What's life like on the outside?

Naruto would never know. He never thought much about it, he thought it may be better just not to know. Naruto was cooped up in some odd prison with nine cells, an odd number to Naruto. The number seemed to bring back horrible memories that were just on the edge of resurfacing, but when he tried to grasp them they disappeared. Did he not have the mental capacity? Is that why the people in the cloaks told him not to worry about his past?

Naruto knew he wasn't the smartest person in the world, the fact that he was in a cage for as long as he remembers just proved to him he was stupid enough to get caught. Being smart wasn't going to get him out of this anyway. His 13th birthy was coming up, but that's just what the Akatsuki told him. Naruto didn't remember any other birthday, everything seemed blank to him. He didn't hate the Akatsuki, he didn't know why he felt like he should, he didn't have a reason. Yeah, it seems bad that he was in a cell monitored by them, but so far Naruto couldn't recall anything they've done to hurt him. In fact, one of the members assigned especially to him was actually quite nice.

"Naruto, it is time for you to go to the training room," said the dark haired man known as Itachi.

Naruto was startled by Itachi suddenly showing up at his door. He could never get used to his inhuman speed. His voice was calm and collected, as always. He's never sensed any hostility in his voice, ever. The other members seemed to look at him with a familiar stare that made him feel like an animal. At times like these Naruto's anger for the Akatsuki rose, but not towards Itachi.

Naruto got up without saying anything. Itachi let him out as always. Itachi wouldn't accompany Naruto to the training room. Naruto guessed he had trusted him enough to do this by himself, his visits the training room more and more every month. He knows they watch him, but not why.

Maybe I should escape, there's a world I can't remember out there.

This thought came up everyday in Naruto's head. He knew it wasn't natural to live in a containment cell and not care. Everytime he went into the training room, they pushed him so hard he felt like he was going to die. But it made him stronger. There was a reason he could almost remember, almost.

One day a kid that looked about his age appeared in the cell furthest to his right. His cell was closest to a passageway in which the Akatsuki came and went, and Naruto's was the furthest. There were nine cells. The boy had blood red hair and dark rings around his eyes. Days went go by and he never woke up.

"He's ready, we can awaken the Shukaku through him now. His seal has been comprimised a long time ago," hissed a white man with a snake-like tongue. Naruto overhead most of their conversations, usually they sounded useless.

"Maybe you should leave big decisions like this to the ones that captured him, hm?" this one seemed mad about something. They argued for a while and Naruto didn't want to listen anymore, so he slept. Sleeping had become something of a hobby to him. When he sleeps, he dreams, and when he dreams he feels like he can find his memories.

A crash woke Naruto up from a dream that evaporated from his mind instantly. He found the boy in the cell furthest gone and with no trace left. It sounded like a fight in the room through the passageway. Maybe it was about the argument earlier. Itachi stormed out of the passageway, Naruto noticed he was in perfect condition. But his eyes seemed out of focus. And another thing, his eyes were a deep gray, not the usualy red with patterns. He stopped at Naruto's cell and slid the door open.

"What..?" Naruto asked.
"Go, hurry they are busy," Itachi said.

Naruto did not know how he got out, but he found his way somehow. Itachi didn't chase him, no one did. He didn't care how he got out, he just did. He ran for what seemed like all night, he was free for the first time he could remember. He didn't know where he was going, but he felt it was the right direction. Finally he found a small clearing in this forest he had been running through. He just dropped and fell into a deep sleep.

"Sakura how did you beat me back?" questioned Sasuke.
"Easy, I have a trick to getting back to the village that I doubt even Kakashi knows," bragged Sakura.
"Tell me not Sasuke!!" I said.
"Hmm, ok you're lost with everything anyway."

"So, how did you guys do finding your way back to the village?" asked Kakashi.
"Great!! I BEAT SASUKE!!1one!" I shouted.
"That's nice Naruto, I'm sure there is a ridiculous story as to how you did it.."

And Naruto remembered. The Village Hidden in the Leaves was were his home was. As to who Sasuke and Sakura were, Sakura seemed to be a smart girl. She was nice but someone Naruto couldn't find attractive. Sasuke hadn't done enough in for him to elaborate on who he was. But was it true?

Using the method Sakura had told Naruto in his memory, Naruto arrived at the Village Gates. The dream must have been real then. He approached the gate wonder where he would go after he got in. How long has it been? As he walked through the gates, he noticed that the guards did not stop him, but stared in awe at him. Their jaws practically hit the ground.

This action was repeated by several other nameless people. Naruto walked the streets, feeling happy, but not knowing why. He felt like he was home for the first time in a while. He approached a large red building, seeming to stick out from the rest. Naruto walked up the large spiral staircase. As he was walking a raven-haired girl seemed to be running down the staircase. She was coming too fast for Naruto to do anything, he was too busy taking in everything from this height of the village. Her face was bright red as she looked at naruto, her eyes an odd shade of white. Naruto stood there gazing at her when he fell. It took him a while to realize he had been falling. He was too transfixed by the girl, who by now looked scared because she was the one that knocked him off. It was an accident of course, but Naruto still was expecting a hell of a lot of pain. He watched the ground near closer to him until he hit.

"This team is useless, you can't win without beating me."