Author's Note: A few warnings if you care for that sort of thing. This fic features an AU Naruto. How AU? Find out yourself. That's the fun part. Also, there will be character death, gore, etc. Be an adult about it. Don't say I didn't warn you.

I hope you enjoy the fic. Thank you for taking the time to read/review.

The funeral came late, months after it should have, and it was brief. Hiruzen Sarutobi was put to rest and the village mourned the loss of its beloved leader.

Now came the time for their retaliation.

"You seem troubled."

Naruto turned his gaze away from the sea of people dressed in black. A man approached, hunched over with a cane for support. A stern scowl on his heavily scarred features that betrayed nothing.

"I am, my Lord."

Clank. Clank. Clank. The sound of that cane echoed in his ears, heavier than all of the tears and the rainfall combined.

It was deafening.

His knee touched the ground without delay and he dipped his head in the attendance of all. The Fifth Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, Danzo Shimura, was addressing him.

"Tell me. What is it that concerns you?"

Pale clouds cast a great shadow from high up above, concealing the entire Leaf in an ominous dusk. Hiding the sun from their unworthy faces. An omen of what was soon to come.

Even now, here, before him of all people, Naruto doubted himself.

At dawn, the Leaf village would engage the enemy head-on. There would be no place to run and no place to hide. It would start there and it would end there, as settled by both of their leaders. Among what would no doubt end up a bed of slaughter, the victor would declare the loser exterminated.

He'd trained as hard as he could, pushing his body to the limits in preparation. But would it be enough? The thought still lingered.

"I do not want to die, my Lord."

That was the truth, honest in a way that cut to the core.

"I see. Are you afraid to die?" He gave no time to respond. "Foolish boy. On this day, you'd make such a stupid claim." The twist of his mouth was contemptuous. "We all die. Great leaders die. Men who were once thought gods die. Your life is only as valuable as you make it, and ultimately, your life is but one of many."

Naruto gazed into that barren, iron-colored eye and found no hate.

No hesitation. No concerns. Only certainty.

"If you die, boy, it's because you are weak."

Rain pelted away at him, yet he couldn't feel any of it. The world around them quieted, time crawling along at the pace of a caterpillar. Looking into that eye, hearing those words, it was like being entranced. A spell cast over him, and he let it pass.

He welcomed it.

This man, if nothing else, made him believe.

"If you're so afraid, then cling to that feeling. Hold on to it. Let that fear consume you, and fight! If you don't want to die, fight until there's nothing left! Then keep fighting! That is what you can do to survive. It's your life or theirs, Naruto Uzumaki. The people you love, or theirs."

His eyes widened and everything moved into perspective. The sound of rain slapping away at the dirt was all too clear now. He felt the stray droplets run down the gaps of his clothing and trail down his skin, chilling him.

"They took from us, and we will take from them. Tomorrow, we go to war. You should rest."

"I understand, Danzo-sama."

For the few people precious to him that were left, he would kill, and he would live—there was no other way.

The sound of running water filled his ears. He cupped his palms and reached in, fingertips numb at the sudden contact. It was cold, Naruto mused, a feeling that helped to distract his ailing thoughts. Water poured over his hands, filling the gap in-between, and he brought them up, splashing it over his face.

Water purified.

Could it purge him too then? If he drowned himself in it, would he be reborn?

No, of course not.

It was water. Nothing more.

'If only.' With that in mind, Naruto Uzumaki sighed. 'Today is the day.' Dark blue eyes moved to the calendar hanging on the wall across the open door.

June 15th.

On this day in history, a super ninja crash-landed in a parallel world, half-dead and still dying. Fast forward two years later and here he was. Nothing ventured, and nothing gained.

The clock was ticking a little too slow for his liking.

Naruto stared at that date for longer than he should have, as if in a daze, unconcerned with the still running water that was now overflowing the sink. The sound of ringing brought him back. The alarm had gone off seconds ago, snapping the blond out of his accidental stupor. He blinked, watching the water run over his floorboards and underneath his bare feet, and then stifled a groan.

"Damn it," Naruto muttered a curse, threw a nearby towel over the mess and didn't once look back.

