Naruto: Red Echoes

"Maybe I took advantage of you. I loved your green eyes and red hair. Even in this blood red place, only echoes of our voices be heard, I never felt lonely when I was with you. But the day you disappeared, I began hating that place filled with red and echoes."

Chapter 1:

Long Locks

His eyes wandered. Familiar pink flower petals floated down, the wind blowing through his hair that reached his nape. His blue eyes glistened like water as tears crowded on his lids trying to stop them from falling but a tap on his shoulders stopped him from his dazed self.

"Hey."

Cool slick voice. Naruto knew well whom this voice came from. He gave him a small nod and a smile while he managed to blink the tears away just like that. The concern from Sasuke's face was evident by how his small smile turned into a frown almost so suddenly.

"If you want to say something just do, I know when you think about stuff you act weird."

He knows him too well. But then by his greatest effort, he managed to forget his tears and give out a rather large brim.

"Haha, I'm just sad that Sakura won't ever come to me for help!" Sasuke wanted to punch the kid for pulling a joke about her.

"I knew it." 'What was I worrying over then? Idiot.'

"Congratulations, Sasuke."

Sasuke left, gratitude passed on. Naruto's smile faded. Tears came back. And as Sakura's white kimono skid through the ground flooded by pink petals, Sasuke stood beside her and held her hand. They looked happy.

'Idiot. Leaving me all alone like this... both of you are.'

It had been two years since Sasuke and Sakura got married. The others went on and found each other while some of them didn't. Naruto took that time to travel and leave Konoha for the mean time. Now, 2 years have passed and so his friends are preparing for his return.

That day, he arrived. His that was once sun-kissed was now pale like ceramic vases. His ocean blue eyes were beautiful but what stood out the most was his waist length hair. It was long and blonde. Color like his father, length and texture from his mother. Though his mind was elsewhere as he entered the village. He seemed a bit lost, wandering around town when he knew this place very well.

Just when a tall man with silver hair caught up to him.

'Naruto..?' He thought. He looked different.

Deciding that he wasn't sure enough if what he saw truly was Naruto, he followed him.

'His face... is the same as the kid but what's with this... f-feminine appearance?!' Kakashi couldn't believe this sight. That boisterous kid looked like a goddess.

Naruto aimlessly wandered. From the main street to an eventful area filled with red and yellow lights. Kakashi shook his head. Where he was... it was the red light district.

'Naruto's grown so much... to go all the way the red district after 2 years of travelling!'

How could he not assume that? Kakashi continued to follow Naruto. He was laughing his wits out, 'Just what is this kid planning-'.

Kakashi froze when a man approached the kid. He watched closely and squinted his eye. He couldn't tell what they were talking about but the man had a cocky face on him and Naruto had a blank expression. But then the man's hand rested on Naruto's shoulder. Kakashi cringed by what he just saw, Naruto smiled and nodded. The man gave a smirk and held Naruto by the waist as they began to walk farther.

'N-naruto what're you-' Kakashi was squealing inside. As he dropped his favorite book and lost his page he didn't care but to look at those two.

The man tried to lead Naruto else where but then his lips met another's. Kakashi read as Naruto's lips moved, 'This hotel is fine.'

He had enough and dashed through the busy crowds. Pulled the kid's arm and gave him a glare. "There's a limit to how much you can fool around!" He screamed. The man was shaken. "H-hey don't tell me you're just a kid?" He nervously asked, "No, I'm 25." He said with a glare back at his teacher. "Anyways, come with me!" Kakashi dragged his former student away from the area.

The atmosphere turned weird just when they arrived in an isolated place. Just outside the busy area was a gloomy corner for a rest stop. Kakashi stood there, eyes locked on a stubborn child pouting. Kakashi took a deep breath and sighed.

"I haven't seen you for 2 years and this is how we meet?" Naruto bit his lip and replied "Why?! I swing this way, so what?!" Not realizing his voice was loud he quickly covered it like a girl would.

"...Kakashi, who's with you-?"

Naruto turned his body to face those who called his former teacher, as he saw their eyes glistened little did he know they were looking at him. While he turned around to see them, those milliseconds, they knew what they saw. Long silky blonde locks twirled along his long robes. They all stared, who was this beauty?

Meanwhile, Kakashi smacked his palm on his face. "What great timing." He sighed while reaching for a new stick, "Don't you recognize him?" their eyes bulged out. "HIM?" With a closer look they only needed to see one detail to make everything clear, whiskers.

"NARUTO?!"

"T-this is... a little too much for me." Sakura scratched her head. Naruto sat silently, eating Japanese sweets given by Sakura. They decided since he was really supposed to be there, better go on with the welcome back party. However, things weren't what they had anticipated.

