A/N - Okay, I know, I should focus on the stories I already have. Problem is, I can really only go where my muse takes me. And it was telling me to start this story. *shrugs* So whatever. lol

Anyways, this chapter might not be the greatest I've ever written. You see, I have Schizoaffective Disorder, which is pretty much a nasty combination of Paranoid Schizophrenia and Bipolar Depression. Well, lately my depression has been running amok to the point all I feel like doing anymore is curl up underneath my blanket and cry. Hell, yesterday, I couldn't stop crying for a long time.

Naturally, I'm on a variety of medications to help with my mental disorders. Problem is, the meds that are supposed to be helping keep my depression under control...don't seem to be working anymore. x.x

Sooo, as you can imagine, it made writing this chapter VERY hard to do. So I apologize if it's not up to snuff. I honestly did the best I could with it. And yes, it's quite a bit shorter than I would have liked, but whatever.

Please read on and hopefully you'll enjoy.

Chapter 1 – Friends Forever

Naruto couldn't help the grin that found its way onto his face. He had always found the Forest of Death to be a wonderful place with the friendliest of creatures. The innocent child, only six years of age, didn't truly understand why the forest was so feared. Then again, he was pure of heart and radiated a sense of kindness to those around him. In this case, he naturally attracted the forest's many animals to him, and they became good friends and companions for him.

The little red-haired boy never quite felt comfortable in the village of Konohagakure. All the hateful stares, the whispers when they thought he couldn't hear them, and more made him feel more at home in the Forest of Death than in the village proper. At least here, Naruto could be among friends, even if they weren't human like him.

Sure, Gramps, a.k.a. the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, warned him time and time again NOT to enter the Forest of Death. He told Naruto it was far too dangerous and unpredictable. Naruto had yet to inform his 'Gramps' about the way he was treated in the village. Nor had he informed the man about the fact he was friends with all the creatures of the Forest of Death. Whether that meant the four-legged creatures such as bears, tigers, etc., or insects like the giant wasps and beetles, it didn't matter. These creatures protected him and kept him safe from harm. In fact, Naruto was sure that if they were allowed to leave the Forest of Death with him, they'd ensure he was always kept happy and safe, especially from the likes of the rowdier citizens of Konoha.

It didn't take a genius to figure out why he was so hated. The whispers about the Kyuubi and calling him 'Demon Brat' and so on helped Naruto to piece it all together. He was the jinchuriki of the mighty Kyuubi no Yoko. So far, he had been unable to contact the beast, but he knew one day they'd become the best of friends.

Today was strange, though. His animal friends seemed to be trying to guide him someplace. Frowning in confusion, he followed his animal friends deeper and deeper into the Forest of Death. They were leading him straight into the forbidden zone of the training ground. Gramps wouldn't want me to go past this point, but… Looking around at his animal friends, Naruto nodded once and thought, They want to show me something. I'm not going to deny my friends. And with that, he proceeded deep into the forbidden zone.

When he finally reached a small clearing, he glanced at his friends and asked, "What's an old well like that doing this deep in the forest?"

One of the lions beside him motioned towards the well, as if it was telling Naruto to take a closer look. Turning back to face the well, Naruto walked up to it to get a closer look. What he saw made his eyes widen. Resting against the other side of the well was a girl that was clearly his age. She had such pretty, black hair, and he couldn't help but smile as he looked at her. She's so pretty. Reaching towards her, he began to gently shake her. "Wake up. You shouldn't sleep here."

The girl let out a cute groan before her eyes began to flutter open. Yawning cutely, she looked into Naruto's eyes in confusion before she glanced around at her surroundings. Blinking a few times, she asked, "Where am I?"

Naruto smiled at her and said, "You're in the Forest of Death in the village of Konohagakure. Do you know how you got here? I don't recognize you."

The little girl shook her head and said, "The last thing I remember is playing by the well. Then nothing. I…I think I fell into the well?"

Naruto frowned as he peered into the well. "Well, it's all dried up, so I doubt this has seen a lot of use. Besides that, we're in the forbidden zone. Um, if you fell into the well and ended up here…where are you from?"

The girl looked into Naruto's eyes and said, "Tokyo, Japan. I'm 6 years old. My name is Kagome Higurashi. Who are you?"

