy season to help bring in the harvest.

It didn't take long for Jiraiya to become one of the most beloved men in the city. There were those who tried to come to his home to steal. He made them regret it very quickly. And then word would get back to the village and those people would be all but exiled. It didn't take long before no one dared try and steal from him.

Despite being notorious for his drinking and carousing with women, Jiraiya was beloved for his overwhelming generosity and charm. Even the Imperialists left him alone for the most part. Of course Jiraiya paid his taxes but unlike every other business in town, no one ever came looking for extra "tax" or money for "added protection". It was almost as if he was off limits.

Of course this only added to his legend and often led to the village elders to come to him to for advice on village matters and to even ask him to represent the people's interests with the Empire as it's mayor. Every time, he would laugh it off and say, "Feeding the people of Konoha is all the responsibility a guy like me can handle."

Finally, the pair pulled up outside Nawaki's Diner, a small restaurant attached to the front of a large, two story home. The restaurant was named after the deceased little brother of the owner, Lady Tsunade. A tough, no nonsense, middle aged, woman as famous for her beauty as she was for her ruthless protection of her home, business and employees. It was probably the only business in the town that, like the farm, was never bothered by the Imperials or the local gangs. It was an oasis within the village with only one rule many people would utter in hushed tones. "Don't fuck with Nawaki's Diner."

As usual, the outside of the diner had about a dozen people congregating around the front talking about their daily lives as Jiraiya guided the horse drawn carriage off to the side and hitched them to a rail. Almost immediately, Jiraiya was mobbed by people welcoming him, asking when the next set of crops would be ready and if they could help bring it in. Jiraiya and Naruto politely made their way through the growing sea of people trying to curry favor and made it to the entrance.

The second they opened the door they were assaulted by the raucous din from inside. Drunken laughter, joyous yelling and the sounds of the musician playing his shamisen for coin, enveloped them. Those not too drunk to raise their heads, stopped to look to see who entered and almost all their eyes brightened to see them. There was a group of older men sitting around a table nearest the entrance. One of them, a man who only had grey hair on the sides of his head got to his feet. He stank of beer and wobbled as he came over to great them. "Jiraiya!" He stammered and he shook Jiraiya's hand profusely. "Good to see you, you old dog!
"Good to see you too, old boy!" Jiraiya replied with a wide grin. Others came up to greet him as they walked through towards the bar.

"I see you brought the boy out too, huh!?" A woman yelled from near the rear.

"Well, he deserved a bit of fun too!" Jiraiya answered with a broad smile as he placed his arm around his grandson's shoulders. "Naruto's been working his ass off! This years corn and potato crops might be the best yet!"

People cheered at the sound of that. "All right Naruto!" Another drunken patron yelled. "We're all depending on you!" Naruto forced a smile as best he could. He was never comfortable with the kind of attention his grandfather seemed to revel in at times.

Finally the crowd began to part and Naruto could see the bar. Specifically, the two young women working behind it on opposite sides taking and fulfilling orders. They were Tsunades' adopted daughters and were quickly becoming famous in their own right for their beauty and temper.

One girl, Ino, was blonde with blue eyes. Her hair was fashioned in a high pony tail and she wore gold, hoop earrings as well as a short, purple, sleeveless blouse, a matching apron skirt over a shorter, black skirt with fishnet stockings. She had several rings on her fingers and several bracelets on each wrist that jingled whenever she moved about. She was busy pretending to flirt with an older man with heavy bags under his eyes for hopes of getting a big tip. From the slightly perverted look on the face it was clear her efforts wouldn't be in vain.

Sakura, the other daughter, was on the other side of the bar. As usual, she was all business, with no interest in pretending to flirt with anyone. She had bright, waist-length, reddish pink hair and green eyes. She wore a tight, red shirt and a tight, short, pink skirt and unlike Ino, she wore no jewelry except for a necklace made of black rope with a pendant that was always tucked in her shirt and never shown. Despite being friends with her for years, to this day Naruto had never seen it. And both Sakura and Ino would change the subject should he ever bring it up.

