Valley of the End

Sasuke stood over the body of his best friend Naruto. "I'm..." Sasuke began but collapsed to his knees staring face to face at his friend. "Sorry," He finished a tear leaking out of his eyes as he stared at his lifeless friend. Naruto was dead by Sasuke's hand. Sasuke felt his eyes change. So this is the power Itachi had talked about, he thought to himself. He sensed someone coming, Kakashi. Sasuke got to his feet and began to walk away, pausing to look back over his shoulder to get one last look at his best friend before heading to the hideout of Oorochimaru.

Naruko was twelve the day everything changed. She woke up in her small apartment in the tiny village conveniently located in the middle of nowhere and made herself some ramen for breakfast. She was a terrible cook but luckily ramen was her favorite food so it kind of worked out alright. She had nowhere to go today, she had nowhere to go any day, she was just "That orphan" who lived alone, the village pariah. She didn't know who or why but someone had paid for her living expenses since she was born, secretly she always hoped it was her parents who would come back to her someday and explain why all this was necessary.

For the first time in her life there was a knock on the door. Apprehensive, she answered, staring at the oddest looking old man in the world. He had bushels of long white hair, a large headband, red vest and two red trails of tears tattooed under his eyes. Jirayia smiled warmly at the girl, noticing her look of shock, trying to be comforting. "Naruko, you've gotten so big." He commented only furthering the state of shock Naruko was in, This man knew me as a child! She tried to reel in her emotions but they were going crazy. Is this the man who pays for me? Does he know who I am? Is he my family? Does he know where they are? He seemed to know what she was thinking and replied, "Come for a walk with me Naruko and I'll answer all your questions."

She had no idea what to say to this so she just threw on her bright orange jacket over her black pants and black tank top and put her shoes on following the mysterious man out the door. They walked in silence for awhile, Naruko enjoying the feeling of walking with someone for the first time in her life. When they were a good ways out of town he sat down on a large rock and started talking. "My name is Jirayia, toad sage of the hidden leaf village." He sighed seemingly not knowing where to start. "I was a good friend to your parents," He started. Her eyes widened at this information but quickly turned into a frown was, so her parents were dead then. "You're parents were killed 12 years ago when the nine tailed fox attacked the leaf village, Your father as hokage and your mother by his side gave their lives to protect you and the leaf village." Ninjas! Her parents were ninjas and her father Hokage!

Despite having never met them Naruko was extremely proud to be their daughter, she had always aspired to be the greatest ninja, although growing up so far from the nearest ninja village she had been waiting until her 13th birthday to seek one out. "That day they entrusted your brother, born only a few minutes before you, with a terrible burden." Brother! She had a brother, hope welled in her heart. "He was made jinchiuriki of the nine tailed fox, there was nothing I could do for him but watch over him. But you, I thought I could save you from all of that by bringing you here. This is the most peaceful and kind village I have ever come across in all my travels, I thought here you'd be safe and loved. I was always planning on training you when you were 13 but it can't wait another day." Training? What is he talking about? What happened to my brother?!

"Where is HE!" She shouted out unable to control her emotions, this man left her with six more questions for everyone he answered. "Take me to him! I want to see my BROTHER!" She screamed the last word with all of the pain in her heart. Her desperation and despair hit the seasoned Jiraya like a tidal wave. Nothing he had ever experienced before had prepared him for her pain.

"Naruko, He..." He choked up tears welling in his eyes. The old toad sage hung his head unable to look into her pain filled eyes and deliver yet another blow to the poor girl. "He was killed five days ago."

"No," She whispered to herself, "NO!" She screamed at him, the winds rising up and blowing her long blonde hair out behind her. As she started to cry the winds picked up throwing sticks and leafs at them both. Naruko just stood shaking "Why did you come!" She screamed at the old man as the wind became so strong it threatened to blow them over. "Did you just come out here to tell me my entire family is dead!" Jirayia raised his arms crossing them in front of his face to protect himself from the onslaught of the powerful winds which seemed to be tied to the distressed young girl in front of him.

"I came to protect you! There are people who may come after you now! I can't trust everyone who knows your secret. I want to train you so you'll be safe!" His voice was almost lost in the howling wind, "You and Naruto are like grandchildren to me! I can't lose you too!"

The wind died abruptly. The use of her brothers name calmed her, also the insinuation that this man was her family too. "You'll train me to be the greatest ninja?" She questioned hesitantly before finishing, "And teach me about my family?"

"Yes,"

"Then let's go." She said not even bothering to go back for her stuff, there was nothing in her old life worth keeping.