A swishing sound was heard as a weapon was seen swinging through the air.

Naruto held the Naginata in his arms as he took practice swings with it, working on the restored weapon as he was training with it.

An impaled squirrel was seen hanging and cooking over a fire, that being his supper for the night. He continued training with the weapon imagining he was striking down foes, envisioning those he hated the most in front of him as he did.

Sometime later after finishing up he sat in front of the fire, looking on at them as it was the only source of light as there was no moon tonight. Already it was going low but he couldn't be bothered to get more wood or grass to feed it, soon it would snuff out and it would be pitch black all around.

Naruto stared into the fire, watching the flames and embers which reflected off of his eyes. Staring blankly into them as the flames glowed.

Looking on, he saw an image of a person there. He saw her face in the flames.

"Sakura…" Naruto said as he looked on at the fire. The one girl he loved, the only girl he wanted to be with.

He was in love with her, Naruto's feelings for Sakura were genuine. She meant everything to him. He wasn't faking about his emotions towards her or pretending to be in love because of some stupid rivalry or competition, what kind of scumbag and hypocrite did people think he was that he would do such a thing? He loved the girl with all his heart.

"She'll never be yours." A voice suddenly said and Naruto lifted his head up and turned his head towards the direction of which it was coming from.

Standing there against a tree was a person who looked like him, the figure could be mistaken for him easily as they were dressed the same one and had the same hairstyle and built until one saw his eyes and the cruelty that was in them.

"You know she'll never love you." The being mocked him as it sounded just like him and Naruto looked on at the apparition. "What made you think that she'll ever love you? A monster can never be loved." It asked a dark grin on his face. "Don't you know that she'll only ever love Sasuke?"

"No matter what you do, her heart will always belong to him. They're happy that you are gone now. No one ever wanted you around anyway." Dark Naruto said to him. "Sakura knows she won't ever have to put up with you anymore and can focus and devote all her time on Sasuke."

Naruto said nothing as he stared at the ground and his counterpart laughed.

"Kill her, that's what you should do. You're a monster, that's what we do. Kill anyone who gets in our way or looks at us funny. It'd be for the best if you went back there and did it, kill her and her precious Sasuke, after all it wouldn't surprise me once they heard that you was gone that they celebrated and they've went and already had-"

Naruto tossed a bone at him and Dark Naruto disappeared as it passed through him. Naruto stared with anger at the spot where he had been his hand clutching in fury as it shook as his mocking words echoed through his mind.

He buried his face in his arms and knees hiding himself from the world.


The Godaime, The Slug Sannin, Tsunade entered the room a look of annoyance on her face as she came in.

While it had been made officially known that Sasuke was a missing nin and his name posted in the wanted books, Naruto however had not been. There had been no announcement or message regarding his status. He was still registered as a Genin Ninja of Konoha. Once it had been realized, an immediate meeting was ordered and it was one that she could not ignore.

"I swear, if I didn't need it to live, I'd sell my heart of gold. You owe me big time for this Sakura." Tsunade grumbled to herself as she sat on her assigned seat.

"So for what reason has this meeting been called?" She asked outloud. "I'm sure we all have better things right now we'd rather be doing." She said but few shared her mirth or attempt at lightening the mood.

"Lady Hokage." Hiashi Hyuga said speaking up and standing from his seat. "In three sunsets pasts, Sasuke Uchiha was marked as a Missing Nin."

"Yes, unfortunately so, but he has willingly aligned himself with Orochimaru, and such an incident cannot be overlooked or ignored." She explained herself to them.

"However, there is another who has turned his back on the Leaf," Hiashi spoke up. "We all know who he is, and yet there has been no word or announcement regarding his status despite what he has willingly done."

"No point in beating around the bush, we all know who it is. How about you get to the point instead of trying to draw attention with your spectacle?" Tsunade asked and Hiashi stared hard at her.

"Yes, we know who it is: Naruto Uzumaki."

"The Kyuubi vessel." Shibi Aburame the father of Shino muttered.

"From what we gathered from intel, Naruto left the same night that Sasuke disappeared." Koharu said the elder speaking up. "He had a Bushin pose as him so not to draw attention when he departed."

"Aye," Homaru the other teammate of Sarutobi spoke up. "He had been gone for hours once it was realized that he was gone and had left."

"Lady Hokage, with all due respect, why is it that The Kyuubi Vessel has not been listed as Missing Nin and Traitor? Which he no doubt deserves to be marked as for what he's done." Hiashi asked and Tsunade looked on at all of them. The mood was thick, many were not happy with all that had happened

"To my knowledge, Naruto unlike Sasuke has not joined any opposing village or terrorist organization."

"That means nothing, it doesn't matter if he has aligned himself with another or not, he still has committed treason."

"I agree, the boy has long been a public nuisance, pulling his pranks and being a ruckus. The Sandaime was too soft on the boy." Tsume Inuzuka said a frown on her face. "He should be marked and dragged back here and whipped like my clan does to an unruly hound to remind him who it is that's in charge. That we make the rules and he is to follow them." She said and many murmured in agreement

"You seem eager to dish out punishment to him, but not so willing to have the same thing be done to Sasuke since he in your words has also committed treason." Tsunade replied.