"Tokyo? Japan? Yeah, those definitely aren't places here. Anyways, it's nice to meet you Kagome-chan. I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I'm 6, too. Umm, I think you should come with me. We need to go talk to Gramps." Naruto said.

Kagome blinked a couple of times before saying, "That's right, you mentioned the name of this place. I've never heard of Konoha before. Do you think Gramps can help me?"

The redhead beamed at her and said, "Of course he can! Gramps is the Hokage!" Seeing her confused expression, he chuckled somewhat bashfully and said, "He's the leader of the village."

"I see. Umm, you mentioned that this place is called the Forest of Death. Why do they call it that?" Kagome questioned.

Naruto motioned around at all the animals. "People are afraid of my friends here. They say it's really dangerous in here because of all the giant animals and insects and spiders and stuff. But they're all really nice to me."

"I see." Kagome said before she slowly approached a giant bear. Reaching out, she placed her hand gently on its side before petting it. "Your fur is so soft. You're all such nice animals, aren't you?"

Naruto smiled as he approached them. "They like you, too. You're a really nice person, aren't you Kagome-chan?"

Kagome smiled at her newfound friend and said, "I try to be. Umm, can we go see Gramps, now?"

"Of course. Follow us." Naruto said before walking with his animal friends and Kagome back out of the forbidden zone. Together, they soon exited the Forest of Death, only to be suddenly approached by a masked woman. "Hi Cat-oneesan!"

Kagome looked curiously up into Cat's eyes. "Naruto-kun? Who is this?"

Naruto smiled at his friend before saying, "This is a member of Anbu. She's called Cat because of her mask. Umm, are we in trouble?"

Cat smiled behind her mask before saying, "You aren't in any trouble, Naruto-kun. Hokage-sama just wants to talk with you. I think it's a good idea for your new friend to come as well."

Naruto nodded and gently grasped Kagome's hand. Afterwards, he nodded to Cat. A moment later, she placed her hands on their shoulders before vanishing with them, making her way to the Hokage's office.

Upon arrival, Naruto and Kagome took a seat in the chairs across from the Hokage. Looking into the Hokage's eyes, Naruto said, "Hiya Gramps. How's it going?"

Hiruzen chuckled softly and said, "I've been worried about you, Naruto-kun. You really should stop going into that forest. It's too dangerous."

The redhead shook his head and frowned at the Hokage. "Gramps, the Forest of Death is way safer for me than it is in the village. Besides that, the animals in there love me. They're my bestest friends. And today they led me to Kagome-chan. But, something's weird, Gramps. There's a really old well hidden away in the Forest of Death. It's dried up, but Kagome-chan came through the well. She says she's from someplace called, um…"

Kagome smiled and said, "Tokyo, Japan. Naruto-kun said he didn't recognize the name. Do you know anything, Gramps?"

Hiruzen quirked a brow at what the girl had called him. Chuckling softly, he shook it off and said, "I'm afraid there is no such place in the Elemental Nations. If you came through an old well, then perhaps it is connected to another world in another time? It's not unfathomable, but it's certainly not probable. However, if you rule out the impossible, then whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth. So, it is my best guess that you have ended up in a world and time in which you do not naturally belong."

Kagome and Naruto simply blinked a couple of times before Naruto asked, "Umm, what?"

The Third chuckled softly and shook his head. I almost forgot I was talking with children. "Sorry for the confusion. Kagome, you are in a different time period. You've traveled into the past."

The kids nodded in understanding at that. Then their eyes widened in realization. "Umm, are you going to be okay? Can you get back home?"

Kagome frowned and shook her head. "I…I don't know. I'd love go to right home, but I kind of want to explore, too."

Hiruzen chuckled again and said, "I will call someone to escort you two around the village. I am curious about something, however. Would you kindly indulge an old man's request?"

Kagome blinked again in confusion before she said, "Umm…sure?"

"I can tell that you've got chakra inside of you. However, you have yet to truly awaken it. If I teach you how to harness your chakra, would you be willing to try and unlock it?" Hiruzen questioned.

"What's cha-kwa?" Kagome asked, unused to the strange word.

"Everyone has something called chakra inside of them. I would go into the specifics, but you two are a little too young still to understand the technical jargon. What I want you to do is close your eyes and breathe in and out slowly. Then, look inside of yourself for an unfamiliar energy. When you find it, grasp hold of it and bring it to the surface. Can you do that for me?" Hiruzen explained.

