Title: Odds Against You, Naruto!

Genre: Romance/Drama/Suspense

Rating: From PG13 to Fanfiction M

Summary: When everyone is against you. When no one, not even your own family, believes in you. When demons are out to get you and people turn their backs on you. Then you must be Naruto Uzumaki. Black sheep of the Namikaze-Uzumaki family, shadow of his rival, Sasuke, and complete outcast of Konoha.


Chapter: 3

The next day Naruto had gotten up early and ventured out into the city. After the scene with Sasuke, Naruto wanted to avoid the raven as much as possible. If anything like that ever got out then his father would have a fit and forbid him to have any contact whatsoever with Sasuke. At the moment he needed time to think of a way to make Sasuke understand that what happened before can't happen again. He doesn't want to stop seeing Sasuke, so he needed to make it clear that Naruto can't love.

Also when his mom came in to check on him she did something she hasn't done in years. She sat on the bed next to him and caressed his face gently. She whispered that she loved him and quietly ask that he attempt harder to make it easier for his father.

Naruto had been conflicted. His mother had told him she loved him for the first time in a long time. But she had basically asked him to stop burdening his father...

But he came to terms. He lived in a village that suffered a great deal because of the beast that dwelled inside of him. A village that was scared for its safety and honored the man in charge of them, which made it difficult for them when the hero they love so much sired...a demon. His mother and father were human just like everyone else in the village, and it was difficult for them too. To keep their loyalty to their home or to their son...

"You're just as much human as any one else kit," Kyuubi stated.

"Thanks Kyu, but I don't think it matters much. I can bleed all the human blood I have and all they'll ever smell is demon's blood," Naruto thought to the fox.

There wasn't another word spoken or thought out as they continued to sit there. They were inside of the Hokage monument. Hardly anyone goes there and its become Naruto's refuge. When he escapes, he always run there. Sometimes it didn't matter because no one would be looking for him anyway, but when they were; they never find him.

"Nice place you have here."

Naruto didn't jump when he heard the voice. He had sensed him coming miles away. The only one powerful enough to feel his chakra even after he masks it.

"Jiraiya," Naruto states his godfathers name.

"Hey kid. Rough day?" the toad sage asked as he sits next to Naruto and takes out a container of tea and two cups.

"Pft...just another day Toad Sage...just another freaking-tastic day," Naruto murmured.

"I heard what happened...or rather I heard the villagers side. Want to tell me what really happened?" Jiraiya asked as he sipped his tea.

"I'd rather not think about it," Naruto replied; sounding defeated. He then leans his head back to rest against the rock side of the mountain.

"Suit yourself...but when you're ready you know where I am," Jiraiya offered.

"Off at the bathing houses sneaking a peak?" Naruto guessed with some tease in his voice.

"It's research!" Jiraiya protested, and silently smiled at the fact that Naruto was joking with him. He didn't like when the blonde nin wasn't smiling. Though he wasn't all too sure how he felt when the blonde did smile. It was all a mask...

"Whatever..." Naruto said in an exhausted voice.

"Aw come on kid! You used to be tons more fun and energetic. What happened?" Jiraiya asked.

"Its not easy pretending to be an idiot...you know that," Naruto answered.

Jiraiya stayed silent for a bit and then sighed, "The council is angry."

"What else is new?" Naruto scoffed.

"Well apparently the ninja that attended the call with your father didn't think it was necessary to keep their mouths shut, so now the council has had visitors of both ninja and civilian status coming to them with complaints," Jiraiya said.

"Damn..." Naruto whispered and he narrowed his eyes and pulled his knees to his chest and laid his head on them.

"Yeah, tell me about it..." Jiraiya agreed with the blonde.

"So what's my father going to do about it?" Naruto deadpanned.

"Actually, there's going to be a trial," Jiraiya answered which caused Naruto to look up.

"A trial?" Naruto echoed.

"Yes. And the one standing trial is you..." Jiraiya trailed off.

"I'm not surprised," said Naruto.

"I want you to be careful Naruto...there's something out there," Jiraiya said as he stood up.