"That is different."

"How so? Sasuke has joined up with a wanted man who has committed countless atrocities, including responsible for the deaths of many here. Naruto has not, from all we know, he has become a Maverick and shown no allegiance to any village or country. A bandit that was captured earlier today appeared to have been scarred mentally as his rambled on about a boy who killed many others."

"And there you see it: already he's become a wild beast that cannot be controlled." Hiashi spoke up as if that was enough proof. "You should be put down before he becomes a threat to the Village. You realize that your duty as Hokage is to ensure that nothing comes to harm Konoha, regardless of your personal feelings in the matter?" He said in a haughty tone and Tsunade frowned at him.

"I'm well aware what my duties were when I got suckered into taking this position." She coolly replied to him not letting her anger get the best of her.

"Then you realize what it is that must be done then."

Tsunade sat there, they were making it clear that they'd accept nothing less than Naruto being marked as a Missing Nin. Even those who've had nothing against him like Koharu and Homaru, regardless of one's feelings, treason was the ultimate crime and could not be overlooked.

But Tsunade had a ace up her sleeve that she was now going to play.

"Alright then, you've all made your points and there is valid in them. I see I have no choice but to label him as a Missing Nin and Wanted."

"I'm glad you've chosen to come around." Hiashi said but Tsunade held up her hand.

"But first, let me ask you all something before I do." She said and looked on, her gaze reaching all of them there in the room.

"If Naruto is marked as a missing nin and its made known that he is, what do you thinks gonna happen once its announced?" She asked them. "What do you expect the other Four Villages or a minor country looking to increase its power to do once they hear about it? You think their just going to ignore it and go about on their lives once they hear what's happened? Absolutely not, there will be a widespread manhunt for him, everyone would be chasing after to capture him and use The Fox for their own purposes. I've seen a glimpse of what he could do if he uses it, trust me if what I saw which is not even a fraction is frightening, then imagine the full power or so then unleashed like before on that fateful day long ago." Tsunade said to them and judging by their reactions they didn't expect that. Tsunade knew that they hadn't expected that outcome if she did what they wanted. Iwa, Kumo and others would do everything they could to get Naruto and use The Kyuubi's power for themselves.

"So go ahead, let me make it known public, 'Hey The Nine Tailed Fox has left us, first one to get him gets to keep him!' I'll think I'll do that right now." She said and started to raise from her seat.

"No," Hiashi said and Tsunade hid well her victorious smirk. "Very well, we agree with your decision for now. He shall not be marked but only for now."

"I'm glad you all chosen to be practical instead of vindictive." The Godaime said to them. "Naruto must be found and convinced to come back, but not be harmed or spoiled in anyway as that won't do us any good. If we can just get through to him, he may come back."

"So be it," Koharu said and stood up. "Naruto will not be labeled but Lady Hokage, if Naruto does do something that endangers the Leaf or attacks one of its inhabitants, or aligns himself with another, you understand then we shall have no choice but to list him."

"I understand, I pray though it will not have to come to that." She said to them. "This meeting is dismissed." She said and gradually the assembled Clan Heads and Members departed leaving her there.


Naruto found himself in a town, wasn't really a town though, little more than a cluster of houses grouped together with about just over a hundred people in total at the most. He had stumbled upon the place on his way and had stopped, he hadn't even bothered to learn the name of the area. It didn't matter to him.

He was standing beside a tree looking on at a house in the distance, a get together was being held as a birthday was being celebrated and a party was being had.

He looked on at the party, a group of kids were seen playing. Running around and laughing having a good time without a single care in the world with smiles on their faces.

As he watched, he could almost imagine standing next to him a younger child looking on. Wanting to join in with them and play games and have fun. But not being allowed to by the adults who didn't want him there.

Naruto continued to watch on as he saw the Father bringing out a Cake for his son while the Mother had a present in her arms as everyone gathered around. Something which he wouldn't know what was like.

"Fathers," Naruto said with a spat. "What's so great about them or Mothers?" He muttered stuffing his hands in his pockets. His own made it clear the day he was born he wasn't wanted and got rid of him as soon as he could. If his Father and Mother had even an ounce of love for him, they wouldn't have abandoned him the way they did.

He turned and walked away from the sight

He turned the corner and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw a pair of Shinobi standing not ten feet away from him.

Naruto stopped in his place, eyes darting around, looking and almost expecting for multiple others to appear out of the blue and attack him. He stayed on guard waiting for something to happen. Every muscle was tensed and on edge ready to do whatever it was that was necessary. It had finally come to this.

If they attacked though, they weren't going away without casualties that much was clear.

After several long minutes had passed, he had realized that nothing was going to happen as he looked on at the two that were standing there. "You're kidding me…" He said to himself as he looked on at the two.