"I didn't understand half of that, but okay Gramps." Kagome said before she did as instructed. With her eyes closed, she calmed her breathing and started trying to feel for something inside of her. When she felt this strange warmth inside of her, she reached for it, only for her eyes to shoot open a moment later as a veritable explosion of chakra engulfed her. When she looked herself over, she smiled brightly and said, "Chakra feels nice!"

Naruto grinned at his new friend and said, "You've got a lot of chakra, but it feels kinda different from mine."

Hiruzen nodded and waited until Kagome had calmed down some before he stood up and walked around his desk. Approaching her, he looked her over for a time before saying, "I can safely say that I haven't felt this kind of chakra in quite some time. I recognize it, however. You possess a rare type of chakra called holy chakra. It's the same type of chakra priestesses possess. It can be used to exorcise demons and perform other such miracles. You, my dear, are special. Just like Naruto-kun."

Kagome smiled and asked, "Does Naruto-kun have holy chakra, too?"

Before Hiruzen could respond, Naruto said, "No. I'm a jinchuriki. I hold a powerful demon known as the Kyuubi no Yoko inside of me. People hate me because I'm a constant reminder of what they've lost to the Kyuubi. That, and they think I'm some kind of horrible monster. It can be really lonely sometimes."

Hiruzen's eyes widened, and he looked straight at Naruto. "You know? But how?! I had hoped you wouldn't find out until you were older. You deserved to live free of your burden for as long as possible."

Naruto shook his head and said, "It's okay, Gramps. As for how I figured it out? It wasn't that hard. Just need to listen to what the villagers whisper about me every time I go out. They don't exactly do a good job of hiding it from me."

The Hokage sighed sadly and said, "I see. For what it's worth, I'm truly sorry for not telling you sooner, Naruto-kun. Hmm…" Thinking on it for a time, Hiruzen decided to just go with his plan, regardless of what might happen as a result. "Naruto-kun, how would you like to learn about your parents?"

Naruto's eyes widened and he said, "You'll really tell me now? Please, I want to know everything about them!"

Kagome frowned and asked, "You don't have any parents?"

Naruto looked at her and shook his head. "No. I live on my own. People are always mean to me, so I'm…I'm really just all alone."

Kagome reached over and took his hand in hers. "Well then, we can be best friends forever! You'll always have me, Naruto-kun."

As Hiruzen watched the two of them interact, he couldn't help but see an image of Minato and Kushina when they were younger. You two would be so proud of him. I just know it.

Shaking it off, the elderly man got their attention again before he said, "Naruto-kun, your mother was a wonderful woman named Kushina Uzumaki. She is who you inherited your last name from. You see, you and Kushina are from the legendary Uzumaki clan. They used to be allies of ours before we failed them. The Uzumaki had their own village known as Uzushiogakure. They were well on their way to becoming the 6th great shinobi village. Unfortunately, they were attacked and wiped out by our enemies one day. The Uzumaki were so strong that they killed everyone that attacked them…but they perished in the process. I think they were betrayed by someone in Konoha, because with the island's natural defenses, there should have been no way for the enemy to reach them. I'd put my money on Danzo being the culprit behind your clan's downfall."

Naruto clenched his hands into fists and was about to go into a tirade, but Kagome's hand on his calmed him to the point he could think rationally again. "Gramps, why haven't we learned anything about the Uzumaki clan in class?"

"Because the civilians and Danzo himself decided to wipe them from the history books as one last insult to them…and to you. They didn't want you to know that you came from a great clan. Our allies. I think it's high time I did something about that and brought the Uzumaki clan back from the ashes. You and your fellow students WILL learn about the Uzumaki clan if I have anything to say about it." Hiruzen proclaimed.

"Thanks, Gramps. Umm, who was my father?" Naruto asked.

Before Hiruzen could respond, Kagome pointed towards a picture hanging on the wall. "Isn't that guy your daddy?"

Naruto looked at the picture of the Fourth Hokage and his eyes went wide. "Is it true, Gramps? Did my own dad seal the Kyuubi into me?"

