Disclaimer: I-don't-own-Naruto-no-Jutsu! (A cloud of smoke appears. When it clears, the author appears wearing only boxers.) Exit stage left!

AN: This is based off of the SUBBED Naruto. If your watching the Dubbed (Cartoon Network's), unless you want spoilers, wait until you know who Rock Lee (Fuzzy eyebrows) and Gai is. At that point you'll know most of the cast that will appear early. Plus don't ask for yaoi. It's not cannon and it's not what I write. I don't hate it, but it's been getting on my nerves lately. As for other pairings, if any...

I wrote the last scene listening to Shadow Heart's ICARO (Piano Arrangement). It really suits the mood so I suggest that you listen while you read it or listen to your favorite sappy song.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Do not go gentle into that good night. --Dylan Thomas.

It was a dark and stormy night. Poetic really. For it seem that the sky was crying in the arms of the earth over the tragedy that occurred between the two, caused by the sins of the children called humans that walk on this earth.

Great, now I know Gai is really rubbing off on me. The old man thought as he continued to watch over a shallow breathing kid. The man's gaze was similar to the loving gaze of a grandfather watching over his sick grandson, but this wasn't and ordinary old man, and the kid was as far from ordinary as possible. Inside the boy lived a soul that lived thousands of years, and killed more than twice that. A normal man might have been afraid, but this was no normal man. This man was the Sandaime Hokage himself, praise as a ninja with no rival, even now at the age of sixty-two. However all his strength and wisdom couldn't do one thing he wan't to do the most. He couldn't bring the village to see the truth, nor could he been there for the boy...

The boy in question was laying in a ICU ward in the village hospital, for something that wasn't true. Kohona, the Hidden Village of the Leaf was renown as one of the most powerful ninja village, would stoop SO low as to attack a six year old was plain disgraceful. The incidents before was never this severe, to drive him to the point of him being here. Before it was drunk civilians who would ruff him up when Naruto escaped his ANBU guard to prank someone. When that always happened, the guilty was punish, severe enough that they would not do it again, but not too harsh that the punishment did not fit the crime. However, the on place he considered safe, watched by one of a group that Sarutobi thought WOULD protect him, he was attacked.

According to the ANBU, a outburst of chalkra that felt like fear incarnate came from one of the academy training facilities. When they arrive at the area, the site that greeted them was a frightened class of children, and upon further investigation, two bodies. One barley alive, the other shredded beyond recognition.

Even shredded, the dead body identity wasn't hard to figure out. The teacher that even the students he favored hated...

Even now the name escapes me. The Hokage closed his eyes, concentrating on the problem at hand. All I can remember that the man had a rat's face, and a attitudes to match. From what his file said, he had no relation to any of the victims related to the attack, only greed and stupidity motivated his actions. Who would believe killing a child would make everyone respect him? Instead of gaining fame, he was found with what look like a expression of shock, regret and fear...

That what lead up to this point. Sitting here and hoping. Hoping that the villagers wouldn't seek retribution on a boy. Hoping that the boy would make it through this night. And hoping beyond hope that the demon wasn't loose, and that he would have to something that he and the village would regret...

This old man knew the child's real potential, he could see the man...

No, not the man, but the hero that he could become if trained right, and if he knew what what true power was, he would be unstoppable. However, he saw the monster that he could be if the hatred of the village swallow him up and throws him into darkness. It seems like there's no choice now but to remove him from the academy for his protection. The question is what to do then? The little boy's dream was to become the strongest ninja in the village, so if he was taken off the path, then what? The only other choice was to apprentice him, but to who? Most shinobi hated the kid, and the others were to busy, or others, like a certain snake using Jounin, were to... special for Naruto.

At that moment, the Hokage made a silent oath. If none would take him under their wing to guide and protect him, the old man would.

At that moment, the old man smirked. He knew someone that will take him. With a glance at the boy that was hooked to machines almost as big as the boy, if not bigger.

I wonder what's he dreaming about. Most likely ways to prank some unfortunate soul.

With this thought, the old man placed his hat on his head as he walked out. Not one idiot would raise their hand against the boy with ANBU guards outside and in the room. Kami have mercy on the fool that does.

He didn't know when the dreams started. He only knew that they happened as long as he remembered. Old man Hokage kept asking if he had nightmares but he never did.

He couldn't even image having one.

"Honey, it seems like he's awake."

He always 'awoke' in the park under a tree. However, unlike the one in the real world, it wasn't filled with hate. No, it was filled with love. Instead of running away from him, people actually enjoyed his company and would play with him. Especially the two who would be sitting beside him when he woke up. He didn't know who they were, he couldn't make out their faces, he could tell that the guy had blonde yellow hair, the women had black, and the two seemed really close.

"It seems so, my dear. Did you have a good nap, Naruto?" The man asked.

It was always like this. Like always, he answered.

"Yeah, but the dream was weird."

"Nightmare?" The woman asked.

"Yeah... I dreamed that a rat disguised as a human tried to eat a little boy."

"A rat! A wolf in sheep's clothes, eh?" The man said, even though Naruto couldn't see it, he knew that he was smiling.

"Yeah, I bet he was hiding because he ugly, even for a rat!" The woman added.

"When the boy was swallowed, he fell into darkness. '...why me? Why me?' he kept asking. He felt so sad, that he became angry. His anger built until it became a monster and took him ran out through the rat's mouth. When the monster was outside, it dropped the boy and attacked the rat. The boy kept yelling 'Stop, please stop it!' but it kept up until there was nothing of the rat. Then the boy cried his heart out while the monster faded."

"Seems kinda sad kiddo." The man said as he gazed out to the forest.

"But was the monster right in killing it? I mean the rat was evil, so shouldn't it be killed?"

"Naruto!" The woman yelled, shock clearly in her voice. The man put a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"No it isn't right to take another's life, Naruto. Look." He said, pointing towards a spider web in a tree. In it, a fly was stuck as a spider crawled towards it. "If you save the fly, what would happen? The spider would starve to death. Sometimes to save something, you harm something else. The world isn't black and white, and in this world there isn't a man that sinned. The only thing WE can do is live our life to the best of our abilities. It's all we can do, and the only thing we need. To live is to have a chance at happiness." The man spoke.

At that moment, Naruto yawned.

"Excuse me while I take a nap..."

AN: I hoped you liked it. For those who wanted to know, the snake user is Anko and the person the Hokage's mind is not Gai. The meaning of the name 'Raging Crimson Beast' comes later.

R&R, or else the story gets it! (Points a gun at the monitor)