Zero: Jesus Fucking Christ! Do you EVER run out of ideas?

Me: No, not really.

Zero: So now you're working on a Naruto story?

Me: Pretty much, though the whole AU thing's been done to death. I thought I'd take my shot at it.

Zero: You don't love us anymore.

Me: Bullshit. I love you guys like a fat kid loves cake.

Zero: What if he's allergic to cake?

Me: Then I love you guys like a fat kid loves to eat. Let me introduce you to the main-ish character for this one. Uchiha Rendan, get over here!

Rendan: Hey guys. Hope you like the story.

Me: Hopefully they will. Also, if anyone has questions as to why the AU happens, just pm me and I'll put it in my next chapter. Also, I'll have translations at the end of the chapter.

Rendan: I'll get the first disclaimer. Azard doesn't own Naruto. Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto. All he owns is a few characters and parts of the plot.

Me: Thanks Rendan. Read and enjoy!

Chapter 1: Friendship and Contempt

"I don't see why Sasuke is allowed to go to the ninja academy while I'm not!" Complained a young, raven haired child as he kicked and punched the walls in his room.

"Don't hold it against him Rendan," a feminine voice said from behind the door. "The clan wants him to become a strong ninja like his brother." The boy, known as Rendan, sat down in the center of the room and sighed.

"Like that will happen, Ka-san. Everyone knows that Itachi already graduated the academy by this time! Sasuke isn't going to catch up to him anytime soon. Stupid clan head." His mother walked into the room and sat down next to her son.

"You really shouldn't say such things honey," his mother scolded.

"Why not? Sasuke is the son of the clan head so of course he's going to be the favorite! The Uchiha always play favorites, just look at Itachi! Fugaku gave him all the attention in the world! He's only started helping Sasuke because Itachi's been acting weird lately."

"Don't forget, you're an Uchiha too. It's your duty to help Konoha, just as it is for the entire clan, even Sasuke and Itachi. You'll start the academy soon, don't worry."

"Sure I will Ka-san, sure I will." He brushed his bangs out of his face and tied his shoulder length hair into a ponytail. Unfortunately, his bangs seemed to have other ideas and returned to their usual place by his face. "That'll only happen if the entire clan died. I heard one of the others say I was like Obito, a disgrace to the Uchiha."

"Obito was a hero!" His mother nearly yelled.

"The clan head surely doesn't think so... and so do most of the clan too. Because they say I'm something like him they're not going to bother to make me a ninja."

"Then they're foolish." Rendan laughed at his mother's explanation. "Believe only what you think is right, everyone else's opinions don't matter." She brought her son in for a hug which he happily returned. "Why don't you go train then? I'm sure if you prove you're willing to train you'll be able to attend the academy sooner than you think."

"Awesome!" Rendan was about to rush out but was quickly stopped by his mother.

"Don't you think you should put some clothes on first?" She asked with a grin. Rendan looked down and smiled sheepishly. He was wearing only a pair of black boxers.

"Good idea," he said and rushed into his closet to find some training clothes. Moments later he came out wearing a black shirt with black shorts and a set of black ninja sandals. "Perfect for stealth!"

"I don't know how you convinced your Oto-san to get you those," Rendan's mother giggled between words. "He hates that color."

"A ninja's got to have his secrets!" Rendan replied before rushing out the door, leaving his smiling mother back home. Rendan rushed to the woods where he'd seen Itachi train before and decided to take matters into his own hands. If no one would train him, he'd train himself, in everything if need be. This began a long, tiring routine for the seven year old Uchiha. He woke up each morning, ate breakfast, trained until noon, took a half hour break for lunch, trained until dinner, had dinner, then went to sleep, only to begin the cycle anew the next day. After a week of stamina training Rendan went into town to purchase some kunai and shuriken with his allowance.

"Get out of here brat!" Yelled a man's voice as a spiky blond haired, blue eyed boy rushed out of the store as if it were on fire. The boy rushed into an alley and crouched behind a garbage can. The man that owned the store, Rendan believed, rushed out and started to look around before eventually giving up and going back inside. Rendan sighed and pulled out a coin with one side labeled 'Yin' and the other 'Yang'.

