A/N: Minor character death and abuse of mythology. This part's a little confusing, but bear with me: I promise it'll come together. Or something. The OC villains are not all so original as you might think.
Oh, also: I SUCK at writing action. So battles will sort of be glossed over.
Prologue
"So apparently," Sakura continued, "after seeing the weakened state of the Leaf after the war with the Sound, Cloud decided to profit off our losses. We've received notice that they are mobilizing for war. Naruto, you had better be listening."
The medic-nin frowned, twirling one strand of her hair. Sakura had dyed it from pink to black in an effort to become more inconspicuous, especially since the majority of the missions nowadays that weren't taken for profit were espionage missions. She was usually a hunter-nin like Naruto, but since she was still recovering from a particularly nasty wound, she had volunteered for paperwork.
"So who do you want me to track down?" Naruto tapped his frog hunter-nin mask. He was feeling lucky: he'd just won double his last mission's paycheck at a local gambling salon, and would have won more if he hadn't been summoned. Of course, it was Sakura, and he'd do anything for her, so he had immediately gone.
Well, she would have punched him if he didn't.
"You're going to go in as a mercenary looking for work, so you'll leave your hunter-nin stuff behind. See Shizune-san after this. She'll provide you with clothes. See what you can find out. There'll be a number of other spies there as well." She handed him a scroll. "Also keep a lookout for Hyuuga Hanabi, the last ninja we sent. She's been out of contact for a month now, but she was sighted last week."
"She a missing-nin?"
"We're unsure. The Hyuugas have been pressing to have her alive, but you have license to kill her and dispose of the remains in the normal manner if the necessity arises. Basically, if she's deserted. She's ANBU-level, so she'll be a tough challenge."
"Heh, I must be doing pretty well to get an S-class. Right, Sakura-chan?"
Sakura rolled her eyes, but she smiled. "We've got so few people they'll let almost anyone take the job. Actually, I think the only two people I was told not to assign an espionage job to were Lee and Gai. Naruto, be careful."
"Come on, you know I'm awesome."
"…Naruto, I don't think you're weak or anything. You know that. You're the most skilled ninja in this village, and you know that too. It's just…I don't want to lose you."
There wasn't a single team in Konoha that had escaped unscathed from the last ten years. To destroy Akatsuki, to kill Orochimaru, to keep their beloved village safe: they had all wondered, at some point, if the sacrifices were worth it.
The most recent loss had been Ino, whose funeral had been held two weeks ago, while Sakura was still on her mission. Sakura had been devastated when she had found out. She had spent a week with Choji and Shikamaru, demanding that they give her the exact details of her friend's death.
Naruto hated seeing Sakura like that, looking as vulnerable as she had been when they were scared little genin. They hadn't really changed after all that time, had they? Almost fifteen years later, Sakura still pined after men she couldn't have; Naruto still chased dreams that would never be his.
"Naruto, hurry up and get going." Sakura forced out a smile, but her inexplicably sad eyes were covered with a film of water. She bent her head down, and Naruto suddenly knew she was thinking about Sasuke.
Sakura had a number of ex-boyfriends, one of which had been Naruto for a blissful couple of months when they were much, much younger. However, there was always and would always be a place in the kind heart reserved for the last Uchiha, a locked room that no one else could seem to reach. The second time Sasuke had left them (and the third, and the fourth) Naruto had been sure that last ember would spark out, but somehow it had managed to survive through countless betrayals and countless years.
Even now, she entertained the hope that someday, he might return and fall in love with her. You don't understand, Naruto thought, you don't know him anymore.
"You can count on me." How many times had he said to her? Too many to count, over all the years they had been together. He would always mean it for Sakura- someone who was not quite lover or sister or even teammate anymore, but just as important.
Always.
-----------------
The Hidden Cloud village was perfect to send someone like Naruto into. Well over half its population had blond hair and blue eyes, which were considered a rarity in the Hidden Leaf. Hiding the six whisker marks on his cheeks let Naruto completely blend in; only the lack of a forehead protector signified him as an outsider.
There were a number of outsiders, all mercenaries like himself. Cloud was indeed preparing for war. The streets were overflowing with people stocking up on canned, non-perishable goods and buying last minute supplies. Two women were tussling over a roll of toilet paper.
Naruto had already registered and had been told to report the next day. Having the rest of the afternoon to himself, he wandered the markets of the Hidden Cloud, examining the wares. He thought about getting a present for Hinata. She had brought him a red scarf before he'd left, citing how cold winter was in the Lightning country.
Maybe jewelry? No, he should probably get her something practical. In one store a display was showcasing gloves. One pair had pouches to store vials of poison- that might be good for Momoe, the nastiest (both in personality and battle) of Naruto's students. Another pair had mirrors in the palms. In the end, Naruto decided to get Hinata gloves with retractable blades that came out from the fingers.
The man at the counter, a middle-aged man with black hair and average, forgettable features, wrapped the gloves in bright orange paper at his request. "For your girlfriend?"
"Eh? I…" Naruto scratched the back of his head awkwardly, entertaining the thought. Hinata had grown into a beautiful woman as well as a close friend; often they would eat dinner or spar together. "Nah. Not yet, at least. We'll have to see." He grinned.
"Really, Uzumaki-kun?"
"Wha- my name is Daichi. You must have mistaken me for the wrong person."
The man smiled, beckoning an alarmed Naruto into the back room. "My name is Amatsu. Please come. I have something that you will find very interesting." Naruto hesitated, suspecting a trap, but if this man was in fact working for the Hidden Cloud, the whole system probably knew who he was already. More likely he had once lived in the village of Hidden Leaf. Naruto's reputation was quite large in the Fire Country.
