Disclaimer: I only own Moro. Everyone/everywhere else belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapters will begin with an important bit from the past, and then there will be the main part of the story.

It was raining in Konoha. Or what was left of it. Even now they searched for wounded from the kyuubi's attack. Everyone was mourning the loss of someone, whether their own blood, or a friend. But everyone mourned the death of the Yondaime Hokage. Even worse, with no named successor, Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Sandaime Hokage, had been asked to take lead once again. "Minato, Kushina," the old man thought, staring into the remains of his beloved village. "I will do my best for your son."

A man pushed his way into the Hokage's office. This man was not a konoha ninja, and he was injured, fatally. From what the Hokage could see, this man shouldn't have been alive. "Please, Hokage-sama," the man coughed out. He handed the old man a blanket wrapped bundle. "Madara Uchiha lives," he managed to say, before falling to the floor, dead. From inside the bundle, a baby started crying. As he unwrapped the child, he pulled a letter from ontop of the boy's chest.

Hokage-sama,

Please, Hokage-sama, I beg a favor of you. A stranger has come to our village and demanded that we serve him. He saw us as a threat to his plans, and he offered us a choice. He said that he would be back in one weeks time, after taking care of some business in konoha. I realize that chances are that by the time you are reading this, your village has been ravaged by this man's plans. In order to foil this man's plans, we, the Chiarashi clan, intend to commit mass suicide. However, I cannot, no I will not, take the life of my newborn son. I realize the stigmatisms that many of the leaf clans hold over the reason why we left, and that my child will live a hard life, but I could not bear to end the life of the child that I only so recently brought into this world. I ask this of you, Sarutobi Hiruzen, because you showed my clan compassion when we left Konoha. Many of the clans called for our blood. They named us traitors, because of what we could not and would not bring ourselves to do as we had been ordered. But you allowed us to leave in peace, and so now I ask you to take my son Moro and raise him as a konoha ninja, in spite of all of the pain he will face.

Hikari Chiarashi, Wife of the Head of the Chiarashi clan

Sealed inside the letter was a rack of scrolls. On it there was a note.

Hokage-sama, please give each scroll to Moro at the designated time.

Six years later

"Naruto, up here, you idiot," a boy called to the little blonde boy running through the streets with a mob chasing him. The boy quickly turned into the alley and scurried up through the window. "We should be safe in here," the first boy said, pulling his brown hair out of his green eyes.

"Thanks, Moro," Naruto sighed. "I really needed the help."

"Yeah, I make sure I stay in during the kyuubi festival. Why do they hate us, Naruto?"

"I don't know, aren't you supposed to be the smart one?" Naruto retorted. Moro ignored him, peeling an orange with his teeth. "What should I do to Iruka-sensei tomorrow in class?" the blonde asked.

"Umm, you could shock him by paying attention?"

"I got it!" he exclaimed. "I bought some fake puke the other day, and i'll..."

Their years at the academy followed the same sort of pattern. Naruto would end up in a predicament, sometimes Naruto would cause it, most of the time not, and Moro would bail him out. More times than not, when they thought the coast was clear, Iruka-sensei would show up behind them and yell at them. While Moro was one of the best students, Naruto often had the lowest grades. It wasn't that he didn't try, but other than Iruka, all of the other teachers treated him like he was an idiot, like he couldn't possibly understand what they were talking about.

"You know, you don't have to spar alone, Naruto," Moro sighed, watching the blonde try to copy what he had seen the older students doing. "How did you learn? They don't teach you any more than they teach me?" the blonde asked, exasperated.

"True, but a true warrior never lets another stand in his way. There are some people who are nice to us, Ichiraku, the fruit vendor, Oji-san, to name a few. I know a few jonin who were willing to "help" me with something I thought up. Kurenai-sensei helped me set it up, and Gai-sensei, Lee-san, and a few of the chuunin provided the basic techniques," Moro explained.

"Wha," Naruto asked confused.

"I'd be easier if I just showed you," Moro sighed. He led Markus back to the Chiarashi compound and began rummaging through a bag of scrolls. "Here it is," he announced, holding up a black scroll with the kanji for genin written on it. "This is a genjutsu imprinted on a scroll. It doesn't have all the benefits of actually sparring, but it can teach you the forms for a few fighting styles," Moro finished explaining.

"I don't get it," Naruto said. Moro sighed, deciding it would be easier just to show his thick-skulled friend. He unrolled the scroll and pointed it at Naruto, who was trapped into the genjutsu instantly. Moro sighed. Genjutsu always was Naruto's weak point.

"Moro-teme, I'm going to kill you," Naruto yelled at the empty dojo. A faceless man walked into view, and began attacking him. The person was about his speed, but his forms were much cleaner. Naruto, dim though he may be, quickly realized that this person was trying to teach him. He mimicked the attacks of the faceless attacker, and their blows struck each other. The doppelganger began using different moves, and Naruto learned to not only perform them, but also how to counter them. After what seemed like hours, the faceless man gestured to a scroll on sitting on a rack that said release.

