Chapter 1- Bad Days and Strangers
Naruto was not happy. Naruto was having a bad day. He was having a bad day because he had failed his exam to become an official genin. Again. On his was to the ramen stand in a faint hope of consoling himself with some ramen, he had been beset by a drunken villager screaming imprecations at him in a grumbly, drink-slurred voice. Naruto, being no idiot (despite the careful mask he had erected), fled before things could get worse. Alas, no luck. In his rush to get out, he had pushed another villager who tried to stop the "demon brat" from receiving a completely un-justified beating.
This resulted in what was in many ways a lynch-mob being formed. Jumping on a wall and rebounding onto the top of a fence that would- hopefully- stop the bulk of this insanity, Naruto looked back and sweat dropped before hissing in vexation. He didn't do anything to them. He wanted to protect them, for Kami's sake! Shaking his head at the stupidity of these morons, Naruto hopped off the fence and zipped out of there before any of the villagers could climb the fence.
Naruto was moving through a forested area near Konoha's walls heading towards one of his temporary refuges. He had needed to set up a couple here and there around Konoha and its premises to survive up to his current fifteen years of age. It had the basics, namely a roof and a source of heat, in this case a place to kindle a fire and some camp-trip worthy food. He smiled as he remembered the Old Man having helped him, showing him the places to put the stuff.
--Flashback--
A younger Naruto had been brought before the Third Hokage after a bad beating. While he was being seen by a Med-Ninja the Hokage trusted, Naruto told him the tale. The old man was livid at what had been done to the boy, and promised Naruto- again- that the persons responsible would be punished.
Or at least he tried to. Naruto had interrupted him before he could say the words he was more often than not unable to keep.
"Old man, we both know better than that. The council would just let them off again, if not reward them for it. You and I both know that!" the boy had cried out in betrayed pain. He knew it wasn't the Lord Hokage's fault, but he had had enough. Too much. Now, in the presence of the one person who cared for him as himself, not as a legacy of some kind (he still had to get the full story about that…) he could let out the pain, the anger in a safe place where he was understood. The kindly old man held him as he cried with that pain and that betrayal, since in his opinion it was fully justified and not a little overdue.
Once the storm of weeping had passed, the man who treated Naruto like a stern yet kindly and fair Grandfather regarded him with a steady gaze, then apparently made a decision.
"Naruto, I want to show you something. This will be a secret between us and the caretakers who watch over you. This is not to be spoken of except to them, understand?"
Sarutobi had, in the absence of a true father, tried to teach Naruto honor, compassion, and the gentler qualities in humankind. When he had announced his desire to become a shinobi of Konohagakure, Sarutobi was shocked, and asked him why. They young boy's answer had been surprising.
"I want to become Hokage like you grandfather. Protecting those who care for me and those of this village like you have."
Well, while that had been a major ego-boost to the old man's morale, he had given the young man a factual account of a ninja's life. He didn't try to sugar-coat things for his young mind. Naruto had, at that age, an amazing mental resiliency that Sarutobi could only envy.
Getting his mind back on track, the old, but still strong Hokage had shown Naruto safe places to establish his hide-outs. Taught him what he truly needed there, and what was more of a creature comfort than anything else. Naruto had absorbed the information like a parched land drinks rain after a twenty year drought.
--Flashback Ends--
Naruto had to smile at the old man giving him the much-needed information. So, here he was in one of the safe hiding spots, planning on making it an all nighter because of the ruckus that had been directed at him. He scowled as he remembered the class that he had been ejected from after failing on a practical skills test. He had been held up as an object of scorn, thus- to Naruto's not-so-young mind- earing some payback for the abuse heaped on him. Naruto may not have the greatest chakra control in this years class, but he'd be damned before Kami if he's let the teacher, one Inuzuka Habarame, get away with that.
The boy was so lost in thought that he barely heard the thump from the other side of the tree he was hiding behind. Almost. He had learned to keep at least a bit of his attention on his surroundings at all times. He'd had that lesson drilled into him that even if he thought he was safe, odds were good he could still be taken by surprise.