Amatsu pulled up two chairs for them in the back room. There was a little boy sitting in the corner, staring at Naruto. "Baku!" The boy turned his head. "Please go to the storefront."
The boy left slowly, walking backwards out of the door, his blank gaze never straying off Naruto. Naruto raised an eyebrow. Creepy kid.
When he was gone, Amatsu began to talk. "Daichi-kun, I'll be honest, because I believe I can trust you. I'm a merchant hired by Konohagakure to scope out the situation here in Kumogakure."
"I'm sorry, Amatsu-san, but I'm not sure what you're talking about." Naruto blinked. He wondered if any Cloud shinobi were listening in.
The shopkeeper spread his hands out wide. He looked sincerely worried. "Please, Daichi-kun. You don't understand. Since I arrived here- no, I can't say, except I have reason to believe that I am in grave danger and need your assistance." He picked up a conveniently placed photo of a smiling woman and child and sniffed in an obviously premeditated gesture.
Naruto groaned inwardly, but he was already a lost cause. He had always been a sucker when it came to children and wives left behind.
"I also have some information on a certain Hyuuga Hanabi you might find useful."
"What? How do you know her?" Amatsu pressed one finger to his lips. "All right, Amatsu-san. I don't think I'm who you think I am, but I'll do what I can to help you."
"Thank you, Daichi-kun. If you could." Amatsu slipped him a piece of paper.
Midnight. Outside the city gates, near the stone monument to the east.
"I have something to show you there. It's top-secret, so please promise me you will keep this meeting to yourself."
Naruto blinked. "I promise."
---------------
When Naruto had turned nine, his assigned caretaker deemed him old enough to be on his own and promptly evicted him out of her apartment.
He had cowered under a tree for the majority of the day, too embarrassed and miserable to go ask anyone for help. The sky had already been darkening, with thick clouds of grey shoving their way in. A few minutes later, it had started to drizzle. Naruto had brushed water out of his hair and clutched his growling stomach, shivering.
Stupid people, he'd thought. Stupid rain. I hate this place. And he had squeezed his eyes shut and wished- just wished, with all his heart, that he could have a family.
The rain stopped.
Naruto looked up to see an umbrella and a boy standing over him, a sour-looking kid with lonely dark eyes.
"Here."
The kid tossed him the umbrella and nonchalantly sauntered off, unheeding of the rain. Naruto stared at the umbrella until the clouds finally rolled on, bringing the rain elsewhere.
Some time later, Iruka-sensei had arrived and taken pity on him, fear and hate of the Kyuubi temporarily shoved aside to help a kid stranded in the rain. Some time later, Sasuke and Sakura had appeared in his life, then Kakashi-sensei, and the rest of the Rookie Nine.
(You were dreaming of peace. Of hope. Of love.) Someone had told him that a long time ago. The dream was coming closer-
"Our shared dream." Naruto blinked. In the corner of his hotel room stood a boy who looked like he was a teenager in a giant hat made from an umbrella. The boy was holding a paper lantern in his hand; the light vaguely outlined his body, which seemed to be translucent. Naruto blinked again. He wondered if he was hallucinating.
"Who are you?" he asked groggily.
"My name is Amefurikozo. I am a product of your dreams and the dreams of a thousand others. My apologies, Kyuubi-sama, I have little time. I will explain everything next time. Just know for now: the Ho-Masubi's chakra is a different kind that a normal shinobi's. It is much stronger, and often called the god's chakra. It repels normal chakra. If one should become captured by it, it is unbreakable."
Amefurikozo began to shimmer, vaporizing into mist.
"Wait!" Naruto scrambled out of bed. "Who is the Ho-Masubi? What shouldn't I do?" From deep within Naruto, he felt a growl resonate through his body. Kyuubi, he realized.
Not a hallucination, Kyuubi told him. Over the years, it had become easier for Naruto to talk to his demon resident, provided that Kyuubi wanted to listen. The spirit warned you of the Ho-Masubi, the fire bringer.
"You know what it is?"
I have heard legends of the god's chakra before. Yes, I know more than you could ever comprehend.
"You're so stuck up," grumbled Naruto. He flipped on the lights and looked at the clock. It was almost midnight.
You still wish to go?
"I can handle it." Naruto buckled himself into his outfit and grabbed the slip of paper. He sped over the village's rooftops to its front gates on all fours, enjoying the cool breeze. He had to fight himself to stop from howling.
It was strange how much he had accepted being bonded with Kyuubi. After all, Kyuubi was a source of power, and the power to protect his precious people- that was what he wanted, wasn't it? Kyuubi's madness would always be an irrevocable part of him.
At the edge of the city, Naruto summoned Gamakichi and told him where he was going. Well, he reasoned, I didn't say what I promised to not do. "Listen," he said, "I'm going to investigate Hyuuga Hanabi. There's a shopkeeper named Amatsu who claims to be from Konoha that's promising to give me some information. Go tell that to the old hag, alright?"
"C'mon, Boss! You want me to go all the way to Konoha from here? I'm barely out of being a tadpole! There's no way I'll make it!"
"Stop being so lazy. This is urgent." Naruto's eyes were uncommonly bright in the darkness. "Besides, if you can't get there, just pop out the next time Hoshi summons and tell him to bring you to the old hag. He should be practicing summoning for the jonin exam. "
Amatsu was waiting at the stone tablet near the front gates, carrying a flashlight. As Naruto neared the monument, another figure stepped out beside him. Naruto squinted. The figure's head was glowing orange and red, as if it was on fire…
Kyuubi's growl rumbled again.
"Foolish, Uzumaki-kun." The figure stepped out.
The world exploded.