"Welcome back," Moro said with a grin.

"Teme," Naruto answered angrily, smacking him in the head.

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?" Moro responded while rubbing his head. "It's basic taijutsu, like what they teach at the academy. I've got some others, some of different styles, others with advanced techniques. But Kurenai-sensei makes me take a test before I can learn the more advanced style."

Naruto seemed to grasp how much their skills could improve using this method. "The only downside is that you can't build the necessary muscle mass, so I follow this up with an intense work-out," Moro continued.

"Let's really spar," Naruto said impatiently. Moro smiled and nodded. Naruto charged in to attack, but Moro just dodged any of his attacks.

"You'll have to be faster than that," Moro goaded. Naruto swore before redoubling his efforts. This time Moro blocked the attacks, not countering yet. Considering the way Naruto had been fighting just that morning at the academy, this was a whole new level, but he still couldn't hit the brunette. "Ready to end this?" Moro asked. Naruto just grunted, and continued his onslaught. Moro ducked underneath a punch aimed at his nose and brought his open palm up into the blonde's gut just beneath the ribs. The boy coughed and fell down with the wind knocked out of him. Moro offered a hand, which the blonde readily took. "You did good, Naruto."

"Good? I couldn't even touch you, though," he complained.

"Naruto, I came up with this trick last year. Kurenai-sensei says that I fight at upper chuunin level at least," Moro explained.

"TEME! Why are you just showing me this now?" Naruto yelled.

"I wasn't supposed to tell anyone, Naruto," Moro sighed.

"Wait, you can fight at chuunin level? But, next to me, you're the worst in the class," he stated, confused.

"Never reveal your skills to your enemies. Besides, our grades are sabotaged," Moro admitted.

"Sabotaged? WHAT! You mean I could actually be doing well, if they were fair?" Naruto yelled.

"Nope, you're just that lousy," he joked, earning him another smack in the head. "Anyways, we have academy in the morning, and then I normally work on taijutsu right afterwards, and ninjutsu at night, if you're going to be training with me."

"You don't practice genjutsu?" Naruto asked, both curious and slightly relieved.

"I'm as bad as you are at genjutsu," Moro said, gritting his teeth. "I can't hold one to save my life." Naruto laughed at this, and then they began their rigorous training.

With Moro's guidance, Naruto improved vastly, becoming at least upper genin level in taijutsu by the time of the graduation exam, and could use kawarimi and henge reliably, and occasionally he could use bunshin without them being horribly sickly. However, they kept with Moro's philosophy of having as many aces up their sleeves as possible. Naruto's biggest surprise was when he found Moro practicing with a boken in the dojo. Despite the amount of time the duo spent together since neither had anything better to do, never before had Naruto seen his friend practicing with a sword. Initially Moro had been reluctant to help Naruto learn any of the kenjutsu because of his problems with his taijutsu and the extent of his skill, but after a long prank war, lots of begging, and finally, with Naruto winning a bet, Moro began to teach Naruto the basic forms, while he himself used his family's kenjutsu style, tora no tsume.

Naruto's least favorite part of his training with Moro was the boy's insistence on academic knowledge. He made sure that Naruto could read and write properly, as well as do mid-level math and physics. The best, however, was that Moro loved ramen as much as he did, and they frequented Ichiraku's.

"How'd you do?" Naruto asked his friend as he walked out of the practical portion of the exam. Moro adjusted his headband to show his friend that he passed.

"Don't worry, just relax and you should do fine," Moro encouraged him as his name was called.

"Easy for you to say, genius," Naruto retorted before walking in.

"Alright Naruto, first I need you to use Kawarimi no jutsu," Iruka said, mortified. To his surpise, Naruto did perfectly, before the blunt shuriken hit him.

"Next is the henge," Mizuki said, and Naruto once again performed the jutsu. "Now do a basic genjutsu." When it became clear that Naruto couldn't, Iruka continued.

"Alright, Naruto, this is it. Last jutsu. If you do this, you pass, otherwise…" he let the threat hang. Naruto began channeling his chakra, but as he released it for the jutsu it pulsed, shattering his concentration and his hopes. "Naruto… YOU FAIL!" Iruka yelled with a quick examination of the defective and diseased clones.

"Come on, Iruka," Mizuki said. "Technically he did manage to create a bunshin."

"No, Mizuki. I'm sorry Naruto, but everyone else can make at least two healthy clones, but you can't even create one. Maybe next time," he added apologetically. Feeling defeated, Naruto snuck out to the swing to pout without Moro knowing.

"Didn't pass, did you?" Moro asked solemnly. Naruto just shook his head no.

