The Village Hidden in the leaves; October 10th, 7 years since The Nine Tail's attack-
In a small apartment, sat a young boy. The boy had blonde hair that went to his mid back and was done in a style similar to the Uchiha clans but longer. It covered his eyes slightly but he didn't seem to care much. He had three whisker like birth marks on both sides of his face, and dull blue eyes that portrayed the loneliness the boy currently felt. He was wearing a black long sleeve shirt with the swirl on the chest and black pants.
The boys name was, Uzumaki Naruto, and he was currently staring out the window of his living room. All the lights in his small room were off as he gazed down watching the annual festival celebrating the defeat of the mighty Nine Tailed Fox Demon. He didn't dare step foot out of his apartment on this dreaded day... But as he stared down at some of the smiling faces of the villagers he couldn't help but wish he was one of them down there laughing, and enjoying some of the stalls and game booths set up upon the street that his window overlooked.
While others would normally enjoy their birthday a day that any other child would be celebrating and enjoying with their family and friends. For Naruto his birthday was not one of celebration.
But rather day had only really ever brought Naruto emotional, mental, and more often than not, physical pain to the young boy. His only comfort was in the old man Hokage that would stop by and his few friends he had made over time.
Ever since young Naruto could remember, he had always been shunned and hated by most of the villagers. When Naruto was staying at one of the village orphanages when he was younger, the only memories he had of the place was of feeling envious of all the other children there, and crying himself to sleep at night. He never knew why he was hated so much, just that it had always been like that.
While the other children received love and affection from the caretakers, and were all well taken care of, Naruto was often scorned and hated by both the caretakers and other children alike. He would often be locked in his room with nothing to do but stare out his window wishing he could be like the children he'd see walking with their families down below.
He was only ever allowed out in order to shower periodically and do chores around the orphanage when all the other children where outside playing in the orphanage's small park out back. He always had the small amounts of what could barely be considered as food brought up to him, and not even that if the caretakers decided that he didn't do a well enough job with the various tasks assigned to him that day (which was often).
While the Caretakers never really physically harmed Naruto, he received more than enough emotional trauma from all the insults and name calling he received from caretaker and fellow orphan alike. Shouts like 'Demon child' and 'murder' plagued the young boy during his short stay at the orphanage.
When Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage of Konaha had stopped by to check up on young Naruto on his fifth birthday, as he did every year, he had taken little Naruto out for ramen at his favorite ramen stand "Ichiraku's" for a few bowls of ramen and to have a short talk with the boy to see how he was doing.
Shortly after the Hokage had brought Naruto back from his annual visit on the boys birthday, The head caretaker had been exceptionally angry at seeing his smiling face that night, as she had lost her son in the Fox Demon's attack five years ago. And like many of the other villagers, she had blamed Naruto for the damage and death the giant fox had caused.
So that night after a few bottles of sake, the head caretaker had stormed up to Naruto's room and after a slurred verbal thrashing and shouts of 'Demon' and 'Killer' she had dragged Naruto down the stairs to the front door and quite literally thrown him out into the pouring rain.
After the scared Naruto had heard her shout at him never to return, he took off running, tears pouring from his eyes, mixing with the cold droplets of water falling from the sky.
That was the beginning to the next year Naruto had spent on the streets, hiding in alley ways from the villagers and scrounging for food and anything useful that he could find in garbages. He had quickly learned not to be found at night by the villagers when he had been beaten nearly to death by a small mob one night on his way back to the bridge on the outskirts of town that he slept under for shelter.
Flashback no Jutsu!
Naruto had been on his way home, not really paying attention to anything even though he knew he should since it was getting dark. But he simply couldn't, he'd just kept staring at the object in his hands and grinning his wide fox-like grin, as today Naruto Uzumaki had found something extra special, a beginners guide to chakra, He had been absolutely ecstatic about it as he figured if he could learn how to use his chakra, then he'd be able to better defend himself.
He had seen the ninja bounding from rooftop to rooftop and had even seen some of the awesome things these 'Jutsu' could do as he'd watched a few shinobi training and practicing in one of the training grounds near his bridge, really wanted to learn how to do the things he had seen.
Naruto had been walking through an alley way heading towards his "home" when a group of villagers had seen him crossing the street. They had noticed him walking alone, and promptly started following him. Naruto had been blissfully unaware that he was being followed until he'd turned down a thin alley and a middle aged man had stepped out in front of him.
"Well, well, well, it seems the demon pest is alone. You really should watch where you're going, its awfully dangerous out here, but then again maybe now we can finally have a little revenge and put an end to your wretched life," the man said smiling cruelly.
Naruto stumbled backwards, fear evident on his face.
"P-please m-mister, just leave m-me alone." stuttered out Naruto, taking a step back.
"You can't fool me with that fake ass innocent act, I know the real you, monster! No, I think well have a little fun." the man replied.
Naruto quickly turned around to run when he noticed there where about four others behind him. Dread immediately set in when one of the people behind him took a few steps forward.
"I'm going to make you pay for what you did demon!" he said before he charged at Naruto and punched him square in the face.
Naruto had hit the ground hard. And like some signal, the others quickly surrounded him and proceeded to beat him with all the anger and hate they had.
Pain. Pain was all Naruto could register. He could feel nothing but a rain of hits coming down upon him, his arm broken in at least two places, leg broken, and a bunch of blood pooling beneath him. He tried to scream but all that came out was gurgling from all the blood filling his mouth.
The group continued to beat him for a few short minutes until they decided to stop.
"We probably should go guys, before any shinobi notice us." the others agreed, and they quickly ran off leaving the broken boy and a ruined blood stained book behind.
He had awoken in the alley way covered in his own dried blood but nearly fine the next day due to his unknown tenants help. The only reason the mob had not killed him that night was because their fear that a shinobi of the leaf would find the body and they would inform the Hokage, and they'd all be hunted down and executed.
Flashback end no Jutsu!
The following weeks after the incident Naruto had been EXTRA careful and aware of his surroundings. He had also wondered about how he had healed so quick. He decided he'd ask the kind old man that used to come and visit him at the orphanage if he knew why, that is if he ever saw him again.
The rest of the year went relatively fine, he'd only received a few beatings when he'd not been careful and been seen by a few drunk villagers. His appearance had changed some too, his hair was now down to his mid back, he was now 4ft tall and had small lean muscles from running everyday, and his clothes were slightly too small.
On the day after his sixth birthday had arrived Naruto was walking down a street, it was mid day when a woman wearing a cat mask suddenly dropped down in front of him.
"Naruto Uzumaki?" the strange lady had asked.
Noticing the sword she carried, Naruto gulped and took a step back and turned to run when he felt someone grabbing his shoulder in a strong grip.
"Gah! Let me go!" yelled Naruto trying to pull away.
Neko just looked at him through the cat mask in slight worry and said "there's no need to be afraid Naruto, I'm not here to hurt you, the Hokage sent me to find you.
"I don't know any Hokage!" Naruto yelled back at the woman holding him.
"Naruto relax, the Hokage is the old man that used to come visit you every year at the orphanage, he is also the leader of the village. Neko said.
Naruto's eyes widened at hearing that.
"You mean the old man! You can take me to him!?" Naruto practically yelled.
"Yes Naruto, I can, so do you want me too?" Neko asked even though she'd take him to him even if he said no.
And so young Naruto's journey has begun.