The Third shook his head in mild disbelief. "Yes, Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, was your father. And yes, he chose to seal the Kyuubi into you. Before you get too upset…"

Naruto shook his head and said, "I'm not mad. I don't really care. Did they leave anything for me? Like a proper home?"

"Where do you live now?" Kagome asked.

"In a really bad apartment. People break in and take my things. I'm scared to go to sleep at night." Naruto explained.

Hiruzen frowned at this bit of information. "How long has this been going on, Naruto-kun? And why haven't you told me about all of this before now?"

Naruto looked down and said, "I didn't want to make you worry. Just like I was afraid you'd try to take my friends away from me if I told you why I like the Forest of Death so much."

The elderly man knelt down and wrapped Naruto in a hug. "Naruto-kun, never be afraid to talk to me about anything. I wouldn't dream of taking your friends away from you. And I want to be here for you and help you. You're like a grandson to me, Naruto-kun. You're family to me."

Naruto couldn't help it as he began to cry. Hugging his 'Gramps' back, he gave a teary smile and said, "Thank you, Gramps. I love you."

Hiruzen smiled and said, "And I love you, too. Now, you asked me a question. Yes, your parents left you a great deal. Let me grab your inheritance, then I'll take you two to your new home, Naruto-kun."

Naruto nodded eagerly as he watched the Third Hokage gather some things together. When he felt someone squeeze his hand, he looked over at Kagome and saw her smiling at him. Wiping his eyes clean of tears, he smiled back at her and said, "I'm glad we met, Kagome-chan."

Kagome said, "Me too, Naruto-kun. I don't want to leave yet. I want to stay here for a while and explore."

"And I don't want you to go. Umm, maybe…" Naruto began, only for Hiruzen to interrupt him.

"Yes, I was actually going to speak with the two of you about that." he said, smiling down at the two children. "Kagome-chan, if you came here via the well, then it's entirely possible that you can take Naruto-kun back with you. In fact, I want to propose a deal. Why don't you enroll in the academy here? You two can spend time learning from the shinobi academy. Then, you can take Naruto-kun home with you for a while, and he can participate in school in your world. This way, you both will learn as much as possible. I just want you to make me a promise. If I allow you two this freedom, do you promise to continue coming back here? I know it might be really tempting to stay in Tokyo with Kagome-chan, but I'd miss you both very much if you never came back."

Naruto and Kagome both looked excited by the idea. "You mean I'll get to go to school in her world?! Are the teachers there better than Iruka and Mizuki? They don't like me…"

Hiruzen frowned at this piece of information. Sighing softly, he said, "I'll handle replacing Iruka and Mizuki so that you and Kagome get a fair shot in the academy. And yes, you can go to school with Kagome-chan in her world. Just like she'll be going to school here with you. I'll handle everything here on my end so that the new teachers understand that you and Kagome-chan will be gone for a month or so at a time. When you return, I'll have all your schoolwork prepped for you and I'll even help get you all caught up, if my schedule allows it. Otherwise, I'll have Cat help you. Okay?"

Kagome and Naruto nodded eagerly. "That sounds great, Gramps! Thank you!" Naruto exclaimed happily.

"Thank you, Gramps." Kagome said. "You're so nice."

Hiruzen simply chuckled before he motioned for them to follow him. As he led them outside, he could see the villagers smiling and waving at him, only to suddenly glare at Naruto when they thought the three couldn't notice. Sighing softly, Hiruzen realized he'd have to put things in motion to make things better for Naruto in the village. Spending time in her world will help him in more ways than one. He needs the positive interaction with people that won't mistreat him.

After walking for a while longer, the trio arrived in the clan district, right in front of a gate that led into a small compound. Tilting his head in curiosity, Naruto asked, "Is this where my parents lived?"

Hiruzen chuckled softly and said, "They had another house, but that one was destroyed in the Kyuubi attack. This is the house they planned to live with you in. So it is your house now. Well, not so much a house as it is a mansion. You'll see when you get inside. Now, you know how a blood seal works, right, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto nodded and bit into his thumb before swiping his blood on the gate. When it swung open a moment later, Kagome's eyes went wide. "That was so cool! But, at the same time…" Walking up to Naruto, she grabbed his hand and looked at his thumb. "Why do you need to hurt yourself to open a gate?"

