AAACK! I completely mistook the first chap of this story for the sequel im writing to The Scent of Rain! Y'know, when I said Naruto could summon foxes and such...I got a few flames for that...gomen, readers-san! Oh, and just to be frank, the characters might be a bit OOC if you squint
Chapter 2: Foreshadowed Danger
Later that Night
Sasuke stalked the streets of Konoha, roaming restlessly through the shadows. He paced through alleyways, walking with long angry strides until he found himself in front of Naruto's apartment. The raven-haired youth raised his head and looked up at Naruto's window, barely making out the outline of a walrus-capped figure wrapped tightly in blankets. A soft smile came onto Sasuke's lips. The dobe was indeed asleep.
A tinge of chakra snatched at the Uchiha's senses, and a wisp of long black hair caught his attention. Charcoal eyes snapped quickly to the tree in front of Naruto's apartment. They slowly narrowed in contempt and Sasuke melted into the shadows, watching the intruder warily.
Neji looked around slowly, eyes dilating to accommodate the night conditions. The Hyuuga leapt fluidly up the branches of the tree until he was level with the window next to the blonde. Neji eased open the window just enough for him to fit through, and dropped down lightly on the inside of the apartment.
Sasuke watched silently as the shadowy figure slid inside Naruto's apartment. When he was sure the intruder wasn't looking, he stepped out of the darkness and shinnied up the side of Naruto's apartment, resting in a precarious position indeed as he pressed up against the white walls. Ears perked up, straining for any sign of movement or danger.
Neji knelt softly at the foot of Naruto's bed. Opalescent eyes surveyed the blonde with curiosity as Naruto continued to sleep, peacefully unaware of the imposing figure watching over him so. The Hyuuga's silvery eyes roved over the placid figure, content to be watching the sleeping boy. Naruto positively reeked of innocence.
Just then a flash of something caught Neji's attention, and his head snapped quickly to where he assumed it had moved. The Hyuuga's eyes narrowed and he gazed warily around the room, scouring every corner with his gaze. His peripheral vision caught another flash, and he spun around to face Naruto's bed. It was then that he sensed a strange chakra emitting from the boy. The chakra was vaguely familiar…but Neji couldn't quite place where he had experienced it before.
Sasuke shifted uncomfortably outside. Swaying precariously, Sasuke deemed the intruder harmless and was about to make his way home when a gleam of chakra tore past his senses. Sasuke paused. It certainly didn't come from the intruder; he'd know if it did. It came from Naruto himself. Sasuke had felt this chakra before; he had experienced it briefly, but it scared the hell out of him all the same. During the Chuunin exam, the very same chakra had radiated from Naruto as he protected Sasuke from Orochimaru's snake.
Neji activated his Byakugan and gazed intently at Naruto's still form. Granted, the boy was asleep, but the red chakra he had summoned during his fight with Neji was now swirling around the boy in odd patterns. Naruto didn't seem to be aware of it, but the chakra had a disturbing sequence to its dance around the fox-child. Neji tensed, worried for the blonde's safety, but the chakra didn't seem to harm Naruto. After a few more flashes and flickers, the chakra dissipated, retreating into the still form of the blonde.
Neji quietly slid open the window and slipped out silently. Landing lightly on the tree outside, he was about to make his way home when he caught the signature chakra of a certain Uchiha. Lips curved up in a smile, and Neji disappeared.
Sasuke waited until he was sure the intruder had gone before he hopped up to Naruto's windowsill and peered inside. The blonde seemed in good conditions; nothing looked wrong with him. He watched Naruto sleep for a few more minutes, double checking to make sure he was okay before he leapt down and walked home.
The Next Day
Sasuke walked with a measured place to the bridge. Sakura, who was leaning against a nearby post, immediately jumped up and clutched Sasuke's arm.
"Sasuke-kun! Will you come to dinner with me this evening?" As usual, Sasuke rejected the girl. Sakura slunk away, looking crestfallen.
