Thanks again to all who favorited/alerted this story. This is rather new territory for me so I'm glad my work is well-recieved. A special thanks goes out to all who took the time to leave a review!


Chapter Three: Death to Orange

Two hours after Team Seven's D-rank mission...

Despite his bravado in denying Naruto's threat, Kakashi couldn't suppress a twinge of worry. He hadn't dubbed the boy 'the number one unpredictable ninja' lightly. Since the Jinchuuriki left with Jiraiya to retrieve Tsunade, his prowess with seals increased at a monstrous rate. Even the great toad sage admitted that Naruto's skills already outstripped his own due to the boy's wild imagination and tireless use of clones.

Only a very select few knew that the seals Naruto used at the Valley of the End to subdue Sasuke and later block Orochimaru's curse seal were developed by the boy, not Jiraiya. Had the would-be defector known this, his progress back towards sanity would have tripled in difficulty.

Kakashi shook the dark thoughts from his head. Sasuke was opening up again and their frayed teamwork was mending. He tilted his head towards the training field his most energetic student occupied. He felt the vibrant throb of the boy's massive chakra pool shift in excitement. All signs pointed toward him doing something today, and the Jounin thought it wise to be close at hand. It would hardly do for the boy to injure himself in the name of a revenge prank.

Naruto's chakra flared.

Kakashi lowered his book in time to witness an explosion worthy of a thousand super-charged blast tags shoot a pillar of flame fifty feet into the air. The security seals doming over the village flickered briefly into the visible spectrum.

A chill ran down his spine and he rose to a crouch on the limb of his tree. This situation was eerily familiar. Around thirteen years ago, Iwa pulled a similar technique in the same area. Had an Iwa spy infiltrated Konoha and recognized Naruto's connection with the Fourth Hokage?

He frantically searched for the genin's presence. Icha Icha Paradise slipped from his numb fingers, Naruto's chakra was gone.

"No!" He cried, launching himself with enough force to crack the branch. Dodging falling debris and crashing through smoldering branches he strained his senses for the sunshine and ramen flavor of Naruto's chakra signature. Heart sinking each passing second, he entered the destroyed training area. Shielding his eye from the heat he stepped into the hellish scene.

Massive trees split and shattered from the force of the blast, blazed and choked the ground. Could even a jinchuuriki survive such an explosion? A flicker of chakra caught his attention and he sped up, heedless of his sandals melting under the heat of the fires. Faint as it was, that flicker gave him hope. Naruto was alive, but weaker than Kakashi had ever witnessed.

Nothing burned at the epicenter of the explosion as anything flammable instantly changed to ash in the blast. A small blackened figure sprawled face-down in the savaged soil. Heart in his throat, he leaped to what seemed be the horribly burnt figure of his student.

Fingers trembling, he turned the boy over. Naruto's face was streaked with soot, blood, and dirt but didn't seem burnt. Though it was weak and shallow, Naruto still breathed and his pulse was slow and belabored. Sparing a mere moment's notice to the boy's odd attire, he scooped Naruto into his arms and dashed for the nearest hospital.

Ignoring the ANBU arriving on the scene, he increased his pace; dodging smoldering debris on the edges of the training ground. He hitched the small body closer to his chest as if willing some of his chakra to enter the echoing emptiness emanating from the small, painfully limp body.

Taking to the rooftops, he glanced down at the black-smeared face. "I'm sorry Naruto. If I'd known you would nearly-" He choked, refusing to say anything regarding death to the barely living boy. "I never realized you'd encounter something so dangerous trying to carry out your plan. I should have apologized."


The world must not have ended, Naruto decided. He ached everywhere.

His limbs hurt. His head hurt. Even his whisker marks hurt. Naruto mentally prayed to return to the blissful, painless darkness. But it was not to be, he had to sneeze.

The words that followed the sneeze would have curled a sailor's nose hairs... if Naruto had retained the ability to open his mouth and speak clearly. Instead, it sounded like he'd been gagged and kicked in the groin.

"Ah, you're finally awake!" Kakashi's voice came from nearby. Normally, the blond would have grunted or ignored the object of his revenge, but the raw relief in his teacher's tone surprised him into cracking one eye open. Shock drove both open.

Kakashi was a mess. His gravity defying hair hung limp around his face. The silver strands and the man's face and clothing were smeared with soot. A vague hint of smoke clung to the hand stroking the blond's hair. "I'm sorry Naruto."

"Wha-?" Naruto croaked, then choked on his burning throat. The jounin gently helped him take a drink from a glass with a straw and then leaned back in his chair. He scrubbed his eye with the palm of his hand, the action only emphasizing the dark smudges beneath it.