'All right, if it's Yin, I leave everything be and continue on my way. If it's Yang, I see if he's okay.' Rendan had just flipped the coin when the hand of fate intervened and, in an act unheard of for him, spaced out barely just as the coin hit his hand making him miss catching it and instead sending it to the floor before it stopped. Rendan looked down at the coin. 'Yang it is.' Rendan walked into the alley and crouched next to the hiding boy. "What was that all about?" Rendan asked. The blond boy looked at him with slight fear in his eyes before they seemed to relax slightly.

"I don't know," he admitted. "It's always like that. No one likes having me around and I didn't even do anything wrong. They always yell at me and chase me away."

"Stupid people," Rendan said. The blond boy nodded. "Do you have any friends?" The boy shook his head no. Rendan grinned and got an idea. "Then I'll be your first friend!" The blond boy looked at him shocked. "I'm Uchiha Rendan, what's your name?" He asked holding out his hand in a friendly gesture.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto replied taking Rendan's hand and shaking it. "Don't you have friends in your clan?"

"Actually no," Rendan grinned. "Most of them think I'm pretty useless."

"That's wrong," Naruto said.

"No more wrong than what these people do to you apparently."

"People can be so stupid sometimes." Rendan nodded.

"What were you trying to do anyway?" Rendan questioned.

"Just get some kunai to help me train. I'm going to be Hokage someday!" Naruto exclaimed happily.

"That's a heck of a dream. How about I buy the kunai for us? I don't think they'll treat me like that." Naruto nodded and handed him the ryo. Rendan walked inside the store and purchased two sets of kunai and shuriken without any issue. He met back up with Naruto and handed him a set of each. "Did you do anything to that guy?"

"No, never," Naruto replied shaking his head furiously. "Why?

"When I went in there he recognized me from watching you run like heck," Rendan explained. "He told me you were nothing but trouble, but when I asked what you did he said absolutely nothing. He almost looked afraid to say what." Naruto looked at Rendan confused. "I know, I don't get it either."

"Well, I'm off to get some ramen," Naruto stated after he got back on his feet and smiled widely. "Wanna come with?" Rendan smiled.

"Sorry Naruto but I've got training to do, maybe some other time," Rendan said.

"Where do you train?" Naruto asked.

"Training area number 35 mostly. Do you know where it is?" Rendan questioned.

"Yeah, I'll meet you there after I get some ramen!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Rendan laughed as he rushed off. Much later in the day Naruto did indeed show up for a training session with Rendan. They talked for a bit and started to train. Rendan had begun working on weapons with Naruto as Naruto struggled to use them properly.

"Argh, why can't I get it?" Naruto yelled in frustration after missing another four targets.

"Didn't you say you were going to the academy?" Rendan asked.

"Yeah," Naruto responded.

"Do any of the teachers help you at all?" Naruto shook his head no again. "What the heck is wrong with the people here?" Rendan began to pace back in forth in a mixture of anger and aggravation.

"Hey look," Naruto began pointing at the sky. "It's late." Rendan looked up and saw the moon high in the sky. Indeed, it was late. "Well, I'm going to head home. See you tomorrow?" Naruto asked hopefully.

"Definitely," Rendan said as he walked off. He headed back to his home where his mother was busy preparing dinner. He could tell because the scent of her cooking always spread across the compound.

"Welcome back Rendan," his mother greeted him. "How was your 'secret training'?"

"It was great! I even made a new friend!" He exclaimed happily. His mother's eyes lit up at that.

"That's even better! What's your friend's name?" She asked.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Rendan responded. His mother's cheerful expression quickly dropped as she stared at him with serious eyes.

"Musuko," she began which usually meant trouble. She had only referred to him as 'Musuko' if there was something seriously wrong occurring or he'd made a mistake. "I don't want you around that boy." She completed her statement with her serious eyes staring straight into her son's. Rendan's eyes widened in shock.

"Why?" He questioned.

"That boy is nothing but trouble," his mother replied. Rendan's shocked eyes hardened into an intense glare. He'd had enough of this already and he barely knew his friend and what he was going through.

"How is nothing but trouble, Ka-san?" He asked putting a darker emphasis on Ka-san.

"He's a threat to this village!"

"How?" Rendan's glare grew ever darker.

"I'm not at liberty to tell you," his mother admitted. If looks could kill, Rendan's glare would have his mother twelve feet under by now.