Time for school.

Fujimi Academy. A grand structure by anyone's standard. Massive in its size and stature, rivaling that of even the greatest Universities in Japan. Beautiful, distinguished, and respected. Fujimi was the best of the best. It was also his personal cage, or rather his newest one.

Fujimi is a prison. The students passed, their uniforms making them a blur as they marched on. Talking with friends or glued to their phones. A new day had begun, full of new possibilities.

Naruto wished he could be a part of that, but it was impossible for someone like him.

Every now and again he'd catch the stares sent his way. Pick up on the whispers spread around him.

"There he is..."

"Don't look at him, idiot! What if he decides to kill us?!"

It was both astounding and frightening.

"I heard he's the leader of some gang."

"What?! No way! I suppose it makes sense though."

They were trapped by their own ignorance. Sealed off from the reality. Sheltered, unaware of its harsh truths. These children were expected to be the best of the best, future leaders and whatnot, and they were just that—children.

'Although, I suppose it's my fault too. I haven't done a thing to stop them.' Let them talk, let them tell. One day they too would come to realize. 'Everyone ends up this way, sooner or later.'

A beefy student shouldered past him within the thickening crowd, breaking his trail of thought and drawing him back to reality. Naruto's entire body jerked at the contact, and through the cracks of his shaggy blond locks, met the eye of that same student as he disappeared into the crowd. An all too pleased smirk plastered on that ugly face.

Bastard did it on purpose.

'Coward.' Naruto thought.

The rest of the students parted at the sight of him, not as confident as the bully before them. They didn't shove him or smirk and glare. They only made a wide enough gap as they passed, most didn't even bother to look him in the eye. In this place, he was either greeted to a few glares or they outright neglected his presence.

All in all, it was nothing new.

The lunch ladies were nice. For whatever reason, they were a part of the one percent in this school that tolerated him. When he arrived, the oldest of the three handed over an egg sandwich she'd saved when most of the cafeteria was empty. Thanks to her and her sisters this day would be a bit more manageable.

He'd have to pay them back somehow.

"Uzumaki, you're late."

Naruto frowned, his lips curling downward. 'I could help them out in secret. But how?' Kindness like that had to be repaid. Unlike Hayate, the lunch ladies knew not to cross any lines. They were good people—unbefitting of the crude rabble.

Lost in thought, Naruto was distantly aware of his teacher's growing ire, but he just didn't care.

"Uzumaki..." The man, tall and lanky with a beady set of eyes, snapped his the book in his hand shut and adjusted his glasses. "Are you listening to me? You're disturbing my class, again. Do I have to report you to Hayashi—?"

"—No, you don't," Naruto interrupted him. "Sorry. It won't happen again."

It would most certainly happen again.

Without another word, he made his way to the back of the room. As usual, his desk was empty.

So was the desk next to, in front, and behind it. Exactly how he liked it.

Naruto took his seat and pretended to listen on as the teacher resumed the lecture. Class proceeded as it would from there, and once he was sure no one was paying any mind, the blond turned his gaze to the open window and opted to people-watch instead.

Today would pass, he told himself.

The class period closed with the teacher, whose name Naruto couldn't bother to remember, leaving the senior class with a question.

"What will you do with your life?"

Now he was here, resting on his favorite bench surveying the courtyard, wasting his lunch hour actually thinking it over. It was true that graduation was around the corner, but so what? That meant nothing to him.

If only he were able to act on that feeling. Unfortunately, he did need to graduate or else risk certain parties digging their nose into his business again.

'I could be a superhero, I've got the power. That's too much trouble though.' Most likely, he would work at that tiny little shack until the day came where there was nothing left. 'What a life.' At the very least he had lunch. His only haven and a welcomed break.

Or, it should have been.

"Naruto! Hey! Over here!"

Fujimi was huge. Full of people, places, and all kinds of things to do.

So why then?

Why him?

The first thing he noticed was the red bow streaming in the wind behind her, wrapping around long raven braids that framed her pale skin. Misuzu Ichijou is a light that rivaled the sun, blazing all the brighter if only because she was here on this Earth alongside him.

