"Character Dialogue"

"Kyuubi/Powerful Entity Speech"

"Character thoughts"

(Flashback/Scene Break)

Jutsu

Chapter 2: The Hunters Dream

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When Naruto opened his eyes he wasn't expecting to meet with a place he's never seen before. It was dull, the sky seemed to be a permanent grey. With the only light source being the white moon, shining its rays through the open sky, and some dead trees. He looked down and slowly moved his hand across the hard floor. Rocks, it was all rocks laid out in a walking pattern, leading to a path that followed up a small trial. He looked to his right, and his eyes went wide. There was pillars as far as the eye can see, all looking identical to the other. "This place…"

He finally picked himself off the ground and followed the path beneath his feet. As he followed the path his eyes never left the small white flowers planted around each corner. The glistened from the moons rays and looked more beautiful than anything he had even before. He stopped in his tracks as he looked around him, a giant dead tree laid on top of a cliff, Victorian castle bit atop.

"S-sugoi"

There was a stone pathway leading up to the closed door of the building. With a trial of grave stones falling the said path. At the bottom there was a small dent in the cliff making a small sitting area stick out. His eyes widened slightly as he changed his path "Is that a person?!"

He made his way over ignoring the glowing bowl to his left and the new side of gravestones. He reached this new person, he reached his hands out and something stopped him. His mind shut down as he looked down and "T-this isn't a person."

He reached out yet again and cupped the hand in his own. Seeing the man made palm and the bolts user "This is just a doll…"

He moved the dolls hand away as he looked at the small brown coat, and a red ascot looking decoration around the neck area with a gold gem in the middle. The face looked porcelain, in pristine condition and no blemishes to be seen. The eyes being almost green with a small blue in them. He was mesmerized, he's never seen a creation like this before. He's seen what a puppeteer could do in history books, but this, this was perfection. He never noticed the doll twitch slightly and the eyes slide open to blink once.

"Time to wake up good Hunter."

(Scene break)

Naruto's eyes flew open and shot up in deep sweat. He looked around frantically, but all he saw was his familiar room with him in his new broken bed. His breath hitched as he held is not aching head.

"What the hell was that. The felt to real to be just a dream."

He moved his hand and looked at it closely "I know I felt rocks, and I know that I saw." he looked at him alarm clock and his eyes widened dramatically "8:48! I'm already late!"

With speeds which seemed faster than the Yondaime Hokage he finished his shower, breakfast and managed to brush his teeth in 20 minutes. He was about to put his clothes on when he stopped mid step.

"It's weird, but this jumpsuit." he said holding his usual orange and blue jumpsuit in his hands "Doesn't look so appealing anymore." With a heavy heart and threw it aside and decided to wear a regular black t-shirt with regular black training pants. His headband already tightly around his forehead as he looked at himself in the mirror. He touched his headband and subconsciously rubbed his right wrist.

He pushed his thoughts out of his mind and quickly left his apartment and made his way to trading ground 7.

(Scene break)

"Gahh shredded is that baka! He's never this late!"

Kakashi chuckled softly as he eyed his two little genin "Now now Sakura calm down, I'm sure Naruto has a reason for being late today." he said with a small eye smile as Sakura scowled and Sasuke brooded. "This is unacceptable sensei. No ninja should be late no matter the circumstances."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow as he flipped a page in his icha icha book. "So are you calling me a bad shinobi Sakura?"

Sakura paled slightly and waved her hands in a dramatic fashion "No no! Your an amazing shinobi Kakashi-sensei! I-i ju-"

"Gomen. I woke up late today.

A voice said as he walked through the clearing with a hand behind his head. But his voice lacked the usual enthusiasm.

"Naruto-baka! Your even later then Kakashi-sensei!" she sent her fist towards his head and Sasuke and Kakashi rolled there eyes. A typical morning for team 7.

Naruto saw the fist fly his way, courtesy of his pink haired teammate. Something clicked in his mind and his hand sprang up and caught her fist before it made contact. Sakura, as did the rest of team 7 widened there eyes and what just happened. It wasn't something huge, but it was for Naruto's standards.

Naruto replied what he had done and his eyes widened as well."W-what? I didn't know how I did that."

"Gomen, but I had a rough night."

Naruto's voice broke the silence as he let go of Sakura's wrist and quickly moved around here until he was out of her range.

"Oookay then. Well since we're all here, gather around my little genins." Kakashi said happily as his 3 students focused their attention on him.

"Well since we just finished our first mission outside of Konoha, it's time for all of you to step open your training." all three genin perked up at this and Sakura raised her hand. Kakashi nodded at her as he flipped another page "Sakura?"

"Well what would you train us in Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi snapped his book shut, and looked at his students "Sakura I have convinced Kurenai to teach you in gen and taijutsu. You have a meeting with her at training ground 8 after our meeting. Sasuke, me and you are going to be working on almost everything, since you unlocked your sharingan the possibilities are almost endless. And Naruto."

Kakashi frowned as he looked at his blonde student. It seemed like he wasn't even paying attention, he was looking ahead but his mind was elsewhere. His head snapped to him as soon as he said his name, but the lack of enthusiasm in training put Kakashi slightly on edge.

"Naruto I don't know what to do with you. Your a wildcard, it would be best of you would work on your chakra control since you have barely any mastery over it." Naruto gave a slight nod, barely hearing what his sensei said as again the white team looked shocked. There was no outrage, no yelling or screaming. Just a nod.

Sakura looked over slightly worried for her blonde teammate but crushed the thought almost as fast as it came. "Probably trying to play the cool guy act to get a date with me! Ha what a baka I figured out your plan already!"