"I shouldn't have let my pride get in the way." Kakashi tried to run his fingers through his hair, but they caught in the sticky, tangled mass. He pulled his hand away and sighed. "I'm sorry Naruto, if I had apologized, you wouldn't have been in that location and nearly died in the attack."

"A-Attack?" Naruto choked his relief over not ending the world faded. "What do you mean? Who attacked us?" Fighting muscles stiff with pain and inactivity, he forced himself upright. The IV in his wrist throbbed at the sudden movement.

"Don't strain yourself!" Kakashi propped some pillows behind the boy and gently guided him back. "You need to rest, let others take care of it."

"Who attacked us?" Naruto persisted.

Kakashi sighed easily reading the determination in Naruto's eyes. "We aren't sure. The best guess is Iwa though."

"Iwa? Why Iwa?"

"The pattern of the explosion was exactly like one that happened thirteen years ago in about the same place. The huge crater with a few puddles of melted kunai scattered through it was very distinctive." Kakashi peered out the window at the night sky, caught in his memories. As a result, he missed the horrified understanding dawning on the blond's face.

"Iwa denied involvement in the attack. Investigation techniques have improved since then, so we should be able to find the culprit this time."

Naruto paled. How much trouble would he be in? "Um, sensei, no one was hurt, right?"

The copy ninja locked Naruto with a piercing glare, "You were hurt. Konoha was lucky no one else was nearby the first time if it emptied your chakra wells so much. That technique would kill anyone else." Kakashi leaned over and pressed the nurse call button.

"Despite the damage and how drained you were, things could have been much worse. We were lucky Gai and his team left on a mission the day before."

'Luck nothing,' Naruto thought, 'I waited for them to leave before trying to go back.'

Kakashi stood as a male medic-nin entered the room. "Naruto, I want you to rest here one more night. Sakura, Sasuke and I will help you to your apartment tomorrow." He paused, walked back to Naruto's side and gently rubbed the boy's blond, spiky hair. "I'm glad you're alright Naruto, the others will be relieved you're okay."

Naruto frowned, "Sensei, I've had chakra exhaustion before. Why would they be worried?"

"Please lay back Uzumaki-san," the medic ordered calmly as he helped Naruto lay back down. "Your sensei is worried because your chakra was so low you nearly died several times your first day here."

Kakashi's wince was minute, but Naruto still caught it. "Don't worry about it Naruto, you're fine now."

Naruto nodded, the pain he'd felt on waking had faded. Though he still felt tired and drained, the walk home no longer felt like an insurmountable task. A flare of guilt burned in his stomach. "Um, Kakashi-sensei? About the person who caused the explosion..."

"Don't worry about that Naruto, you're safe from the culprit, I promise." The disheveled jounin slipped from the room before the boy could reply. He tried to raise his hand and call his teacher back, but a heavy lassitude clung to him, weighing the limb down. He drunkenly rolled his head to the side and saw the medic pulling a needle from a shunt on his drip-line.

"Sleep Uzumaki-san," he ordered as he dropped the needle in the disposal bin.

As if I had a choice, Naruto grumbled in his mind. Color leeched away from his vision and darkness reclaimed him.


Naruto fidgeted in the freshly washed monochrome outfit he'd worn on his trip to the past since Kakashi neglected to bring him a new orange outfit. As if summoned by the thought, his sensei entered the room. A small knot of apprehension loosened in the boy's chest, Kakashi's hair once more stood at attention and the circles under his eyes lessened.

A subdued Sakura and Sasuke followed him into the room. The relief in their eyes changed to shock as they took in Naruto's apparel. Sakura's eyes traveled up and down his form a few times and then a small half smile of appreciation twitched at the corner of her mouth. "I'm glad you're alright Naruto. I- we were worried."

Sasuke gave his rival's outfit a quick appraising look, nodded, and then stared at the boy's face. "Why the face paint?"

The blond blinked. Face paint? His eyes widened and he rushed to the en suite restroom. Furious splashing followed by a shocked cry of horror followed. "Why won't it wash off?" He cried, rushing to Kakashi's side.

"You got the paint from Nama Tsuchiro's didn't you?" Kakashi asked, peering at the reddened but clearly marked cheeks.

"Well, yeah," Naruto conceded, scratching at his skin and then peering at his nails. "I didn't want it to be noticeable that the marks weren't real and he said it was the best..."

"It's the best for a reason Naruto." Kakashi handed Naruto his smoke-scented backpack, put his hand on his student's shoulder and led him from the room, his teammates trailing. "What good would a disguise on a mission be if it washed off or faded after only a day or two? It should have come with a secondary tube for easier removal."

