Hey guys! It's me again :D I was stuck with a major writer's block and I recently read that you jut had to write to overcome it! So, here's my attempt at clearing that block up xD This chapter is a bit... well, weird. Thank to all those who like this story and I'd appreciate a few reviews with suggestions c:

Diclaimer: I do not own any characters from the anime/manga Naruto in any way. I only own my version of THIS plot and some of the OCs that are going to appear.

The retrieval mission for Naruto Uzumaki seemed to be a complete failure. ANBU, spies, jounin- all failed at simply discovering information on his whereabouts. The only thing that the Hokage knew was that his beloved village Konoha would regret treating their saviour like the lowest of scum.

His sudden disappearance led to much celebrating and indifferent shrugs. Two things were mainly the thought of the population- 'Why should I care?' and 'The demon's finally dead!' A rare number of citizens actually mourned the disappearance of the cheeky blond. The Ichiraku Ramen Stand closed for the remainder of the week. Hinata Hyuuga became shyer . The Hokage held more remorse for his actions and became fiercer.

But throughout the years Naruto Uzumaki was not seen again by any of the inhabitants of the village hidden in the leaves.

''Open your eyes, little one.''

The dark and intensive voice reached through Naruto's confused and dazed mind, slowly pulling him back through murky shadows to the surface of his conscious. Startled blue eyes focused on the shape hovering above his face. Large, curious green eyes watched the startled boy scramble back and fire hasty questions. ''Who are you? What do you want?''

Those jaded blue eyes...

The figure stood up to it's full height and turned out to be a young woman who was perhaps in her late twenties. Her green eyes stood out from her pale face and almost tan colored hair. Her pink lips spread into a kind smile and crouched down again. ''You may call me San for now.''

The small boy's face scrunched up. ''You're called Three?'' Said woman only laughed and reached out with a delicate hand to ruffle the short blond hair. ''I'm here to lead you to a new life, but only if you wish so.'' San knew that it was wrong to ask a little boy to make a decision that would either haunt or satisfy him for the rest of his life. Confusion was clear on Naruto's face and he reached up to flatten his hair instinctively. ''Why would you? I'm a monster, people don't want me near them.''

San's green eyes glowed ominously and chakra leaked through, forming a slight barrier on her skin. ''You are NOT a monster, little one. Do not let anyone tell you that.'' Her hands clenched into tight fists and she closed her eyes, seeking to calm herself. It wouldn't do to scare the small child.

Naruto looked up in surprise as the tall woman he hardly knew jumped to his defence. Was it just an act? Would she turn on him when he least suspected it? Was she just like those before? Question brimmed his mind, threatening to spill out in an uncontrolled mess. He reached out with a too-thin hand and clasped the fisted hands of the woman before him. ''Don't be angry.'' He pleaded with her, seeking to know her true intentions. San opened her eyes again, only to be confronted with a questioning look from the four year old child.

His brilliantly blue eyes seemed so tired and ancient for a moment that San scooped up Naruto into her arms and let herself cry over his lost childhood. The cruel side of humanity had taken yet another sacrifice and turned it into something desolate and incomplete.

Naruto fisted the burgundy tunic of the older woman and was soon racked by sobs. ''...why?'', was the only thing he said in the embrace of the person that he already trusted fully.

Having finally found somebody to confide and trust in, Naruto let his barriers break down and let himself be swept away by his emotions. He immersed himself in the good memories of his four years and basked in the awe-inspiring joy he felt.

San held onto the small boy and felt a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, when Naruto started to giggle soundlessly, when his sobs turned into a comfortable silence. Had he built himself barriers to keep himself from feeling too many emotions like she herself had once done? Did those people even notice? San mused to herself.

When Naruto suddenly went limp in her arms, San felt a bit comforted. Kyuubi-sama is going to talk to him. Hopefully he won't be too angry with the society... She stood up in one fluent movement and silently walked around the camp while carefully moving Naruto onto one hip.

I'm going to have to clean up camp alone, it seems. The damn brat disappeared again.

The blond woman sighed regretfully and wiped at her eyes again. She had never cried for anybody, but this small boy had reduced her to tears with a single gaze. She shook her head and tried to clear her mind. Her mission was only to bring the boy back to the village safely and of his free will. She hadn't been required to get herself involved personally.

San was known for being a kind but also distant person that didn't open herself to other people and didn't let anybody too close. So why had she felt that she needed to protect the child from harm? She didn't know.

With another confused sigh, San set down Naruto carefully on a blanket and started packing up the make-shift camp.

Naruto had been swimming in a bunch of joyful emotions when maroon tendrils had approached him. They had a feeling of distant anger but Naruto didn't feel threatened by it. They exuded an air of fierce protectiveness and loyalty, swirling between his colourful emotions while selectively taking out those masses of colour that seemed a bit threatening.

When one of those tendrils touched him, they curled around the limb. Soon the blond had multiple tendrils curling around him in a make-shift embrace. Naruto sighed peacefully and didn't struggle when he was tugged to the side. With a final tug, the blond stumbled out of the colour full mass of emotions onto a hard, grey cement floor.

Naruto scrambled upright and held himself in a submissive position. This looks like Konoha's sewers... Blue eyes quickly filled up with tears. Did San leave me here? Was she just tricking me? Through his tears, Naruto managed to glimpse the maroon tendrils beckoning to him. ''Huh?'' Looking over his back, the blue eyed blond expected to see the same mass of emotions from before. But what he saw was a bleak gray cement wall with pipes crisscrossing over it.

Even though he kept on crying, Naruto grabbed one of the proffered tendrils and led himself be lead through a huge amount of rooms and sewer connections. With tears blurring his view, Naruto stumbled along the way and finally fell to the floor when the tendrils disappeared. They left me too...

Naruto...

Nobody wanted him.

Naruto...

Why had he even tried?

NARUTO!

When the loud voice echoed through the surprisingly large room, Naruto's fearful gaze was met by a pair of huge red eyes that seemed to be narrowed in irritation. ''W-who are you?'', Naruto asked quietly, already exhausted emotionally through the day's events.

I am the Konoha's nightmare.

The large red eyes glowed ominously once and then started shrinking.

I am the destroyer of Shinigami-sama's enemies.

The shadow that had covered the whole room started compressing and forming a cage with a seal attached to the lock.

I am the collector of souls.

A fierce looking man stepped out from the shadows behind the bars. He bared elongated canines in a wicked looking grin.

I am the Kyuubi no Kitsune.

Thanks for reading! I hoped you enjoy that xD I'll try to update one of my stories each week :D Wish me luck, huh?