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Chapter Eight: What Happened. (intermission prologue!)

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A small girl sits on her bed as she stares out of her window. She has short black hair and green eyes.

"I don't understand anything anymore." She speaks out loud to her stuffed rabbit doll.

"Mom is always busy and father is off fighting the war."

"Why do grown-ups fight anyway?" She waits for an answer but gets none.

"I wish he wasn't there and I am worried about him. He is just a silversmith even though he also gives some beautiful tattoos to travelers."

"Why do they need him to fight?" Still no answer from her stuffed friend.

"It's just the women and the children now and it has been for a while."

"Mom never complains though and she smiles every night as she tucks me in and says that father will be home soon."

"I hope she is right." She tightens her grip on the doll.

"I can see so many stars from the window. Maybe if I make a wish then everyone's dads will come back and life will be normal again!"

She closes her eyes but says the wish out loud.

"Please let dad come home soon. Oh! And I want to be able to protect everyone important to me!"

"Please."

######

"I don't understand why I have to go to school still since half of our teachers are gone so now all of our classes are mixed together."

The small girl walks on the street along with other children and women walking around. She couldn't be no more than ten or eleven and she wears a blue kimono.

"Hey Yume!" Another small girl joins her friend. She has brown curly hair and it wearing a pink kimono.

"Ohayo Anna where is Daisuke?" Yume smiled at her best friend.

"I think he is skipping today. You wanna go too?" Her friend laughs mischievously and leads Yume down an ally.

"Okay but I am blaming you two if we get caught!" Yume pouted until she saw Daisuke running in their direction quickly.

"ANNA! YUME! There are strange people walking here! At the outskirts of town!" The boy stopped and tried to catch his breath. "One looks really funny and has shaggy white hair! And I think his son has blond hair!"

"I wanna see!" Anna cheered as she took Yume's hand and began to run to the town entrance.

"But what if they are here to attack us!" Yume caused her friends to stop. "We are at a war you know."

"No they looked really weak! I think they are walking merchants!" Daisuke nodded as if to prove his point.

"Well.............how funny looking were they?" Yume inquired as she looked at Anna with a smile.

"VERY FUNNY!" Daisuke waved his hands in the air as if to emphasize.

"You heard the kid lets go!" Anna grabbed both of their hands and began to run.

"Even though you are older than me by a DAY you cant call me kid!" The black haired boy pouted.

"But you two are younger than me by a month so ha!" Yume laughed as they began to stop and look around at the border.

"I don't see them Dai-kun!" Anna wined as she looked around.

"They are at the bridge!" Yume shrieked as she saw the strangers were already really close to the village.

"He's not funny looking he is scary!" Anna squealed as she pointed at the older man that was walking with a short blonde boy.

"What kind of outfits are those?" Yume let the disgust for their fashion roll out of her mouth. "Those aren't even robes!"

"They aren't from around here then." Daisuke shook his head. "They probably aren't prepared for the cold nights and then the hot days."

"The old man is ugly but that boy is cute!" Anna squealed with a blush on her face.

"He looks like a teenager Anna! That's gross!" Yume made a nasty face and then began to back away as she looked up shocked.

"Excuse me brats but what village is this." Jiraiya glared at the three children that were now shaking in fear. That's what they get for calling him ugly.

"Ero Sennin! Are we there yet?" Naruto sighed as the heat pounded on his body. This was horrible.

"Hai Naruto we are at a town." Jiraiya decided to ignore the children that were so scared they were practically petrified.

"Can't you see the town in front of you idiot?" Yume spat out as she looked at her scared friends. "What are you blind?"

"Yes." The blonde answered and then continued walking into the town as Yume stood in shock.

"Che. Brat." Jiraiya growled over at Yume before following the blond boy.

"Yume he looks a lot like........."

"Shut up!" Yume hissed over at Anna and then started to walk away.

"She still isn't over it yet?" Daisuke whispered over to the brunette as they watched Yume's retreating back.

"Is was just two years ago. I don't think I could ever get over something like that even though we were in a war." Anna sighed as she started to walk after Yume. "I miss him a lot."

"Me too." Daisuke and Anna ran over to their retreating friend.

I can't believe they brought that up. Yume fumed mentally before getting a sad expression on her face. I miss him so much!

"Yume! We're sorry! But shouldn't we go find your mother before those travelers get too far inside the village? She is in charge after all." Daisuke mentioned before they began to run to Yume's house.

"I think we are going to get in trouble for skipping school." Anna sighed as they got to the house.

"MOM! MOM! There are strangers in the village!" Yume ran in and then ran back out. "She's not here! Maybe she went to the marketplace to help out Miss Una!"

"Lets go!" All three of them ran to the market place as fast as their feet would take them only to see all of the women watching Yume's mother talk to the two strangers.

"Mom!" Yume ran up and grabbed her mother's hand as she glared at the two travelers.

"Yume! You aren't at school......" Her mother sighed and then looked back at the two men. "Like I was saying we really don't have anything here to offer you."

"We aren't looking for anything but a village to sleep in miss." Jiraiya grinned his most mischievous grin as he saw all of the beautiful women. "This boy and I are from the fire country and wouldn't mind spending some time in your village."

"I am sorry to tell you this sir." Yume's mother smiled gently, "but our village is at war right now which is why the only men you see are just children."

"War?" Jiraiya mumbled to himself before looking over at Naruto. The blonde used to get excited at the chance of some action but he hadn't smiled since they had left the leaf.

"Hai." The woman with long black hair and jet black eyes smiled.

That was when Jiraiya noticed that she had been staring at Naruto the whole time.

"Well we could stay and help you ladies out around town. It just doesn't seem right to have all of you here by yourselves." Jiraiya looked over at the blonde. "Besides I think you really want us to stay anyway."

"Nikuya-sama I bet that your husband and brother would be upset if you didn't take their offers." An elderly woman with light grey hair walked up and did a small bow to Yume's mother.

"Nikuya? As in the clan?" Jiraiya looked at the woman in surprise, he thought that the clan had died a long time ago. He noticed how Naruto's ears seemed to twitch at the word fox.

"Hai my husband is the last surviving member, he is the town's silversmith." The woman smiled gently, "But Una-san is right I am going to have to accept your offer. You two can stay at my house tonight."