Naruto furrowed his brow in thought. His clone's memory showed a flash of a small tube included with the paint.

A tube he left in the bottom of the bag and left behind in a clearing that was torn apart by the explosion.

Naruto hung his head, he'd have to perform a few missions before he could buy a new one. Preparation for this prank left a major hole in his wallet.

The Kyuubi container was confused at the looks he'd received on his way home. Though he'd rolled his bandanna to wear his forehead protector the normal way, none of the looks he received were immediately hostile. Did people really hate orange that much, or did they just not recognize him?

Before long, the party reached Naruto's apartment. "Um, why are you all still here?" Naruto tilted his head at his teammates.

"Weren't you listening Dobe?" Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You're supposed to drop off your bag and prescriptions and then we're going to the Hokage so you can report anything you saw."

"Oh yeah, huh?" Naruto laughed sheepishly and unlocked his apartment. He hadn't heard anything they'd said after leaving the hospital.

Shaking his head, he stepped over the morass of scrolls and half-inked seals his clones left behind when he'd utterly depleted his chakra. He just wanted to slip into something a little more orange before visiting the old lady. Humming, he dropped his pack and slid his closet open. He gasped, heart clenching as though an Akamichi had socked him.

His orange was GONE. A wordless wail forced its way out his throat and he fell to his knees, staring at the somber-colored clothing infesting his closet.

"What on earth?" Kakashi exclaimed as he burst in on the whimpering boy followed by his gaping students.

"Where are all my jumpsuits?" Naruto cried, whirling to check his dresser. It mirrored the closet, totally void of orange.

A half-bemused, half-horrified party watched the boy tear his room apart, checking loose floorboards, crawl spaces and hidden panels to no avail.

"How did this happen?" Naruto lamented, waving a pair of midnight blue cargo shorts in one fist.

"Well Naruto," Kakashi scratched his head. "Several ANBU saw you as I took you to the hospital. It looks like Standing Mission D2O45 was finally carried out successfully."

"Noooo." Naruto moaned, slumping to his knees once more. "Orange, I failed you..."

"D2O45?" Sakura asked glancing between the horrified boy and her teacher.

Kakashi led the Sakura and Sasuke out of earshot and whispered. "D2O45, nicknamed 'Death to Orange' was issued by the third when Naruto took to wearing that orange abomination. If Naruto ever appeared in ninja-appropriate attire, the first available ANBU were to purchase similar clothing and destroy every orange jumpsuit in his apartment."

"Why waste time and resources for the dobe?" Sasuke frowned toward Naruto's room.

Kakashi's brow lowered and he fixed a glare on the sullen boy. Sasuke quailed under the harsh gaze. "Naruto was like a grandson to the Third, he funded the mission personally. Well, he funded the first attempt." Kakashi relented.

Sakura pried her worried gaze from Naruto's room and frowned at her teacher. "That's right; you said it was 'finally carried out successfully'."

Kakashi nodded, "The original mission failed spectacularly and Naruto retaliated. I think that was the time he dyed the hokage robes orange."

"No, that was the fourth time," Naruto corrected in a low sullen voice as he staggered out of his room. Sakura winced at the stark devastation in his blue eyes. "The first time I paint bombed the tower." He heaved a deep sigh and waved the others out of his apartment.

"ANBU took this mission and failed four times?" Sasuke raised a skeptic eyebrow at the blond's back.

"It was quite a bit more than four times," Kakashi chuckled, slipping his hands into his pockets, his eye following the blurs ninja passing overhead. "After the fifth time, ANBU stopped accepting partial payment and turned it into an eternal standing mission, much like capturing Tora for genin."

"So how many times did they try?" Sakura skipped ahead and then bent over to look into Naruto's eyes. Her eyes shone with an expression admiration he'd never seen directed at him, so the boy stopped.

The faintest of smiles quirked at the corner of his mouth. "I dunno. I stopped counting after the thirtieth time."

Sasuke heard this just as he was about to pass the pair, and he froze.

"It got so bad they'd try and switch my clothes as I slept." Naruto laughed, some of his humor returning. "I got really good at setting traps and hiding things though." He beamed at the others then sighed heavily and started walking again. "I wonder how they found them all. I could have sworn I hid some sealed away in my walls."

"They probably brought in a Hyuuga," Kakashi theorized, scanning his surroundings in quick passes. Naruto did a double-take, gaping at his teacher.

"Sensei, you aren't reading?" He asked. Kakashi's eye curved in a weak semblance of a smile, but he didn't respond or relax.

All thoughts of his lost orange fled with the guilt gnawing at his stomach. Kakashi may look better, but he had not relaxed his guard.