Ino spotted Naruto making his way over and she quickly slid over to her sister who was in the middle of pouring a beer. She had a grin on her face as she nudged Sakura with her elbow to get her attention. Sakura looked up and saw Ino gesture towards Naruto. "Here comes lover boy." She said.

"Shut up, Ino." Sakura replied with a glare as she passed the beer on to her waiting customer. "We're just friends."

"Uh huh." Ino mocked. "Not if he can help it. Bet you five copper he asks you out again in less than five minutes."

"Shut up."

Just then Naruto walked up. "Hey Sakura. How you doing?"

"Hi Naruto." Sakura replied with a warm smile. "It's been a while. About two months? That old man finally let you out."

"Yep." Naruto answered as he thumbed his nose proudly. "It's a treat for all the hard work. You should see the farm. I've got that place moving like clockwork. Thanks to me, we're gonna have the best haul ever. "

"Umm, hello Naruto!" Ino said as she slid into Naruto's view.

"Oh! Hey Ino. Didn't see you there!"

"Yeah, I can see that." Ino responded with a grin aimed towards her sister. "I should get back to work. See ya."

"See ya." Naruto said as Ino moved away. "So Sakura, considering how good things are, maybe we should celebrate. Maybe you and I could, I don't know…"

Sakura sighed audibly. "Naruto, we've talked about this. I'd really prefer to just be friends."

Naruto blushed and smiled nervously. "I know, I know. I was just thinking we could hang out after you close down. You know, as friends. Maybe you could visit the farm?"

"I'd like that." Sakura answered with a smile.

Just then a tall, busty, beautiful blonde woman emerged from two swinging doors behind the bar. She had fair, flawless skin with golden-amber colored eyes and a violet colored tattoo of a rhombus in the center of her forehead. She wore a grey kimono style blouse with no sleeves that was closed low, revealing her cleavage held closed by a broad, dark bluish-grey obi that matched her pants. She wore red, open-toed heeled shoes and matching nail polish on her fingers and toes as well as a crystal necklace that fell between her breasts. "Naruto!" She exclaimed as she saw the young boy. She quickly came around the bar and gave him a crushing bear hug that nearly took him off his feet. "It's been awhile! How are you?!"

Naruto grunted under the pressure of her embrace. "I'd feel better if you let me go Granny Tsunade!"

Tsunade let the boy go and looked him over as he doubled over coughing. "You get taller every time I see you kiddo!"

"Thanks Granny!" Naruto responded as he stood up straight.

"How many times I gotta tell you not to call me that!" Tsunade yelled. Naruto knew she hated that. Calling her granny was a reminder of how old she actually was. Despite her looks, Tsunade was in fact only a few years younger than his sixty year old grandfather. Nevertheless, she looked barely older than thirty. Naruto never could figure out how she looked so ageless. But calling her granny and seeing her get flustered was great fun.

"You know he's just gonna keep doing that if you keep getting mad." Everyone looked over to see Jiraiya walk up with a big smile on his face.

Tsunade looked at him with a disapproving glare. "I have a feeling I know where he gets his disrespect from."

"Hey Tsunade." Jiriaya said as he ignored her remark.

"So it looks like the old lecher is here to cause a commotion! Or does the fact you brought Naruto with you mean you actually plan to behave yourself?"
"Or maybe he just wants me here to drag him home instead of strangers?" Naruto asked mockingly. Tsunade laughed so hard her breasts bounced.

"Why must we fight, Tsunade?" Jiraiya asked as he opened his arms wide and walked towards her. "Lets have us a hug."

"You just want to feel me up." Tsunade responded as she hugged him.

"Any chance I get to feel up those soft pillows."

Tsunade pushed him back playfully. "Alright, alright. Enough of that. Naruto, why don't you take your perverted old goat over to his favorite seat?" She nodded towards a booth near the far end of the diner. "I'll get you a couple drinks while Teuchi whips you up something proper."

"You got it Granny!" Naruto answered much to Tsunade's clear annoyance and pulled his grandfather away as he stared at Tsunade's breasts.

