Naruto Uzumaki panted heavily as his eyes darted wildly back and forth. He didn't hear any noise from above the ditch he had just fallen into, meaning that the mob that had just chased him most likely already left.
He hated his life. He had no idea why the villagers hated him and regarded him with so much contempt, when all he wanted was for someone to just look at him.
There was nothing harmful about that, right?
Apparently so, as the villagers thought that every single aspect about Naruto was harmful. The reason he had been chased by another mob this time, was because he had been eyeing a loaf of bread left on a plate in front of a shop. The shop-keep was suspicious, and when Naruto took a mere step forward to ask for some of the bread, the man's eyes widened and shouted, "Thief!"
This led to a series of events which inevitably led to him falling into an incredibly deep ditch. He was pretty sure he sported a few bruises over his body. Naruto sighed and put his head back, feeling the cool rock behind his sweaty head. He really didn't understand why everybody hated him. Even at the academy, there were very few kids who would talk to him. And if they did talk to him, they seemed unsure of themselves; quiet, timid, almost like they were forcing themselves to talk to him.
Naruto's birthday was coming up in exactly ten days, as he had eagerly awaited the day he would turn twelve years old. Eagerly awaiting the day where he would spend his birthday alone. Again.
He sighed once more and looked up out of the ditch, trying to push all those morbid thoughts from his head. The sky had turned a light black, stars littering the night sky, filling Naruto with a sense of surprise. Then the ever-welcoming feeling of loneliness surrounded itself around Naruto once more. He felt he should probably try to find a way out of the ditch, though at the same time, he felt way too tired to look.
Maybe he should try to sleep here...? Naruto pondered that for a moment. It wasn't like anyone would miss him, and besides, there weren't any classes at the academy the next day, so he wouldn't be late for anything. Not that he cared, missing classes seemed to be the only way people would at least give him looks of something besides hatred. Annoyance and eye rolls were, in his childish opinion, leagues better than the burning hatred in people's eyes.
Naruto threw the thought back in forth in his head for a while before sighing and trying to find a comfortable position on the floor. He would try to get out the deep hole tomorrow, but for now, he just wanted to sleep.
Naruto awoke to loud rustling sounds and...shouting? He sat up and rubbed his bleary and tired eyes, looking around rapidly. The shouting, he heard, was from a little bit away from the ditch he was in. He held his breath as he inched closer to the edge of the hole, listening carefully to the shouts.
"Where did he go?!"
"This way!"
"That damn brat..."
Naruto shuddered slightly as he recognized that last voice as the same shop-keep from earlier, the one who had led a hoard of villagers to chase him down a deep, dirty hole. Was he trying to track down Naruto again? He didn't do anything! Panic rose in his chest as he scrambled to his feet and began clawing the walls of the ditch to find any foot-holes.
'Come on, come on...'
The shouting grew closer and closer with each passing second. Naruto could feel his heart almost jumping out of his chest. He stopped clawing and backed up a few feet from the wall, putting his feet into a charging position. He took a deep breath and ran towards the wall with every ounce of energy he had, and jumped onto the wall, digging his nails into the dirt and hoping that he wouldn't fall.
It didn't work. The second his fingers gripped onto a rock lodged into the side of the ditch, the rock came loose and Naruto went tumbling down, earning more bruises as he went. He groaned at the bottom of the hole and looked up, the walls of the ditch towering above him.
"Come back here, you little brat!"
Naruto shuddered as he heard the shop-keep's voice ring in his ears. It took a few seconds for him to fully comprehend the meaning of that sentence. 'Wait...he's not...after me...?' Naruto took a deep breath in and took a deep breath out. He felt relief wash over him. 'I wonder who he's shouting at though...'
There was no way that the shop-keep could be asking for Naruto to "come back" when he was down in this ditch. Most likely, he and some other villagers were chasing down an actual thief, not one they just claimed to be a thief. The shouting grew closer, as Naruto backed away from the walls of the ditch a little nervously. Though the villagers wouldn't be able to hurt him down in this ditch, the thief that they were chasing might fall into the hole and hurt him.
His thoughts were violently cut off by a fit of furious shouting.
