Konoha : Naruto's playground

Jiraiya was stunned. Two weeks. It had taken the blond two weeks to learn the 'Air Pads'. That was incredible! And yet he was such a bumbling idiot! He had mastered an exercise that took an experienced Chuunin a week to complete and he had done it in only double the average time!

The Gama-Sennin shook his head. It just seemed so impossible!

"That was how it was Jiraiya. I was surprised myself, but please keep in mind that he is not a Shinobi of this village. He has only the rights of a civilian. If you attempt to apprentice him, the council will no doubt shoot that proposal down as soon as it leaves my mouth." Sarutobi Hiruzen blew a steady stream of smoke from the side of his mouth.

"Now onto more pressing matters. The Uchiha are planning a coup d'etat."

Jiraiya's eyes widened. WHAT?

"What do you mean Sensei? That sounds crazy! Why would they want to do that when they have everything they asked for?"

Sarutobi sighed. He knew this was going to happen. He had been monitoring them since he had first been appointed as Hokage all those years ago. If there was one thing that his 2 Sensei had taught him, it was to be wary with the clan.

Making a long chain of hand seals, he slammed his hands onto a seal that was painted directly in front of him on his desk. The seal lit up in beautiful cobalt before the glow trailed along the seal network and blossomed out to encompass the whole room.

"Jiraiya, ever since Uchiha Madara's fight with my Sensei at the valley of the end, I have been very attentive with any and all news that reached my ears from the Uchiha's affairs. It was simply impossible for them to turn their backs on the strongest Shinobi to ever grace their ranks, let alone lead them, without suffering some form of retribution. I found it odd that a ninja as rebellious as he would simply leave them alone after they ignored and deviated behind his back. There must have been a reason, a component the Shodai and Nidaime missed that was important, so important that it meant the very stability of the village. And so, I had them watched. I had them infiltrated down to the very depths of their secrets, and this is the result of that intelligence."

Sighing again, the old Hokage stood and made his way to the window to stare forlornly out at the Konoha night lights.

The Village was as beautiful at night as it was when the sun was shining. The trees stood as sentinels, lining every pathway, and looming in the distance, beyond Konoha's huge wall. The rainbow of lights were spread out all over the village and from his vantage point, the Sandaime hoped that it would stay this way.

However, as he thought this, the picture of a certain blond-haired Jinchuuriki, flashed across his mind's eye. It was foolish, he knew, and yet Naruto had still grown up with a semblance of sanity. There was hope left in the Hokages' legacies, and they would be the ones to keep this Village upright, although to what extent Naruto would fit into this, Sarutobi didn't know.

"Tonight. They will move tonight. I have no idea how they plan to move, directly or indirectly, but they will be moving tonight. I have my agent ready to eliminate them as soon as he witnesses the movement begin."

Jiraiya blanched. A single Shinobi up against the entire Uchiha clan?

"Are you INSANE?" Sarutobi had obviously been expecting that reaction as he simply stared at his former student.

"Do you not think that I have all the factors taken into account? I sent that specific agent because of this." Sarutobi continued to peer at Jiraiya in an expectant way. For the life of him, the legendary Shinobi could not figure out what was wanted from him.

"Uchiha Itachi."

Jiraiya's eyes widened once again. THAT explained it. The Prodigy. The Genius.

The Monotonous Killer.

"He assured me that he was fully capable of taking them out. I have full faith in him." Sarutobi retook his seat and began to rub the bridge of his wizened nose.

For a moment, Jiraiya looked slightly sceptical that the boy could pull it off, he was only 13 after all, yet his Sensei seemed so sure...

Whatever, it wasn't his problem.

"Why are you telling me this?"

Sarutobi's eyes hardened. Jiraiya shivered mentally. He knew it wasn't directed at him, but his Sensei's anger was a very serious thing indeed. The legend of 'The Professor' was known all over the world after all.

"Naruto cannot be anywhere near the Uchiha District tonight. This is your job. Keep him from there at all costs. I will brook no argument on this. You WILL make sure he is not even 500 meters away from that area of Konoha until the night's events are over."

To Jiraiya, this was an incredibly odd order. What did Naruto have to do with the Uchiha? What would be gained by keeping him away from the inevitable fight? It just didn't make any sense that Sarutobi would tell him to do this.

Sarutobi seemed to have caught his ex-students confusion and wearily explained his reasoning.

"I confess that something happened that I could not have foreseen. It should never have happened and yet it did, and now I am faced with the consequences of my own foolishness." At Jiraiya's perplexed expression, the Hokage continued. "I and a few of the ANBU recognised Naruto's growth early on in his training. He was able to adapt a technique or a basic Shinobi skill, without any real knowledge of how they worked. Recently I got word that he had even used the Henge/Control Hybrid that you created yourself, to hide himself and turn the Academy upside down. Before this however, there was a mission where his expertise would have been handy to the ANBU that were assigned to carry it out."

Sarutobi's hand clenched painfully on the surface of the table, his voice low and filled with grief.

"It went horribly wrong. The Chuunin under suspicion escaped before we could eliminate him and just as the ANBU managed to subdue him, the enemy had made contact with Naruto. That event has scarred him, devastated his psyche, not unlike Tsunade's fear of blood. He had no intention of becoming a Shinobi and yet I forced his hand, we are yet to see the consequences from that tragedy."

Jiraiya could only stare at his Sensei. He was making it sound as if the brat had some serious mental problems, but he didn't! Jiraiya could attest to the fact that he was happy and content with his life. Just what was he missing?