~Meanwhile~

A lone covered wagon, pulled by two horses, lazily wound its way through the slowly emptying streets of Konoha. The driver was an older man with a long silver mane of hair that billowed in the breeze. His back was hunched from years of work and he wore a dirty shirt and pants.

In the carriage, sat about half a dozen passengers. Two middle-aged men and a woman who were traveling together. They sat near the front of the carriage drinking stale bear and singing merrily as they had done for nearly the entire trip. Behind them, sitting at the very end of the carriage was a hooded man.

As the carriage moved through the town, the man took deep breathes as if he was familiarizing himself with his surroundings. The smell of raw fish, cooked meats and sweat enveloped him as he looked out through the canopy careful not to show too much of his face. All the while, he studied the faces of the people as they passed by. Committing them to memory as he'd been trained to do. He could see flashes of joy, anger and fatigue on the faces that he saw. He could also see desperation. It was the one feeling that seemed to connect all the people of this town,. Just as it did in every town. It was like a virus, slowly infecting everything he saw. Everyone he met. They were all infected, whether they knew it or not. And it would eventually kill them.

At that moment the man felt something lightly tap his foot. Looking down he saw a dirty red ball; small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. The man picked it up and looked back inside the carriage where a young raven-haired girl sheepishly stretched her hand out. She was sitting next to a middle aged woman with more than a few strands of grey in her hair. Both of them were dirty and smelled as though they hadn't bathed in days. Their clothes were torn and weathered and the woman sported heavy bags under her eyes. Next to them was a brown wicker basket that had several scorch marks from a fire. The woman held the girl fast to her as she stared at the man with a mixture of fear and defiance.

Refugees, he thought as he looked them over. Fleeing some horror in hopes of salvation. More desperation, he said to himself as he reached over and handed the ball back to the girl who smiled gratefully. Without a word, nod or smile, the man returned to his pastime of observation. Several minutes passed before he felt the wagon turn down another street and he finally saw his destination. It was a dingy looking diner in front of a large home. The name "Nawaki's" was crudely painted in red on a sign out front. "Hey!" The man yelled. "I'm getting off here!"

Without a response from the driver, the wagon came to a halt and the man leapt out the back. He then reached back in the carriage and grabbed his duffle bag that had been perched next to him and slung it over his shoulder. The man turned to leave when he paused. Looking back at the woman and her child for a moment he dug into his back pocket and pulled out a small pouch. He tossed it up in his hand and the contents of it jingled as he caught it. Without a word he tossed it to the woman who caught it with a puzzled look on her face.

The second she caught it, he turned and walked away. Behind him, the woman opened the pouch and saw the small allotment of silver and copper coins and she immediately smiled. Tears welled in her eyes. She quickly moved passed her little girl and stuck her head out of the carriage. "Bless you sir!" She screamed at the young man who was already vanishing into the crowd. The man heard her, even over the noise of the streets. He didn't respond. He had no use for her blessings.

~Meanwhile~

"Waitress!" One of the imperial guardsmen yelled as he raised his cup and slammed it down on the table. "Another round for me and my boys!"

Sakura sighed as she looked at the group of soldiers who sat in a table in the middle of the diner. There were four of them in total and they'd come in about thirty minutes ago. And as most of their kind want to do, they acted as though everything had to stop and their needs, above all should be attended. They stormed in and confiscated the table they wanted from other customers and immediately demanded service.

"What do you want now Raiga?" Sakura asked impatiently as she came up to the table. Raiga sat in between the other guardsmen. He had blue eyes with a ripple around the pupil, waist length, green hair with the top two bangs falling down on his cheeks on each side. He wore the standard red, long sleeved shirt and matching pants of the guardsmen along with the black flack jacket and the white armband on his right arm indicating that he was a platoon lieutenant.

"Speak to me with more respect woman." He sneered. "You're addressing an officer of the Imperial Guard."

"Whatever." she responded. "You're the same guy that flunked out of school to me." This caused the other guards at the table and even other customers in earshot to snicker.