"Nani!" Yume shouted at her mother and then looked at them. "But!"

"Yume you will go to school right now and if I find out you skip again you will be punished." Her mother glared over at her daughter before walking over to Naruto and Jiraiya. "Sorry about that, she is just like her father! My name is Kashi, welcome to Hohoemu village."

Yume glared over at her mother and left quickly. How could she say that? How could she invite two complete strangers into their house? So what if one of them looked like Aniki did. So what? He is dead.

He died two years ago in the first attack against the village because he was born blind and never saw it coming.

######

"Hohoemu village ne? Sounds like a kid named it." Jiraiya smiled over as he walked with the woman.

"Well you might consider him one. My brother founded this village three years ago and he is turning 20 next month." The woman laughed as Jiraiya and Naruto stopped. "We all love him dearly."

"A 17 year old founding a village, what has this world come to Naruto?" Jiraiya looked over at the blonde who hadn't opened his eyes once since the last village and hadn't even bothered to insult the old man for a while.

"If you don't mind me asking........." Kashi leaned over to Jiraiya, "He is blind right? The way he walks with his eyes closed?"

"Hai but he isn't mute if you think that as well." The old man whispered back glaring at Naruto, he knew the blonde could hear them.

"Ah. I just figured, that or he was some ninja training his senses." The woman smiled sadly before continuing the walk.

"I am." Naruto finally spoke catching them both by surprise.

"What?" Kashi looked over at the blonde confused.

"Just a ninja training his senses." The blonde mumbled off as he walked slowly.

"Ah." Kashi nodded before walking up on her porch, "Home sweet home guys."

######

"Yume! I heard from Anna that there are going to be strangers at your house!"

"I heard that they are from the other village!"

"I heard one is really ugly and the other is really pretty!"

"Is it true that you have a prince at your house?"

Yume sighed as she walked home. Today at school was unbearable. Not only had Anna used her skill as the gossip queen to spread the word but Daisuke had made up a lot of junk too.

"I hate this place." She looked around at the town. No one was out but a few of the women running errands or delivering things.

She hated this place. She had moved here three years ago with her parents and Uncle. She had lived in another beautiful village that had normal weather. Not hot days and extremely cold nights.

Why her uncle wanted to put a town here was beyond her. Why she had to move here just so her parents could help she didn't like.

Why a war had to start just because another clan had heard that the Kitsune clan was here was stupid. She had the blood in her but she hated it. People who would kill for something so stupid like a rivalry or a bad deed from thousands of years ago were idiots.

And that is how her little twelve-year-old mind thought about things.

She hated it all and couldn't wait to escape.

Escape and live a happy life in a place that didn't have clans or blood lines or war.

"I don't know if that is a good idea." Yume heard her mom speaking as she entered the house.

"You said you needed help and Naruto could at least try to help." Yume heard the old man's voice as she slowly made her way to the living room.

Her mother was sitting in a chair and the old man was sitting the couch across from her. The blonde boy was standing in a corner and looked more asleep than awake.

But most people who have their eyes closed could always be sleeping.

"I appreciate the offer but........."

"Nonsense! Naruto can hear anything than I bet half of your teachers couldn't. And it would help him train his senses." Jiraiya sighed as he watched the blonde shift a little.

"Your daughter is home." The blonde spoke mildly but softly, it held a very sad tune.

"Yume, good!" Kashi smiled over at her daughter and then back over at Jiraiya, "Okay but if the teachers have a bad feeling about this than I might have to recline your offer."

"Teachers? What are you talking about?" Yume glared over at the older man before getting bopped on the head.

"Mind you manners young lady!" Kashi growled at her daughter, "Naruto is going to be watching.........listening to the nursery for me."

"What? But he is blind!" Yume glared over at her mother. She just wouldn't understand.

"I know Yume but you know that even the incapable are capable of something much more important." Her mother spoke softly as if remembering something.

"Yume you want to go play hide and seek?"

"Not with you! You always win Aniki!" Yume laughed as a blonde boy put her on top of his shoulders.

"I do say you suck at that game if a blind man can beat you." The blonde snickered.

"You are anything but a man Hoshi." The girl laughed as her brother began to run with her on his shoulders.

"He is dead mom." The girl spat out bitterly before running up the stairs and slamming her door.

Jiraiya and Naruto sat in the quiet. Neither of them knowing what to say to something like that. That woman's daughter was a brat.

"Sorry about that." Kashi smiled sadly as she looked over to Naruto.

"I feel sorry for you." Jiraiya said bitterly, how he hated children like that.

"Don't." Kashi smiled, "It is just that your son........."

"He isn't my father, just an Ero Sennin." Naruto spat out.

"Hey! Watch it boy!" Jiraiya growled with a smile, maybe Naruto was going to lighten up a little.

"Well Naruto, you look a lot like my son." Kashi stated with a smile, "He died two years ago and he was born blind."

"What happened?" Jiraiya watched as the blonde tensed up at her statement.

"It is considered the first attack against our village." Kashi's eyes became sad. "He was on his way to talk to his uncle, my brother, and well.........he didn't see them coming."

"Ever since then Yume has been angry, she hates this village and everyone in it. But she mainly blames herself even though she couldn't have done anything."

"I see." Jiraiya sighed, so many young lives taking a wrong turn because of war.

"Sorry to bother you with my silly life stories!" Kashi giggled trying to change the mood, "Would you like to say something about yourselves?"

"Daiba (frogman) I am going to sleep." Naruto stated suddenly as he moved from his spot and made his way to the stairs. If he remembered right there were 35 stair steps and then it would be 20 steps to the right and the door on his left. Naruto tried to remember from the earlier tour.

Jiraiya watched as Naruto left and Kashi looked over at him confused.

"Sorry if I shouldn't pry." Kashi apologized quickly.

"No its okay, its just him." Jiraiya sighed, "He is a brat too."

######

"Why did mom do that?" Yume asked herself out loud in her room with tears falling from her eyes.

"She doesn't understand, Ichi." Yume looked over to her stuffed rabbit. "She hates me I know it."

"She hates me because aniki isn't alive anymore. She hates me because she is stuck with me and not him." Yume pulled the rabbit close to her and rubbed her face with her arm trying to wipe away the tears.

