Prologue

"One more bottle won't hurt me…" Tsunade slurred out loud in a drunken stupor. She threw the now emptied sake bottle to the ground where it rolled and clinked into several others that littered the hardwood floors. The woman was in the room she came to every time she felt the need to drink excessively, in other words the room she used most frequently. Walls were painted a dull white, draped with pictures and shelves holding several odd trinkets, though if you knew Tsunade well enough you knew the shelves and walls held her past.

This night Shizune, her loyal assistant, hadn't so much as bothered her about her drinking, or the paperwork that mingled with the sake bottles on the floor. Something rare in deed, but Shizune understood that today her employer shouldn't be disturbed. After all it was her birthday; the woman was turning fifty-three.

Time seemed to have just slipped through Tsunade's fingers, she realized this more than ever as she caught her reflection in the window over looking a glittering cityscape. Her hair hit her waist in two low pony-tails, the light blonde color that used to there is fading slowly as the years go on. While her face was void of wrinkles, looking natural and young, her cosmetics failed to cover the purple bags lining under her eyes. The shirt she wore was low cut and showed off her bust, she had paid good money for those back in the day.

'Ahh, the late seventies…those were the days,' the thought was finished with a intoxicated hic-up. The seventies was when the legend started…the Three Kingdoms.

-- Flash Back --

A young lady in her mid twenties looked up in annoyance from her game of poker, there was only one person who disregarded her well known temper and barged into the back room of the Slug Casino while she was in the middle of gambling; Jiraiya. "What do you want pervert?" she huffed after placing her losing hand on the green surface of the table in front of her, cracking her knuckles.

The man in question placed a nervous hand on his neck, rubbing it in an awkward gesture. "Don't call me that in front of people hag," was the mature response of Jiraiya, even though the two were around the same age. Other people in the room had made hesitant glances at him and he was pretty sure it was because of his oh so affectionate 'pet name'.

Snorting she looked her dear friend up and down. His shoulder length hair was a dark brown color and messy beyond compare. The clothes he wore were baggy and equally as unkept as his hair. No one would expect this man to be a multi-millionaire, but then again he spent so much money on hookers it was a real question as to how much money he really had. Jiraiya was the head of the porn industry; no one even came close to rivaling his success.

"Says the owner of Toad Incorporated…and I'm not a hag you little-" she was soon cut off by the man.

"Ouch, kami!" he shouted, tending to a now thoroughly bruised shoulder a la Tsunade, "You didn't have to go hitting me you witch!" The mock anger in his voice was apparent, but this did not help the terrified glances he received from the uptight gamblers in the room.

With a pleased smirk she let out a sigh and gave a wrinkled old woman, her assistant, a look that clearly said 'Clear out the room, I need to talk alone.' The older lady did as she was silently told, the shuffling of feet and obviously confused faces was put to a stop in a few minutes. Looking around to make sure they were alone Tsunade looked into Jiraiya's eyes. "This is something important, I can tell…"

"They found him."

It was said so simply, yet you could cut the tension with a knife. This sentence held so much meaning to these two. Their old friend, Orochimaru, had finally been caught by the police and arrested. The man who they grew up with, the man who killed hundreds, the man who ran the Serpents with an iron fist, he was finally going to get what he deserved; a prison sentence.

Finally getting past her initial shock, Tsunade asked, "How long?"

"Twenty-five years, no possibility of parole. He struck a deal 'Nade." It was no mystery that Jiraiya has connections with law enforcement, those people were no doubtively on top as well.

Cursing under her breath about something to do with expensive lawyers the gambler shook her head, causing vibrant blonde pony-tails to sway back and forth. "What did he give them?"

The man shrugged in response, "bodies and gangs under the control of the Serpents as well as some of his own."

Relieved at this information Tsunade looked up to the closet thing she had to family with tired eyes. "Nothing about the Fire Territory?"

"Nothing." He allowed a small smile appear on his face, his shoulders shifting down as if a weight had been relieved.

"Thank kami."

-- End Flash Back --

Tsunade, the mistress of the gambling districts, no profits was made on gambling, illegal or other wise, until she got a cut; Slug Kingdom.
Jiraiya, the master of the adult entertainment industry and black market, nothing was sold unless they paid his toll; Toad Kingdom.
And Orochimaru the master of the gangs, if you were not under his command you would pay with your life; Serpent Kingdom.

These three represented the underground world, the sins of life on the streets. Still legends even after one Kingdom was seemingly put to rest for twenty-five years, but twenty-five years is a long time and the world changes so quickly. In seemed like brief moments to Tsunade, the world had replaced the third and last sin, yet the new master had only started to rise a few years after Orochimaru had been released from prison. He was known by most as Kyuubi.