This girl reminded him the sun. Too damn bright.

"S-Suzu! Please slow down!"

Nikki Toshimi was the counterpart. If Misuzu is the sun, then Nikki is the moon, transparent when it was up and unseen when it wasn't.

Like all the rest, Nikki condemned him. Never speaking more than a few words in his general direction unless she needed to. He suspected the only reason she bothered to stick around all this time was because of Misuzu. They were inseparable, after all—the best of friends. At least Nikki was loyal, that much he could give her.

Naruto didn't respond when they approached. He didn't ignore them either, opting to flag them over with a small wave.

This too was another part of the routine.

"Yo!" Misuzu chirped with a smile. "Sulking as usual, aye?" She took a seat next to him on the bench and patted the empty spot to her left for Nikki to take. "I wonder if I'll ever catch you doing anything productive?" The bento in her hands was now on her lap, and when she opened it, the alluring smells invaded his senses like an army marching on a castle.

"Fat chance."

Nikki took her place as the two exchanged words and bowed her head, blue eyes finding anything but the pale blond to look at. Thankfully, Misuzu was right there. "A-Ah, h-hello, Uzumaki-san." She greeted him out of necessity, inwardly scolding herself for the careless stutter.

Naruto's dark blue met her lighter pair, and he stared at her, and stared, and stared. Until her cheeks flushed bright red and she realized exactly how long she could hold her breath.

"Naruto..." Misuzu trailed off, brow twitching. "You're scaring her."

"I know."

Teasing Nikki was fun. One of the few perks of this begrudging, one-sided friendship they shared.

Misuzu made a face at his remark, something in between annoyed and frustrated. "You're such a jerk, you know that? I mean here we are, two cute and available girls bothering to talk to you of all people, and you can't even act interested? You disappoint me, Naruto Uzumaki." She shook her head while crossing her arms, a few strands of her long hair swaying out of place.

Nothing important, but he noticed it all the same—he saw everything when it came to her.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say? Disappointment is my specialty." He eyed the single, unopened noodle cup in her open bento, making his thoughts obvious to her. "So. You gonna eat that?"

Misuzu gawked, then sighed. "Here," she said, taking the cup out and giving it to him, her lips set into a thin line. "Knock yourself out."

In an instant the noodle cup was gone, already in his hands as he tore the lid off. This was the only time Naruto ever got excited about anything, Misuzu mused. A boy and his noodles, what a strange yet entrancing sight. Misuzu liked knowing she did that for him, that it was only her who could. It was a simple, odd little feeling. Something that, try as she might, she could never put into proper words.

Seeing him happy. It made her happy.

'You're so weird.' She mused to herself, a small smile unknowingly taking root. 'But...I like that about you.'

A whole year had led up to this point. At first, Naruto didn't spare her the time of day, but she was persistent if nothing else. Even a gentle tide could chip away at a mountain, all it took was a little bit of time. And with time she did that. He welcomed her into his life as far as he was able to.

"It's rude to stare when people eat."

Misuzu blinked once and realized that, indeed, she'd lost herself in thought. Before she could retort, the bell saved her, and with that lunch came to an end. She blinked again, mimicking an owl as he whisked past, her head turning to follow. A single hand was raised up in a half-hearted goodbye while he escaped into the crowd.

"Thanks for lunch, see you tomorrow."

Naruto flashed a playful if tired grin. Those dark blue eyes creased up, taking the shape of a crescent moon. He was like a jester, hiding behind masks and dancing to whatever tune they played for him—but she knew better. Behind the dim shadows of that cheeky act, something painfully obvious lurked.

What was it?

Regret? Guilt? Loneliness?

'I wonder?' she thought, watching him go. 'What it is that you're so afraid of, Naruto?'

"Suzu...we should go."

People were starting to stare, muttering whispers among one another again.

Nikki hated it, she knew.

"Ah, right."

Naruto sat in his last class of the day, caught in between nodding off and staying awake. As predicted the day progressed slow, and like every day before this one for the past two years, his memory stirred at the stupidest things. A passing look. The sound of kids playing. Then it was screaming. The clanging of kunai echoing his ears, the trembling of the earth.