"I wish everything would go back to normal."

Naruto stood outside of her door for a moment before continuing down the hall. That girl must have loved her brother very much.

######

"So you are a ninja?" Kashi asked Jiraiya suddenly causing the man to pause before nodding.

"Yeah."

"And that boy too, he wears what I think was the chunin uniform." She continued puzzling Jiraiya even more.

"And you are right again, if I may ask how do you know?" The old man inquired from the married beauty in front of him.

"I am originally from Iwagakure with my husband. I never graduated into a chunin before I gave up my ninja status with him. That was about eighteen or twenty years ago." She smiled, "I took a member of the Nikuya clan with me and the family wasn't too happy."

"So you became missing nin?" Jiraiya was really confused now.

"No we gave up our goals in the ninja community, we just wanted to live a normal life and not have to deal with the war." She looked up to see Jiraiya's face, "Yeah the cowards way out but Daiku and I just wanted to be together. He was never into the fighting thing and I was the last daughter and the weakest member of my family."

"Why are you telling me this?" Jiraiya asked flat out, if this woman was once a ninja and her husband was a part of the Kitsune clan he was sure they had a lot of secrets.

"To be honest you look like my grandpa." Kashi smiled, "I feel like I am talking to him when I see you."

"Well then go on." Jiraiya smiled, just because they were secrets didn't mean he didn't want to find out.

"You know why the Nikuya clan was so famous right?" Kashi asked with a smile.

"They could mold any metal or steel with their chakra like it was putty. But the clan was destroyed in the war." Jiraiya added in what he thought had happened.

"Yeah it happened after we had left probably around the time that demon attacked that one village, I don't remember it was so long ago." Kashi looked over Jiraiya suspiciously. "What village are you from?"

"Would you be content if I didn't tell you?" Jiraiya asked with a small smile.

"Well there is no way I would know the truth anyway." Kashi smiled back.

"Konoha."

"In the Fire country right?" Kashi asked with a gleam in her eyes.

"For leaving the ninja way so long ago you seem to still have your knowledge." Jiraiya sighed, why did he have to talk with such a beautiful woman over ninja countries.

"I might have left but that doesn't mean I don't like to be updated. Let me think." Kashi closed her eyes before opening them with a shocked expression.

"Konoha! You were attacked by the sand and sound around four years ago right?" She asked in a way that made Jiraiya uncomfortable. As if she liked the fact that the ninja countries were against each other.

"Yes." He stated bitterly remembering Orochimaru, he hoped the snake was dead but no one knew for sure.

"I knew it, this strange man came through my old village and he said something about it while my husband was fixing his sword. It was such a strange sword......... and his friend never spoke to anyone."

"What kind of sword was it?" Jiraiya couldn't help but ask, he was getting a strange feeling.

"Well it was different but perfect for the guy who had it. He looked not human and his sword wouldn't cut anyone if he hit them with it." She put her finger on her forehead as if it help her to think. "It was so long ago."

"Well if it didn't cut what good was it?" Jiraiya took this time to take out his pipe.

"It shaved."

######

"Naruto why aren't you sleeping?" Jiraiya asked as he walked into the room. That woman had turned out to have a lot of information that no normal village wife should.

The blonde was sitting in the middle of the room on the floor. Had he been like this the whole time? He had been talking to that woman for a few hours after the blond had left.

"I can never tell which is which anyway." Naruto spoke softly. Jiraiya knew what this meant, the blonde missed it, he missed everything about anything that he would never be able to see again.

They had only been on the road for two months.

"What do you mean?" Jiraiya questions as he sat on the bed and face the blonde.

"Whether I am awake or not, I cant tell Jiraiya." The old man knew that if the blond had his eyes open then that they would be filled with pain.

"Naruto your skills are developing faster than anyone could wish for. You can walk around on your own and I don't worry about you running into anything anymore. Your hearing is perfect to help the women here look after their children. You can smell things that aren't even close by."

"I don't need you to liven me up Jiraiya. I still run into walls and trees. If there are too many noises I mix them up easily. I can smell things but it takes me a while to find them and that's if I don't run into anything."

"You weren't always this pessimistic."

"I wasn't always blind either."

Jiraiya shifted on the bed. Naruto was being serious, he didn't think this would happen for a few more months.

"I don't baby you and I don't treat you any different." Jiraiya stated trying to find out what exactly the blond wanted.

"I never wanted that." Naruto's voice was breaking and he cursed himself. "I-I am tired of causing people pain Jiraiya."

"You mean that little girl, just because you remind her mother of her son? How is that causing them pain?" Jiraiya knew exactly what the blond meant but he was tired of the boy keeping everything inside.

"I doubt even Konoha wants me back. What good could a blind ninja do?"

"What can't a blind ninja do?" Jiraiya asked quickly in return causing the boy to tense up.

"See." Naruto laughed a little causing Jiraiya to grin, that was the first smile he had seen this whole trip.

"Promise me one thing Naruto." The old man continued.

"What?"

"You wont give up on yourself."

######

"I don't understand why my mom lets you watch the babies." Yume huffed as she watched the blond boy from across the room. He was sitting in the middle of all of the cribs while the babies slept peacefully.

He had been doing this for a few days.

"I don't understand either." She noticed how his tone seemed so sad. He hadn't smiled once since he had been in town.

Maybe he is just a sad person.

"You really are blind aren't you?" She decided to try and hold a conversation. She had been sitting there all morning.

"Yes I am." The blond said as he sighed showing Yume he was annoyed with her. But why would she care?

"Then why do you work but that old guy just walks around town." She had been thinking about that since the teen had started his job. It didn't make sense to her.

"He works too, just not in ways I am allowed to tell you." The blonde let out a grin when Yume moaned. She immediately blushed, he was cute when he smiled.

"You smiled." She said it in a tone as if she didn't believe it.

"Yeah what of it." Naruto dropped his grin and went back to his normal face.

"I think I could like you if you smiled more." Yume said but then caught herself, "I-I mean you are just too sad to hang around."

"Am I?" Naruto asked quizzically, he almost didn't want to believe her but he knew it was true.