"Um, sensei, about the-" Naruto began.

"There you are!" Shizune shouted, frowning at the group. "You're late! Tsunade-sama was starting to worry Naruto suffered a relapse or was attacked again. We need to hurry!" She seized Naruto's left hand and herded team seven to Tsunade's office.

"It's about time!" The blond woman growled, shoving a stack of folders into her student's arms. She locked an appraising gaze on Naruto. A few moments passed and she seemed to find what she was looking for and slumped back into her seat. "Kakashi, it is bad enough you are constantly late without dragging your students into your bad habits."

"Sorry Hokage-sama," Kakashi ducked his head slightly and smiled. "Some mean ninja stole a boy's orange so we stopped to comfort him."

Tsunade shut her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, thus missing the incredulous looks the genin exchanged.

Ignoring the excuse, she rested her chin on her interlocked fingers and looked at Naruto. "Tell me everything you remember about what happened the day of the attack."

"Um," Naruto scratched the back of his head. "I, well, there's been a misunderstanding. There was no attack."

She leaned back in her chair and heaved a disappointed sigh. "So you don't remember anything then."

"No, I remember enough," Naruto shook his head "My kage bunshin made sure there wasn't anyone around while they set up a new seal. I guess the seal I used wasn't just draining but destructive as well."

"Even if we were to believe you caused the explosion, it wouldn't explain the similarity with the attack thirteen years ago." Kakashi chided.

"They're the similar because I caused both of them!"

Silence fell, and Tsunade sighed.

"Dammit Shizune, I thought they gave him a clean bill of health." the Hokage grumbled, brows lowering.

"I'm not joking." Naruto snarled, "I caused both of the explosions with the seal I've been working on for the last two months. And before you correct me or mention again about the first one being thirteen years ago: the seal was designed to take me back in time."

Naruto panted, cheeks flushed as some of his closest people gaped at him.

He blustered on in the prolonged silence. "I wouldn't have done it if Kakashi hadn't stolen my notes and then refused to apologize." He huffed. "It was part of my big plan for revenge, I succeeded too!"

"Why on earth would revenge on sensei involve going back in time?" Sakura asked, being the first to regain her voice.

Naruto blushed, scratching his cheek. "Heh, well I got to thinking-"

"Tsunade-sama!" Gai yelled, bursting in the room. "This attack! Like thirteen years ago- Oh, I beg your pardon Hokage-sama; my flames of youth extinguished my patience. I did not mean to burst in on your meeting with my hip rival and-"

Gai stopped, frowning, and peered at the blond's attire. Naruto turned back to look at Gai, their eyes met and the man sucked in an enormous gasp of air.

"It is the Youthful Ninja from the Future!" He bellowed, pointing at the boy and then swiftly scooping him into his arms. "I feared you died in the attack after I left you!" He sobbed, rubbing a tearful cheek on the blond spikes and spinning in a circle.

Shizune's folders fell to the floor in a rustling cascade and Tsunade's head thunked against her desk. Kakashi and Sasuke wore matching dumbstruck expressions. Sakura's knees shook and the all too familiar feelings of inadequacy burned in her chest. While she merely improved, her teammate created a seal to take him back in time! A feat ninjas sought to accomplish even before the elemental nations formed.

"Gai-san! You're smothering him!" Shizune cried.

Gai's tears dried and he peered down at the limp boy in his arms. "NOOOO! Youthful Ninja from the Future! You already warned me you were unable to handle great doses of youth! You survived breaking the laws of time and space, do not die now!" Tears gushed down his face in earnest. Naruto's head lolled as the green beast shook his shoulders.

Snapping out of her shock at the word "die" Tsunade tossed the jounin aside and checked the boy's vitals.

Sakura peeked over the hokage's shoulder. "Is he okay?" She asked, clutching her fists to her chest. She only relaxed when the blonde released a relieved sigh.

"Just momentarily passed out. Gai, explain!" Tsunade barked to the jounin who shakily pulled himself out of the plaster of her office wall.

"Certainly Hokage-sama!" He stood straight, teeth sparkling. "Thirteen years ago, as I was performing my youthful training, I stumbled upon an unfamiliar shinobi in most unyouthful circumstances. Fearing he was victim to an enemy attack, I rushed to his aid. Although, his flames of youth had obviously dimmed with weariness he attempted to placate my fear of his unfamiliarity. He even-"

"The short version please?" Tsunade shifted Naruto in her lap and pinched the bridge of her nose again. The time-traveler moaned, opening his eyes to warily eye the man in green.