"You sense it too?" Naruto asked with hope. Hope that he wasn't the only one and wasn't imaging it.

"Yeah. There is something...evil, in the atmosphere. But it's only teasing me. It's powerful enough to makes its presence know but unable to be located. It wants me to know its here...lingering...watching...waiting. And I know its after you," Jiraiya said solemnly.

"After me huh?" Naruto repeated.

"Yes. Had it been after Kyuubi it would have stricken long ago. Compare to the power it's hiding, Kyuubi can't do much because you can't do much. No, whatever is out there is after you Naruto," Jiraiya's voice filled with warning.

Naruto stood and followed the white haired man. The sun was setting and a few stars were already visible. Naruto closed his eyes and tried to feel it. He stretched his chakra as far as it would go and he got a feeling of what he was looking for. There was a feeling of dread and pain near the edge of the Forest of Death. Actually it seem to latch onto him! The feeling from before had returned. His side where the bruise was, burned like acid with blue fire but felt so freaking cold at the same time. He saw images of blood and corpses, he heard voices screaming in terror and agony...

"Naruto!"

Naruto jerked into focus and looked at Jiraiya's fearful and worried face. When he found his voice he asked, "When's the trial?"

"In the morning," answered the toad sage.

"I'm scared," Naruto admitted.

"Don't be...if anything happens, I'll be there. I promise," Jiraiya swore.

"I don't want to go to the mansion..." Naruto said.

"You can stay with me at my hotel room," Jiraiya offered with kind features. Despite being a honorable warrior and a legend, he had a soft spot for the kid. And how couldn't he? Naruto childhood innocence was next to nonexistent because of what he's dealt with. Worse yet...I don't want to go to the mansion..The kid doesn't even consider this place home. Home is where someone is supposed to feel safe and reassured by the people that live there that are supposed to love you. Naruto...he wasn't sure Naruto had that.

They walked in silence through the roads of Konoha. The stares were ever present even with Jiraiya at Naruto's side. The Toad Sage frowned and repressed a growl. How these people could call themselves human was beyond him. The treatment they were giving this child was nowhere near humane. Sometime he just wished he could take Naruto with him. Give him a chance to see that it's not always like this. To understand that there is something out there that's worth it. He may not show it but he's worried to the point of fear. Right now Naruto is holding back and taking everything everyone throws at him, but there's a limit. There is always a limit. Jiraiya's afraid of what can happen when Naruto reaches his.

"Damn demon child!"

"I bet there actually are demons around Konoha now. He called them here!"

"Way to go monster! I hope you burn in hell!"

"Ha, I've never seen anyone fuck up that bad. What low tricks you have to do to get the Hokage's attention! I hope you enjoy scaring the villagers, its gain you a eternity in the underworld!"

With a flare of Chakra, Jiraiya sent that guy flying. Naruto tugged on his sleeve to keep him from doing anything else. The Toad Sage looked the the younger man and frowned. Naruto's face was emotionless and his eyes dull. He didn't want to cause any more trouble...Naruto couldn't fight back even if he wanted to. And if there is someone with him who cares and does something, when he's alone again he just gets double the beating and probably wouldn't even put up a fight.

If Naruto reached his limit...

Either Naruto will break down in every form possible and die. Or he can retreat into his mind, be forced into a permanent coma while living in alternate reality that the Kyuubi would have created for Naruto. An ideal place where Naruto should have lived since the beginning. And while Naruto is unconscious the Kyuubi would take control and destroy all of Konoha. By his own detest of humans or revenge for Naruto, Jiraiya wasn't sure, but from what Naruto's told him about the fox, he doesn't really think it'd mattered.

One way or another, Konoha was a bad place for Naruto's health. Mentally and physically.

They order in from a restaurant across the hotel and eat in silence. Without a word they each fall into a futon and go into a restless sleep. There were no dreams, no nightmare, and definitely no peace.