"Yeah you never smile and your eyes are always closed." Yume huffed, she wanted to see what color they were. Not that she cared about the blond boy she was just told she had to wait for him.

"Why are you here today anyway? No school?" Naruto heard the girl get up and walk towards him only to sit a few feet away.

"No, the farmer's wives need help so that they could get all of the produce out on time so we are all stuck at home." She watched as the blonde seemed to be listening but she couldn't tell.

"But then why aren't you home?" He asked quietly as he heard a baby move.

"Because I was told to give you a real tour of the town when you are done for today." Yume huffed; sometimes she hated the fact that her mom was left in charge. It was such a burden on her.

"Against your will I guess?" Naruto grinned again, he was glad he had someone to talk to that would talk back other than himself. It was lonely watching the babies you couldn't see.

"Of course!" Yume shouted but his hand quickly covered her mouth.

"Shut up you baka! What if one of them wakes up?" Naruto hissed silently as he pulled his hand away from her mouth.

"The you could just do your job Mr. Babysitter." Yume growled back.

"Considering I am watching you too right now, what does that make you?" Naruto shot right back at her causing the girl to stand and stomp out of the room waking up one of the babies in the process.

"Crap." Naruto stood up and slowly walked over to the moaning child. He didn't want to wake any of the others up.

He gently took the baby in his hands making sure that he was holding the right way by placing his head gently on the back of the baby's head and held him closely trying to rock the baby back to sleep.

That girl was a brat.

Yume watched quietly from the window as she saw Naruto sit down beside the crib and rock the baby in his lap.

"Stupid jerk cant call me a baby." The girl huffed and turned around to see Daisuke walking past the building.

"Daisuke what are you doing out of your house?" Yume grinned as she ran up to her best guy friend.

"I couldn't help it, it was soooooo boring." The boy drawled out with a bored expression on his face. "So I wanted to see if they were really letting that blind guy watch the nursery."

"Well he is but don't talk to him, he is a jerk." She grabbed her friends hand. "Lets go get some ice cream from Anna! I heard she was going to run the shop for her mother today."

"Okay!" Daisuke and Yume ran to the store together.

######

"This is the barber shop which if I may suggest you need to come here when the barber comes back." Yume sighed as she waited for the shaggy haired blonde boy to catch up.

But every time she took him somewhere he would start to count his steps.

"Hey why do you do that?" She asked in annoyance when he got to the store and patted it with his hand.

"None of your business." Naruto shot back, he didn't need to tell her that he was only counting so he could try and memorize the town better.

"Fine fine." Yume glared up at him as they began to walk again and he went back to counting.

"8, 10, 65. 72. 128, 37!" Yume shouted numbers until the blond stopped.

"That was uncalled for, why you do that?" He asked wanting to just hit the girl upside her head.

"None of your business." Yume stuck out her tongue and continued walking.

"Stupid brat." Naruto mumbled under his breath as he let the girl finish her tour of the incredibly smaller town than he had though it to be.

######

"No school again today?" Naruto heard the door open and close silently.

"What are you wearing?" Yume had walked in to see the blonde wearing some decorated robes. Her brothers old robes.

"Your mom made me change into these. Why do they look weird?" Naruto tugged at the long and heavy sleeve. He didn't understand how this thing was keeping him so cool during the day but it had kept him warm last night. And it was so heavy!

"Oh." Yume looked at the robes, she hadn't seen them in a long time.

"If you don't want me to wear them I will change." Naruto was getting the chills as the girl sat silently in her normal corner.

"No its okay just don't ruin them please, they are very important to me." Yume whispered but for some reason she knew that the blonde heard her.

"Were they your brother's?" Naruto asked silently.

"Yes." Yume felt the tears come to her eyes, she didn't know why she always had to cry but she missed her brother so much.

"What was he like?" Naruto laid down on his back, most of the babies seemed to be in a deep sleep about now.

"Why do you want to know?" Yume spat out before sighing. "He was like any other big brother."

"I wouldn't know, I don't have a family." Naruto stated as if it was a fact that everyone in the world should know by now.

"Really?" Yume looked at the blonde surprised, "What about parents?"

"I think they died after I was born." Naruto said with a small grin, "but don't feel sorry for me, I am used to it and I don't think I would be as cool as I am today if I had had them."

"Your not cool." Yume smiled at his joke and slowly scooted herself closer to him.

By the end of their conversation she was laying her head in his lap.

"He would play hide and seek with me everyday when I was little." Yume giggled, "and he would always win."

"Wow you must suck at that game to lose to a blind guy." Naruto laughed as he let the smaller girl play with his hands. He liked the contact; it showed that she really was there and he wasn't talking to himself.

"Yeah I did." Yume sighed as she sat up. "Its getting late and mom said I had to go to the school tomorrow."

"So the teachers are going to be back then?" Naruto couldn't help but feel that he was going to miss her company.

"Yeah, but I might bring some kids over to introduce to you if you want me too." Yume's voice seemed to imply that she really wanted to.

"Sure if you don't mind using my real name instead if 'blind guy', 'blind baka', or 'hey jerk'." Naruto teased just as most of the babies began to move around and wake up.

"Okay! I guess I will see you tonight?" Yume asked as she got off so Naruto could go to one of the crying babies.

"I don't know I might go train tonight but I will be here tomorrow."

"Train?"

"You know I am not going to be here forever and when I return to my old village I want to be strong." Naruto said as he held the baby.

"Yeah........." Yume stated as if the thought hadn't even crossed her mind before she sighed. "That's right."

"Yume?"

"Well I am going to go now, I will see you tomorrow!" With that Yume left to leave Naruto handle the babies by himself.

"What was that all about?" Naruto asked the baby in his hands that had settled down, it was almost like she was upset that he was going to leave.

######

"Hey Naruto its me again! And I brought the kids from my class!" Naruto heard the small girl enter the nursery followed by several other footsteps.

"Whoa is he really blind Yume?" He could here a boy whisper.

"Yes but he is still really cool." Yume whispered back as Naruto heard some of the girls giggled.

"He is really cute." One of them whispered.

"Really? I kind of forgot about that." Naruto snickered as all the kids stopped talking.

"He can hear us!" A boy shouted.

"Of course he can he is blind not deaf you idiot!"

