Summary : Starts just after Naruto learnt Kage Bunshin. After a misunderstanding, and in a bad mood, Naruto runs from Konoha with the Scroll of Forbidden Seals. Missing-nin Naruto.

Disclaimer : This is a free fanfiction, as if there was any way I could get paid ! I don't own Naruto, only Masashi Kishimoto does ! But you can pay me by reading this story and taking the time to post a review...

" normal talk "

Thoughts

Kyuubi speaking

Chapter 1 : Fear

" Ha Haa... " , panted an exhausted Naruto.

He had managed to escape the Jounin and ANBU attempts to catch him for three days, his experience in stealth and escape during pranks had come in handy and he wouldn't have had a chance without it. However, he didn't have any food left in his reserves, had barely anytime to satisfy his thirst by drinking at rivers and every time he was nearly caught he used a lot of chakra to get away and confuse them. Indeed, every time he couldn't escape one of his pursuers he had created a dozens of Kage Bunshin that he sent in every direction, his opponent wasting time by destroying every clone while he was getting away. As effective was this method he had made large detours and lost a lot of energy, precious energy he couldn't get back by sleeping considering they didn't leave him any time to take a nap. In short, after three days of tension and running he wouldn't last long. Worse, after three days of jumping on branches, his precious orange outfit was torn into shreds and for a reason he couldn't explain there seemed to be less ninja who managed to catch sight of him.

Thankfully, he managed to cross the frontier of Fire Country hours ago and there were just these guys with weird masks after him. However, even though there were less pursuers these ones seemed more willing to kill him, and even though his fear maintained him awake he didn't have much energy left and was on the edge of unconsciousness...

Completely exhausted, he stumbled on a branch and fell to the ground. As he was trying to stand again, one of these freaky guys appeared and snarled at him :

" Oh, it seems the little demon can't stand on its paws anymore... Time to die ! "

No, I don't want to die !

As the hunter-nin charged at him and he felt himself lose consciousness at the worst possible moment, he had the strange impression of hearing a growling voice and then everything turned dark.

Me neither...


In a clearing not so far away, a missing-nin from the Mist and his companion were training.

" Zabuza-san, we should get a mission soon, it isn't easy to live in a country so poor... "

" Haku, you seem bored lately, don't tell me a boy as pure as you seeks some action ? "

" It's not that, Zabuza-san... I just want to eat something proper, not something we just caught. We're near a town, we could eat something cooked for once. Even if we're shinobi, there is no reason we should live from survival food... "

" We'll see about that, Haku... ", the Devil of the Mist was then interrupted when he felt an explosion of chakra and a wave of killing intent in the proximity.

" Shall we go see what is happening, Zabuza-san ? "

" Yes, but it would be better to stay hidden, we'll decide what to do then. "

They then moved to the place where they could hear a scream and hid to watch the scene. An enormous and red chakra was flowing out of a boy who looked more animal than human, and this boy was scattering the remains of what looked like to have once been a Hunter-nin and once his deed finished the red chakra stopped flowing and the boy fell like a stone on the ground, apparently unconscious. After several minutes of silence, certain the boy wasn't faking unconsciousness, Zabuza and Haku began discussing what they should do :

" Well, he certainly seems interesting, but I don't really think it has anything to do with us... ", said Zabuza.

" Maybe, but from the little we saw, we can't understand the whole situtation... But he seems to be a missing-nin like us and considering the Hunter-nin's mask wears the symbol of the Leaf, he must be from Konoha... and to kill a Hunter-nin like that he must have some skill but I think I can beat him with my hereditary technique... "

" Hum... I trust your judgment... And it seems we have some time before he wakes up. We'll move him out of here before another Hunter-nin arrives, then you'll set up the mirrors and we'll interrogate him once he regains consciousness... All right ? "

" Haku ? "

" He looks cute when he's asleep. ", said Haku casually. And Zabuza sweatdropped.


One hour later, Naruto woke up, out of hunger, and was amazed to see he was still alive. Once that known, he began to look around him and stopped cold when he saw he was surrounded by mirrors and what looked like one of these freaky guys with a mask in all of them. And once he went out of his stupor he took a defensive position, looking for an escape. The masked guy then began to speak :

" You're caught in my technique, you can't escape. You better answer my questions truthfully if you want a chance to get out of this alive, is that clear ? "

All Naruto could do was nod and hope.

" Then, who are you and why are you in Wave Country ? "

" I'm Uzumaki Naruto and I ran away from my damned village. You should know that since you look like one of these guys who were after me ! "

" If you look at the symbol on my mask you should see that I'm not from the Leaf. And why did you ran away from your village ? "

" Because everyone there hated me and one of my sensei tried to kill me... and where is that other guy with the mask ? "

Haku wondered if Naruto was lying, considering Konoha was known to be very peaceful for a Hidden Village, but was stopped by the weird question.

" You don't remember ? "

" No, the last thing I remember was this guy attacking me, a weird voice and then nothing... "

" Strange, I saw you kill him and in a rather gruesome way... are you lying to me ? "

" Wha... no, no, I'm not lying... I killed him ? ", said Naruto, then he mumbled " I'm really a demon then... "

" What do you mean by demon ? "

" Huh ? Ah, the sensei who tried to kill me said everyone hated me because I'm the demon who destroyed the village 12 years ago... And I always wondered why my birthday was the day the demon fox was defeated... No wonder they were more violent during my birthdays... "

" Hum... I see... But what exactly happened to make you run away ? "

" Well, I wanted to be a ninja but I failed the exam. The sensei told me that if I found a certain scroll in the Hokage office and learnt one skill I would become a ninja... 'Ended up it was a lie and it was a forbidden scroll... When I finally learnt a skill, my other sensei found me and even if he was nice he hated me too in the end because I killed his parents in the past... After that, the sensei who used me came and it turned out he was a traitor, he told me there was a rule in the village that said no one should speak about the fact that I'm the Kyuubi... When he tried to kill me I killed him first and ran away for three days with the scroll... Eh, and where is the scroll ? "

" Oh, we got it. "

" We ? "

Zabuza then showed himself and replied :

" Yes, we. Your story is very interesting, as much as the scroll... What do you think of joining us ? "

Elated, he was about to agree but was cut short by the masked kid :

" Really, Zabuza-san ? We can keep him ? "

" Yes, but make sure he gets enough food and that he remains clean... "

" Oy, I'm not a pet, you know ! ", Naruto sweatdropped, " but I want to know who you are exactly before joining. "

" Oh, I'm Momochi Zabuza, known as the Devil of the Mist, and this is Haku, we are missing-nin just like you. But I doubt you're labeled officially as such considering the other countries would do anything they can if they knew you had one of the most important secret of Konoha... "

" Ah, okay then... ", said Naruto, ponctuated by the rumbling of his stomach... Haku finally cancelling his technique.

" It seems you are hungry, good thing I was preparing the food... "

" What is it ? Ramen ? ", asked Naruto as Zabuza handed him a bowl.

" No, Something I prepared from snakes we caught.", answered Zabuza.

" What ? No way I'm going to eat that ! ", exclaimed Naruto as he stepped backwards.

" Haku, catch him and hold him. "

" Hey ! Stop ! Nooooooooooooooooooo ! ", screamed Naruto as Haku did as ordered and Zabuza was going to put the 'food' in his mouth.

Next chapter : " A new life "

A/N : Now tell me what you think ! Keep in mind I always reply to your reviews if they are signed !