"Watch you're fucking tone bitch." Raiga said as he was now visibly agitated. Everyone could see the rage beginning to boil in his eyes. "Because it wouldn't take much for me to convince my superiors to increase the tax rate on this place. I wonder how much that old bitch mother of yours could afford before she'd have to shut the place down? Do you understand?"

Sakura took a deep, measured breath between gritted teeth. Her fist was gripping her notepad so tight it was beginning to bend under the pressure. "Yes." She finally said.

"What was that?"

"Yes."

"Yes…what?"

"Yes…sir!" Sakura exclaimed. "I'm sorry for my attitude." Sakura wanted to vomit as she looked at Raiga's pathetic smile. She envisioned stabbing him in the throat with her pencil."

Raiga then touched the edge of his plate that contained his half finished meal. He slowly pushed it off the edge of the table. The plate crashed to the ground and shattered as the food hit the ground. The whole diner fell silent as they looked at the scene before them. "Aren't you going to get that?" Raiga asked.

Sakura looked around at the look of pity on all of the faces around her. Even her sister, still behind the bar, looked fearful. Ino nodded to her, pleading with Sakura not to do anything rash. Naruto and Jiraiya sat in their booth watching intently. Jiraiya glanced at his grandson who sat ramrod straight in his seat. His fingers dug into the seat as he gripped it. Jiraiya grabbed his shoulder. "Stay calm." He whispered. "She is in no danger."

Sakura bent down to pick up the shards of the plate which caused Raiga to grin even wider. "That's it." He said. "Right where you belong." Raiga then reached out and squeezed her butt.

"Fuck you, Raiga!" Sakura screamed as she swatted his hand away and leapt to her feet. She quickly stuck the point of her pencil under his neck much to his amusement. "Touch me like that again and I'll fucking kill you!"

The other three soldiers rose to their feet and placed their hands on the hilts of their swords. Everyone stepped away from the tense scene while Jiraiya held onto Naruto as tightly as he could as though he were corralling a wild stallion. "She's fine. She's fine." He tried to reassure him.

Raiga laughed as he signaled his men to stand down with a wave of his hand. "Is that so?" With incredible speed Raiga swatted the pencil out of her hand and pulled her down to sit in his lap. Sakura tried to pull away but his grip was like iron. "So tell me, will you kill me now?" He asked as he sniffed her neck. "What can you do now?"

Panicked, Sakura's eyes darted around the room before landing on Naruto. They locked eyes and Naruto could see her silently pleading with him for help. Naruto tried to pull free of his grandfathers' grip, but Jiraiya held firm and pulled him back to his seat.

Raiga twirled her hair in his fingers while smelling her neck. The feeling caused Sakura to cringe. "Ah." She said almost wistfully. "Like berries. You know Sakura, I don't know why we fight. You're what, seventeen, now? That's a great age, you know? Perfect time for marriage. You should probably be with a man of high station. A man with a future. I mean, look at me. I'm only twenty and I'm already a lieutenant. If you were to say…marry me, I could take good care of you. Make you a proper woman."

"I'd rather die."

Raiga grabbed her by the chin and forced her to look at him. "That too could be arranged."

"What the fuck is going on around here?!" Everyone looked to see Tsunade emerge from the back, with Ino in her shadow. She made in immediate beeline for the soldiers, cutting through the crowd like a shark in the ocean and as she arrived, pulled Sakura up and away from a smiling Raiga. "I don't know what kind of shit you're trying to pull but if you want to treat women like that, then take your ass to the whore house down the street! Not in my diner, boy! Not with my girls!"

Raiga threw up his hands and laughed. "You misunderstand, Lady Tsunade. I was just explaining how beneficial it would be for her to be my ally. I mean, say for instance, word were to get back to my superiors that you were making more than we think. And that maybe, we should take a look at how much taxes you're paying. What would happen if we were to up those taxes by say…fifty percent." Raiga then looked passed Tsunade to Sakura who sheepishly stood behind her mother. "But if you and your darling daughter were to be a bit more accommodating to me then who knows. I'm sure we would be able to negotiate some form of payment."

