Chapter Twelve: The Scroll

To bad Christmas only comes once a year. That's what Naruto now thought as he looked at the book Arashi had given him. It was packed with all different types of Jutsu and attacking styles he'd never seen, and even some short cuts for doing some techniques. While Naruto had given the Hokage some of the disturbing books Kakashi likes, and new cape thingy. All and all the older mans face was happy the whole day, he wore it around for most of the week till it needed a wash, then he put on his other one. He remembered the Hokage looking at his closet carefully and inspecting it for quite a long time, that when Naruto noticed him picking between his white and red cape, or his navy blue and white one. Naruto mentally laughed as he walked down the road. It was now January 5th. And he was bored. His home would be fixed up by the end of the week, which meant he had to leave the Hokage's but he had to admit he didn't hate it there at all like he thought it would. Sure he had done missions before that lasted sometimes a month, so he'd always be around people. But that was usually forced…but now, he was just happy because he knew the retired Hokage just wanted him around for his company. Then he started to wonder what the fourth would do after he was gone.

Naruto then turned his gaze to the ever cloud full sky, he noticed a few messenger birds fly every which way. That didn't seem to bother him, but when a snowy white owl landed in front of him he looked at it oddly. He kept his hands behind his head as he looked down at it. He gave the quite large bird a questioning look before it turned around to show a small container that was used for letters. He ever so slow looked at it before he picked out the letter and looked at the scroll. It had Uzumaki Naruto written on it in gold writing. Naruto wasn't all that sure to open it, but being him not taking it to the Hokage he opened it. Then from out of the blue a Kunai came thrusting out of it, causing Naruto just to barley miss it, it just grazed the side of his cheek. He looked behind him to notice it landed in the side of a run down looking building. In which he called home. Naruto then looked down at the scroll not sure it to read it or not. But on his worse judgment he read it.

Dear: Uzumaki Naruto

It has been a while has it not? Since we last met, those two years ago. I knew you would be dumb enough to open this letter in a secluded area, because if anyone had heard your little yell when my Kunai flew at you would have taken this to the Hokage her self. And I know for a fact the old bag doesn't have this because the blood drawn from that attack only activated this. So did you like the little bang I sent you? 'little bang…what are you talking….oh shi' thought Naruto as he looked at the Kunai and in slow motion watch it blow up causing him to jump away into the trees.

I am probably thinking that you didn't like my fun? Well I don't really care, I just wish I could be there to see the look on your face….wait no actually I wouldn't, I wouldn't step near that pathetic village of yours. Well, once I could have said ours. But now I don't think of that pit whole in the leafs is any type of home. 'who the hell is this' thought Naruto.

You are most likely thinking who is this right? And if not…you're as slow as you ever where. Now do you have any idea who I am? ….no? Now Naruto don't think I am writing to you because I miss you or anything. The only reason I am righting to you is because Orochimaru told me I had to. I am quite amazed you haven't been looking for me for the past year. Not to say I wasn't disappointed, but it would have been 'fun' to say to watch you screw up, and your little dreams get crushed. Anyways Naruto, Orochimaru, seemed to have lost a certain…how shall we say it. 'test subject' and it seems he has turned up in Konoha. And he seems to want him back, and we know that you are the only one to lead him to us. But I knew you wouldn't let your perfect Hokage, so the Sannin would like to strike a deal with you. Bring the Hokage to boarder of Earth and Fire country, and I will go back to Konoha. You have exactly one week to think about this Naruto. And you might as well show the Hokage, doesn't really matter which one. But I wonder what Sakura would say if you told her what this said? Now Naruto just keep that in your mind.

Uchiha Sasuke

Naruto looked over what the scroll said a few dozen times. What did he mean by 'wonder what Sakura would say?' thought Naruto as he suddenly noticed the white owl seemingly to be gone. 'Why would Sasuke send me this…I can't go…can I? I can't just leave Konoha…it seems to be a trap. Any fool can tell that but…would Sasuke really come back…and what would happen to the fourth. I can't just drag him out there for no reason. And even if I do show him this. He would probably say no…but why would the snake Sannin want him anyways? It just doesn't make sense……unless. No he wouldn't….no that's not possible…but….he would, I wouldn't put it past the psycho.' thought Naruto to him self as he found himself sitting down to the Ramen stand. 'How is that I always seem to end up here when ever I am troubled or…happy…I think this Ramen has some sort of affect on me…' thought Naruto as a huge bowl was set in front of him. But the odd thing was he didn't even make a move for it for about five minutes. That's when the cook's daughter took notice.

"Naruto? Is there something wrong with the dish? I could make another if you like?" Said Ayame as she looked down at the blonde boy.

"Hmm, oh….no that's alright thanks" Smiled Naruto as he placed the scroll on the table and picked up some chop sticks and began to eat. Both the cooks looked at him weird, the usually happy bright boy, was all sad and gloomy. The hadn't seen him this way since Sasuke Uchiha left. And even then he was never this depressed. People passed by, un-knowing the sadness, until a certain pink haired girl noticed Naruto eating rather slowly. She was only going in to give a short hello, but then got side tracked upon looking at the boys face.

