Naruto took a deep breath; he knew that he would have to confront his father about what had happened to his mother and the kids. Looking at his gloved hands, Naruto couldn't get over the fact that he was in different clothes. Well, that and the fact that he was the Chosen Hero. Shaking his head, the young man kept on moving to the village.

He didn't know what he was supposed to do. Sure, he knew that the Forest Temple was the first place to go to, and that only the leaders of Konoha had the key but damn it he would have to explain to his father why he needed the key in the first place and… sigh, why he was wearing different clothes than the ones he had left wearing. Shaking his head, Naruto kept on walking as his mind was in deep thought. "Why am I chosen?" asked Naruto, hoping to have gotten an answer, but only got silence.

"You were just chosen."

Jumping, Naruto looked to his left and sighed when he only saw Hinata's shadow once more. She just floated above the ground and gave him a small smile. Least, he was sure that she was smiling since all he could make out from her shadow was her pale lavender coloured eye…

"But why? I can barely handle looking after three kids, how am I to save the whole world?" asked Naruto with a frown, he knew that he would have to take over for the village one day but… the thought of saving the world felt like a huge burden had not only been placed on his shoulders, but onto his very soul. "I didn't want this." Whispered Naruto with a sigh, only to blink when he felt Hinata gently patting his shoulder, for how was she able to do that, when she was only a shadow when not in the blanket of twilight?

"Just relax Naruto. You were chosen for a reason, all you have to do is to relax." Calmly said Hinata as she soon went back into Naruto's shadow once more.

Sighing, Naruto nodded to what Hinata said, things did happen for a reason, even if you didn't like it. Looking up at the sky, Naruto noticed that it was getting dark out, and he knew that his father would be worried about him right now. Taking a deep breath, hoping to calm his nerves, Naruto started to run on into the village, hoping to see that everyone was alright, and that no one was in bad shape.

That was the last thing that Naruto needed to be added to his guilt list.

"Calm down Naruto." Calmly said Hinata from Naruto's shadow, damn did she know when he was panicking or was he just that easy to read? Shaking his head, Naruto ran a little faster to the village… and what he saw made him gasp out in shock and horror. Some of the huts had their roofs burned off, half the houses were destroyed, some of the houses were missing parts of the walls… and some of the trees were torn, burned, or just gone.

Whoever did this, had to have a lot of power in them. Though, how that was Naruto wasn't sure… he had a feeling that they had a power that he wasn't aware of.

Narrowing his eyes, Naruto ran through the ruins of his village, he knew that he would have to do something. There had to be at least one house that was left that hadn't been destroyed wasn't there? No, there was no way that there was a house left from this attack… if there was one, than that would be strange, weird in fact. Taking a deep breath, Naruto walked over to his home and almost gasped at what he saw… his house was… preserved?

"The hell?" was all Naruto could say before walking toward the house, opening the door and into the main room. Blinking in confusion, Naruto was quite surprised that the house was the same… "Dad, are you in here?" asked Naruto, hoping that his father would still be in here… the thought of losing both parents to that monster was something that Naruto couldn't afford right now, he couldn't even imagine what his dad was going through with Kushina being gone… When he walked into the living room, there was Naruto's father…

Minato was sitting on the couch, his elbows on his knees and his head between his hands. Naruto had never seen his father look any older than he has before in his entire life, the man that was so full of life… looked like he had lost all the life, no his very essence of the man he once was within his heart had drained and left his body.

Naruto almost didn't want to say anything; his father looked so frail, so fragile that he could shatter at the tiniest sound that he would make…

But, Naruto knew that he would have to say something, or he would never get the key to the temple. And that was something Naruto couldn't afford right now, he had to get the key and enter the temples as he begins his quest… it was the only way to find and save everyone that had been taken from here…

Walking over to the couch, Naruto stared at his father with sad solemn eyes, not sure what he could say. Minato, he didn't seem to notice that his son was standing in front of him. It made Naruto wonder, just how deep in his despair was his father in… Taking a deep breath, Naruto knelt in front of his father and gently grabbed his wrist as he said "dad… I… I'm home."

Minato lifted his head from his hands and stared at the concerned eyes of his son. Naruto frowned, not sure how his father was going to react… Before he knew it, Minato grabbed Naruto's arm and pulled him into a hug. "Damn it Naruto, where have you been? Where's your mother?" demanded Minato, his voice cracking up when he had asked where Kushina is. Naruto though, didn't know what to say… how could he explain, that his mother had been kidnapped along with the kids…

But there was no mistaken it, he had to tell his father the truth.

"Dad… mom was kidnapped while we were at the spirit spring. I'm so sorry, they knocked me out…" Naruto whispered softly, holding his father hoping to calm him down. The young man knew that the love between his parents was like the love bird story… The only difference is that his mother isn't dead, she's only missing, and Minato… his father, the leader of Konoha… was in very deep emotional pain.