It seemed out of all three of them, Naruto was the only one who figured out that Kakashi would never be on time. It was a full three hours later that Sasuke caught a hint of the blonde's chakra. He mentally braced himself for the overwhelming blast of sonic power the blonde seemed to keep locked up in his lungs and vocal cords.
It was a few minutes before Naruto finally arrived. Sasuke waited expectantly for the "Ohayo, Sakura chan!" and the "Sasuke-teme" but surprisingly, it didn't come. Sasuke cracked open an eye to see Naruto walking calmly to the bridge, a troubled look on his face. An elegant eyebrow raised itself slightly. It was eerily quiet without the usual racket the blonde made in the morning.
Poof
The scarecrow sensei landed lightly on the bridge, a hand behind his head and laughing nervously.
"YOU'RE LATE!"
The morning ritual took place, the students screaming at the sensei while he made a lame excuse. But this particular morning, there was a slight variation. It was only Sakura who shouted at him. Kakashi's visible eye stared curiously down at Naruto.
"Something wrong, Naruto?" The blonde shook his head slightly. Kakashi tried again.
"Are you sure?" A nod ensued.
"You're usually not this quiet." A shrug was all he got in return.
"Tell you what, we can cancel training for today and go eat ramen."
If this didn't work, then there was something seriously wrong with Naruto. Much to Kakashi's disappointment and utter surprise, the blonde just slightly lowered an eyelid, the only sign to indicate he heard but didn't care. An indent formed in a navy blue mask as Kakashi pursed his lips in worry.
"Naruto…what's wrong?" Silence ensued from the boy.
"Naruto?" When given no response, Kakashi turned to Sasuke, silently begging him with his one visible eye. Of course, Sasuke had no choice; the sight of an elite jounin begging a mere genin stroked Sasuke's pride immensely. Not to mention he was worried about the dobe. The Uchiha turned to Naruto.
"Oi, dobe." No response.
"If you say just one simple word to indicate that you're indeed okay, I will bow down and admit that I'm weaker than you."
Sasuke said, much to Sakura's horror. The female pink entity frantically tried to dissuade Sasuke from the plan, frantically mouthing and waving her arms. Sasuke paid no attention, waiting for Naruto's reaction. Naruto barely blinked.
Sasuke walked up to the blonde and took out a kunai. He swallowed nervously. Sasuke had no intention of killing Naruto, but pain did tend to snap people out of a trance. Naruto's eyes were glazed over and unfocused, a sure sign he wasn't aware of his surroundings. Sasuke picked up the blonde's hand and ran the edge of the kunai lightly over the thumb. Blood welled up, but Naruto still didn't respond.
"Kakashi. I think something is seriously wrong with Naruto."
The scarecrow came to investigate. Kakashi stepped lightly over to Naruto and was about to examine him when the blonde stirred slightly. Sasuke stepped back, partly relieved and worried over the change in the dobe. Naruto's face contorted into a deep frown then relaxed, the azure eyes snapping to life.
"Gomen, minna. I guess I was daydreaming." Naruto smiled foxily and rubbed the back of his head. Sakura immediately stomped over and berated him fiercely for slacking off on a bridge meeting. Sasuke merely observed the blonde, brows furrowed in concentration. Naruto's smile seemed too fake, too happy. There really was something wrong with the blonde, and Sasuke would do everything in his power to find out.
Later that Day
Naruto walked through the woods, normally sparkling blue eyes clouded over with worry. He meandered over to a clearing, sat down on a moss-covered stump, and folded his hands behind his head, brooding slightly. He began to recall the past events that took place before the bridge meeting.
Earlier that Morning
Naruto woke up to the urgent calls of Kyuubi in his head.
"Kit. Kit, wake up." The fox-child groaned and rubbed his head.
"What now?
"The demons are angry."
"Do I care?"
"Well you would care if the world were destroyed due to their wrath."