The general impression people had of Kyuubi depended on who you were allied with and what territory you lived in, there are five all together. The most power of all the territories was no without a question the Fire District. This is thought to be Kyuubi's base district, where we grew up, and the people who are apart of it take this to heart and praise Kyuubi as a hero as he looks after them and keeps them safe. Anyone wearing Kyuubi's color, orange, was treated with respect and hospitality.

The second largest territory was the Earth District. While they resent, some even hate Kyuubi, they have no choice but to act as the Fire do for it was not too long Kyuubi took control of the gangs in this District, eliminating those who opposed. No one but Kyuubi himself is exactly why he had so violently taken an interest in the Earth, but it was a safe bet that it was for the good of Fire District and other allies.

It was a well known fact that the Mist District had a disliking of Kyuubi, they have been at war with a rival gang for some time and Kyuubi felt it necessary to protect the opposing side. The man was like a one man army, there were rumors he was a real demon and couldn't die. Those wearing his color in the Mist were cautiously avoided with menacing stares.

The gang Kyuubi was protecting, the Sand, from the Mist was located in the Wind District. Until just recently it had been the smallest territory and for a long time without allies, completely isolated thanks to its leader. Eventually this was changed by one Uzumaki Naruto, better known as Kit, who is thought to work with Kyuubi himself.

The newest territory is known as the Sound District. Not much is known about its relations and feelings towards Kyuubi, but gossip tells that they have a bounty over his head. More and more young recruits from upper-middle class families would join gangs there. This did not bode well with Kyuubi at all.

Other than just being divided into territories, there are also four sections in Konoha. North, also known as the Hill, was where the high-class lived. West was mostly suburbs, higher middle-class, though some people on the street call it the shadow for it is in the shadow of the North Hill. East was the shopping district for those who lived both north and west, which leaves south. In the south is where you can find all of the Districts, it's also where Naruto had lived his whole life.

Kyuubi wore a white porcelain mask in the shape of a fox, elaborate swirls of black and red brought it eerily to life. He was never seen without the mask, in fact he was always seen dressed in the same fashion. A black sweatshirt with the hood pulled over his head, with dark baggy jeans. Gloves hugged his hands making no skin visible. Kyuubi had no human identity. His voice was obviously disguised as a low, rough tone of voice, which didn't match what he looked like at all. For people noticed that from the back he looked like any normal teenager, the only thing that Kyuubi gave away about his true self.

A precious few knew what was beneath that mask and he intended to keep it that way. Tsunade was one of those people.

"Ooooobbbbaaaa-chaannnn!"

The scream had woken Tsunade from her sleep and with not a second to spare and the sliding paper door slammed open revealing a bubbly blonde. He was reasonably tall, his broad shoulders underneath his bright orange sweatshirt implied that he was well filled out. Baggy jean shorts hit just below his tan knees. Three whisker like scars went across his baby-face just below two stunningly blue eyes.

"What do you want brat? Can't you see I'm busy?" She whined while pretending to file the papers still on the ground, she hadn't even signed half of them. Secretly she was curious though, what on earth would possess Naruto to come over at this time of night? It was peculiar to even for him.

Placing his hands on his hips he rolled his eyes at his honorary 'big sister' who was still sitting on the ground. "You aren't fooling anyone hag." With that he stuck out his tongue, luckily Tsunade missed it.

"Whatever. Now what do you want?"

He smiled cutely, bouncing on the calls of his feet. "School starts tomorrow and…"

"And...?" Visibly raising one pale, sculpted eyebrow up. She realized that it would be natural for most people who have lived in lower-class neighborhoods their whole lives would feel a bit nervous, but it didn't seem like Naruto to cower away from the unknown and the world outside the Districts was defiantly a big unknown. Which was why Jiriaiya arranged for him to attend North Hill Academy for his high school years, for this school wasn't ruled by gang members and trailer trash, but rather the rich elite. A distant change from where he is now, poor and common.

In one big breath Naruto started. "Well it says on the pamphlet they gave me that since this is an excellency school, which we both know it's for rich people, I need a parent or guardian to escort me to the office to finish out filling the forms, BUT Jiraiya didn't read it and neither did I until tonight so he's off on that book tour thingy. Sssooo I need you to go with me tomorrow to sign the stuff and I didn't want you to be late with a hang over, but it looks like I'm too late for that. So I'll be here around six and you can drive me to school?" It all came out so fast it would make those speed talkers on commercials jealous.

Tsunade just blinked twice while processing the information. "Sure Kit, I'll take you. I'm one of your guardian's after all."

"Thanks Oba-chan." He said cheekily, running out of the room before a well aimed sake bottle hit him.

She wasn't really angry with him, somehow the kid could always cheer her up. It was a gift he was born with she was sure, it was easy to fall in love with Naruto. Heavens knows how many lives he's touched, changed. "Your welcome" she whispered, even though she felt like she should be thanking him.

(A/N)

This is my first real fanfiction, so please reveiw and tell me what you think. Critizism is full-heartly welcome.
Thanks for reading!