"I thought so… I couldn't bare to lose you too Naruto. But…" Minato pulled back and got a better look at his son and frowned as he tilted his head in confusion. "You didn't have those clothes before. Where…" He paused for a moment, only for his eyes to widen. Narrowing his eyes, Minato whispered "where did you get these?"

Gulping, Naruto started to explain about what had happened. From the moment he had entered the spring to talk to his mother, to getting knocked out… waking up, following the trail that had been left behind and being taken into the Door of Twilight, waking up in Hyrule Castle, speaking to Princess Sakura and meeting Hinata…

Waking up in the Spirit Spring once more, finding the Sacred Treasure of the spring, and finding himself in these clothes.

There wasn't much more to say, only that he needed the key that Sakura had told him about, or was it the spirit of the spring that told him? He didn't remember at the moment, nor did he care. Naruto rose to his feet and helped his father up as he said "dad, I have to get the key to the temple. It's the only way to save this world. There might be clues in the temples around Hyrule to help me save this place. There is nothing that will stop me from saving everyone. I'll bring mom home, and I'll bring back those kids."

Minato smiled softly as he said "alright Naruto, I guess that it's time for you to become a true warrior." Naruto blinked at that, what did that mean- wait! He was going to have the mark of the warrior… right? Wasn't much but it was a great way to tell who was the warrior… He watched his father get up and went to the back room. Oh crap, he forgot that he would have to get his ears pierced. That was something he wasn't looking forward too.

Minato came back with a pair of earrings, blue of course… there were three main colours of being a warrior in the village. Blue, was for the people who had just became a warrior, no longer being a 'warrior in training'. Red, stands for a highly advanced warrior, such as Kakashi, (when he decides to wear them in the first place) and finally, there was gold for the master of the warrior class. His father wore them, though only for the occasions such as parties or meeting with other leaders.

The only other colour they had was black, but that was a sign of a retired warrior. The earrings for a hero had the Triforce on them.

There hadn't been a real hero here for a hundred years, though it looked like Naruto may get those earrings after all. Taking a deep breath, the young man sat down on the foot rest as he waited for his father to stick the needle in his ears and get it over with. Though, he wasn't sure how he would become a hero… It was almost impossible for that to happen, even he knew that it- "OW! DAMN IT THAT HURTS DAD!" shouted Naruto as Minato stuck the needle in his ears, only to be replaced by the earrings.

It had hurt like hell.

Minato chuckled as he said "don't worry Naruto, I screamed too when my father had done the same thing." Smiling a bit, he set the needle down on the side to re-clean that later. Mumbling a few choice words, Naruto rubbed his ears and sighed. At least he was a full-fledged warrior…

"Dad, what's the key for the temple? I have to know if I'm to save Hyrule." Naruto demanded, he had to know, it was the only way to save this world, there had to be clues in the temple at the least… if there were clues, than there was a chance of there being anything on the Twilight Realm. Or anything about the royal family that he might need…

Minato stared at his son for a moment before walking out of the room. It made Naruto wonder, if he had pissed off his father with his demanding tone. Okay yeah he's used that tone of voice so many times in the past that it sort of got annoying to other people but he couldn't help it! Some things just required that tone, much like when he's trying to keep the kids safe or even teaching them what they need to know. Though, what he hadn't expected was to see his father return with the ocarina that he was to give to the royal family… but, how was it here? Didn't he still have it with him?

"When you ran off, it fell from your pocket… I held onto it so I could give it back to you when you returned. But… monsters burst through the village; we had gone to the springs and didn't see you or your mother. I feared that you were both taken from me… I'm glad to have you back though Naruto." He smiled, only for his face to grow serious. Now, Naruto wasn't speaking to his father, but the leader of the village… "Now, Naruto… the key for the temple is a song that can only be played by the chosen hero."

"But… what's the song? Dad, I don't need you speaking in riddles! Believe it!" Naruto said as he rose to his feet, his hands held tightly into fists as he stared at his father.

Nodding, Minato sighed as he said "look, the chosen hero will feel the music flow through him, allowing him to play the song that he hears in his heart. You're the only one that will know the song Naruto. Nothing will stop the song from being taken away from you no matter what." Naruto just frowned in confusion… he knew the song? But how, he didn't even know how to play any instrument for crying out loud!

"Here Naruto." He whispered before handing his son the ocarina.

Naruto frowned, not sure if he should even take it… but, he knew that he would have to do something. Taking a deep breath, the young man slowly reached out for the instrument and frowned a little bit as he tilted his head to the side. Frowning, Naruto said "dad, I don't feel anything different."

"You'll feel it when you go to the temple."