"It was just the damn bunshin. I panicked," he explained.

"Moro Kentoshi, hokage-sama wishes to speak with you," a cat masked anbu announced.

"I'll catch you later, Naruto, try not to let it get you too down." Moro walked through the trees towards the hokage's tower. "Hi Hinata," he said casually as he walked passed the first.

"M-moro?" she asked, blushing because she had been caught. Moro laughed, breaking into a run. Maybe he should try to set the her up on a date with Naruto. If she could stay conscious through it, it would do wonders for her lack of confidence.

Moro knocked on the door to the Hokage's office. "You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Ah, good morning Moro. I have another scroll for you," he said, reaching into his deck. He tossed a scroll at Moro, who caught it. "How's Naruto?"

"I've never seen him like this. Failing again has him really down. He really wanted to pass this time," he said, sighing.

"Hey, Naruto," someone called to him.

"Oh, hi Mizuki-sensei," Naruto answered dejectedly.

"Listen, I'm not supposed to tell you this, but there's an extra credit assignment for the test. All you have to do is steal the forbidden scroll and learn one jutsu. If you show me that you can, you can be a genin with the others." Naruto's eyes lit up, and he ran off.

When he got back to his house, Moro lit a few candles for his family. Sandaime-sama had explained it to him when he he had asked. It was when he had been five. That had been the first time that the sandaime had called him to his office to give him one of these scrolls. The hokage had told him, with a look of great sadness, that his parents had died fighting the kyuubi shortly after he was born, and their last words were how they wished they could have raised him. After that, Moro had taken to lighting a candle to their souls every time he was given a scroll.

He unrolled the paper and sliced his finger on a kunai. He rubbed the blood along the length of the paper and a there was a small popping, and smoke filled the room. When the smoke cleared, three statues appeared along one wall of the dojo. The first was a black dragon holding a ninjato in its mouth. At the base was the inscription Kuroryu no ha, Fukushu. The middle statue was of a phoenix with another ninjato in his talons. Its inscription read Faiabado ni ha, Masayoshi. The final was a white dragon with a ninjato held in its paw. The inscription read Shiroryu no ha, Mashi.

After staring at the statues for a long time, Moro grabbed the one held by the phoenix and pulled it from its grasp. Reverently he pulled the sword from its red sheath. The blade was ruby, with veins of a lustrous sapphire. It felt right in his hand. Reverently, he drew the blade across the palm of his hand, letting it taste his blood, before sheathing it again and returning it to the statue. The villagers would try to get him killed for theft if they saw him with such a blade. Surely the "little traitor brat" couldn't have something like that.

Moro returned his attention to the note that came with the scroll.

My dearest Moro,

Congratulations on completing the academy, my son. Even now I am overcome with sorrow that I can not watch you grow. Every ninja needs a proper weapon, and I have ensured that you are well along the path to being able to use one of these swords. I do not know which, only that one of them will fit you. Already you know much kenjutsu, as well as some mid-level fuuton and basic jutsu of the other four elements. Yes, I know your chakra type. Every one of our clan has had a primary chakra of wind.

As you probably already have realized, these aren't regular ninjato. Our clan was charged with keeping them safe, until they come into the hands of their rightful wielders. But that is for a later date. I am ashamed to say that I know nothing about you, son. I don't know what you like to do, I don't know anything about your friends, I don't know anything. The one thing I know is that I am proud that you don't resent me, resent us, for leaving you alone. I know that the villagers treat you like a monster because of us. I hope someday you will understand what we did and why, but you are still too young for that. So I ask of you, make me proud, so that when we finally meet in the next world, I can continue to be proud to call you my son.

Love,

Mother

Moro was crying by the end of the letter.

"Naruto, what are you doing?" the hokage asked as the blond ran past. The boy swore loudly and turned to face him.

"Sorry, Oji-san, I have to pass this time," Naruto explained. "Oiroke no jutsu." The old man flew through a wall, propelled by the nosebleed. Naruto didn't take the time to find out how far the old man had went. He had to work fast if he wanted to learn a jutsu from the scroll before someone found him.

Moro put up his boken and went to find Naruto. His friend would need some cheering up, and he knew just how to do it. Nothing improved Naruto's mood like Ichiraku's. As he headed towards Naruto's usual training ground, he heard the alarm from the hokage's tower. "Naruto, what have you gotten yourself into this time?" he asked himself as he ran off towards the hokage's tower.

A/N: So, what do you think? Will Moro reach Naruto before he does something stupid? Will Naruto get ramen? Will Moro set Naruto and Hinata up? Who will get the other ninjato? Of course. Really though, reviews appreciated. Should I give a japanese translation, since i'm not using all the lines and accents and what-not from the rough translations? I'll post the next part when I get to it, which shouldn't be too long, I want to get to the zabuza fights.