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING LITTLE?! YOU FAT, GIGANTIC, ROTUND, BROBDINGNAGIAN, GIANT ASSHOLE!"
Naruto blinked rapidly in confusion. 'Brobding-a wha-?' He tried to place the childish sounding voice, but couldn't. He wondered who that was...suddenly, his confused line of thought was cut off once more as the bushes nearby rustled, and the voices were more clear than before...Naruto readied his fists as defense when he realized the villagers and the potential thief were here.
A small-incredibly small-figure startlingly stumbled out of the bushes near the edge of the ditch, and at the last second, his ankle bent in an awkward angle, emitting a cry of pain from the small figure and causing him to tumble down the ditch, a brown bag flying in the air and eventually falling onto the ground next to Naruto's feet.
Naruto backed up a few inches, still blinking owlishly. What the hell was going on?
The figure was wrapped in a brown cloak, preventing Naruto from seeing his features, and was wearing white gloves. He was also wearing boots for some reason, which was weird considering the weather in Konoha, and the fact that everybody wore sandals. The figure groaned and tried to sit up, clutching his head with one hand and letting out a stream of curses.
"Bet you thought you would escape, didn't you, you brat?" A low growl heard from the top of the ditch caught Naruto's attention. The large shop-keep from earlier stood towering over the ditch, looking menacing with the group of villagers standing behind him. Naruto's eyes went wide at the sight of the long, wooden stick in the man's hand; more specifically, the spots of blood on the end of it. Had he hit the thief? On the head? Yes, stealing was bad, but the thief had to have been a child. He was smaller than even Naruto! There was no way he was any older.
The figure that was on his hands and knees a few feet away from Naruto continued cursing before looking up, the hood falling down his head and revealing long, golden-blond hair, flowing freely behind his shoulders, and fiery golden eyes, which seemed to pierce through the shop-keep's soul, if the man's flinch was anything to go by. "You. Sir. Are an asshole."
Naruto decided he liked this mysterious golden-eyed child.
The shop-keep narrowed his eyes. "Is that so?" He challenged. "You stole from me, you brat. My store. My things. I would like them back, if you would be so kind." Though his words were somewhat polite, his tone and actions were anything but, as he flashed the wooden pole menacingly and sneered.
It was then Naruto noticed the splotch of red growing as he r on the child's head. He felt alarm fill his insides as he realized that the shop-keep had, in fact, hit the child.
The child scoffed and smirked at the shop-keep. "What are you going to do if I don't, huh? Throw that thing at me?" The child taunted. "You can't really do much from up there to hurt me, you know. And just so we're clear, you seriously got an entire mob of people to come after me just because I stole a couple things that are worth like barely anything?"
The man bristled. "Stealing is still stealing."
Naruto couldn't help the bitter thought of, 'But I was just looking earlier...not stealing...' before the child sighed with exasperation and threw his arms up, revealing black pants and a black jacket underneath the brown cloak. Naruto wondered how he wasn't hot with so many clothes.
"Well, I'm sorry, sir. Would you like me to clean your shop in exchange?"
"I would like for you to give me back my stuff." The man countered.
The child blinked boredly as he sighed with annoyance. "You're starting to piss me off."
Naruto stood completely still, wondering incredulously how nobody noticed him yet. He was standing only a few feet away from the golden eyed boy after all, someone had to have noticed. He looked down at the brown bag at his feet and looked back at the furious shop-keep, the confused villagers, and the annoyed child. Maybe he should speak up and give the bag to the shop-keep. It most likely held any items the child had stolen from the shop, and though Naruto didn't like the man, the child had still stolen from him, which was wrong. Who knows, maybe they might even be grateful to Naruto for de-escalating the situation.
He felt his mouth tug upwards in a smile as he reached down and grabbed the bag. He took a deep breath and was about to speak when he was cut off by a woman, who was standing alongside the shop-keep.
"Isn't that your stolen goods, right over there? That other, treacherous brat is holding it." Naruto flinched as the eyes of the villagers turned towards him, each filling with a certain degree of hate. Even the child turned around to look at him with eyes of...bewilderment? The child looked more shocked than angry or hateful. This threw Naruto back a little bit, causing him to not notice the outraged cries from the villagers, the loudest coming from the shop-keep.