Naruto nodded and sighed softly… he was so tired. Everything that had started to pile up onto his shoulders was wearing him out, and he wanted to sleep. Rubbing his forehead, Naruto started to head to his room. "I'm going to bed… I'll… I'll go to the temple tomorrow." With that said and done, Naruto pushed himself and started to walk on into his room… he would need a good night's sleep if he was going to start his adventure tomorrow…

Groaning, Naruto pushed himself out of his bed and sighed… he didn't want to go to the temple but, he knew that he had to get there and get those clues at some point. Shaking his head, Naruto started to get on dressed into his 'hero clothes'.

"Naruto, are you sure that you'll be able to handle it?" asked Hinata, not wanting to come out of his shadow.

"I'm the only one that can Hinata. It's the only way to save this world right? But not just this world, but your world too, I was chosen wither I like it or not, and either way, I have to stop this 'King Pein' but and kick his ass to where he came from and then some."

Naruto heard Hinata laugh softly, it was soft, and gentle all at the same time. It made Naruto wonder, how she could be so cheerful and carefree… it made Naruto wonder if he really knew her even a tiny bit… Yes, he knew that she was from the Twilight Realm, that her name was Hinata and that she was an Imp. Otherwise, he didn't know anything about her, though he had a strange feeling in his heart that there was something a lot more than she lets on.

"Naruto, do you think you could… do something for me?" asked Hinata in a shy voice, a voice that made her look cute. Well, he should say sound cute since she was hiding in his shadow while he was getting change.

"I guess that depends on what it is Hinata." Naruto whispered as he was putting on his gloves now, he still wasn't used to all of these clothes, before he only had to put on a shirt, pants, boxers… not in that order mind you but jeez, did he have enough?

"I'm looking for some items… I may be able to use them to stop Pein…"

"How will I know it's the item that you're looking for?"

"They'll have the same markings as this thing on my head."

Naruto nodded to that as he went back to getting changed. The only thing that mattered was kicking some serious ass and taking some names!

Once he was fully clothed, (minus his hat) he looked at his reflection. Frowning in confusion, Naruto tried to think of any other reason why… why he was chosen, but no matter what happened he just couldn't think of anything. Running a hand through his hair, he placed the hat over his hair and started to walk out of the house… and toward the forest.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head… he was amazed that he had no trouble getting here for a change. Last time he was chasing Konohamaru and the monkey… and he had to kill some monsters on the way. Why weren't there any this time? It made Naruto think, though he thought that maybe they sensed the evil that was trying to surround the place. That was the only time he had really fought monsters.

Or, maybe there was something else that had caused the monsters to run away… That, he wasn't really a hundred percent sure as of yet… though like he had said it made things so much easier for him, in fact Naruto couldn't help but have a great big grin on his face. Smiling, he walked on toward the gates of the temple. Though, it looked like two rounded stone doors were blocking the path.

Frowning, Naruto was a little nervous about the gate.

It just seemed strange that the key to the temple was a song. It just seemed… so strange to him. Taking a deep breath, he pulled out the beautifully crafted Ocarina… the orange sparkled with the light, the swirls of black looked like waves spiraling in the wind… and finally, the Triforce on the side… Naruto could feel something flowing through his very being. Eyes glossing over, the young man placed the mouth piece of the ocarina to his lips as he started to play a soft tune.

Naruto could feel the power surging through his body… the music wrapped itself around his body. The music, the melody was so soft and soothing that he could feel its warmth wrap around his soul. To him, the sounds of the outside world meant nothing to him.

It was as if he was in another world… another time.

He could see a vision… the forest, the temple of when it was first being built, the leader, the first leader building the temple with a proud smile on his face, well at least with what he could make out of his appearance. All he could see was that he had tanned skin and long black hair. Or, was that brown? He didn't know… Naruto felt the power of the song increasing within his body. The gates of the temple glowed a faint green.

Naruto wasn't sure if he was really seeing this, or if his vision was still on when the temple was being built so many years ago.

All he knew was that the song was almost… hypnotizing to him. It was just so beautiful to him; it was so wonderful that he never wanted this to end. Naruto knew that the song was powerful yes, but could it be something that only he could play? He wasn't sure…

Soon, before he knew it the power of the song started to fade. Naruto could feel his sight start to focus on the now moving stone gates as they moved to the sides of the temples entrance. Blinking a few times, Naruto shook his head and set the ocarina in his pouch and stared at the temple with a serious expression.

This was it; he was going to start his journey… his real journey. Now, he wasn't just a warrior for Konoha, but hero of the world of light.

Hands tightening into tight fists, Naruto looked ready for anything. This was a battle that he would have to prepare himself for a battle… He knew that this wasn't going to be easy. Taking a deep breath, Naruto lifted his one hand and stared at the glow of the Triforce as it shined through his glove. Narrowing his eyes, he calmly said "let's do this Hinata." With that, he walked into the temple… this; he knew was only the first step to saving the world…