Before Naruto could reply, Hiruzen gave them a gentle push and walked with them into the house, the gate sealing shut behind them. As they entered the house using the key Hiruzen provided him with, the aged Hokage began his explanation. "Kagome-chan, there is an art in the Elemental Nations known as fuinjutsu. Using fuinjutsu, you can do all kinds of things. I'll tell you more about it later. In answer to your question, when it comes to a blood seal, like the one on the gate, you need to smear your blood across the seal in order to unlock it. Does that make sense?"

Kagome nodded slowly before looking up into his eyes. "Yes, it does. But I don't like the idea of Naruto-kun hurting himself for any reason."

Hiruzen chuckled softly while Naruto blushed in embarrassment. "Completely understandable. Now, Naruto-kun, within these scrolls is the inheritance from your parents. But before you open them, I want you to get familiar with your new home. There is a library for your perusal and plenty of other useful rooms as well." Looking down at Kagome at this point, he said, "Kagome-chan will live here with you when you two are here. This is where it's safest in the village, after all. You do want to keep her safe, don't you?"

Naruto's eyes widened and he quickly nodded. "Yes, sir! I do!" When Hiruzen started to chuckle, Naruto tilted his head in confusion. "What's so funny?"

"I was teasing you, Naruto-kun. But I'm glad you're so willing to cooperate. Now, I do have to return to the office, so I'll see you two later. If you two need anything, I'll make sure Cat stays right outside the gate for you. After all, you two probably need to go buy some things if you're going to live here. And trust me when I say that your parents left you a LOT of money." Hiruzen said.

When the old man went to leave, Naruto tugged on his sleeve to get his attention. "Gramps, the shops like to try and make me pay more for things than other people have to. I don't want to lose all of my parents' money because they were mean to me."

Hiruzen sighed aggravatedly and asked, "Does anyone in the village treat you fairly, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto immediately perked up and said, "The Ichiraku family do! And some of the clan people. Then there's that pretty snake lady. And, umm…there's the dango shop person and the people at Yakiniku Q. I...I don't think there's anyone else. None of the shops treat me fairly. Except for that one ninja store. But I'm not a ninja yet, so they can't really do anything for me right now."

Hiruzen frowned at this before saying, "Whenever you go out, I'll have Cat go with you. She'll handle everything, I promise. I'd send Weasel with you as well, but I currently have him handling a very delicate situation. So, it will have to be just Cat for now. Is that okay?"

Naruto nodded, but he frowned a moment later. "Gramps, will Weasel be okay? I haven't seen him in a while, and I'm worried about him."

Placing a hand atop Naruto's head, Hiruzen smiled down at him and said, "I hope so, Naruto-kun. I really do. Now, I need to get going. I have work to attend to."

"Okay, Gramps. We'll see you later. Bye bye!" Naruto exclaimed before he turned and began to explore the house with Kagome.

Once they were out of sight, Hiruzen left the house and exited the compound. Without turning to look at her, the old man said, "I'm making it your mission to watch after the two of them. Help them with whatever they need. I need to handle a few important matters."

Cat bowed to Hiruzen and said, "It will be done, Hokage-sama."

"Good." Pausing for a moment, Hiruzen glanced over to Cat and asked, "What do you think about the possibility of taking those two on as a Genin team when it's finally time?"

"Me, Sir? I'd be willing to do that if you wanted me to. I'd be more than happy to spend time with the two of them." Cat said, and it was obvious, even with her mask on, that the woman was smiling.

"Good. Watch over them." Hiruzen said before he began his trek back to the Hokage tower. Danzo, you will be dealt with if you try to harm these two in any way. I know how your mind works, and I know you're getting information you shouldn't somehow. If I find out that you've done anything else, you're a dead man.

One Hour Later – Council Chambers

Hiruzen scowled as he looked directly at Danzo. Apparently, a council meeting had been called by the bastard and the Third Hokage was the last one to become aware of it. So now, here he was, glaring daggers at Danzo. "You have the audacity to call a council meeting without approval? Did you conveniently forget that only the Hokage, ME, can call a meeting? What the hell are you after this time?!"

Danzo quirked his only visible eyebrow. Shrugging it off after a moment, he said, "It has come to my attention that the weapon has come into contact with an unfamiliar girl that he found in the Forest of Death. We haven't seen the likes of her in the village before, so I question where she came from and what her purpose is in spending time in the presence of our weapon. And, for that matter, the weapon has been moved into the home of the late Fourth and his wife. I ask you this: why?"