"Tch!" Tsunade exclaimed as she turned and walked away with Sakura. "Fucking brat!" She said under her breath. She then looked to Sakura. "You alright?"

Sakura glanced at Naruto who was now avoiding her gaze. "Yes." She said. "I'm fine mom. Thank you."

Naruto's heart was racing as he watched Tsunade take Sakura into the back room. "You did the right thing." Jiraiya said as he looked to him.

"It doesn't feel like it." He replied.

Jiraiya took a deep drink of his beer. "It often never does kid."

Just as the room awkwardly tried to return to a sense of normalcy, the front door swung open and a mysterious man under a tattered, black cloak and hood that hid his face, walked into the diner. The man stood at the entrance and scanned the room at the faces within.

Naruto looked at the stranger who stood at the entrance. He could feel a sudden surge as though a shock of electricity coursed through his bones and he could swear the stranger was staring at him for a moment before he made his way over to the bar and sat. Slowly the sounds of people returning to their conversations filled the diner.

Ino came over to the stranger who kept his face obscured by the hood. "What can I get you?"

"I was told this place has the best ramen in the city."

"Not just the city. The whole damned country. Our chef and his daughter are artists!"

The man placed his hand on the bar and when he removed it, there was a gold coin. "One bowl then. And a bottle of your best sake."

Ino took the money and went into the back to place the order. Ten minutes later, she emerged with a steaming bowl in one hand and bottle in another, placing both in front of the stranger. Moments later, Sakura emerged from the back after speaking with her mother. She was still visibly shaken but wanted to work.

Meanwhile, the stranger took a deep whiff of the meal before pulling back his hood revealing the face of not a man, but a teenager. He had black hair with dark blue tint that was pulled into a pony tail. Two bangs framed the side of his face and his pupils were red with three black tomoe encircling the pupils.

"Whoa." Ino said under her breath.

Sakura giggled. "Down girl."

"You're fine now, right?" Ino asked her sister.

"Well, to be honest…"
"Yup, that's great." Ino said as she walked over to the other side of the bar. "Hey sweetie." She said to the boy. "How's everything over here? Can I get you anything else?" The boy glanced up from his meal and saw Ino's cleavage staring him in the face. "Anything at all?"

He sat up and cocked his head to the side. "No, I think I'm good sweetheart. But I wouldn't mind the company of you and your friend over there."

Ino looked over to her sister and motioned for her to come over. Sakura shook her head, but Ino insisted and waved her over. Sakura sighed and finally relented and walked over. "Hey there." Sakura said as she stood by her sister.

"Hey there beautiful." the boy replied as he took a drink. "Now what's your names?"

Sakura smiled. "My name's…

"My name is Ino." Ino interrupted abruptly. "And this is my boring older sister Sakura. And you?"

"Sasuke."

Naruto sat in the booth with his grandfather, his food and drink remained almost untouched before him as his silent gaze remained fixed on Sakura and the young stranger. He was so focused he didn't notice that his grandfather was doing the same thing. At the same time, Tsunade returned from the back and as she passed through the double doors, she paused when she saw the boy her daughters were talking to. Sasuke and Tsunade's eyes met, only briefly and he smiled at her as she stood behind her daughters. Almost immediately she looked over to Jiraiya who nodded to her.

"Ah!" Raiga exclaimed as he and his comrades rose from their seats. "Well this was fun. But I think we need to get going!" Raiga tossed several coins onto the table and walked towards the bar. "We really should do this again sometime." He then looked at Sakura. "See you soon baby. Maybe, when you're alone. On the street."

"Raiga!" Tsunade yelled.

Raiga laughed as he waved the flustered woman off. "I'm just joking Lady Tsunade." He then glanced at Sakura with a grin. "Just joking."

"I have a joke for you." Sasuke said as he placed his chopsticks next to his bowl and spun around in his seat to face the soldiers. With a cocksure smile on his face, he continued, "Why should dogs of the Empire be seen, not heard?"