"Oh, I beg your pardon Hokage-sama. How unyouthful of me to waste your time." Gai frowned a moment, reorganizing his thoughts. "After the Youthful Ninja from the Future managed to convince me of his origin, he performed an act for which I will be forever grateful!" Tears sprang in the jounin's eyes once more and rays of sunlight shone down on him.

Shaking off his lethargy, Naruto leaped from Tsunade's arms and stared at Kakashi, a manic grin of anticipation on his face. Upon learning that Naruto was not in danger of imminent attack, the man had pulled a suspiciously new looking orange book from his pouch and opened it.

"You should thank your student as well Kakashi," Gai turned to the silver-haired man. "For he was the one who told me you were my eternal rival and gave me the courage to approach and befriend you!"

Kakashi's habitual "What was that Gai?" died in his throat as the implication sunk in. His visible eye widened and his hands shook.

Up until that moment, Sasuke watched the proceedings in silence. His eyes widened and darted between the two men. "Wait, so Naruto is the one who started your eternal rivalry?"

"Indeed, young Uchiha!" Gai boomed. "My flames of youth were weak, so I could not see past Kakashi's cool exterior to the rival he could become. We have only pushed each other to greater-"

"Thank you Gai, I will call you in when I'm done with Team Seven," Tsunade interrupted, climbing wearily to her feet. This was all too confusing. Shizune escorted the Green Beast from the office.

Sasuke toned out out all Gai said after confirming Naruto's role. Why go to the past merely to make Gai claim Kakashi as his rival? The cogs in his head turned and when they clicked into place, his head snapped up and he gave his teammate a horrified look. "Naruto, if I did anything to make you angry, I sincerely apologize. I also apologize for doubting you could get revenge on Kakashi-sensei, you've proven me wrong."

Kakashi seemed lost in his own world. While part of him raged at his student's actions and all the frustration he experienced in having Gai as a rival… The rivalry came at a time he needed a stubborn companion and friend. The whispered comment Naruto made at the end of their D-Rank nearly a week ago suddenly made sense.

Raising his head to meet Naruto's expectant gaze, he sighed. "Thank you Naruto."

The boy's toothy grin closed, and smoothed into a gentle, almost benign smile. His eyes softened, and his expression radiated approval. The similarity to Minato struck hard, and he looked away. "How will we explain this to the public?" He asked Tsunade, who guiltily slipped a porcelain bottle back under her desk.

She peered at the boy, her eyes involuntarily flickering to the portrait of the fourth on the wall when she caught his expression. She hummed thoughtfully and a grin split her face. She summoned an ANBU and within moments, she extended a three-pronged kunai to Naruto. He cocked his head at the sealing paper wrapped around its handle.

"Naruto, team seven, your official story will be that the explosion was caused by Naruto's failed attempt to imitate the Hiraishin." She couldn't help but grin at the brilliance of her plan.

"But won't he have to have some sort of proof that he was working on it?" Sakura asked, trying not to gape at Naruto's hungry gaze on the kunai.

Naruto snatched the weapon, turning it in his hands until he found the seam of the paper. He slipped a nail under its edge. Only Sasuke caught the visible flinch and then confusion on the faces of the adults as Naruto unwrapped the aging paper. Blue eyes skimmed the seals with the speed of a seal master.

"Huh, this doesn't look too hard...I bet I can make this even better!" Naruto hummed, swiping a brush and scrap of paper off Tsunade's desk. "There!" He proclaimed moments later, wrapping his new paper around the hilt of the kunai.

"Hey Bear-san!" Naruto called to the ANBU who brought the weapon. "Can you plant this somewhere for me to test it?"

At Tsunade's nod, the man took the dagger and vanished in a shunshin.

Sakura stamped down the habitual urge to scold Naruto. What did she know about seals? If Naruto could create a seal to go back in time, what was to stop him from understanding the legendary Hiraishin?

The moment of silent contemplation ended as Gai burst into the room once more. "Forgive me Hokage-sama, but I forgot one important thing!" He turned to Naruto and bowed. "Thank you for giving me the gift of the most youthful jumpsuit. I wouldn't be the man I am now without it!" He slammed the door shut once more.

A heavy aura filled the room and Naruto gave a nervous laugh at the dark expression on Tsunade and his team's faces.

"Na-ru-to..." the sannin growled, vein throbbing on her forehead. "That better not mean what I thought it did." She cracked her knuckles and stalked toward him.

"Heh heh." Sweat ran down his cheek and he mentally wished for a final bowl of ramen. Suddenly he felt a strange tug and grinned. "Bye Baa-chan, field test!"

Focusing his chakra, he vanished in a brilliant flash of orange.


Please review and stay tunned for the epilogue!