Naruto laughed as he heard Yume begin to scold her friends. "Its nice to meet you guys but stay quiet so the brats in diapers don't wake up."

"Hey did you just call my little sister a brat?" Naruto sighed as he heard a boy talk from the back. He should of known better than insult the babies in front of possible older siblings.

"Aw you know she is a brat too Rei!" Yume giggled as they began to talk about their families. In which Yume would successfully keep the topic away from Naruto.

"These are my two best friends Daisuke and Anna!" After all of the kid had left Yume decided to introduce Naruto to the important people.

"Nice to meet you two. I am Naruto." He bowed his head even though he knew he probably didn't have to be polite.

"Oh my gosh! He has a polite side to him!" Naruto laughed as Yume tackled him.

######

"Hey Naruto do you miss the place you are from? Are you ever going to go back?" The smaller girl whispered beside him.

"I miss it a lot actually, it is the coolest place ever. And it has the best ramen! And if you ever come there I will have to introduce you to Iruka-sensei! And Kakashi-sensei and Sakura! And Sasuke............." Naruto stopped and sighed, he really wanted to go back home. But the reason was so he could SEE everyone again. And that would never happen.

"I bet it was cool." Yume sighed as she laid beside the blond in the nursery, he seemed to want to go back really bad.

"I bet it still is." Naruto grinned as he thought about Konoha and then Sasuke. How was Sasuke doing now? What had the Uchiha meant in the hospital the day before he had left with Jiraiya?

"Take me there with you." Yume said quietly not sure if the blonde had heard her that time.

"Nani?" Naruto lifted his hand and patted the girl's head; he was getting a lot better at guessing where things were around him.

"Take me with you to your old village!" Yume pulled his hand off of her head but held on to it.

"What? Why do you want to leave here?" Naruto had thought that the girl seemed to love the place more than her mom had said.

"I hate this place. Its always struggling and at war. I want to go somewhere peaceful." Yume said almost too desperately for a twelve year old.

"Konoha is anything but peaceful. We are at war too. We are a ninja village so we are always on missions and.........killing." Naruto said it quietly but loud enough so she would hear him.

"Then why do you want to go back to a place like that? Why not go with me somewhere far away?" Yume held on to his hand tightly.

"Because I need to return and prove to everyone that I am still going to be Hokage and find out what is going on in Sasuke's head. You know that teme cant be too long with out me." Naruto chuckled.

"Do you have someone you love at the Leaf? Is that why you want to go back?" Naruto blushed immediately and tried to pull it down. He had thought he had answered her question but apparently being Hokage meant nothing to the girl.

"Yes." He answered mildly. "I love every single person in Konoha and I love everyone here too but I have to go back."

Yume blushed and nodded as she let go of his hand.

"But hey if it is any consolation you probably wont want to go to Konoha anyway, the only cute guy is me and I don't plan on tying myself up anytime soon." Naruto snickered before he got bopped on the head.

"Ero hentai!" (super pervert)

######

Naruto kick and punched at the tree in front of him. He was getting better at moving around and had decided to train on his day off.

"Hey Naruto! I brought Daisuki and Anna!" Naruto stopped as he heard three sets of feet run up to him in the field.

"So you were a ninja! What was that like?" Naruto could here the little boy in front of him.

"Were and was? Why are you speaking in past tense? I am still a ninja! And I am going to be the best one at that and become Hokage of my village and that will be the day!" Naruto grinned widely as he began to tell them of all the missions he had been on and what the people were like.

"That Sasuke guy sounds like your best friend." Anna laughed as the blonde blushed at the comment.

"No I said rivals! We are rivals!" Naruto shouted as he chased the girl around the tree.

"He has really changed from when he got here." Daisuke commented slightly toward Yume. "And he had changed you too."

"What do you mean baka?" Yume grinned over at her friend.

"Well for one that, you never ever called anyone baka before! And you smile a lot more too. Its really nice." Daisuke and Yume both blushed and turned away from each other.

"I wish you could see them right now Naruto, its so cute!" Anna cheered earning growls from her two friends.

"Well Daisuke I must warn you, last night she burnt the rice and you know what people say about a woman who cant cook rice properly........."

"SHUT UP YOU JERK!" Anna laughed as Yume tackled the larger blonde boy.

"What do they say?" Daisuke asked innocently causing Anna to sigh.

"Nothing you idiot he was trying to embarrass Yume!" The brunette hit her friend on the head.

######

"Naruto." Jiraiya whispered immediately waking the blonde boy up.

"Jiraiya is that you? I haven't talked to you in a while and your scent had changed." Naruto almost choked on the cologne.

"Shut up! I was doing research for my books but that's not the point!" Jiraiya blushed as he earned a growl from the blonde.

"What? Are we leaving? Did you get caught again?" Naruto wanted to just kill the white haired sennin then and there.

"There are some people on their way here and I thought that we should go see who they are before they get here. It's a rather big group but if worst comes to worst just summon a frog."

"You treat them as if they like you or something." Naruto sighed as he got out of the bed and put on his new sandals. They were like Jiraiya's because they did come from a bathhouse.

"Come on and be quiet, it past midnight." Jiraiya whispered as he jumped out of the window being quietly followed by Naruto who surprisingly made a graceful landing.

"You have been training." Jiraiya stated in a proud manner.

"No thanks to you, now lets go." Naruto ducked his head and followed Jiraiya.

######

"Daiku-san there are two people approaching us at great speed." A man dipped his head as he spoke to a tall blonde.

There were about 10 men all young and all of them tired looking. They all seemed to be nothing more that farmers.

"Inform Hao immediately please. Just where are they coming from anyway?" Daiku asked the smaller man.

"Our village sir." The man stated and ran to deliver the message to their leader.

"Dang it." The blonde cursed through clenched teeth until his eyes finally saw the figures moving in the dark. Their speed was great but they were wearing the robes that............

"They are wearing robes my wife made?" He stated in a confused manner.

"What's that?" Daiku looked to his side to see a shorter and younger looking man with black hair and eyes.

"One of them is wearing my robes." Daiku stated bitterly, how he hated it when someone else wore his clothing the only problem was, why was the other one wearing his son's robe?