"Says who?" Kyuubi groaned and resorted to the last tactic he had. The deep baritone voice became laced with a touch of cunning.
"If the world is destroyed, then all the people will die. Meaning the old man who makes the ramen at Ichiraku will die too, as well as everyone else who knows how to make ramen. Meaning there will be no more ramen left to eat, will there?" Naruto's eyes snapped open, and the blonde let out a rip-roaring yelp that seemed to tear Konoha off its foundations.
"WHAAAAT! NO RAMEN! THAT CAN'T BE POSSIBLE! WHAT'LL WE DO? WHAT'LL WE DO?" Kyuubi quickly stuffed his paws in his ears.
"Will you shut up you annoying little brat!" Naruto calmed, still huffing for breath.
"How dare you suggest such a crisis, Kyuubi."
"Listen up, you goddamn kit. The demons of the netherworld are very angry. A human found one of the seven entrances to the netherworld and disguised himself as a demon. He infiltrated the lair and stole the Stone of Ages, a sacred stone that the demons need to survive. The demons themselves cannot move from their lair, so only the ones that are sealed inside a vessel are able to retrieve the stone, so it is up to us to find the stone. If we fail, chaos shall ensue and the demons shall take out their wrath on the world. We have three weeks to accomplish the mission."
"Who shall be coming with us?"
"The boy that harbors Shukaku shall accompany us, and you are free to pick two others to go with you. Personally I suggest the one with the Sharingan." Naruto groaned.
"That bastard? Does he have to come?"
"He shall become useful. Advanced bloodlines do harbor an advantage over normal shinobi."
"If it's advanced bloodlines you prefer, then I think Neji could come with us as well."
"Do as you wish kit."
Naruto inwardly nodded.
"Oh yes, and one more thing,"
"What?"
Kyuubi began chanting, deep voice fluctuating at intervals. A white gleam appeared in front of Naruto, and a giant scroll appeared at the boy's feet. Naruto picked it up carefully, turning it this way and that.
"What's it for?" Kyuubi chuckled.
"Open it."
Naruto unrolled the scroll and gasped in horror. Inside was the tiniest kanji he had ever seen in his life. And they were so complicated! And there were so MANY! Naruto rounded on Kyuubi in utter terror.
"HOW THE HELL SHOULD I READ THIS? IT'S SO SMALL AND COMPLICATED!" Kyuubi rubbed his temples in a slow circular manner, groaning in frustration.
"Kit, you don't read thatkanji! This is probably the most valuable gift I'm giving you! The reason why the kanji are so tiny is because there is only a limited amount of space on that scroll, so I have to fit the symbols of all the demons on there in teeny tiny writing!" Naruto's eyes widened in shock and amazement.
"You…you mean…THIS IS A KUCHIYOSE SCROLL!" Kyuubi nodded proudly.
"Yes. And I'm giving it to my little kit because you've worked so hard to survive and find happiness despite the fact that the villagers all hate you. Congratulations, kit." Naruto let out a squeal of happinessand hugged Kyuubi's paw when he stuck it out of the cage.
"You can shrink the scroll to a portable size as well, since it is taller than you."
"THAAAAAAANNK YOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUU!" And Naruto skipped down to the bridge meeting, clutching the scroll happily.
"One more thing." Naruto halted in mid-boing.
"What?"
"I will be training you at regular intervals from now on."
"REALLY!" Kyuubi smiled.
"Yes. Now run along."
"YAAAYYY!"
End Flashback
Naruto rolled over on the moss-covered forest floor and huffed out a sigh. Swinging his feet to and fro, he cupped his face with his hands and closed his eyes lazily. Suddenly remembering to ask Neji to come along for the mission, he bobbed off to find the boy, making a mental note to ask the old hag if she'd give him three weeks of leave.
Sorry for the late update! I was busy w/ piano and violin tests (called CM; woe to those who know what that means)