The smell of blood. The endless rot.

"Without a purpose, boy. Your life is worthless."

"Uzumaki!"

Naruto jumped in his seat, his eyes wide and expression grim.

No one laughed at his sudden jump, no one could, not with that kind of look on his face.

"...What?"

"Y-You're sleeping in my class again!" The teacher, another one he couldn't bother to remember, looked flustered. Aware of his stutter. Naruto's uncaring facade sliced through him, catching fire within those spiteful onyx eyes. "O-Outside! Now! I've already warned you plenty of times!"

Naruto glared at the man, and none dared to speak up. Watching the exchange on the sidelines with a morbid excitement.

What would he do? How would Naruto Uzumaki, the number one delinquent react?

'Fucking idiots.'

The blond stood up and nodded, "Fine, I'll be outside." He reached for his things, stuffed a single hand in his pocket, and then silently left the room. The click of the door closing serving as a universal sign that once again, the class could breathe.

"As if." Naruto mumbled to himself while wandering the hallways of the school, no particular direction in mind. He could not leave yet, the gates were shut until dismissal and sneaking out wasn't an option—but he could do other things.

'I've got to work tonight. That old bastard will have me do everything like always. A nap before then would be nice.'

It was a brief walk up the stairs to the rooftop. An old, metal door awaited him on the last leg of steps. It was held under lock and key most of the time, but nothing he couldn't pick. A few wiggles of the bobby-pin kept on his person and Naruto was on the other side in no time.

'Too easy.'

The far side of the chain fence that enclosed around the practice building roof had a tarp attached to it, thanks to the Astronomy club. Preventing the rain from bothering them or the equipment they used during their weekend expeditions. It also blocked the annoying glare of the sun and kept him cool whenever he slipped away to take naps.

Naruto laid down, using his bag as a makeshift pillow, and opted to stare at the clouds gliding high up above. His eyelids fluttered and after a few minutes passed, he fell into a dreamless sleep.

He awoke with a start to the sound of the closing bell. It rang in his ears, the rudest, loudest awakening imaginable. After the third ring, it finally ended—and with it his subsequent agony. When he managed to sit up, the blond felt a sharp throbbing resonate throughout his lower back, and he grunted, a single hand came down to rub the sore point.

"Sleeping on the floor. Always a lousy idea." At least it was finally time to go home.

Excited chatter steadily replaced the ringing and he craned his neck toward the gates of the school. Dark blue eyes watched on as black and white specks flooded the ground below, moving about in large clusters and ranks, like ants. He took a few steps forward while dusting himself off until he reached the fence.

Naruto found himself spellbound by the sight that awaited.

'No matter how many times I see it.' Giant steel towers that cut the sky, bathed in a myriad of colors. An incandescent city of light. 'It's almost as pretty as back home.' He reached a single hand out, his fingers spread apart, the tips grazing those tall giants and that orange tinted sky.

From his perspective they too looked small.

Naruto relished the view for as long as he could. When the masses below cleared, he hefted his pack over his shoulder and made his descent, whistling a light tune to himself on the way down. The echoes of the hallway would have made most feel uneasy, but Naruto found solace in the silence.

'I think I'll beg the old man for a platter tonight.'

He trudged on, blindly obeying one of the many cobblestone trails scattered around the school while lost in thought. His days had become dull, stale, in comparison to what they used to be.

"Naruto!"

From fighting demigods to avoiding teenage girls. Things really did change for him.

Naruto should have ignored her and vanished into the crowd. Today was a painful one, he wanted it to end. He wanted to sleep and move on with the rest of it until the day came when his time finally ran out.

"Don't even think about ignoring me!"

His lip twitched and he let out a long sigh.

'Damn it.' Misuzu was close enough to touch now, beaming up nervously at him, her cheeks flushed.

"A-Ah. I didn't think you'd stop." She said in-between short breaths.

"You told me not to ignore you."

Misuzu pouted, crossing her arms over her chest in an act he was all too familiar with. "So you admit that you planned on ignoring me in the first place?"

Naruto deadpanned, unamused.

"Misuzu, I'm going to be late for work."