The Third shook his head in exasperation and said, "Firstly, I fail to see how that is any of your business. Secondly, I must ask: where did you get such information? She hasn't even been in the village for a full day yet. And Naruto was moved into his parents' home not even a full hour ago. So tell me, Danzo, how long have you kept Root active behind my back? How many crimes have you committed? And, why did you betray our allies? Because, let's face it, I know you were responsible for the downfall of Uzushiogakure. Now, do you have any answers for we, the council, or would you rather forfeit your life right now?"

Danzo's eye widened, and he opened his mouth to speak, only to suddenly feel liquid running down his forehead and into his eyes, blinding him temporarily. Before he could fully register what had just happened, he collapsed to the ground. As the life left him, Hiruzen turned to smile at the civilians and asked, "Now, would you all care to join him? If not, then I demand that you start treating Naruto-kun with some RESPECT. He is NOT the demon you think he is! If I hear anymore news that you've denied Naruto-kun simple necessities such as groceries and kitchen utensils, or even some damn clothes, I'll make you all regret the fact that you EVER hurt him! There will be no more of your bullshit, or I'll have everything you own seized and turned over to Naruto-kun. I won't just kill you, because that would be far too merciful. No, by the time I'm done with you fools, you'll be calling him Naruto-sama and begging him for forgiveness. Now do as I command and spread the word that Naruto is no longer to be mistreated! I suggest you make it very clear."

One of the members of the civilian council foolishly piped up. "But, isn't he the demon?! We can't give that thing free reign to do as he pleases!"

Hiruzen smiled and said, "And we have our first volunteer! Now, I suggest you personally deliver all of your money and assets to Naruto-kun. Inform him that you made a mistake and the Hokage has ordered you to give EVERYTHING you own to him. If you refuse, I'll be more than happy to make an example of you in front of the entire village. And trust me when I say you DON'T want that. Any questions?"

Once more, the idiot opened his mouth. "You can't do that to me! You don't have the right to do such a horrible thing!"

Quirking a brow, Hiruzen glanced around at everyone for a moment before looking back into the man's eyes. "Do tell me something. Who here is wearing the hat and robes of the Hokage?"

"Y-You are…"

"And, what does my job entail? I am the leader of this village, am I not? Therefore, it is within my right to punish you how I see fit. Isn't that correct?" Hiruzen continued.

The man began to shake in his seat. "Y-Yes?"

"Yes? That's all you have to say for yourself?"

"S-Still, Hokage-sama, to favor that thing over your own people! It's baffling!" the man exclaimed.

Sighing heavily, Hiruzen rose from his chair and called out for his Anbu. "Go and gather everyone in the village. I want them to see this." As they vanished to handle their assigned task, Hiruzen walked up to the imbecile and grabbed him by the hair, dragging him along behind him. "I gave you the opportunity to do things the easy way. Don't forget that."

The clan heads looked at one another before they followed after Hiruzen. The Uchiha clan head, a man named Fugaku Uchiha, frowned as he walked along with his fellow council members. Maybe I should rethink my plans… Shaking his head free of such thoughts, he thought, No. It's too late to back out of this now. My fellow Uchiha will not accept peace at this point. I just hope my family can forgive me for what I must do.

Upon reaching the center of the village, Hiruzen looked around at all that were present. He didn't see Naruto and Kagome, which he was grateful for. At least they wouldn't have to see what had to be done. Though, he dearly hoped that the parents present would shield their children's eyes and ears from what was about to happen.

Shaking such thoughts off, he shoved his chosen victim to the ground and glared out at the villagers. "For too long I've let you all get away with mistreating a young boy by the name of Naruto Uzumaki. Part of this is my fault for being naïve enough to trust that you all would see the boy for the hero he is. I'll freely admit that I am not perfect, and I have made plenty of mistakes in my time. However, nothing can compare to the mistake it was to trust all of you. Minato trusted you to do right by his son! Naruto Uzumaki is the SON of your hero and his wife, Kushina Uzumaki! He has NEVER been the demon! Naruto is just an innocent boy that wants the love and attention people lavish their families with every day. Well, I'm going to correct my mistake right here and now."

