"I don't get it." Naruto said, standing on top of the Hokage Mountain after the Third Hokage's funeral. The three revived shinobi stood behind him, varying degrees of worry on their face. Hashirama looked like he was afraid Naruto would jump, Tobirama was worried that the old monkey's death would spur the blond into a downward spiral much like what had happened to Madara when Izuna died, and Madara... well, he didn't look worried at all. In fact he just looked slightly angry.

"What, Naruto-kun?" Tobirama asked, and Naruto frowned.

"Why'd he have to die? Why'd Orochimaru attack the village? Why'd he kill him?" Tobirama and Hashirama shared a look. Tobirama gestured at Naruto with a nod, and Hashirama sighed.

"Well Naruto," The First Hokage started, staring down at the village. "sometimes we don't get all the answers we want. Orochimaru was Hiruzen's old student, but he turned traitor to the village and ran off. We don't know what was going through his head. We may never know." Naruto looked up at him, and smiled.

"Thanks Hashi-oji-san, but I still don't get it. Why'd he target Sasuke then?" Hashirama frowned at the question, but prepared to answer anyway.

"I can answer that, brat." Naruto jumped and looked over. Jiraiya sat atop a small tree stump a ways back, writing on a scroll. "He was after Sasuke's Sharingan." Naruto huffed and crossed his arms.

"Sharingan, Sharingan! Everyone keeps mentioning this stupid eye thing-y but why is it so important!" Naruto shouted.

"Naruto." Madara's deep voice said, making the blond turn to him. "The Sharingan is a doujutsu, for one. It is not an 'eye thing-y' nor can it be labelled as simply 'important'." Madara stalked towards the blond, his own Sharingan blazing to life. "It is a dying Kekkai Genkai, or Bloodline Limit, making it much more than important. There are four people on this earth right now who can use it, including me." Naruto winced at the older ninja's patronizing tone. "It can copy jutsu, make the user see into a brief future, and that's just the first tomoe of the first stage." Naruto dropped his gaze to the floor at the Uchiha's stare. "The Uchiha Clan Massacre had wiped out every. Single. User."

"I... I'm sorry Madara-oji. I didn't mean-"

"It's fine Naruto. Watch what you say next time." With that, Madara, turned and walked off. Naruto followed him with his eyes until he was gone. Hashirama patted his shoulder.

"I didn't mean to hurt his feelings! I swear!"

"We know Naruto." Tobirama muttered, before returning his attention to Jiraiya. Jiraiya cleared his throat, and stood.

"Naruto, I need you to come with me on an important mission." Naruto visibly brightened at the prospect of a mission. "We're going off to find my old teammate, Tsunade. She's-" He was cut off by Hashirama jumping up and down in excitement.

"This is going to be GREAT!" Hashirama shouted. "I get to see my little granbaby again!" Jiraiya blinked.

"Sir, you do know she's not a baby anymore, right?"

"Of course I do!" Hashirama shouted. Jiraiya made to continue, but Naruto cut him off this time.

"Let's go now!" Naruto cheered, rushing off, making the elder shinobi follow him.


Madara strolled down a street near the front gates about fifteen minutes later. There was this excellent tea-shop around here, but he couldn't remember which street it was on exactly. As he turned down what he hoped was the right street, a flying blond blur crashed into him and gave him a... a hug? Madara blinked and looked down, only to see shining blue eyes and a wide grin.

"Naruto?" Madara raised a brow as the blond jumped off of him.

"I saw you walking off when me and the Pervy Sage and the Hokage-samas were gonna leave for a mission and I wanted to say bye 'cuz we're gonna be gone for like a month!" Naruto shouted quickly, gesturing over to the gates. Tobirama and Hashirama were loitering next to Jiraiya, watching the two of them. "But I gotta go now so bye!" Madara blinked once again as the blond ran off. He shook his head and continued down the road. As he walked, he analyzed the conversation between him and Naruto. 'Did he say a month?' Madara thought, before a smirk emerged on his face. 'On second thought, I could go for a better drink than tea now.' As he made his way to the bar on the next road over, he spotted a familiar face in the crowd. Not that it was familiar in the way that he knew who it was, but familiar in the way the person's cheekbones curved high and the way dark onyx eyes scanned through the crowd. Madara frowned as his eyes followed the two men in the black cloaks. 'Are those clouds on them?!' He thought with a shake of his head. His Sharingan whirled to life once again, and he set about following them for real.

"After all," He muttered to himself, a sneer marring his face. "how often is another Uchiha in town?"