They were Leaf Ninja and one of them had bandages over part of his face. Looking on, Naruto recognized them having seen them before, their names being Izumo and Kotesu.

Naruto thought very little of the two. Honestly they were morons in his eyes who couldn't find their asses with their hands. The two were as usual arguing over something trivial and stupid and didn't even seem to notice that he was right across from them.

They weren't sent to find him, apparently he saw Izumo and Kotesu by sheer coincidence. Neither were alert or paying attention to their surroundings of what was going on. He couldn't believe it, the two so fixated on whatever it was they were arguing about they didn't even notice him standing there and slowly approached them

Naruto walked forward and pilfered from them, his hands slipping into their pockets and pulling out a scroll and Damascus knife and took them for himself. Pick pocketing was an old skill he had, before he met Iruka he would pick the pockets as his way of testing himself. With how ignorant of their surroundings the two were, they had no idea of him taking it and walking away as they continued arguing which was escalating into raised fists.

It was amazing how some people didn't notice him, even when he was directly underneath them. When he thought about it, it didn't come as a surprise, given how most wanted to pretend he didn't exist enabling him to eavesdrop and see or hear stuff that was suppose to be secret.

He wondered how The Hyuga Patriarch would react if it was made known to all where he went and what he did once a week like he had seen him do in secret.

Naruto continued on when he heard a voice and saw a man talking to a group of people. "You must protect this land, that is our duty." The man said to the assembled group there. "Our duty is to save the inhabitants and the village from anything that may threaten us. The Great Villages do so and so shall we as well." He told them as Naruto listened on.

"Our greatest reward we shall ever accomplish is not title or money, but by knowing if we fall and lay down our life so that we protected the Village and saw to it that the next generation will carry on our teachings. It is the Village that lasts forever not us and it shall stand so long as we remember these words."

Naruto rolling his eyes heard enough and spoke up "You honestly believe that load of crap?" He said and the assembled group turned and saw him. "I can tell all of you right now that he's speaking nothing more than mindless drivel and gibberish." He told the group and the speaker scowled at his remarks.

"Young man I don't know who you are, but I would prefer it if you did not say such things." He was told and Naruto scoffed.

"Why? Because they'll realize that your lying to them? That no matter what they do, in the end if they follow your words their dreams will never come true?" He remarked.

"Hold your tongue you wretched child!" The speaker said as tension was raising in the air but Naruto wasn't backing down.

"What happens when you protect the Village but the Village chooses not to protect you? Say to lay down your life for it but it won't ever do the same for you? What happens when instead of being rewarded for your duty, you are ridiculed and thought of as lesser?" He demanded from them. "What about when the Village decides it needs a scapegoat? That they need someone to kick around like a Dog for their own amusement and expect them to sit there and take it? Will of Fire? More like Will of Shit, that's what it all really is."

"How dare you say such a thing!"

"Why? Because I'm speaking the truth?" Naruto snidely replied to them. "You can paint it anyway you want to, but the facts are it only really exists so for people to find someone else to pin the blame on for their own damn problems." He said and looked on at the group.

"I've heard enough of your mouth!" The man said and stepped forward

The man went to strike Naruto when he grabbed the arm and slammed it onto the table. He then pulled out the knife he stole from Izumo and pressed the edge of the blade against the tips of the mans' fingers.

"W-What are you doing?! Stop!"

"You insult me, go to hit me and when I defend myself you have the nerve to beg for mercy?" Naruto said disgust in his voice as he pressed the blade of the knife against the fingertips, just a bit more pressure added and he would cut into his skin and through the bone and slice them off.

He looked on at the man and saw the fear in his face, the panic in his eyes and dread knowing that there was nothing he could do to stop Naruto as whimpers escaped his throat. An complete one eighty from what he had been before.

Pathetic…

He removed the blade and shoved the man into the group who fled from him. All of them did so, running away from him as Naruto stood there watching them.

"That's right, all of you run!" Naruto shouted at them and a tear went down his anger filled face as he looked on. "Go ahead and run!"

"Run from the damn Demon!"


Sakura sat on the same bench that she had been found at, holding in her hands and looking down at Naruto's hitai-ate. She stared down at it, the only thing that she had left of him.

It was a disaster, all of it was. She was the sole member of Team 7 left now, Sasuke had left and Naruto had ran away. Sasuke in his madness pursuing power and Naruto in anger over how she had done him.

There seemed to be no hope, this was beyond her worst fears. Things were only getter worst and worst with each passing day it appeared and it looked like there was nothing that could be done to stop this from happening.

A tear fell down her eye dropping onto the metal part of the headband as she stared at it.

She had two choices she knew.

The first, she could continue to sit there and cry over what had happened and hope that her tears would bring him back, which likely would never happen.

The second, she trained and got stronger, and then once she had done so, go out and find him and apologize for everything she had done to him

Wiping her eyes with her hand and hardening her resolve to fix things, Sakura stood up and prepared to meet with Kakashi, to have him train her so that she can bring Naruto home.