Pointing a finger down at the idiot trying to crawl away, Hiruzen said, "This man has personally volunteered to lead the way towards earning Naruto's forgiveness! He has willingly given up all of his belongings and all the money in his possession, giving ALL of it to Naruto-kun. And, just to prove my point to all of you that I just won't tolerate it anymore…" Here, he flipped through a number of hand seals before lighting the man ablaze. The people watched and listened in horror as the man died before them.

Once it was over, Hiruzen smiled pleasantly at the people of the village and said, "I do hope the message has been read loud and clear. Now, I suggest you start treating Naruto with some respect. It's because of him that the Kyuubi can't harm any of you ever again. Try to keep that in mind." And with that, he left the area.

After the Hokage left, Fugaku and the other clan heads stared at the charred remains of what was once a fellow council member. I hope my clan can survive the wrath that's about to be brought down on us…

The Next Day

Naruto stood with Kagome and the Hokage as they stared at the old well. Hiruzen frowned thoughtfully for a time before saying, "I sense a strange power emanating from the well. Kagome-chan, Naruto-kun, I'm trusting the two of you to sort things out with your family. They need to know the truth. Do not hide anything from them. If they are to help you, then they deserve to know everything, wouldn't you agree?"

"Right!" Naruto exclaimed. "We'll talk to them and get me into her school. Then we'll come back! Right, Kagome-chan?"

Kagome smiled at her friend and said, "Right! We'll see you later, Gramps." And with the two of them waving goodbye to the man, they leapt into the well.

Be safe, the both of you. Hiruzen thought to himself as they disappeared. He wasn't quite sure how it worked, and he wasn't about to go testing it himself. No, he'd trust in those two children and hope things turned out for the best.

Tokyo – Kagome's Home

Upon exiting the small shrine building that housed the mysterious well, Kagome and Naruto looked around. Kagome was smiling widely and gently squeezed her friend's hand. "Naruto-kun, this is my home. I'm sure Mommy and Daddy will help us. I think they'll really like you, too!"

The redhead smiled and said, "Thank you, Kagome-chan. Why don't we go inside your home and say hi?"

Kagome nodded in response before she led Naruto into her family's home. Once inside, she called out for her parents. When only her mother rushed into the room, Kagome looked confused. "Mommy? Where's Grandpa and Daddy?"

Mrs. Higurashi hugged her daughter tight and said, "We had no idea where you were! You just…you vanished…I thought we had lost you. Where on Earth have you been all this time?"

Kagome blinked and tentatively hugged her mother back. "I fell into the well. I ended up in the past with Naruto-kun. We were only gone for a day, Mommy."

Mrs. Higurashi nodded and said, "Indeed you were. But we were worried sick when we couldn't find you anywhere. Your father and grandpa have been looking tirelessly for you all over the city. I need to call them and…"

Before the woman could go and retrieve the phone, it began to ring loudly, catching the three of them off guard. Getting a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, Mrs. Higurashi answered the phone and asked, "Hello? This is the Higurashi residence."

For a while, all was silent as she listened to whoever was on the other end of the phone. When she suddenly began to cry, both children rushed over to her and helped her steady herself before she could collapse. "Mommy, you need to be careful. You're pregnant, remember?"

Naruto nodded in agreement, but easily noticed how distraught the woman was. "Did something bad happen Ma'am?"

Mrs. Higurashi nodded and, after a few words spoken to the person on the other end of the phone, she placed it back on the hook. Afterwards, she hugged her daughter close. "Kagome, sweetie? That was your grandpa. Daddy's been in an accident."

Kagome's eyes widened and she asked, "Is Daddy going to be okay?! I'm sorry, Mommy!"

The woman just held her daughter closer. "We…we need to go say our goodbyes, sweetheart. The doctors say Daddy isn't going to make it. Someone is coming to pick us up. Umm…" Looking at the boy watching their interaction, she asked, "Who is this, Kagome?"

Kagome looked teary-eyed, but she still managed to put on a smile and say, "This is Naruto-kun. He's from the past. We…we needed to talk to you and Daddy and Grandpa about something really important. But, Daddy's been hurt. We need to go see him."

Naruto nodded and said, "Kagome-chan's right. Maybe we can do something to help Mr. Higurashi! It's worth a shot, right?"