"Oh! I totally forgot that was today! C-Crap, I have the worst timing! W-Well I suppose I should g-get to the point then." She coughed into her hand once, bypassing his gaze all the while. "I've been hearing from a few of the teachers that your grades are slipping. So...I-I want to tutor you. Not like anything weird though, j-just to make sure you don't..."

Naruto blinked once as she went on, and despite himself, a smile broke his normal facade.

Misuzu caught it and felt her heart split. It wasn't a happy one, nor was it filled with sadness. Either would have been fine really, she would have preferred anything but what she'd witnessed.

His smile was broken.

Empty, hollow, and full of grief.

'How is it that I'm the only one who can see this?' Misuzu bit her lip, the words dying on her lips.

"Yeah." He nodded his head once after a moment. "If anyone can save my grades, it's you."

She radiated a peculiar warmth that even he wasn't immune to it in the end.

Was this how Sasuke felt? He fought down a chuckle. Life is strange indeed.

Misuzu's eyes bulged and she seemed too shocked to speak, so he decided it was best to end things there for the day.

"I can't stick around anymore, I've got to get going." He waved. "Teach me some tomorrow, hm, Misuzu-sensei?" An impish smile, as fake as all the others, took the place of that heart-wrenching thing before it.

Misuzu wanted to say something, but he was already wandering away, his back to her as he walked out of the gates and into the bustling city. Whenever he was out there he felt almost out of reach. Here was the only place Naruto Uzumaki seemed to exist.

'What drove you to this, Naruto?' That wasn't the first time she'd seen that smile. It was as if her kindness and her friendship somehow pained him. Was that even possible?

A whole year leading up to this point—and it wasn't enough for her, not anymore.

"Oi! Naruto! Pick up the pace! Get your act together!"

"You're fifty-something, an alcoholic, and divorced. Don't tell me to clean up my act."

The few customers who had the stomach to eat in this place snickered at the remark, although his boss, Hayate, didn't find it very amusing.

"You think that's funny? Think you're clever, boy? Bah! Go make yourself useful and wash some dishes! You're scaring my customers." In between the old man's words, wisps of smoke left his open mouth, and it was here Naruto realized that somehow, he'd yet to stop smoking while speaking.

Impressive as always.

"You're right, I'll apologize to them right now, all two of them."

Hayate looked bitter, "After you're done with the dishes, take out the trash too."

"Your wife was right to leave you."

"Then, I want you to sweep the entire restaurant, and after that, you're going to wash the dishes again. All of them."

Naruto clicked his teeth, "Rotten old man..."

Hayate took another drag of his pipe, the act reminding him of the late Third, and exhaled a cloud of white that nearly veiled his smug smirk—not enough for Naruto to miss it.

"Chop chop, boy. It's gonna be a slow night."

Naruto did as he was instructed, retreating to the back of the modest restaurant and placing his pile of plates into emptied the dishwasher. He flicked a switch and the outdated appliance did its job, causing a loud racket all the while. It made it hard for anyone to think, which was why he bothered to stick so close. It wasn't until Hayate stepped into the kitchen that Naruto stopped the thing.

"We're closing up soon. It's a slow night like I said. The customers are all gone and that girl of yours didn't stop by, so I think we're done. Take your apron off and come on out." He grinned slyly. "I've got a little surprise for you!"

Naruto ignored the mention of his not-so-subtle stalker and frowned, already dreading whatever it could be as he followed behind. When he came out to the front, his frown turned into a scowl.

"What the hell is this?"

A bowl of curry and pink DVD case titled, Me and my step-sisters youth in an unmarked lot... sat on the bar table, proudly put on display with a grinning Hayate looming over it.

At least he wouldn't have to beg.

"Happy anniversary, Naruto! You've come a long way from the bitter, piece of shit brat I picked up two years ago! You're still pretty bitter, but not as much!" Hayate paused, then he shrugged his shoulders. "Come on over here and celebrate, I've got a bottle of—Hey! Wait! Where do you think you're going?!"

"Home," Naruto answered, his hand already pushing against the exit door.

Hayate was on his knees in a flash.