"What was that?!" Raiga yelled as he grabbed the hilt of his sword. His comrades instinctively followed suit. It was a great insult to refer to an Empire Guardsman as a "Dog" to his face.

"It's because their smell is bad enough." Sasuke continued.

"You son of a bitch!" One of the soldiers said under gritted teeth.

"What?" Sasuke asked as he leaned back against the bar. "Didn't you like my joke? Oh! I get it. You've heard it before, right? Well tell me, did you hear about the one about the Empire dog that was fucking a goat?"
"That's it!" Said another soldier as he began to unsheathe his sword when Raiga grabbed his arm to stop him.

Raiga then took a step toward Sasuke. "What's your name kid? I like to know the names of the people I toss in the gallows. I keep a list on my wall."

"My name is Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke."

There was murmuring throughout the diner at the mention of Sasuke's name. "Uchiha?" Raiga asked. "Impossible. There is only one Uchiha left. All the others are dead."

"So I've been told." Sasuke answered as the smile faded from his lips.

"Well, whoever you are." Raiga said. "You'll be coming with us now. We'll sort out your identity later."
"The charge?" Sasuke asked. "I don't think I'm guilty of anything. Except being terrifyingly handsome."

"Sedition." Raiga replied. He then glanced at a bulge sticking out of Sasuke's hip. He then carefully moved Sasuke's cloak revealing the hilt of a sword. "As well, it would seem, being in possession of an illegal weapon. It's against the law for citizens to have weapons within Konoha, you know." Raiga reached for the weapon. "I'll be taking that."

"I wouldn't." Sasuke glared at the man before him with such sudden viciousness that it caused Raiga to pause.

"Okay boys." Tsunade said, finally stepping in. "Why don't we all settle down?"

"Shut up, you old hag!" Raiga screamed as his eyes remained fixated on Sasuke. "You know what? Forget the gallows! I think it's time we remind everyone in this stinking trash heap of a bar who the fuck we are! We are the elite soldiers of the Empire! Protectors of the Realm! Part of the left arm of His Highness!" Raiga looked to the soldier on his left. "Kill this piece of shit!"

The soldier attacked without hesitation. Closing in on his still seated target. But as the man closed in, Sasuke seemed to move with blinding speed grabbing the man by his wrist before he could fully draw his sword while also grabbing the bottle of sake. In one smooth motion, he pulled the soldier forward and smashed the bottle on the side of his head. The soldier staggered back but Sasuke, grabbed him by his flak jacket and used the jagged edge of the broken bottle to slice open the mans' neck. Blood sprayed the ground as blood poured out the wound like a waterfall, staining the mans clothes. His eyes rolled up in the back of his head as he collapsed choking on his on blood.

The restaurant suddenly exploded in a cacophony of screams as people flooded the exit and out into the street in a panic. Using the chaos, Sasuke leapt from his seat and dipped into the crowd as the remaining soldiers gave chase.

"Get him!" One soldier yelled.

"Don't let him get away!" Another screamed.

But to their surprise, Sasuke didn't used the mass of bodies as a way to escape. Instead he was now standing in the middle of the street, with a smile on his face, waiting. "You boys ready?" He asked as the soldiers cautiously approached. "I had a really long trip and could use the exercise."

Jiraiya, Naruto, Tsunade and her daughters were among the last to emerge from the diner. There was a crowd now, encircling the combatants, all watching from a safe distance with more people coming to see the commotion.

Sasuke unbuttoned his cloak and tossed it to his feet, revealing his dark blue pants and black boots. He was wearing a grey, high collared, sleeveless black leather shirt, arm guards with a sword strapped to his waist.

It was as he removed his cloak that onlookers gasped and began speaking in hushed tones among themselves. Some were pointing at Sasuke in disbelief. Naruto pushed his way to the front to see and felt as if something and clutched his heart when he saw what seemed to make the crowd so uneasy. On Sasuke's right shoulder was a tattoo. It looked like a black snake trying to eat it's own tail forming a circle. Inside of the circle was the number…

"2"

Sasuke stood unfazed by the fear and mounting hatred emanating from the crowd and kept his gaze focused on his enemies.