"Y-your appearance... you've changed a lot haha..." She nervously said. It was awkward for some odd reason only women were beside Naruto while all the guys sat in front of them. "Forget that. Welcome back." Sasuke knew it might've been a sensitive topic since Naruto wouldn't speak. But then his ice breaker revealed the Naruto they knew well.

"I'm home." He smiled. The mood slowly turned positive again. Sakura thought she was in the wrong for asking him questions first thing. There had been some tension between the two. "So how was it?" Ino asked, her elbow on the low coffee table. "Well... other than the many ramens I've tasted throughout, I visited Suna." Naruto brimmed with happiness. "Gaara is doing well." Sasuke slipped a smile, however Sakura saw this and felt a small sharp pain somewhere within. "Gaara? Oh right... Are you going to follow his footsteps?" Sakura just had to ask. Naruto's smile gradually disappeared hearing those words.

"No." With that single word, they went silent again. But then Sasuke abruptly stood up, "What do you mean by that?" He was trying not to get angry. "Sasuke... calm down." As the others got anxious, Naruto answered "I'm happy right now, I don't see it necessary to be Hokage." He was honest. However Sasuke won't be satisfied with that. "Happy? You saved us! How could you not be?" The others silently agreed.

"Look, I know it was my dream but now it changed." Naruto was stern which surprised them, "Either way, I can't be Hokage without having the determination to do so. " he was right. It was only seldom that he would make logical answers too.

"Uhm... I think we should celebrate." A girl with dark navy blue hair spoke. Hinata was shy as always but the courage she built up just to speak up at that moment made Naruto awe. "H-hinata!" He hugged the poor girl whom had a crush on him since then. "Oooomph! Don't ever change, okay? These people are bullying me!" Sasuke sighed. He escaped. "Say, wanna go to the hot springs? I bet you haven't went to one for a long time now, eh?" Ino smirked. "It's been a year or so... wait why aren't you guys talking?" His eyes were directed towards then 5 individuals in front of him. Choji, Neji, Shikamaru, Lee and Shino were staring.

"Hey, is it just me or... these idiots are in a daze?"

Sakura smacked the 5 five's back of the head which brought their attention back. Now they're back to earth.

"I'll go to the restroom for a bit." Naruto left as his friends eyes followed him out. Once any trace of him was gone, all of them sighed in unison.

"For a moment there I was possessed... I think." Shikamaru covered his eyes while trying to regain himself. "How could he change so much in 2 years?!" Sakura cringed at how attractive he's become, "H-he looks like a woman... a pretty one all the more." They all nodded.

The wo-man of the conversation arrived jumpy and brimming with happiness. "So? Hot springs, when?"

'They looked happy.'

'Hey, Kurama.'

'...Please.'

'Kurama.'

'...Where are you?'

The day came wherein they leave for the hot springs. The morning was cool just as how cold his place was. Naruto bought a mansion only a day before actually moving in, his friends had wondered why buy such a huge place for himself. The mansion included 17 rooms, 9 bathrooms, 3 kitchens, 2 ponds and an enormous zen garden. Naruto explained that he was interested in growing his own garden but that didn't explain the number of rooms.

Obviously, it felt lonely. The moment Naruto saw a glimpse of the sun's rays beside him he rose up slowly. He randomly chose a room to sleep in and that room was beside his backyard porch. There was a traditional Japanese garden outside. He dozed off, looking outside, there were random stones with sand around them. Kind of reminds him of himself, in the middle with nothing but sand. It felt lonely,

'I've got to pack.'

He pulled himself up but a piercing pain on his stomach stopped him.

"Ack..!" He groaned in pain. Naruto held his stomach, warmth welling on his eye lids. 'Kurama...' He cried inside his head the name of his friend. Once again trying to stand, he succeeded and decided to just let it be for now. He roamed his mansion and made his way to another room where his clothes were. The floors creaked as it echoed through the long hallways.

'2 nights and 3 days...' Picking a few kimonos, choosing from shades of maroon to navy blue. The kimonos had strange patterns, white tulips, eerie smoke-like swirls, butterflies, pigeons, however it all worked. Throwing them into his bag, he removed the ones he was wearing.

He untied his robe, and the inner dress as well. What revealed was a slim figure, almost too slim. His ribs showing, ankles that looked like they were about to break and obvious collar bones. Walking naked until he arrived at the nearest bathroom, his expression was dull and blank. Naruto saw himself in the mirror, and touched his seen bones.

'I deserved this.'

Author's Notes:
I'll cut it off there! Hello! After an indefinite hiatus, here is a come back! A psychological tragedy of how the idiotic and happy Naruto turned into depression for a mysterious reason. I hope that you angst fans here liked it! I did not make it a full out angst story-well not yet but it will come and you've seen a glimpse of it in this first chappie! Do me a favor and follow and review, it helps me a lot especially when I don't feel motivated!

*Fallen & Warheit will resume as well, please look forward to them! /heartheart