"At least take the curry with you! It's homemade! I put a lot of love into—Damn it, hold on! Stop it, you shitty brat!"

Naruto spared him a glimpse and scoffed at his pathetic state.

"You're a disgrace."

"We both are! Who cares! Take the damn curry or I'll make you work the sign."

At that, the blond paused, "...Fine."

Hayate grinned, his victory assured. With a gleam in his honey colored eyes, he watched the blond stalk back in and take the bowl of curry, "The video too. You need it." He glared, challenging that icy stare without fear.

"Creep," Naruto mumbled again, taking the movie. With that, he was back out the door.

"Oh, and this is only part one of your gifts. Something to take the edge off." Hayate smiled. "Two years is a long time. You owe me a lot, Naruto. It's time to pay up. Tomorrow night you're having dinner with my family, understand? Don't disappear on me."

Naruto shook his head. 'Of all the things.' Few had a right to utter the words this man had just spoken. Because only a handful of people in this world had ever offered him a helping hand.

'Two years, huh?'

"Whatever. Later, old man."

Hayate watched him go, the smile on his face losing all traces of mirth. "Goodnight, Naruto..." He said, trailing off.

'You walk so proudly, my boy.'

Naruto was a veteran of war at the tender age of seventeen. It was tragic. The life of a child soldier was a terrible fate to endure. If it were ever possible, Hayate would have wanted to walk alongside him.

'You make me believe in things that I stopped believing in a long time ago.'

He put the anniversary bowl in his fridge and tossed the DVD into the trash.

'Finally,' Naruto thought, relieved. 'It's over.'

He despised today. It was the biggest reminder of a world that seemed more like a dream to him now than anything else. It was never supposed to turn out like this in the first place. Team Seven was going to reunite, in heaven or hell.

They were probably waiting for him.

Naruto peeled his clothes off. Chucking them around his small apartment wherever he pleased and made for his bed, falling back on it and letting out a deep sigh. Dark blue eyes watching the ceiling fan blades spin as they did so many times before, while lingering sentiments and memories drove him mad.

Until at last, he fell asleep.

The barren landscape serving as their battleground was unrecognizable even to eyes that had seen it moments ago. The dusty flats and grassy ranges were gone. Obscured by the numerous bodies posed in awkward angles, so tranquil they couldn't be asleep, piled one over the other like heaps of trash, streams of scarlet running and meeting in between them.

There they lay, eyes wide open and gawking at the heavens above, the wounded trapped underneath their cold carcasses, screeching, their cries drowning within the sea of battle going on as far as the eye could see.

The clangor of kunai, the smell of smoke and rot, the thrashing winds and quivering Earth.

It was madness. Chaos.

Slaughter.

A child, one younger than him wearing the headband of the Sand—the enemy. He was there for one single moment, a fire in his eyes as he charged forward, blade raised high. Then he was in pieces. A Leaf Village Shinobi cut him down in the next second.

Blood splattered at his feet, and it was here Naruto realized, indeed, this is war.

People killing each other.

Fathers, mothers, daughters, sons, brothers, sisters...

His legs buckled. His heart raced and felt tight all at once. The kunai in his hand rattled and shook with each breath. These blood-soaked lands held no room for glory or heroics, no place for a human being. The right to go home, to see tomorrow with the people you loved. It had to be taken or someone would take it from you.

Naruto reached down and unclipped the mask at his waist with a shaky hand, then placed it over his face.

"You are useless to me dead." Danzo's words slithered into his ear in that instant.

He felt detached, disconnected.

Free.

"Your life, or theirs."

A deep breath filled his aching lungs with newfound energy, then, Naruto charged into the nearest fray. His legs moved over the sea of bodies, crushing their fleshy, lifeless frames beneath the weight of his feet. Fresh blood smeared his skin and clothes with every step taken. He did not stop—the enemy certainly would not.

A wet squelch. A single choked gurgle. Naruto dug the blade deep into the man's back, underneath his left shoulder blade—cutting through to his most vital organ, making sure he finished the job.

It was a strange feeling, he thought, cutting into another person, like chopping vegetables and prepping meat. That was all they were in the end, wasn't it?

Meat.