Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Hey everyone! This is my first fanfic ever, so I hope it is at least tolerable. If anyone else is like me, they like to know what the pairings will be before they even start reading. This will definitely be a NaruxShika pairing. But please bear with me, because Shikamaru won't make an appearance until at least halfway through the story. I will try to update at least once a week to keep readers satisfied. I hope you enjoy!


Naruto heard something crack as he was slammed roughly into the wall of his apartment complex. He would have buckled from the intensity of the new-found pain in his side were it not for the chunnin

shinobi holding him up by his hair. However, he had no time to consider his plight as a rash genin to the chunnin's left delivered a swift side-kick to his whiskered cheek, resulting in his lost

consciousness.

The older ninja quickly rounded on his younger counterpart, while simultaneously dropping the unconscious six-year-old toddler, and demanded, "Why did you knock him out you fool?! Do you know

nothing of the subtleties of pain?! He clearly has to be awake for us to properly get our revenge! I knew it was a mistake to bring you along."

The chunnin's subordinate quickly responded, "But sir! I know all of this already! And besides, we have all night with the demon child. It's not like anyone is going to come to his rescue anyway." He

lightly snickered at that.

"You forgot about the Hokage, idiot! If he knew what we were doing to his precious Naruto, we would be executed immediately," the chunnin exclaimed. 'Though the way things are going, he likely

won't have the power to stop much of anything anymore,' he mused to himself.

"Then let's take him out of the village! We can finish what we started there!" he whispered excitedly. "And what better place than Konoha forest for us to have our way with him?!" Just thinking about

the possibilities caused his spine to tingle in anticipation. That is, until he was sent careening into the wall behind him.

"He's mine, brat!" screamed the older shinobi. "The Kyuubi dominated this village and everyone dear to me! It's time for me to return the favor," he said, causing himself to smirk sadistically at the

prospect. He then proceeded to throw the still unconscious blonde over his shoulder and shoot off in the direction of Konoha's gates, intending to finish what he started. The boy might be unaware

now, but he would awake soon enough. The chunnin would see to that.


The old but extremely able Hiruzen Sarutobi, leader of the prosperous and powerful Konohagakure, sighed audibly as he lamented over the seemingly unconquerable piles of paperwork strewn over

his desk. He thought it funny and somewhat ironic that he could defeat any shinobi in the village with little difficulty, only to be bested by this troublesome paperwork. In resignation, he set his

pen down, knowing that wouldn't be able to read through another mission report with his mind being so preoccupied. He was so worried about Naruto, who he viewed as a grandson. The boy had

been attacked and severely injured several times in just the past month! He was disgusted with the people of Konoha for their unfounded prejudices and bigotry against a boy they hardly knew. And

yet, he was even more disgusted with himself, because in spite of his supposed clout as Hokage, he was unable to protect the boy. Naruto's allies were too few, and those wishing his death, vast. The

Sandaime was only one man, and having so many other responsibilities as Konoha's leader, he couldn't always keep an eye on the boy. He would have assigned his ANBU Black Ops to protect his

'grandson', but they couldn't be trusted. In fact, he thought it likely that many of them played a prominent role in the last few attacks the boy suffered. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to implicate any of

them, as there was no evidence available. And as if that wasn't enough to worry an old man, the council was becoming more aggressive and power-hungry by the day. They were currently trying

to pass legislation that would virtually strip all power from the title of Hokage. If they succeeded, which he believed almost inevitable, he would hardly be anything more than a figurehead in Konoha.

The council wouldn't kill him, simply because his presence inspired hope in the people of the Hidden Leaf. But beyond that, the council, namely Koharu Utatane, Mitokado Homura, and Danzo, would

have undisputed power in all things concerning the village. And Sarutobi was genuinely afraid, because he knew that the moment this happened, Naruto's life would be forfeit. And it was because of

the old shinobi's love for the so-called demon child that the council decided to move against him in the first place. The Sandaime was currently the only thing standing in the way of their retribution and

they would eliminate that obstacle at all costs. He knew this. That is why he was going to leave Konoha that night. And he was taking Naruto with him.