Chapter 1

Chapter 1

He thought he heard rain. Not the thunderous kind, but he thought he heard it just the same, though he couldn't really tell. Being honest with himself, he wasn't exactly sure what day it was. He wasn't sure if it was morning or evening and in continuing with his honesty, he didn't exactly care.

He had confined himself to his room in the dark since he had learned the "news"…

They all had stood around in the Hokage's office with solemn faces…worried faces, as they awaited his reaction when they dropped the news on him…

Jariya is…

"Stupid pervy –sage…" Though his voice remained low, he punctuated his frustrations by throwing a kunai towards the ceiling, which by now had a nice hole from this repeated action. He had been doing this for hours…though he wasn't exactly sure about that either, as he lay across his bed facing upwards, snatching the weapon back down with a long string he had attached to the base, effortlessly catching it in his right hand, only to repeat the droll motion seconds later.

A few visitors stopped by his apartment, he noticed, from time to time, but he ignored the majority of them. He had heard Sakura's voice at his door (a few days ago, maybe…?) calling to him softly, but he couldn't bring himself to face her. The only other person he had opened the door for was Shikamaru. He had heard him outside and opened it. He wasn't very sure why he did, but he did.

Maybe it was because he knew deep down, Shikamaru understood. Then again, Shikamaru always had something he never did. He never had a --

Knock. Knock.

Someone was at his door again. They were probably there to coax him outside. He paused in his throwing to listen at the voice.

"Naruto?"

Sakura.

He thought about opening the door this time, but he couldn't. He couldn't face her with those eyes. He couldn't face her like this…

Instead, he returned to his throwing until he was certain she was gone.

He should leave, he thought suddenly. Take a small trip. Like the pervy-sage…clear his head…he wouldn't be gone long...he just needed to…breathe. Just then, the four walls of his bedroom apartment were getting to him. He felt…trapped. The more people that came by, the more that ugly news rushed back to his mind with a fierceness.

He threw the kunai once more before pulling it down a final time and dropping it next to him on the bed even as he pulled away from the mattress and slowly stumbled to his feet, heading towards the bathroom in the dark.

He refused to look at himself, even with the lights off, in the mirror above the sink, keeping his head down, lifting the seat of the toilet and outstretching his left arm to steady himself against the wall in front of him as he began to release what he had been to lazy to do possibly hours ago.

Not bothering to flush, he returned to his bedroom and, without turning on any lights, shuffled around getting dressed and pulling out a travel bag, in which he grabbed a few items laying around and stuffed them inside. He wouldn't take much; he wouldn't be gone for very long. Just a short trip out to clear his head; take in another view other than the village.

The zipper of his jumpsuit made the only other sound in the room besides the quiet patter of rain. He leaned over his pack once more, rearranging a few things before finally zipping it closed and pulling it over his shoulders and settling it on his back. He didn't bother to look around his apartment (to dark for him to see much anyhow) as he headed towards the front door, tugging on the handle to face a clouded grey sky. He hesitated a moment, watching the sprinkling rainfall, and his hand hovered close to his hung raincoat on a nearby hook by the doorframe. After a short moment, he pulled his hand back and gripped the straps of his pack tighter. He would leave the coat. Besides, a little rain had never killed anyone…

He slipped his key back into a side pocket of his jumpsuit after locking his door and paused a moment to look around. A few nearby shops and residents already had their evening lights ablaze in their respective windows and he could see the flickering of several street lamps as they buzzed on to accommodate the increasing darkness. It was well into the evening and no better chance, he thought, to slip away unnoticed.

At the village's gate, the usual keepers were gone; on a break or preparing for a shift change, he pondered, grateful to escape without having to explain himself. He passed through and onto the worn trail leading out into the far reaches of the Fire country.

"I didn't think that this was your style. Don't tell me you're thinking on revenges as well? I don't think Sakura could handle another important person disappearing so selfishly."

Naruto stopped short, lowering his head and cutting his eyes off over his right shoulder. At times, he was still greatly amazed at this ninja's prowess and ability to know his every move at times. However, he let silence linger between the two, unwilling and uncertain at how he should answer his teacher.

"But of course someone like you isn't the type for petty revenges. Not the next great ninja out of the Fire Country, destined to be one of Konoha's greatest Hokage?" Naruto knew without looking that the man was set high at a distance, no doubt in a very nearby tree (seeing as he had only walked about twenty feet away from the village) with his nose in a book, sounding almost bored and amused as he talked to him. Naruto's head rose a bit higher, but kept his blue eyes focused on the road ahead of him. He stayed unmoved, knowing that his teacher, through the significant pause, wasn't done with him entirely.

"Well, since I'm sure that's not in your head," Naruto could hear the faint sound of a page turning, "let me pass on a few words of teacher-student wisdom: In time, all wounds will heal, but grow in strength and courage, not anger. But I'm not worried about you. I know he taught you well." Naruto could feel the rush of tears, but bit his lower lip slightly to stop the flow. "I expect to see you back in a few days, refreshed and in better spirits." His head shot up at those words and turned to look behind him and into the tree where he knew Kakashi stood, but when he found the spot, he was gone.

He stood atop a tall furnace pipe landing, watching his student walk deeper into the woods leading out and away from the village. He was concerned for the young man, knowing that even though he was resilient, everyone had a limit. He raised a hand to his mouth and bite down on the tip of his thumb, drawing blood, and slammed that hand down on the platform where he stood. Several tiny characters spread about in a circle, shortly followed by a small poof and a cloud of smoke as a stumpy bulldog emerged from the center of it, a tight blue headband plastered on his brow, a symbol of a leaf in the center's metal plate.

"Pakkun. I have a favor to ask."

"Sure"

"I need you to follow Naruto. Don't let him see you though. He's in a bit of a funk."

"Still going on about…"

"…yea…that's why I want you to keep your eye on him. Make sure he doesn't fall into any trouble"

"Won't there be trouble about him just leaving the village? I mean, what about Akatsuki?"

"I'm sure there'll be no problems with the Hokage on this one; as long as you keep an eye on him." The small dog turned away and prepared to leave. "Oh, and one more thing: report back to me if anything strange happens."

"Expecting something?"

"Not really," the man stated in a laid-back tone, "but we are talking about Naruto."

"Right. I'm off." And with a jump, the animal was out of sight.