Disclaimer: I hereby decree that none of the Naruto series characters are mine and denounce any claim I have upon them, nor will I ever have claim on them. The story line however is my own and would like to denounce anyone who claims otherwise or chooses to claim as their own. (Haha I sounded smart :p)

Summary: L.E.A.F. and S.A.N.D. academy rivalries take place in a middle of nowhere city district, mostly considered a slum that no one cares to restrict order. Here the gangs rule no matter how young or old, if you can hold your own here you can hold your own anywhere. Eventually maybe SasuNaruSasu but maybe not… we'll see how it goes.

Yay! Alo everyone! I wrote the second chapter yay… not really… at this point that I wrote this I didn't actually write the chapter yet. I just didn't want to go back and write this later so I wrote it before the chapter. I'll give you a thought because at this very second, we are both thinking what this chapter is about so…. Yeah... we ARE on the same wave length… go figure…

Finding Where I Belong

The Lost Prince without Hope

Tatata Tat Tatata Tat Tatata Tat Tatata Tat Tatatata Tatata Tat

The sounds of many instruments were being mixed on a complex studio with a single teen in the middle. Large windows adorned the side of this room letting a bright glow of light that had a view of a garden right outside. But he wasn't concentrating on that. With the large headphones on his ears, he could hear nothing but the pure sounds of each instrument. He himself blended and contrasted with his surroundings. Adorned in black from head to toe yet it suited him. His bright blonde hair shining ethereally in the light. He was concentrating so hard, he had his eyes closed to the world to help cut off his senses.

Living a life of luxury yet isolated from everything. He lives on the rich side of town. He's never bothered. He has no family. He has no purpose that he can see, except to live this meaningless existence until the day he dies. He was tutored by only one person on all subjects. His teacher was the only one who saw him. His teacher said he needed to learn, so he could survive in the outside world. But to survive the outside world implied that he would one day have to actually go there. Go to the outside world? Why would he ever do that? It's such a terrible place. He remembers that much, enough to choose not to go back out there. Besides, he's rich now, he has no reason to. He wasn't weak. But he just didn't see the point in trying something so terrible that could be avoided altogether.

He's rich. I already said that. But he wasn't always rich. His father built this fortune with his wife for many years. They say he was the wisest, strongest, bravest and noblest person who ever lived. They called him the Hokage. The leader of the L.E.A.F. organization. Some may call him a mobster or a gangster but he was great and everyone loved him because he was generous and charitable. Willing to help everybody was how he was always described. You could imagine the happiness the Hokage harbored when he found out he was going to become a father. He made everything accommodating for his unborn child's arrival. Placing everything going to his wife and child. The Hokage feared that people would harm him because of the greed for power so he made many friends to make sure that if he was taken out, that his family would be safe. Everything was working out because it had been eight and a half months and the baby could have been due at anytime. The couple was so excited.

When the day came, the wife was transported very securely to a hospital the Hokage himself designated for his wife. However, births can never be perfect and predicted every time. Complications occurred and they needed to be transported to another hospital far out of his district. He picked out some of his choice companions who he trusted with his life and took them with him on his perilous journey. All the L.E.A.F.'s actually needed was the equipment that was located there and but the Hokage was not willing to take a chance on losing his wife or child by making them wait, so they all went to the hospital together to get the equipment. The people who were to deliver the child were his trusted friends so he wouldn't have to worry about crocked doctors. The word spread faster than wildfire that the Hokage was going to be vulnerable. Drastic measures were taken in the blink of an eye for all had expected on raiding somewhere soon, but no one anticipated that this opportunity would reveal itself so ready to be executed. Assassins were set in place immediately, expecting the arrival of the mother and child, but most importantly, the Hokage.

By the time of delivery there was an all out blood bath to take the life of the Hokage and his family. The hallways of the hospital were riddled with corpses and people screaming in agony. All to protect a delivery room of the Hokage's family. But it took time. The birth couldn't be rushed so they had to wait, be vulnerable and wait. By the end of the delivery it had been fourteen hours and thirty-two minutes. The Hokage immediately placed an ancient family symbol onto the stomach of his newly born son to protect him. They were all exhausted. The time that it took up slowly wore them down, and their strength was waning. It had been easier transporting them there and protecting the room than it was transporting them back. The time it took had allowed enemy reinforcements to arrive and set up along their road of travel to home. There were raids on the car left and right, for they were not on their territory. And what was worse was that the Hokage's wife seemed to be loosing strength and was slipping away slowly but no one noticed this until it was too late. She died with her baby in her arms and a whisper of her husband's name. It started to rain; many claim it had to be the wife's heavenly tears watching the struggle of her son and husband. It started right after they told the Hokage that his wife was lost.