"Hey who are you and why are you coming to this village?" Jiraiya stopped in front of the two men to see that they had already been through a tough time. Naruto stayed back in the darkness as back up.

"I think we should be asking you that old man." Hao stated sarcastically in return.

"Hao stay back, there is just two of them." Daiku grinned, "No need to waste your youthful sarcasm on them."

"Whatever Daiku, now sirs state why you are in my village? And so I may ask why you two think you could defend it yourselves?" Hao stated coolly as he looked straight at Naruto.

"Your village?" Naruto asked as he jumped into the light from one of their many torches causing them to gasp.

"Daiku he looks like........." Hao shook his head and glared at the blonde pointing his katana at him.

"Hoshi?" Naruto smirked when he noticed the atmosphere changed from tired and cranky to hostile in a few moments.

"Who are you boy and depending on your answer you could live a few more days." Daiku clenched his fists as he glared at them.

"Naruto you are not supposed to make them mad!" Jiraiya cursed until a thought hit him. "Wait a second your name is Daiku yes? As in Nikuya Daiku?"

"How does he?" Hao looked over at Daiku confused.

"I met your wife and your sister." Jiraiya nodded towards Hao. "She has taken us in and in return we have helped the village and said we would protect it until you got back."

"You two? How do we know if this is true?" Daiku glared at them intently.

"I don't know but you should get home now. Especially you Daiku, Yume is very worried about her father." Naruto smiled and turned around leaving a very confused Jiraiya.

"Yume........." Daiku smirked.

######

"Uzumaki Naruto eh?" Hao grinned, as he looked the boy and Jiraiya over. "I would like to know how you thought you could defend my village from such a large group."

"We didn't think; we knew." Naruto grinned as Jiraiya sighed. It takes a cocky person to wake up the cockiness in Naruto.

"I like your attitude but I must say you should watch your tongue around Daiku." Hao leaned in so he could whisper. "You do look a lot like him but it is a sensitive subject to my brother and his wife."

"You said you wanted proof." Naruto stated as if he was forced to say the name.

"You are blind as well? I couldn't tell in the dark but you haven't opened your eyes once." Hao looked the blond up and down. "Its amazing how much you resemble him."

"If I didn't know better I would say you miss him a lot too." Naruto stated with a calm voice, not to mock him in any way.

"We all do, he was a very important piece to this village." Hao nodded. "But I am tired and I would like to thank you two for helping the ladies so how about we talk over lunch? Are you still going to stay at Daiku's place?"

"Yes he is brother." They turned to see Kashi at the doorway with Daiku and Yume in his arms. "They have helped greatly and Naruto has been listening over the babies for a good two months now."

"I see, you don't need your eyes, your skills are beyond someone who could see." Hao patted Naruto great fully on the back.

"Naruto!" Yume jumped from her father's grasp and ran up to the blonde grabbing his hand as she laughed. "This is my dad!"

Hao and Daiku looked over at Yume strangely.

"Yume........." Daiku smiled widely as he looked down at his laughing daughter. He hadn't seen her this happy in a long time.

"Now I would like to ask how you helped out old man." Hao grinned as Jiraiya paused and smiled.

######

"So you are a shinobi that is out training ne?" Hao grinned as he sat at the table with his family and Naruto with Jiraiya.

"Naruto trains on his days off." Yume informed the twenty-year-old village leader as she sat in her father's lap.

"Really? Sounds like you made a friend Yume. Can I trust him?" Yume blushed and then nodded, "especially when you want someone to talk to!"

"Now you shouldn't suggest that Yume, Hao will never stop talking to the poor boy." Kashi laughed as she laid the food on the table.

"So do you know how to use a sword?" Hao almost looked shocked when Naruto shook his head.

"No haven't had the time to learn or a good teacher." Naruto nudged Jiraiya at the last part causing the old man to role his eyes.

"Well you do now, I think I would enjoy teaching you a thing or two in thanks for watching over my sister. I bet Daiku could even make you some great swords." Hao looked over to his brother in law who nodded.

"Great well now that that is settled lets eat!" The leader laughed as they began.

######

"No not like that but try to move more fluidly and sense where the target is." Hao watched as Naruto tried to fight his imaginary target.

"Here like this." Hao wrapped his arms around Naruto's causing the blonde to blush as the older man moved his body how it should. "Do you get it?"

"H-hai." Naruto's voice squeaked and he mentally cursed himself. Why was he getting so nervous anyway? He had just met this guy.

"Much better! In a few months you might be able to beat Yume!" Hao joked as he tried to dodge the sword getting thrown at him.

And so they trained. Naruto taught Hao what he could about ninjutsus and chakra and in return Hao taught the blonde about the style of fighting with a sword.

"I heard that my dad gave you a tattoo in thanks for watching over the kids while he was gone! Can I see it?" Naruto felt small hands grab on to his still sore arm.

"Oooo it's really pretty!"

"Its not pretty its manly!" Naruto pouted, he had just gotten Jiraiya to draw the Hokage symbol for Daiku and hoped that Jiraiya didn't put anything stupid down.

"The symbol of fire. Is that because you are from the Fire country?" Yume asked as she touched the sensitive skin.

"Ow! And no that is the symbol of the Hokage! And that is what I am going to be!" Naruto yelled triumphantly earning a laugh from the smaller girl.

"Did you know that the sky is really blue today?"

Naruto smiled, why did she have to bring up something like that?

"Its almost like its celebrating something you know?" Yume continued as a thought crossed Naruto's mind.

"Yume what is today?" He asked the now confused girl.

"Its October 10th. So what?" She continued walking and talking not noticing the grin across the blondes face.

Happy birthday to me.

"Hey did you hear? Daisuki's mom had a baby!" Yume stopped when she noticed the blondes face.

"Hey is there something wrong? You look drunk!" Yume began fussing over the poor blonde.

######

"I got this for you! I don't know your birthday but you can have it now! It is a necklace! It has your tattoo on it! Because that is the symbol you love so much! Do you like it?"

Naruto held up the small charm in his hand. It was Christmas day and he received a present.

"I love it." The blond smiled and afterwards he received his swords from Hao and Daiku.

######

"Naruto we are going to see how far you have gotten in your training now." Jiraiya woke the blonde up.