He grimaced as he tried to block out the noises. Why were the other villagers even here? The golden-eyed child had only stolen from one person, so was it really necessary for them to go after the child as well? At this point he felt as if they were only here to patronize and belittle him. He continued holding the brown bag tightly in his hand, feeling like an idiot as he just stood there, taking all the insults the villagers threw at him.
"You wretch!"
"Devil child!"
"Little freak!"
"Die!"
The whole time the villagers were throwing insults at Naruto, the thief from before just stood there, looking bewildered and slightly lost. If that wasn't strange enough, what happened next was enough to make Naruto drop the bag in surprise.
The child turned around, eyes full of fury, and shouted at the villagers from the top of his lungs. "HEY! What kind of assholes are you, huh? Picking on a kid like this!"
Naruto wasn't sure what was more strange to him. The fact that the child called Naruto a kid, when he looked younger than he did? Or the fact that the child had defended him? He was pretty sure it was the latter.
The villagers went silent for a brief moment, before bursting out with laughter.
"You don't know what you're talking about, you little brat." The shop-keep seethed at the child, who in question, ground his teeth in annoyance. "That little piece of worthlessness right there deserves this. In fact, he even deserves to be stuck in this ditch."
Naruto clenched his fists together. Why were people always saying that he deserved this treatment? Just once he wanted someone to look at him like he was an equal. Like he was a friend. And...he thought with a more melancholy longing, 'I wish somebody would look at me like I'm a part of their family.'
Stuck in his own thoughts, Naruto didn't realize the child had continued to defend him, his voice reaching new levels of irritation and annoyance. "Listen. I don't know what he did to make you hate him, and frankly, I don't care. You know why? Because no matter what kids do, adults are supposed to help guide and forgive them. Taunting and leaving them along in ditches aren't exactly the best behavior for a good person or adult." The child flashed a cold glare at each of the villagers, causing a few to shudder nervously and be taken aback.
"Which is why, you should probably leave. If you aren't going to help us out of this ditch, then leave. You people are jerks. And for the record," He flashed a cocky grin at the shop-keep, speaking in a condescending tone. "I'm not giving you your stuff back. The only way you'll get it back is if you call the authorities or use force. But trust me when I say your pathetic little wooden pole isn't going to do much. Not to mention that I would repay you," He pointed at the red splotch on his head as his eyes took on an evil glint. "For this."
It was at this point Naruto raised his head and stared at the child's back in wonder. Did...did he seriously just tell off every single one of the villagers? He...he didn't hate him? Was he not from Konoha? Naruto pushed all these thoughts in the back of his mind as he still stared wondrously at the small figure's back, thinking the most important question of all. 'Who is he, anyway?'
The villagers gave a few uneasy looks before backing away slowly. The shop-keep looked most reluctant, then his wavering eyes hardened as he hissed at the golden-eyed child. "This isn't over. I'll make sure you pay for this."
With that friendly note, the man walked away fuming, the villagers following behind him awkwardly. Naruto held his breath, as he and the golden-eyed child stood completely still, waiting until the voices couldn't be heard anymore, and then...silence.
A sigh of relief was heard, and Naruto placed the sound belonging to the child a few feet away from him, who turned to face him with a nonchalant expression. "So, how the hell did you end up in this stupid ditch? And could you give me back my bag?"
Naruto blinked owlishly for what he was sure was the third or fourth time that day. "Who...are you?"
The child looked at him suspiciously before sighing. "Sorry, but I'd rather not say. And seriously, my bag?"
Naruto glared with frustration before reaching down and grabbing the brown bag. He held it in his hands as he stared at the boy in front of him, who was tapping his foot impatiently. "This thing?"
The golden-eyed boy raised an eyebrow, then winced, almost as if that act had hurt him. Though, considering the head injury the boy sported...Naruto had no doubt he also had a splitting headache. "Yes, that thing. Now, please..." The boy stretched his hand out to grab the bag, then groaned, as Naruto had held it out of the boy's reach.