In the Hokage's grief and rage, he forgot that his mission was to protect his friends and surviving child. He left the car to fight off offenders feeling he had lost everything and went into a rage destroying everything in his path. His loyal companions however stayed to protect the still living child while some were dispatched to recover their master and restore him to his former state of mind. This task was not performed fast enough, for when the Hokage was gone, the car was raided more heavily. Soon it was to the point of one last stand to protect the child. It was subdued easily. Then one was left, Umino Iruka who was the youngest, he was but a child on his first assignment to assist his parents in this whole ordeal. All he could do was take the child and flee. He found a local traveler who was neutral. Iruka begged the man to take the child and hide him to keep him safe and the traveler would be richly rewarded. Then Iruka went back to assist in his Hokage's battle with the peace of mind that the child was in good hands. But he was caught and knocked out cold by local nins that mistook him for a mere child who would only get in the way. When the Hokage finally returned in his 'sounder' state of mind, he was only greeted with the information that everyone in the car was killed, his wife dead and his only son missing.

Iruka didn't wake up until a few days later in a local farmer's house. Freaking out he tried to track down his Hokage's whereabouts only to learn that he was dead and buried. The Hokage was so angered by all of the information days ago that he took some of the most trusted companions who pledged their life to him on a full out war against the S.A.N.D. organization that claimed to have slaughtered his son. The later news was that the Hokage took out a good percentage of the elite fighters, equal to the numbers that the L.E.A.F. lost, as well as the Kazekage himself. But after all of that, he kept fighting, then with his bleeding wounds when he tried to return home. The Hokage died on his doorstep with a picture of him and his wife with child clutched in his left hand. Everyone who went with him died as well. They had the ceremony the next day at dawn and buried him next to his wife and the recovered bodies of his fallen comrades. There was already a huge monument and a lay low truce between the warring clans to bury the dead.

With this grim news Iruka returned to the headquarters to report himself back and to show he wasn't among the deceased. In order to share his story with the council he was allowed to participate in a sacred gathering. All sorts of issues were discussed about the past slaughters of their comrades. Many relieves were felt knowing that they died honorable deaths. Then Iruka was confounded when he heard the squabble that was taking place on what would happen with the Hokage's fortune. The will only successors were named his wife and child. No one else. Not even the charities that are usually announced to receive just in case. Iruka was still overcome with grief when he presented himself in front of the entire counsel and was angered beyond belief. Even though he was but a child, he started scolding anyone who mentioned the fortune and what to do with it. That their Hokage was dead and to be shamed by what they speak now of was money. All were humbled and yet some were suspicious at Iruka's return, the only survivor of the team that left and one of the few that actually saw the child. But that was silenced quickly when Iruka reported that last he knew the child was safe with a local traveler. All were astounded and hope was reestablished by this good news and were quick to go search for this traveler only to get another devastating blow. The traveler was killed in a local mugging by bandits and all they obtained was bartered off. Yet they never heard of what happened to the child and it turned out that not many even knew this traveler at all so they couldn't tell you where the child might be. Iruka was overwhelmed and months passed as the search continued showing nothing. The squabble about the fortune came up again. Iruka stood firm however saying that no one will lay a finger on it, not even he. Many disagreed and said that he was too young to make such a decision.

"No one will lay a finger on this fortune," he yelled at the council of L.E.A.F. "I don't care who you are! Many died for the Hokage! Even my parents! The fortune was left by our Hokage to his family and NO ONE ELSE!" Banging the table shocking everyone at how forward he was. "We will continue the search for his son or even grandchildren if need be. Our revered Hokage at LEAST deserves that solace in his passing. Or you could search for a dead corpse at S.A.N.D. for the suspected death of the boy, I don't care! If none turn up and the fortune rots for all of eternity than so be it! For I will not hear it being used for any other purpose." And that was that, no one asked about the fortune ever again. Time passed and most completely forgot all about the money. Iruka lost both is parents on that one sad day so he was allowed to stay at the servant's quarter's at the Hokage's place while he provided his own food. He was ten years old.

Eight years passed without anything happening. Iruka got older and that was all that seemed to change. He had friends yes but no one that could seem to truly be his friend. Hatake Kakashi was one of his closest friends growing up because of both their lack of parents although Kakashi was advanced in grades because of his ingenuity. Iruka stayed good natured and time passed. That was all. The war continued but still nothing out of the normal squabble did anything happen until one rainy day. Iruka was walking from the grocery store with two brown bags back to the mansion grounds to return to his small home on the side when he saw this little figure standing and staring at the main entrance gate. The gate itself has the family spiral and script placed on it and was extremely large compared to the small child standing in front of it.