"Naruto? This isn't like you? Why do you look so gloomy?" Asked Sakura as she gazed at her old team mate.

"Oh! Sakura it's you?" Said Naruto as he tried to grab the scroll but Sakura got it before him.

"What's this?"

"Nothing!" Said Naruto as he tried to grab it away from her.

"Doesn't look like nothing to me….." Said Sakura as she was about to open it when he successfully got it, dropping money on the table and jumping back about 5 feet.

"….what are you hiding Naruto?"

"…"

"Is it news on Sasuke?"

"…"

"NARUTO! YOU SHOULDN"T KEEP SECRETS FROM YOUR TEAM MATES" Laughed Arashi as he clamped a hand on the boys shoulder causing him to flinch and look at him. Naruto's eyes widened at the site of the tall blonde but then he quickly used body flicker to hide himself away.

"…..What's got into Naruto today?" Said Sakura as she watched an orange blur disappear.

"Sakura, when did you notice Naruto to start acting weird?"

"When I wondered about that strange scroll"

"…ummm, Lord Hokage?" Said Ayame as she looked at the Hokage and slowly walked towards him.

"Yes, what is it."

"I do not mean to ease drop, but I couldn't help but over hear it….you see Naruto came by looking rather gloomy, his cheek was bleeding….from what looked like a Kunai…or some sharp object…and he smelled of…gun powder to me"

"…gun….powder…..exploiting tags sometimes….scroll…Kunai….part of town…."

"Lord Hokage do you know something?" Asked Sakura as she looked at the blonde.

"I may Sakura…Just, leave Naruto to me, and go help the other ninjas clean up on the east part of town"

"…clean up? What exactly happened?"

"I am about to find out" Said Arashi as he quickly dashed away, already figuring where Naruto had gone.

"Why am I never to know ANYTHING!" Yelled Sakura as she stormed off towards the eats part of town to see half a building blown up.

"…..Lord Hokage…you owe me" Muttered Sakura as she started to help the other ninjas.

"Where did that boy get to?" Muttered Arashi as he starched the back of his head looking for the pain in the ass blonde. He had been searching now for over an hour, and it really was starting to tick him off. He wasn't having much fun with this. As he looked around more, he noticed the blonde sitting in the training grounds where they all basically used to train. The Hokage walked towards the boy who seemed in utter confusion and perfectly lost.

"Oi, Naruto…what has gotten into you?…eh? What's this?" Asked the Hokage as Naruto just plainly held the scroll out to the Hokage. He slowly took it but didn't open just waiting for Naruto to speak.

"….I did a lot of thinking this passed hour. And this was the best I could come up with. This was the only thing that popped into my mind. I knew you may understand a little of why I am confused…but I can't say that I don't trust Sakura…but when it comes to him her mind seems to go totally blank, and what ever we can do to get him back she will try and do it…but I was hoping you would follow me instead of her. I know I should give this to the fifth…but your really the only one I am able to trust at this moment. Because what lay in that scroll also deals with you" Said Naruto as he slowly turned his gaze to the Hokage.

"To me?"

"Please, just go ahead and read it"

"I…alright Naruto" Said Arashi as he quickly unrolled the scroll and began to read threw it carefully and quickly. Once that task was done he looked at Naruto with a shocked face.

"Naruto tell me how you got this"

"A white owl"

"an owl?"

"Yeah, I was watching some of the birds fly by, and that one stopped in front of me, first I thought it was dumb and got lost but then I took the scroll thinking it was addressed to the Hokage herself. But my name was written across it."

"I see…"

"And…I know that I have been looking for Sasuke for so long, our time is soon up to retrieve him…because the Sannin takes over his body. But I think the only reason the Psycho brought you back was to take over your body, even though Sasuke has a blood line trait…your more special…because you can basically be un defeated…and while you weren't paying attention to me, I trained…and I learned that Jutsu you couldn't do"

"….what?…you mean the…"

"Yeah….."

"When did you get time to?"

"It was all a matter of 24 hours"

"Really…"

"Yeah…now what about.."

"yes…this we will have to deal with won't we?…this could prove quite difficult. In order to understand the Sannin which is impossible he would most likely have three people with him. Then we would have to have at least four…You, Sakura, The old pervert. And I."

"But you can't just"

"…come now Naruto…trust me nothing will happen ok?"

"….your positive?"

"Have I lied yet?"

"No?"

"Then lets go, we will have to bring this to the Hokage, and you are to come with me…I still can't get over the fact that I can still say Hokage and not refer to myself…weird…Well…come on Naruto"

"Right.." Said still a glooming child.

"Don't make me force you into black again."

"FINE! IM COMING!" Yelled Naruto as he ran to catch up to the blonde who was laughing.

"You're a good kid Naruto"

Canadain-Girl