Chapter 1

I broke a promise. Even though Sakura hadn't been mad at him, or even disappointed, he felt that he failed both Sakura and Sasuke, but himself even more. He'd never promise anyone anything, because it's better to not expect anything, than to do so and become disappointed for things that didn't went your way. No, he didn't like promises, and he promised himself to never make a promise again. Which was quite ironic, because here he was again, making a promise. No... he didn't like promises at all.

The mission to retrieve Sasuke had failed, but he was glad to hear that all members of the team had survived. Will I forever be a failure...? He asked himself. Then he drifted into a little slumber.

When he opened his eyes, it was hard to look because of the annoying light. When he finally got used to it, he sat up in the bed. Bandages... I never noticed. His entire torso was bandaged with his head, his arms and hands too. What will happen now? What will I do? Train. It was the first thought that came up in his mind. To become strong enough to bring back Sasuke... his best friend. Friend... he didn't know if he should be grateful or sad that Sasuke left him alive. He could handle pain, very well at that too. But this was something else. This was a feeling of betraying... he'd been betrayed before, but this wasn't like those times. He somehow knew Sasuke hadn't betrayed him, or Sakura for that matter, Sasuke had just... priorited something else before them.

Deep in his own thoughts, he didn't notice that someone was staring at him. Someone who had a coat that covered his whole body. A coat that was black and had red clouds on it...

"Uzumaki Naruto... correct?" The man stated. Naruto was ripped out of his thoughts, and was desperately searching of where the owner of that powerful voice would be. He soon stumbled his on the man with the coat, but he couldn't make out his outlines. It was weird, it was as if the sun wanted to prevent this being from being seen.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked. He was afraid, to say the least. This isn't good...

"I have found you interesting... would you come with us?" A dark voice said, a voice that did not belong with a human. Then the sun disappeared behind the curtain, revealing a strangelooking man... if that was a man. His appearance looked as if he were molded with some creature, because two jaw-looking things covered each side of his head.

"What do you want?" Naruto asked, with a hint of uncertainty and a little fear. Then he stated that he'd never join the likes of the Akatsuki. The creature merely laughed, maybe he chuckled, one wouldn't know. It was amused nonetheless.

"Then I'll have to take you by force." And everything went black for Naruto.

"Hokage-sama, Uzumaki Naruto is nowhere to be seen!" And ANBU poofed into her office.

"What do you mean?" Tsunade asked plainly.

"We cannot find him in the appointed hospital-room, Hokage-sama."

"Then maybe he's just out for a walk?" Tsunade asked, half-stating this matter. She was beginning to get worried.

"That is unlikely, please follow me, Tsunade-sama. It seems that Naruto-san has left a message." Another ANBU poofed in the office, and they soon poofed out, only whirlwinds in the air as proof someone were there.

"What...?" She didn't understand. What did he mean by that message? Was it from Naruto at all? It was so out of his character. It couldn't be him. The words "I've brought shame upon you, Tsunade-hime" had been written in kanji, with a red substance. Probably blood... The truth was that Naruto had decided to leave, even before the Akatsuki came. But neither Tsunade or the ANBU knew any of the two facts.

He was bored. He wasn't many things, but he was indeed bored. He was so bored that he even watched a fight between two little kids. Yes, kids, what did they know about power? Midst in the battle, he had confronted himself. What the fuck was he doing there? The fight wasn't even worth seeing, but there was one of those two kids that got his interest up. Finally something interesting, he had thought. You could say that he was like Jiraya-sama, because no-one else would take up interest in this good-for-nothing little kid. But he was genuinely intruged by him. So he just decided to get knowing him a little better.

It was easy to convince the blonde to stay and train with him. He didn't try to take some of his legs, which relieved Naruto much. The Akatsuki-member, Memoiro, assured him that if he were to run away, he would surely take his legs, so Naruto stayed, convincing himself that this probably would be for the better.

The first months were hell. Constant physical training was what he trained. His new teacher wouldn't let him sleep for more than three hours per night, but he managed somehow. He was impressed, though, he'd never been this heavily trained before and he'd never been this grateful to sleep, even if it was indeed three hours.

Well, the months passed on, and he eventually started learning jutsus. Momoiro didn't really know that many jutsus, but they were very advanced and useful in exchange. Naruto, being who he is, seemed to learn them fast. When he hadn't any jutsus left to learn from his teacher, he'd start to go on missions with him. The Akatsuki didn't know that he had taken the kid under his wings, of course. The missions were awfully hard to do, and he'd been close to death uncountable times. But they weren't only dangerous, because he learned much during these travels.

Almost a year after his abduction, he revolted and set out on a journey.


Author's comments (I won't ask you to read this)

This was a short chapter, but there wasn't much to write about, and I figured that writing about missions and the training would be boring, if not irrelevant (imo). I promise, it will get better. Also, I suck at inventing jutsus, so if anyone has some good suggestions, then please post it in the reviews, if you want. The next chapter will probably be out in a week or two, despite what you think about it. Tough luck. :P