Mrs. Higurashi giggled sadly and hugged the both of them. "We'll just have to see when we get there. I'm so sorry. You brought a new friend home to play with us, and now this happened. I am so, so sorry."

Naruto shook his head and said, "Don't apologize! Your husband is in trouble. We're going to try and help him somehow! Okay, Mrs. Higurashi?"

Kagome nodded eagerly and said, "Maybe I can do something with my chakra! I don't really know how to use it yet, but it's worth a shot!"

Kagome's mother looked confused for a moment before a sudden memory hit her. Chakra? I remember reading something about that before. If she really traveled into the past… Looking at Naruto now, she thought, So this boy is a shinobi? Or perhaps just a shinobi-in-training? They were supposedly capable of amazing feats. If Kagome has unlocked her chakra… Shaking her head, she released a soft sigh and thought, No. It's best not to get my hopes up. I'll let them try, but it might not be enough.

After stepping outside, they waited somewhat impatiently for the car to arrive that would take them to the hospital. As they waited, the worried mother looked back down at Naruto and thought, Kagome obviously trusts you a great deal. I certainly hope you can help Kagome through this. Especially if she can't save her father's life…

Hospital

After arriving at the hospital, Kagome's grandfather greeted them before guiding them towards the room Mr. Higurashi was in. "I warn you now: it's not a pretty sight. He's a little banged up and they had to remove shards of glass from his face and arms. Are you sure you want the kids to see this?"

Kagome answered before her mother could say anything. "Daddy needs us! One of us can save Daddy! I'm sure of it. Just let us try, okay?"

Mrs. Higurashi nodded and said, "I'll explain later. Just let them try. If they fail, then that's that. At least they'll have tried. I don't want to get my hopes up, but I pray they can save his life."

"If you're sure…" Grandpa said before he guided the three of them into the room.

Seeing the state her father was in, Kagome hurried to his side and could feel tears streaming down her cheeks. "You'll be okay, Daddy! Naruto-kun and I will help you!"

Naruto nodded and pushed over a couple of chairs so that they could reach Mr. Higurashi better. Hopping up onto the chairs, Naruto looked into Kagome's eyes and said, "Feel for your chakra again. Do whatever feels normal to you, okay? You can probably heal your dad with your chakra. And, if not, I'll try to use my chakra to do it. I'm sure Mr. Kyuubi will help if I ask him real nicely!"

Kagome nodded eagerly and proceeded to place her hands over her father. Closing her eyes, she began trying to call upon her chakra. After a few minutes, a soft, pink glow began to engulf her father. Please let this work… she thought to herself as she continued with her efforts.

When it looked as if Kagome was starting to struggle, Naruto placed his hands over hers and began to transfer his chakra into her technique. We'll save you, Mr. Higurashi! Believe it!

A/N - And that's the chapter! I'm honestly on the fence on if I want to have Mr. Higurashi die or live. In canon, he died before the series even began. Sooo, yeah. But fanfiction allows us to change events in a way we see fit, sooo...yay? lol. Seriously here people, I'm open to your opinions. Live or die, his fate is now in your hands! Dun dun duuuun!

Anyways, I honestly feel like crap. I swear, all I can do right now is cry and it's driving me insane. At least I've been enjoying some quality gaming time lately! That's something! Been mostly focused on Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, Super Metroid, and now Pokemon Brilliant Diamond. Having a lot of fun with those games. Also been playing Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, but not as much as the other games. :P Still, at least it helps take my mind off of everything. So that's good.

Alrighty people, go ahead and lay it on me. Tell me how crappy the chapter was. I don't really care right now.

Oh! One last thing before I forget! This fic starts before the Uchiha Massacre happens and before Danzo gets his upgrades. So there ya go. lol

As you can no doubt see, things are going to be pretty different in this fic. Naruto and Kagome will spend time both in the past (Elemental Nations) and in the future (Tokyo, Japan). Most of their adventures will take place in the Elemental Nations, but I'll show some stuff in Tokyo as well.

Also, I'm strongly considering making this a straight pairing of just Naruto x Kagome. Not entirely sure just yet. It could easily turn into a harem, but I kind of like the idea of making it a singular pairing. Sooo, lemme know what you think! lol