Raiga and his comrades had their weapons drawn as they slowly surrounded their target. "You just killed an Imperial Guardsman!" Raiga yelled. "That's a capitol offense! We'll chop off your head and stick it on pike!"

Raiga and his men immediately closed in on the unarmed Sasuke who merely smiled. "The Wrathful shall be shown Patience," he whispered to himself. A soldier closed in on him from the left, his sword swung down aiming to slice his head open, but Sasuke easily sidestepped the attack and grabbed his attacker by the arm and wrenched it back until it snapped at the elbow. The soldier screamed as he was forced to drop his sword which Sasuke caught in mid-air with his free hand. In one smooth motion Sasuke held fast the soldiers mutilated arm and twisted him into the path of the second soldier who was coming at him from the right, lunging at Sasuke with his sword like a spear. Unable to stop his momentum, the soldiers sword pierced into his comrades back killing him almost instantly. Sasuke the pushed the dead man towards the other soldier causing them both to tumble to the ground.

Seeing this, Raiga paused his advance and instead drew a kunai from a compartment in his flak jacket and threw the weapon at Sasuke. But with relative ease, Sasuke used his sword to knock the kunai away. The kunai ricocheted off his sword and into the crowd heading straight for Naruto's head and incredible speed. "Whoa!" He exclaimed as he stepped back and tripped over himself, narrowly avoiding death as he fell to the floor with the projectile soaring overhead.

Meanwhile, Raiga and his last remaining comrade closed in on Sasuke from opposite sides. Sasuke moved with unnatural ease and grace, dancing around both men as he blocked and dodged their every attack. Finally, as Sasuke spun under the sword strike of Raiga, he sliced the other soldiers' thigh causing him to buckle to one knee momentarily giving Sasuke the opening he required. Before anyone could react, Sasuke sliced the man across the back before stabbing his sword into the mans' side.

Raiga pressed his attack, undeterred by the death of his last comrade. Sasuke quickly pulled his blade from the dying man and blocked Raiga's blow. He quickly knocked the blade back and slashed Raiga across the chest and through his flak jacket. Raiga screamed as he leapt back, clutching his wound. He staggered forward two steps before falling to a knee as blood began to spill out through his fingers.

Raiga looked around at the crowd that watched in disbelief at the fight they were witnessing. "Twenty!" He yelled. "Twenty pieces of gold for anyone who helps be subdue this villain! I call on my right of conscription to any able bodied man or woman!"

Sasuke glanced at the faces in the crowd. No one moved. No one stepped forward. He then walked towards Raiga who feebly swung his sword towards him. Sasuke blocked the blow, knocking the sword out of Raiga's hand and then kicked the soldier squarely in the face causing him to tumble down into the dirt.

"C-Cowards!" Raiga muttered as blood poured from his broken nose and mouth as he spat out two of his front teeth. "You're all cowards!" Raiga began to crawl towards his sword and just as he was about to reach out and grab it Sasuke threw his sword and it pierced through Raiga's outstretched hand, pinning him to the ground. Raiga screamed in pain.

Raiga reached out and pulled the sword out of his hand and laughed bitterly. "Is this what I get?! All I've done is protect the people of this fucking village! You all looked down on me when I was a child! Yet I earned my place!"

Raiga heard a footstep land by his head. Looking up he saw Sasuke staring down at him. Sasuke bent down, reaching towards him. Raiga closed his eyes, sure that his time had come, when to his surprise, Sasuke picked up the sword that lay next him and began to inspect it carefully. Raiga glared at him scornfully.

Sasuke held the sword up and ran his finger across the edge of the blade that gleamed in the setting sunlight. "You know I heard that members of the Imperial Guard aren't all given the same weapons and tools?" He said as he stuck his foot under Raiga and turned him unto his back. "Instead, a soldiers' quality of gear is determined by the quality of their station and how skilled a warrior they are. In other words it's not a matter of your rank, but your value. The more valuable they think you are the better the sword you get."
"Please!" Raiga yelled. "Have mercy!"