"Huh? Why now?" Naruto yawned as he got out of the bed and began to put his robes and swords on.

"You look more like a samurai than a ninja now." Jiraiya mocked and jumped out of the window before Naruto could attack.

"Show me what you have been learning from Mr. Village-leader-at-17." Jiraiya got into a fighting stance as he watched the blonde smile.

"You seem jealous Jiraiya." Naruto laughed as he threw off his top robes. No reason to hide his swords.

"Hmmm. For swords isn't that a little much Naruto?" Jiraiya joked before he dodged a bunch of kunai. "Now where are you hiding those?"

"It's a secret!" Naruto sang as he tried to judge the distance between him and Jiraiya.

BOOM

They both turned in the direction of the large explosion and began to hear many screams.

The village!

"Jiraiya-san! Jiraiya-san!" Jiraiya turned to see Kashi running up to them, she looked horrible. "The village! The village........." He quickly caught the woman to see she had a large wound across her back.

"Yume!" Naruto ran towards the village.

"Naruto! Stop!" Jiraiya cursed when the blonde disappeared, he knew Naruto could handle himself in a fight but they didn't know exactly what they were up against.

"Yume!" Naruto shouted as he into the village only to hear screams and sounds of wood crackling. They were burning the town!

"Naruto! Please stay back!" He heard Hao yell at him and then scream.

"Hao!" Naruto's ears twitched as he began to run in the direction he had heard the man scream.

"Lookie here its another villager." Naruto pulled out his two long swords as they attacked.

"Naruto!" Jiraiya ran through the burning village, something was wrong. He was only a few minutes behind the blonde since he had tried to save Kashi and to no avail but now the whole village was inflamed and there were bodies everywhere.

"Naruto!" Jiraiya found the blonde panting with cuts and bruises over his body but nothing fatal.

"We need to find the children." Naruto hissed more as an order than anything causing Jiraiya to nod quickly.

"Where are the attackers?" The old man asked as they walked through the burning village.

"They retreated right before you saw me." Naruto was sweating like mad and he tried to listen over the fires for voices.

Mom!

Mommy!

Dad!

Naruto's ears twitched as he ran toward the direction of the voices, they were in the school, that had to be it!

"Naruto don't go in!" Jiraiya stopped the blonde from running into the burning building. "Don't throw your life away."

"I am not." Naruto growled as he ran into the flames, the heat was beyond unbearable but he had to get to them.

"HELP!" Naruto stopped as he passed a classroom.

"Yume?" He yelled into the room. "Anyone?"

"NARUTO! HELP!" Came Yume's voice as Naruto ran into the room and tried to find where they were.

"Keep yelling! I need to hear you!" Naruto shouted and the children began to scream.

"Good!" Naruto found a door handle and quickly cut if off opening the door immediately.

"Naruto!" Yume screamed as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Okay how many are here?" He asked the panicked girl.

"Five; Me, Daisuke, Anna, Daisuke's little sister and Kayo." Yume answered quickly as the place began to get hotter.

"Okay hand me the baby." Naruto quickly put the baby in his robe fastening it so it would hold her in. "Okay Anna, Yume and Daisuke you are going to have to run with me since you are bigger and Kayo I need you to old on to my back can you do that?"

Naruto waited for the six year old to get a good hold around his neck.

"Okay now everyone follow me! We can get out of the window in the next room!" Naruto grabbed Anna's and Yume's hand. "Daisuke hold Yume's hand and don't anyone let go no matter how scared you are!"

He saved them.

The only seven people alive quietly walked through the burnt village. They needed to find help.

"Hey what is happening? Where are our parents? Why is the village destroyed?" Naruto flinched as he heard Anna ask her questions as she held onto Jiraiya's hand.

"Naruto where is my mom?" Naruto could feel Yume looking up at him with a confused expression.

"Your village was attacked Yume." He decided she deserved the truth. "Everyone is dead."

"........."

Naruto wanted to join the children as they cried. He wanted to hold them and tell them that it would all be okay. He wanted to say that they parents were alive and waiting for them at the other village.

But even Jiraiya couldn't lie to them.

His body was sore from the adrenaline rush for a few days but they finally reached the village that Hao had made a recent treaty with.

They were accepted immediately and taken to the hospitals and soon Naruto and Jiraiya informed the leader about the occurrence.

Only to find out that it was rogue nin that were floating down the river.

He promised to give the children good homes and happy lives. Even Daisuke and his little sister could stay together.

"Yume how did you like those people you met today?" Naruto asked as he brushed the girl's hair that was in his lap.

"They said that they were going to adopt me but I don't know if my mom would like that too much. But they seem nice so I think she will just tell me when I get to heaven." She sighed deeply.

"I bet they would be happy." Naruto added making the girl smile but he never knew.

"At least they get to see Hoshi, ne?" She leaned against the blonde boy making it hard for his to brush her hair but he didn't complain and she fell asleep.

######

"Are you going to stay with us?" Yume asked as she held Naruto's hand inside of her new home.

"No you were the one adopted silly." He chuckled softly and gave her hand a small squeeze. "But I will watch over you until it is my time to go home."

"Thank you." Yume gave Naruto a large hug as she tried to hide her tears.

So they stayed there for a good three months knowing they had already been gone for eleven months. Almost a year and Naruto could walk around and had become familiar with the while area. No one could tell he was blind anymore as he used his senses and memory to take him around the town.

And he would train. He would train at night in a field at the outskirts of the town. He was getting better at sparring with Jiraiya, which was a great improvement in the old man's eyes.

That was when it happened.

The village was attacked by the same nins from the village before. They had floated this far down the river.

Naruto heard the explosion and he heard the screams. He remembered running into the village and none of the houses sounded like were burning yet. Then he fought.

He fought the hardest he could. He killed many and was wounded several times. The whole time he searched for Yume.

"NARUTO!!!!"

He remembered finding her scent. He remembered hearing her scream. The agonizing scream that would haunt his mind for years.

He remembered letting go. He remembered letting the fox take over.

He remembered seeing her bright green eyes and her black hair and he remembered her smile. She was still smiling at him as she died. As she saw the demon come out of him.

She smiled.

He didn't remember anything after that.