Sasuke on the other hand raised an eyebrow at the blonde. He wasn't wearing his regular jumpsuit which already sent off warning bells. With catching Sakura's fist, and lack of enthusiasm. There was something wrong with Naruto. He would never admit that out loud of course, just a simple observation pm reading people. And Naruto was running his wrists an awful lot.

"Hey dope, what's wrong with your wrists? You've been rubbing them an awful lot." he asked on his bored tone and Kakashi nodded, he was going to ask as well. Seems Sasuke beat him to it. Sakura looked shocked that Sasuke spoke and tried to impress him

"Yeah baka, making Sasuke-kun worry!"

Naruto jumped slightly at being talked, he finally processed the question and quickly stopped his rubbing "I-it's nothing.

This made team 7 (more specifically Sasuke and Kakashi) more skeptical on what happened to Naruto. Naruto put his hands on his pockets and cursed himself for forgetting to cover them up. "It's nothing. You guys worried about me before so why start now." as soon as he said that his eyes widened as did the rest of team 7. Sasuke and Sakura looked at Naruto in shock, not expecting him to ever say anything like that. Kakashi narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at the young blonde. "This doesn't seem like Naruto, it's the same chakra signature, but it's somewhat colder."

Naruto stood silent as he eyes the ground and tried to ignore the glances sent his way by his teammates. He was happy when Kakashi spoke first

"Anyway, Naruto I will let this one slide but I want nothing of it again. And the real reason I called you here was for hand you these slips" he pulled 3 small pieces of paper from his pouch "This is the team nomination for the Chunin exams." the genin's eyes widened and looked on in shock "Now this is a team effort, which means of one of you doesn't show up, the rest of the team can not participate. The exams start in 1 week from today in front of the academy. I would expect to see you all there since I believe you three work well together. Ja!"

Kakashi left with the three papers falling In front of the 3 genin. Naruto picked his up quickly and without muttering a goodbye, made his way out of the trading ground. Well he would have if it wasn't for a hand on his shoulder.

"You're not going anywhere dope. I want to know what exactly has happened to you," Sasuke said with a glare and his eyes snapped to his pink haired teammate "And shut up Sakura, you only make things worse" Sakura deflated as she backed up and watched her teammates with sad eyes. Naruto felt a scowl each his face as he pushed Sasuke hand off him "Nothing teme stop asking." Sasuke glared again, he wasn't going to lose this argument to a dead last.

"Shut up baka we all know something is wrong, so spill it before I make you."

Naruto felt his fists tighten as he glared over at his raven haired teammate "I don't force you to tell me your secrets, so I'm sure you won't force me to tell mine."

Naruto quickly ended the conversation and left without another word. Sasuke glared in the direction Naruto left, he clicked his teeth together and spun around. He was going to find a Kakashi sensei. Sakura finding out that they were alone looked at Sasuke with a blush and a nervous smile

"Hey Sasuke. Do you maybe want to go ou-"

"No."

Sakura defeated once again and sighed as Sasuke left the clearing. She was worried about her two teammates. More Sasuke than Naruto. But Naruto wasn't himself today, Sasuke spoke less if that was even possible while Naruto...Naruto showed no out right emotion other than anger at being asked so many questions. She needed to get to trading ground 8 and meet Kurenai.

(With Naruto)

Usually after a meeting Naruto would head over to Ichiraku ramen and get a few bowls for a job well done. But today, he passed by and never gave it a second thought. Some people looked at him in shock for not entering. But an anbu came down from the street. The villagers stopped what they were doing and watched the scene unfold. "Uzumaki Naruto, Hokage-sama wants to see you."

Naruto nodded without hesitation as the anbu grabbed his shoulder and they disappeared from sight.

Naruto and the anbu appeared in front of the tower as the shinobi guided the blonde to the office. Naruto ignored the glare sent his way be the secretary and waited for entrance

The anbu waited an extra second for Naruto to hurts down the door and walk himself lime usual. When he saw no trace of that happening. He slowly knocked "Hokage-sama, Uzumaki Naruto is here."

"Send him in"

Naruto walked passed the anbu and when he entered he was met with a friendly smile from the old Hokage.

"Hello Naruto-kun been awhile hasn't it?"

Naruto tried his to smile, but it came off slightly forced "Hai jii-chan." The Hokage nodded and his smile soon fell as he eyed the young man "Naruto-kun, I heard from Kakashi that something may have happened to you. And I want you to let me know if anything happens okay? And not to tell the Hokage, but to a grandfather figure." Hiruzen said with a fond smile as he waited for Naruto to answer. He was slightly scared something happened to him on the newest mission or something worse. He saw Naruto's eyes flags through many different emotions before finally settling on guilt and confusion. Naruto gave his best fake smile possible and gave his famous thumbs up. "Don't worry about me Hokage-jiji! I'm just focusing on my ninja career now, got to he strong to take that hat from you!"

Hiruzen gave a smile of his own and nodded, though he could tell that Naruto was hiding something. He would wait and see how this plays out. "Of course Naruto-kun I was just worried for you. You dismissed Naruto."

Naruto nodded and as soon as his back was facing the Hokage, his smile fell. As he opened the door, he tilted his head to the side still avoiding eye contact "Jiji. In Suna, did they have have human like porcelain puppets?"

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow at the random question and adopted a thinking pose. "No never, there has only been the regular puppets made from wood and metal, some even going down the line to create human puppets." he said as Naruto's eyes flashed with an emotion he couldn't quite understand. "I see…" Naruto said softly as he turned his head back and stepped out of the office.

"Thank you Jiji."

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