The features of the child were hidden because the light tan shirt he adorned had some sort of hood on it, like an oversized shirt thin hoodie but it was dirty and torn light brownish color. He wasn't wearing shoes and his feet were dirty with small cuts and bruising visible on the legs. Iruka didn't think much of it at first because beggars usually hang out in front hoping someone rich inside would take pity and give 'pocket change' or food. Walking up towards the child Iruka started because the little imp didn't seem to notice or even care that he was standing right there. Giving off an inner sigh.

"Hey… Excuse me. May I help you? Do you want something?" Iruka asked kindly tilting his head waiting for a response. Although for a split second he felt agitated because the rain was still pouring and he was getting soaked.

"That spiral… What does it mean?" an enigmatic fragile voice came floating through the air.

"…?..." Iruka blinked a few times. Well that was a new one. He never heard anyone simply ask about the symbolic Hokage's gate. What motive does this kid have, "It's a very old special symbol. I'm curious, why do you ask? Especially a small boy in the middle of a rainy day?"

"… because…"

A pause commenced that confused Iruka, as if this poor kid was battling with himself on whither he should tell a complete stranger or not. 'This is the oddest happening I've had in long time. Usually no one come this way anymore because of the isolation. But this boy is so little, could he just be hiding out or trying to steal something. Maybe he was sent here to spy. But no one has tried to spy on this place for quite a long time…' The boy spoke sooner than Iruka expected because he interrupted the teen's pondering thoughts.

"… because…" The small boy looked down. Then placed a hand on his stomach he continued, "It's just like mine."

'It's just like….' Iruka's eye's widened as he looked from the hand the boy placed on his stomach to the hood that hid the face of the kid. In a blink of an eye, the brown haired teen dropped his forgotten groceries and rushed over to the child's side, knees bent and head level with the small child. The shock of such quick movement sent the child to look towards the fast approaching person and ready to sprint away but reacted too slow. Iruka grabbed the child's scrawny arm and pulled the hood off. And all Iruka could do was stare in amazement.

Bright blonde spiky hair was revealed that could be accused of robbing the sun of its color. Eyes the color of the clear blue sky stared widened by the closeness of someone else yet seemed to reflect everything they saw. He was the exact picture of the Hokage that was lost eight years ago except that the boy had scares on his face. Six to be exact, three on each cheek, a few bruises, and a cut lip. He was scared like a mouse that was just cornered. Maybe it was from the hard life that he led that Iruka knew nothing about but… nonetheless…

'This is him. This is him… It has to be. No one in the whole world could have such uncanny features of the Hokage than the son himself. This is him. It has to be.' Tears started to well-up in Iruka's eyes as he beheld the one soul that he's been searching for all these years. He embraced the small frame praying to Kame that it wouldn't disappear into thin air. 'I'm not dreaming this time. This is truly the heir to the Hokage's fortune. He's finally returned.'

After a few more moments of confusing the child, Iruka started to pull him within the grounds of the Hokage mansion. The bewildered adolescent started to panic thinking he'd done something wrong and started apologizing for anything and everything he might have done in his entire life. Iruka paid no heed to this at first until the struggling child apologized for ever existing and being born. Stopping abruptly, Iruka turned around and stared him straight in the eye. "Don't you dare apologize for such a thing! You must understand. You belong here, you've always have. I've been searching for you for all of your life. I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner. But I promise you that no one will ever hurt you again!"

The sincerity of his voice made the blond imp stare in amazement. He had never heard such things promised before and especially not to him. "Do you trust me enough to come with me?" Iruka asked cautiously. He didn't want to upset the heir to the Hokage fortune and accidentally chase him away. Holding his breathe he let go of the child to give him his freedom of choice no matter how much he didn't want to. The kid fidgeted for a second and ran back to the front gate only to stop and look back as if expected to be chased down and captured. Iruka looked sadder every step the elusive elf took. Then suddenly he came running back and hugged the leg of the groundskeeper and started sobbing into his leg. The astounded teen couldn't express in words how glad he was at that moment.