Quickly rolling to the side, he grabbed his small emergency kit in one hand and his weapons kit in the other. He'd needed both before, and he tried to keep them on hand just in case. Moving out of his shelter after snuffing the fire using a small air jutsu he had learned that was only good really for snuffing the life out of fires.
Moving quickly, Naruto went to investigate, since he was one of four people who knew about this particular safe-zone. What he saw made his eyes widen. Laying sprawled on the ground like a corpse was a guy in a long red coat. He had a freaky purple mask, gauntlets and armored boots. The man groaned a bit and stirred weakly. Given that the man was splashed liberally with blood, Naruto was amazed the man was even alive at this time.
Making a snap judgment, Naruto quickly hoisted the man to carry him back to the shelter, before he activated the alarm seal the Hokage had installed in here.
--ELSEWHERE--
Sarutobi was swamped. He was slowly being buried in the most dreaded thing in the known world… paperwork. It was the bane of his existence and it hated him as much as he hated it. Unfortunately for the old man, Paperwork was a smart adversary, merciless and cunning. Sarutobi, the famed "Ninja Professor", in spite of all his knowledge, had yet to find a way to conquer this adversary. Fortunately for him, a distraction arrived in his hour of need.
The seal he had given to Naruto to place in his safe houses gave a three small chirps. The third immediately pushed himself away from his desk and went to the door.
"Geko, fetch me Fox and Neko. Bear, I am going out. Stay here and tell everyone that I am indisposed at the moment." The two ANBU nodded before one resumed his guard position and the other poofed out to retrieve the two commanded by his Hokage.
Whatever is wrong, Naruto, we will fix it as best we can, thought Sarutobi as he moved quickly out of his office and over the walls. He was quickly joined by his three ANBU agents. All three knew Naruto, the real boy and cared about him. They were some of his most dedicated caretakers.
Moving quickly, they arrived at the hideout, expecting to see Naruto looking much the worse of wear, and astounded to see him healthy and mobile, taking care of a stranger in outlandish garb.
Naruto looked up hearing the thumps of them landing, his hand automatically clenching on the kunai knife he held in hand, and smiled at his adoptive Grandfather.
"Old man, am I glad to see you," the boy said, jumping up and moving to the small old man who embraced him quickly.
"Naruto, what is wrong? The alarm seal I gave you sounded an alert, so I brought a medic and two guards, but you are unharmed. Why?"
Naruto nodded at this question, because he had been told not to sound it unless he was hurt and needed aid. Naruto gestured at the man and gave his report to his Hokage, in clear, succinct language.
After he was done, Geko moved to the man and began to examine him while Neko watched over him should he become… unreasonable. Fox looked at Naruto and nodded.
"Quick thinking. We can't have strangers running around without us knowing it. Good job Naruto." The fox-masked woman tousled his hair affectionately.
Naruto grinned at her before ducking out from under her hand, attempting to straiten his unruly blond mop. He liked her, looked up to her as an older sister. She was full of good advice if he needed it. Before he could say anything, Geko stood up and dusted his hands off.
"Lord Hokage. I have completed my examination. He is healing rapidly, in a situation strikingly similar to Naruto. He has two broken ribs and a cracked shoulder-blade. Neither of which is preventing him from waking up. He had, however, been hit a mild sedative, which when combined with a hard enough blow, can render one unconscious. Do you want me to wake him?" Receiving a nod, he looked back at the comatose-looking figure before making several hand signs. "Fire Style: Purifying flame!" called Geko as he lay his hands on the figures forehead and stomach. The figure reacted as everyone expected him to, by sitting bolt upright and gasping as the toxin was burned away inside him.
"Wow, what a rush!" said the figure before collapsing again. Naruto just blinked for a second before laughing. Sarutobi had to join in, as both of them had experienced that particular jutsu before, and that was not the way they had described it. As Naruto had put it, it was worse than being beaten for three days with a club. Sarutobi had agreed, but in their case it was because the toxin was much more potent.