He woke up and was surrounded by colors. In time he learned that they were people's chakra. Every living creature on earth has chakra but only a few train to develop it.

He trained his hardest. That was all he did. Even during the funeral he didn't go to. Instead he trained.

Jiraiya took him to the grave later before they left.

He trained to use his new sight. He developed new techniques to work around and he grew strong.

He remembers dieing once. But when he woke up there was just Jiraiya there saying something about him almost killing a large crowd of people.

That was when he learned that he couldn't handle crowds.

He learned that in one moment everything you work hard to use could back fire against you in a moment.

So he trained.

He needed to become stronger. He had to become stronger.

So that next time he had to defend someone precious he would be able to save them.

The day he found out he was returning he couldn't have been happier. He was still training because nothing was perfect yet.

But now he could train at home.

He could fight and spar with his friends.

And they wouldn't know. They would never find out about it. About her.

And he could do his best never to let them down and protect them at all costs.

It was his goal.

His life.

But most of all her wish.

"I want to be able to protect everyone important to me."

######

WOW! Is all I have to say! I mean dang! This is a freaking long chapter! Like 33 pages lol! Haha and it didn't take me long to write at all! Like an hour! I was in the grove! (does the K-chan happy dance)

Well I might have just ruined the whole mood of the chappie lol but I hope you guys enjoyed it and don't forget to review!

Has anyone here ever heard of GAIA online? Its like an anime rpg! I have been hooked since summer began! If anyone joins and they want a friend my name there is ryokosetsuna11 lol! Pm me and tell me who you are lol! It is a really cool site! Tho I am arguing with someone now -- cant a girl ever have her peace? This dude it like really biased and sexist so he just peevs me off! Haha but other than that I am like a sex slave (not really its just my title) to like eight guilds! Lol hahahaha!

Can you tell I am running out of quotes? Did anyone read this one? lol

Well on with the replies!

REPLIES TO REVIEWS

Ria Sakazaki: bitin? Did I bite you? Lol I have no idea what you mean but thanx for the review! ;;

Mystic-Hoshi: lol well I think that this chapter is def going to be the longest tho I had to stop myself from continuing to type! But I was getting so into it! Then my sister said I was just dragging it so I ended it ;; lol

Aimi-chan: don't fix yourself! Evil is awesome! Like the great (mumbles name) says 'knowledge is power and power is corrupt so be smart and be evil!' haha Hope that I haven't made anyone cry yet some ppl say I am surprisingly good at angst but I am a really happy person! I swear! Lol

Muchacha: AGH! I did make someone...almost...cry! Lol ofcourse Naruto cant become totally useless....(evil grin) hahahahhahah

Inu-chan 613: Lol thank you! Sry I didn't continue the fight but you will see in the next chappie!

Chibified kitsunes: I think I managed to get this in one super long chappie! Haha!

Lynn Lee: lol well this story doesn't really become SasuNaru...until...(mumbles).....very soon.....anyway I haven't really decided on how to go about it! So it is making some chapters extremely hard for me to write! (cries) but all is well! Haha ttly!

Kyandisu: wow ....that is amazing...well I hope you keep that good eye sight! I hope you liked this extra extra long chappie!

Someone: Lol we are all going to learn very soon about Naruto's chakra and his sight (insert evil laugh) well I hope so.....i never really know anymore lol! Well thanks for reviewing!

Ramen No Tenshi: I hate sakura too....lol sorry for the confusion! (bows politely at Naru the bear) forgive me? (puppy eyes that could rival Tenshi's )

The La/=/er: Your reviews get longer and longer! Lol! I will def read yours and seito's ficcs when I can lol! Believe me I love your stories!

/And then the day came. He came back. But no one knew. No one realized. Not even me./

And what is with that? Huh? GAWD!!! You better be writing that story write now! I want to know what happens or happened! (Wails with tears in her eyes) SASUKE MISSES NARUTO DANG It!!!! (polite bow after regaining what was left of her composure) Sorry I get a little emotional...(sniffle) Jiraiya- san.......(sniffle)

Thank you! Btw I think you are one of the first ppl to get that! I mean everyone that emailed their review was like 'it's a kiss right?" but they don't even have that type of relationship...yet (wink) well...yeah...and the whole POV thing...I really suck at -- like this whole chapter was supposed to be in Yume's POV but I couldn't do it! I hope I didn't confuse you too much! And with the new Naruto experience....i was actually trying to confuse ppl lol it's a goal I know but I wanted ppl to feel how Naruto felt which was confused...haha

Succinct? WTC? Lol I have to go get my dictionary now! Lol I am glad you like the interaction I really try to get into the minds...which btw on your Orochimaru fic! That was plain creepy how well you did him! (coughs back to the reply lol) HAHA I tease poor Iruka-kun too much! (huggles plushie) your are my fav character honest! Lol (sweat drop) so it is a forbidden jutsu....(pats you on back) lets keep that btwn us ne? lol

Thanks for the honest comment lol! Though my sis was like she said your writing is getting better? Woah you must have really sucked to begin with! (cries) she is so heartless! Lol Have a great chapter? Oops! That was supposed to be have a great summer lol! Agh! I need to change that haha! Thnx!

Sally: lol well you will see in the next chappie who won haha!

Kyuubi-chan: lol I am really hoping the Neji joke thing wasn't too out of character! Lol

ITSAME: thank you! I hope you continue to read this story!

Siobhn01: LOL Jiraiya is like a little kid sometimes ne?

Ookima: LOL I promise not to abandon this fic! (hand over bible) or so help me God! Lol though I am having a lot of trouble writing my other ficcie -- ;; (sighs) lol

ErikKoekkoek: ooooo! I really need to catch up on your story! (sigh) stupid comp....maybe I should just go to the library for like three hours and catch up on my fic reading lol and yes the big furious cat would be better? (walks away slowly)

Oruchuban Ebichu: YAY! I am glad you reviewed! Haha and thanks for all of the complimeants (blushes shyly) your too kind! No really! .. hahah! You should probably stop before it goes to my head...too late! WEEEEEE!!!! lol jk jk ja ne!

AND I HOPE THAT EVERYONE IS HAVING A GREAT WEEKEND! LOL AND HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!.....er....fifth? haha