Iruka immediately cleaned the child, fed him and brought him right to the front of the council claiming to have finally found the missing child after eight years. Everyone was astounded that the child was actually said to be found. Everyone essentially gave up on the whole 'looking for the child' ordeal. Right after the announcement, Iruka declared that all the estate, money and mansion would be rightfully restored to the child at once. It was objected strongly of course because they wanted proof that this child was indeed the child of the Hokage and not some con or spy. It was very dangerous to assume such power to a mere child that no one knew about. The council all had to agree of the uncanny features of the kid but some 'still' suspected foul play may be going on. Iruka however presented his proof by revealing his knowledge of the birth symbol the Hokage placed on his son right after he was born. The teen kept this information to himself explaining so that he may denounce anyone who would try to impose as the heir. Yet this child appeared out of nowhere, poor as dirt, alone and claiming nothing. With this undeniable evidence, all were convinced that the child was indeed the heir and relinquished the name that was designated to the boy. Uzumaki Naruto has been found.

After all of the drama that happened before, Iruka was then appointed to be the child's caretaker and guardian since he knew most about the Uzumaki heritage and seemed to be the most concerned with the whole matter. The barely graduated teen did not fight this but claimed it as his sworn duty. When he embarked to instigate the child into stature, he thought that raising the boy wouldn't be so hard because all children think highly of themselves and are resilient against human conceivability. But when he commenced talking to Naruto, the child claimed his name to be Nobody and not Naruto. Baffled he asked the small heir where he got his name from. The torn child simply said, "That's what everyone calls me." Thus Iruka's first mission took long series of days that turned into weeks into months to help the child to rediscover himself. As he grew older, the child was trained as the heir of a great organization was supposed to be raised. But Iruka carried this out by himself because Naruto needed sorely to catch up quickly. He was years behind the common status but to everyone's surprise, Naruto caught up very quickly and became superior to his class. The now more intelligent heir didn't know the reason or the difference to slow down his studies so he continued to train by himself in all categories.

He learned statistics in business and stock market, medical studies on almost every topic imaginable. Science, ecosystem, foreign languages, history and literature. He even learned about agriculture, carpentry, metal works and music. He had learned some sport activities but it was hard to have fun with them since the key elements required other players. His favorite subject by far was the martial arts training which Iruka trained with him day and night. After first beginning many years ago, it seems Naruto developed an obsession. To become stronger, faster and smarter.

Naruto is average height (about 5'8" or so) has very defined features (blonde hair blue eyes) and is very handsome. His build is of an athlete with long muscles and defined body. He could be a heartbreaker if he felt like it. Iruka was very proud that he took after the image of his father.

A worry had started to grow in Iruka's mind however, was the fact that after eight years of intense training and schooling that Naruto never talked once about what happened to him in his youth. The brown haired teacher never pried yet time had passed by faster then he anticipated, the heir was now 16 and Naruto still never even hinted on what happened before he was found. And he never seemed to be truly there. Nothing moved him. Nothing touched him. And that takes us to where we are today.

Naruto's playing and mixing his music again. One of the few hobbies that Naruto has taken up at leisure yet produces some of the most heartbreaking sounds and combinations that Iruka has ever heard. No one knows better than the brown haired mentor the sacrifice it took to bring this boy life and the blood it took to pay for it. And for what, to recover their lost prince to put in his castle to rule and not be happy? Iruka had to do something or else the boy may be too far gone to restore. Hoping he hadn't waited too long. Maybe Naruto needed to go back to the outside world. His lord, the late Hokage, build his character by the people around him. Maybe he made a mistake by not raising Naruto with the other children, but he tried that once and Naruto didn't even look at anyone, let alone speak. He was at a loss, he was almost done teaching Naruto all he knew for the Council. It was time he did something to help Naruto but he didn't know what. He needed to speak with his best friend Kakashi who he hasn't had much time to hang out with due to his warding duties. But he needed a solution.

Because…

Naruto may still be lost.

He needed to find the true heart of this boy or else he would remain lost. Forever.

Their Lost Prince without Hope.

To be Cont.—

Got the second one done. Yay for me. This seems pretty fun. Hope you like the story because it took a hella long time to come up with…. Actually…. No it didn't. Sometimes I suspect I have ADD because I keep losing my thought and wondering off to other topics but that maybe a good thing too because I keep thinking of other loopholes to put in my story. I can also actually see everything in this story happening visually in my head and I hope that I convey it well so you can see the images too, although they may all be different. The voices I make so I can actually hear them as well. If I could draw I would draw the picture for you because it's stuck in my head. But, thus, I cannot because I have no such talent. So sad… Well anyway I would like you to review if not… I repeat… My feeling won't get hurt…

Laterz from…. me (aivivi)