The next morning both the blonde and white haired man were awake before the sun itself. Their rein of silence still not broken, but unlike the awkward silences Naruto usually finds himself in with his father and mother, this was different. This was...the good silence. The kind were there wasn't any pressure and if you didn't need or want to say something, you didn't have to.

"Naruto!"

Naruto and Jiraiya look towards the new voice and Naruto smiles brightly. It was Iruka. The blonde runs towards the chunin and hugs him. From his spot in the background Jiraiya smiles at the sight.

Perhaps Konoha had a chance after all, considering it was Iruka's home.

"Iruka-sensei!"

"Are you alright?! There have been horrible rumors and now I find out you have to go to a trial in front of the council!" Iruka was always a mother hen when it came to Naruto.

"Yeah...it's a long story and I really don't want to get into it. And yes I have to meet with the council but I promise everything will be alright." Naruto promise.

"How can you promise that?" Iruka asked as he held Naruto tighter.

"Because I'll be there in the room with him and everyone else. If any of the council members or ninja's there try something...sneaky, I'll be there to make sure the brat's okay," Jiraiya said.

"Thank you Jiraiya-sama. It means a lot to me to know that someone like you is watching over Naruto as well," Iruka said and bowed in respect.

An ANBU appeared in front of Naruto and said, "You're wanted inside."

Naruto nodded and gave Iruka one last hug before he and Jiraiya walked into the building together side by side. They walked corridor after corridor until they approached big wooden gates.

"Dramatic..." Jiraiya deadpanned while rolling his eyes.

The ANBU in front of the doors opened them with their chakra and allowed the two inside. Once in there, they noticed the high desks. They were built high so it gave the appearance of being in front of a judge and a jury. Except they were all lined up next to each other. Surrounded by council members was Minato in the center. He looked surprised to see his sensei there, as well as were other members. It was Danzo who voiced this out.

"What are you doing here?"

"Just walking Naruto here to make sure he doesn't get lost is all," Jiraiya answered sassy like.

"Well he's here. You can leave," one of the ninja council members said.

"No thank you. I'm curious as to what has to be said in here," Jiraiya answered and glared at all of them with a killer intent so subtly powerful, letting them know that he wasn't going anywhere.

"Very well...lets begin." one of the civilian members said as they ordered some papers in front of them.

Minato cleared his throat and spoke, "Naruto Uzumaki, you are here because you are accused to claiming to see demons within the gates of Konoha."

Naruto's lips twitched into a frown for a nanosecond. He really hated being called 'Uzumaki' by his father. It caused this ache in his chest. But he control his features. He knew that if he wanted to make it out of this room with his sanity in tack, he needed to make sure he wouldn't give them any reason to purposely blame him for something stupid.

"Is this true?" Minato asked.

"Yes," Naruto answers flatly.

There are murmurs between the council members but they are hushed when Danzo raises his hand.

"Would you care to share with us exactly why you made such claims?"

"Because I saw a demon, of course," Naruto replied.

"And can you tell us why no one other than yourself saw this demon? And also why no one else felt its presence? I'm sure someone would have...don't you think so?"

"I am a vessel, you all know that. Is it really that surprising as to why I was the one attacked? And as for why can't anyone else sense it? I'm not sure. It takes a lot of power to sense it and I can only do it when it is near...otherwise I don't know," Naruto answered making sure he says nothing about communicating with Kyuubi.

"So this thing is after the demon then?" one of the civilian members asked.

"Have you made contact with the demon?" Danzo asks.

"When it attacked me. Though there wasn't much of conversation," Naruto said.

"That's not what I meant. Has the seal been tampered with and have you made contact with...the fox?" Danzo asked. Silence falls again, all waiting for Naruto's response.

"The boy lives with a master of seals. Surely you can all rest assured that the seal is just fine. As for sensing the demon, I am able to. It takes a lot of power as Naruto says but I can do it. Only reason Naruto has the ability to is because of the seal," Jiraiya said.

"So he is attracting demons!" one of the civilian member accused.

"No! I didn't say that!" Jiraiya roared. His anger was already high from what had happened in the streets, he didn't need much more of a reason. Plus these old geezers were being really hard headed and seriously one sided.