"Then as far as I'm concerned Naruto is not a threat to me or to anyone," Rendan deadpanned while keeping his glare directed at his mother. He rose to his feet and turned his back to her. "You know what I think Ka-san? I think it's people like you that are going to make Naruto a threat to the village. I saw no threat when I spent time with my friend today and to be honest, I don't see how anyone could label him as a threat. If you don't believe me or approve of my friend... tough shit Ka-san!" That last comment had made his mother recoil. He pretended not to notice her reaction and walked outside.

'He never swears, least of all at me!' His mother thought. 'What happened to my little Rendan? What happened to my musuko?' She couldn't hold back her tears any longer as they began to pour from her eyes and she slumped to the floor.

Rendan wasn't aggravated anymore, he was furious. 'How could Ka-san, my own Ka-san be so ignorant?' He practically screamed in his head. He need some time to himself if only to calm himself down. He found a quiet spot by a small dock by the lake and rested his head. It wasn't long before he eventually let the solace of sleep claim him.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" A loud voice cried that served as his wake up call. Rendan opened his eyes to see Uchiha Sasuke practicing his fireball jutsu on the lake. The fireball was impressive, yet it seemed sloppy for some reason. Rendan shrugged it off and began to watch intently. He quickly glanced at the sky and saw the sun's position. It seemed to be at least 8 a.m. The sun rose to its position in the very tip of it's cycle when Naruto made his presence noticeable. He sat next to Rendan and watched Sasuke as well.

"What's Sasuke-teme doing?" Naruto asked.

"Teme?" Was Rendan's brilliant response.

"He is," Naruto argued.

"I don't doubt that," Rendan laughed. "He's been doing that same fireball jutsu for a while."

"How long?"

"At the very least, three hours."

"Three hours!"

"Yep. He doesn't want to give up."

"Huh." They proceeded to watch until Sasuke found it prudent to rush off. "About time he left," Naruto said as Rendan walked down to the dock. "What are you doing?"

"You don't think I was watching all that time for nothing do you?" Rendan asked. Naruto chuckled and watched Rendan run through the seals needed. "Let's try this out. Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" The fireball that resulted from that was roughly a third the size of Sasuke's, not impressive but at the same time not bad for a first timer.

"That was amazing!" Naruto praised. Rendan slumped on the dock.

"Nowhere near as big as Sasuke-teme's," Rendan sighed.

"Who cares?" Naruto yelled as he was apparently jumping for joy. "Can you teach me that?"

"I don't know," Rendan replied. "I'm no teacher, but if you learn something I don't know and you teach me that, I'll teach you this."

"Deal!" Naruto cried excitedly. "How'd you do that on your first try though?"

"It helps to have someone show you how to do it for upwards of three hours. I watched his movements and guessed where he built his chakra from there. Though, I think I used all of my chakra up." Rendan chuckled nervously as he rubbed the back of his head.

"What about the hand signs?"

"Sasuke-teme made it a point of reciting them lowly when he did them. He's really got to be careful when he does that or else anyone can do what I did and steal his techniques." The two boys shared a laugh after that.

"Are we training here today?" Naruto asked. Rendan shook his head.

"No, if I know the teme he'll be back to show off to his dad. Let's find a better spot." The two rushed off to training ground number 35 again and began their new training session. After Rendan felt his chakra recover he proceeded to blast his 'new' jutsu to help his reserves get bigger. Both boys continued training, seemingly unaware of a pair of onyx eyes that watched them the entire time.

"Well done otōto," a female voice softly spoke. "With such a powerful child as an ally, you may just redeem the Uchiha yet." The words were spoken too softly to be heard and were carried away on the wind. The figure remained perched on a tree overlooking the training ground as she watched the two train until dusk.

Me: And that's it!

Rendan: Cool.

Zero: Not bad. Just don't forget about us.

Rendan: I'm sure he won't. Are you going to hang around?

Zero: It's author space, anything's possible.

Me: Well, that does it for this week. Be safe everyone!

Translations:

Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu = Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu

Ka-san (can be Kaasan or Kaa-san) = Mother

Otōto = Little Brother

Oto-san (can be Otosan) = Father

Musuko = Son

Teme = Bastard