Without even looking at Raiga, Sasuke spun the sword in his hand and stopped when the blade pointed down, and then stabbed downward, impaling the young officer right between the eyes. People in the crowd winced and looked away from the gruesome scene and sickening crunch of the sound of metal piercing bone. Blood gushed from Raiga's face like a volcano was he gurgled and his body convulsed before going limp. "This sword isn't worth shit." Sasuke immediately walked away without even looking at the dead man.

Everyone watched in silence as Sasuke picked up his cloak and put it back on. He then walked back towards the diner and through the crowd that parted as he approached, all the while watching in fear.

Sasuke moved passed Naruto and his group without a single word, opened the door to the diner and went back to the bar. He sat down and began to finish his meal.

"Oh my god," Ino said as she looked around at the bodies strewn about. Sakura remained speechless as she stoically walked over to Raiga's lifeless corpse and stared at the sword protruding from his face.

"What do we do Tsunade?" Teuchi asked.

"This is horrible." Ayame said as she looked about in horror.

Jiraiya silently stood staring through the window at Sasuke as he continued to eat. Naruto stood next to Jiraiya. "Gramps." He said.

"Shh!" Jiraiya exclaimed as he cut off his grandson. "Tsunade, keep everyone outside for a sec."

"Alright." She responded.

Jiraiya pulled open the door and walked through the empty diner and sat next to Sasuke who was drinking sake straight from the bottle. "That was pretty stupid." He said. "Sasuke, right?"

Sasuke put down the bottle and sat back in his seat. "This is stupid world." He said with a smile before grabbing the bottle again. "I'm just acting accordingly."

"You look a little young to be drinking that stuff. What are you? Fifteen? Sixteen?"

"Seventeen. And in case you're wondering, my father's dead and you're not him. So you can save the speeches."

Just then, Tsunade stormed into the diner with everyone in tow. "You goddamned idiot!" She yelled. "Just what the hell are you thinking?! Do you have any idea what you've done?!"

Sasuke spun in his seat to face the woman. "What I did was take care of things like a man. I mean, someone had to."

Naruto gritted his teeth and stepped forward. "You didn't have to kill them!"

"Either them or me." Sasuke answered. "And it wasn't gonna be me."

"Shut up Naruto." Jiraiya said. "Let me handle this." Jiraiya then looked back towards Sasuke. "Look, that Raiga might have talked a big game, but everyone knew he was a harmless idiot. Those fools have never actually killed anyone before. We all knew that."

"In my experience, the one's who talk a big game eventually have to back it up." Sasuke said. "It's better to take care of the problem now before you have regrets later on, right?" Sasuke then looked to Sakura and winked. "You get it, right?" Sakura blushed despite her best efforts and looked away.

"That's not the point!" Naruto yelled angrily. "No matter what we feel about the Empire, we can't just kill soldiers unprovoked! Then we're no better than they are! We have to try for peaceful solutions!"

Sasuke took another drink from the bottle. "What fairy dust did you shove up this guys ass? Peaceful solutions? The Daimyo of the Five Great Nations thought they could find a peaceful solution too. Now their bodies are in some unmarked pit somewhere."

Whistles could be heard in the distance as well the unmistakable sounds of a large number of people running. Sasuke rose to his feet and adjusted his sword on his hip before grabbing his bag. "Look, old guy and friends," He said. "I appreciate the lecture and I'll give it some sincere thought. Really I will." Sasuke walked through the group but stopped when he reached Ino and Sakura. Sasuke smiled at them both and touched Ino lightly on her jaw. "By the way, you were right about the ramen. Delicious." He then threw on his hood and ran to the door. He carefully opened the door and looked around outside.

"Hey!" Naruto yelled which caused Sasuke to look back. "That…mark on your arm. Is it…is that real?" Sasuke merely grinned before vanishing into the streets. Seconds later the diner was flooded by armed soldiers.

~To Be Continued~