"Then what is it that you are saying? If there is a demon out there then how can we be at peace? It possible that he's a spy for them! He'll kill us all!" one of the ninja members cried.

"I wouldn't do that!" Naruto declared with a fire in his eyes.

"And why should we believe you?!" demanded another council member.

"Because!" Naruto yelled.

"Because what!?" another demanded.

"Because I'm a ninja of Konoha! It's my job to protect this place! I'm...I'm one of you..." Naruto whispered.

"But that's just it...you aren't one of us. You're...well you don't really have a name. You aren't really a demon but you are definitely no human either. But whatever you are, you are not one of us. And never will you be. I told you Minato that you should never had given him that headband. He is a menace! He should be in the dungeons and labs for experiments! That's all he'll ever be good for," Danzo hissed.

"Enough!" Jiraiya roared.

"Naruto is just like any other child in the village. Only difference is that he's much more brave and noble than any of them will ever be for putting up with this bull!" Jiraiya ranted.

"Enough Jiraiya sensei. I will ask you to please leave now. I need to discuss a few things with the council," Minato said with a voice with no room for arguments.

Jiraiya glared at all of them, even his ex student, then led Naruto out of the building. They were once again quiet but this time it wasn't peaceful. Jiraiya racked his brain for the words of comfort that Naruto so badly needed right now but he couldn't find any that could fix...this!

But still he had to say something!

"Uh...Naruto..." Jiraiya began.

"It's okay Toad Sage...I...I'll just walk it off. I'll be fine in a few hours," Naruto said and started to make his way towards the forest.

"You sure kid?" Jiraiya asked.

"Yeah...I need to clear my head. I'll see you later," Naruto said and then he was gone.


"This is where I last felt it," Naruto whispered to himself.

"You sure you want to go after this kit? That last attack was pretty gruesome," Kyuubi said.

"This thing is here for something. And I need to know what," Naruto replied.

"And then?" Kyuubi asked.

Naruto stopped and stared into space. When he came back he shook his head and said, "We'll see..."

"Kit..."

"Yeah?"

"When I saw what that power allowed you to see something occurred to me."

"And that something is?"

"What if whatever is out there is trying to summon something?"

"Summon something?"

"Yeah...in the old days it wouldn't be as easy as blood on a scroll. And I mean old days. In those days a location was needed. Somewhere powerful and most likely filled with bloodshed. There are ancient spells out there to summon creatures like...me."

"So this thing wants to summon another demon with your power into Konoha?"

"Not exactly. This creature that I can think of of being the only one to summon isn't like me. There is just brawn, no wits, and its power isn't much. The thing is just big."

"That doesn't really sound like a good plan by the tone of your voice. What else is up?"

"My thoughts are this: its a distraction. Well, more like a trap," Kyuubi says.

"A trap?" Naruto echoed.

"Because I have a good idea of where the location of the summoning is, we can get there ahead of time and do something...drastic about it. I can see where their plan is going but once it gets to a certain point I can't really be sure. When it reaches a certain point there are too many choices," Kyuubi said.

"Well what's the plan?"

"The summon will take place where I was summoned. That part of the city is now isolated due to horrible memories and such. That's the good part. No one will be there to get hurt. Using a spell I know we can activate this type of force field," Kyuubi explained.

"A force field?" Naruto asked.

"Yes. When the demon is summoned it will be unable to leave the force field that will act as a cage and this thing will die. This cage, if done right, nothing goes in and nothing gets out.

"The trap being that you'll have to be inside to kill this thing. And this is where I lose the trail. Either you'll be able to finish the demon without any problems...or there will be problems."

"How does one deactivate the force field?" Naruto asked.

"The force field works as a last resort. The caster can dispel it when he wins...if the caster were to die then the force field will never be dispelled. To always work as a cage," Kyuubi said.

"Either way Konoha is safe?" Naruto asked

"Yeah...but kit-"

"Tell me how to do the spell Kyuubi...even if I'm not the hero I refuse to be the villain!"