"Not until you answer some of my questions first." Naruto put his foot down stubbornly, eyeing the child as he swayed slightly on his feet before sending a glare towards Naruto.
Naruto winced. Yup. There was that glare. Though, he couldn't help but find it strange how the glare wasn't filled with hatred like most people had. He licked his lips in anticipation before demanding once more. "Who are you?"
The boy looked at him miserably. "...you're not giving me my bag back unless I answer your stupid questions, huh?"
"Yup." Naruto grinned cheekily, feeling triumph overcome him.
The boy seemed to consider this for a moment before proposing a counter-offer. "How about you give me my bag...and I'll get us out of here."
Naruto paused. That did seem like a good deal, but the boy still stole from somebody, and that would mean Naruto had let a thief go. "You stole from somebody." Naruto accused randomly, his thoughts making their way out his mouth before he could stop them.
"Yeah, I did. So what?"
Naruto narrowed his eyes at the boy. "Well, that's not good. I'd have to give this bag back to that man."
The golden-eyed boy's jaw dropped before he pointed a finger at Naruto in exasperation. "But he and those other people literally mouthed you off! Are you seriously just going to give it back to...him...?" The boy trailed off and stared into the distance, confusing Naruto for a brief moment before the boy sighed. "Well...it's good that you're noble enough to even want to help those who treat you bad, but..." He sent another pleading look towards Naruto. "I need that bag back."
Naruto held it higher, away from the boy's reach. "Can't do that, sorry."
"Oh, come on!" The boy threw his arms up in exasperation. "Most of that stuff isn't even his! Not to mention, it's cheap, easily replaceable, and he had tons of it back in his shop. He wouldn't miss it!"
Naruto considered his argument for a moment. If he didn't really harm anyone by taking a few small items...then that was okay, right? He hesitated for a brief moment before bringing the bag down from over his head and reluctantly handing it over to the child, his suspicious look unwavering. "If you say so..."
The child's face broke out in a grin. "Well, thanks a lot. So...I'm guessing you want me to get you out of here?"
Naruto gave him a confused look. "Well, yeah. You did say that if I gave you the bag, you would get us out of here..." He trailed off for a moment before suddenly asking. "Hey, how are you planning on getting us out of here in the first place?"
At the mischievous look plastered on the child's face, Naruto returned it and jokingly asked, "And do I really want to know?"
The child shrugged. "Well, it's more like if you want to see something cool." He paused before looking at Naruto, a mysterious glint in his eyes. "Do you?"
Naruto blinked before grinning. "Sure!"
The child stepped in front of Naruto and clapped his hands together, causing a strange ringing sound to carry throughout the area. Naruto inhaled sharply as he felt a slight tingling sensation. What was going on? What was the child doing?
The golden eyed boy dropped to the ground and slapped his hands against the dirt floor. Red light sparked and filled Naruto's line of vision, blinding him momentarily. Then, as quick as it came, the light vanished and Naruto blinked repeatedly in order to make sure that what he was seeing in the light's place was real.
Leading up to the top of the ditch was a set of stairs, looking as if it had been made with the surrounding dirt. Naruto continued staring, blinking numbly at the strange creation. He then turned to the child, who slipped the bag over his shoulder and examined the stairs with a proud smirk. "What..." The child blinked and stared at Naruto, who was gaping like a fish. "Was...that?!"
"Oh, that..." The child muttered unhappily. "Didn't I tell you to not ask any questions? Anyway, you have a way out, so go on to where-ever you live or have to go. It's pretty late," Here, the child pointed at the dark night sky and continued on. "So, you should probably get some rest."
"Was that a Jutsu?" Naruto continued pestering the child, much to his annoyance. "How did you do that?"
An exasperated sigh was heard before Naruto was pushed towards the stairs. "Go." He heard the commanding voice of the smaller boy. "Come on."
When Naruto made no move to walk up the stairs, the child glared. "Fine! Stay here! Just know that I'm going to get rid of the staircase as soon as I reach the top!"
The child stomped up the staircase, and a few seconds before he reached the top, the meaning of his words fully registered to Naruto's brain, and in a panic, he ran up the stairs and followed him.