"He was hospitalised for a week, such was the mental damage. You wouldn't know Jiraiya, as you hadn't seen him grow up, but Naruto heals at an accelerated rate that can only be a trait of the Kyuubi." Jiraiya winced at the hidden barb within his Sensei's words.

"So he's mentally unstable? Is the seal OK?" Sarutobi nodded.

"The seal is fine. It has completely shut the Kyuubi's essence off from Naruto, Minato did an excellent job. I also think the beast is sleeping after the amount of Chakra it expelled that night. We will have to see what happens to young Naruto if the Kyuubi ever awakens. But that is beside the point. Naruto must not come into contact with the Uchiha this night. The damage to his mind is severe, yet he covers it up with a smile. I do not wish to see his mind any further damaged."

Jiraiya nodded at that. He had better get to it right away. Standing, he moved towards the door as a bright blue flash signified the dropping of the sound cancellation seal. Where would he find Naruto?

He froze.

Sarutobi looked up when he felt Jiraiya stop moving. His Chakra had begun to move agitatedly as if there was something bothering him.

"What is the problem Jiraiya-kun?"

At Jiraiya's reply, Sarutobi vaulted over the side of his desk, dropping his cloak and hat revealing him in full combat clothing.

Naruto was playing a prank that night.

On the Uchiha.

XXXXXXX

As Naruto jumped from a rooftop outside of the Uchiha district to one inside, he almost laughed at how easily he had managed to get in. There were no guards, no alarms and most of all no Villagers! It was like there was an emergency and everyone had been evacuated.

Naruto grinned wider as he jumped to another rooftop on the opposite side of the Japanese-styled street. Halfway through his jump a smell wafted up to his nose that he recognised on a primal level. His entire body froze mid-jump and he missed the side of the building and tumbled to the ground below.

Naruto was trapped. Everywhere he looked there were dead bodies. Blood everywhere, even on his clothes. As he fell to his knees, splashing into a puddle of blood, he raised his hands to his face. Blood was on his hands.

'No, no, no, no...this can't be...'

The entire street was deathly silent. The wind whistled in the trees like a symphony of death, and in the centre of this...this massacre, was he; a poor, scared little boy. Naruto had no choice to accept it now. The world was too big for him. He could not hope to escape the dangers of the Shinobi world.

Unbidden a memory hit him from a year or so prior.

A blade sliding so easily through the torso and heart of a man.

His blood splattering all over Naruto's body.

His hands stained in the blood of the Shinobi

And his last, loathing, hating, terrible word in the world of the living, a testament to his evil deeds and his trip to a hellish finality.

"Demon"

His hands shook. His very soul shook to the core, but most of all his heart cried tears of blood. He wanted to play a prank, a harmless prank, and instead he was reminded of his past.

Events he dearly wanted to forget.

The day his most trusted Jiji, used him for the sake of the village. The day the Shinobi dyed his very soul with the slick, crimson life-blood that he so hated. And now all around him, he was drowninginit.

Feverishly, he stood, the blood dripping from his kneecaps, running down his legs and soaking into his socks and the soles of his feet. He felt dirty, tainted,submerged in the death and decay strewn all around the streets of the Uchiha district.

The moon itself was a blood-red colour, standing stark and clear against the complete blackness of the clear night sky behind it. And as he stumbled backwards attempting to escape back to his home, the woods, anywhere but the location he was currently in, a puff of smoke signified the arrival of someone; perhaps Naruto's saviour.

But then he saw it.

The pair of eyes the same colour as the coppery liquid dripping all over the street. He didn't know what it was, and yet anything that had eyes that colour were something to fear.

The figure stopped as it noticed the 7 year old's presence. Naruto couldn't quite make out the figure, only lots of black, a pale face and those terrible, haunting eyes. And as he stared unbelievingly at the man in front of him, so casually standing amongst the prevalent carnage of families that were once people; living, breathing, laughing people, a slight, blood-thirsty grin formed on the man's porcelain face.

"What a surprise." The drawling statement made Naruto's stomach wretch and he clutched at the offending organ as he stared in utter terror as the figure began to move towards him. The man's footfalls squelching in the blood and gore strewn on the street reached the Jinchuuriki's ears as he was rooted to the spot in utter fear.

The figure stopped in front of him. Naruto was able to make out only his eyes nose and mouth, as the rest of him, from top to toe, was covered entirely in black clothing. It was impossible to identify anything else due to the blackness of the obsidian night and his gaze was drawn to the only source of light, those dreadful crimson eyes.

And in that moment, the Uzumaki realised the truth encompassed by the saying 'the eyes are the windows to the soul'. The sheer fury and disgust within the man shone like an inferno as he glared ferociously down at the blond pre-teen. The bleach-white skin of his mouth was stretched in an almost gleefully evil smile, one that could only promise torture and pain to anyone who had the misfortune to experience it.

'Like a Ghost..'

And then it hit him, so fast he was unable to comprehend what had happened until, in a bone-jarring crunch, he hit the wall. The man's fist had simply disappeared and then Naruto was indented into a brick wall.

Still grinning, the man began to walk towards Naruto once again. It was only then that Naruto's self-preservation instinct kicked in. Without realising it, he performed the Kawarimi without hand seals and found himself regarding his attacker from down the street. The brief surprise that appeared on the Shinobi's face disappeared as he chuckled sinisterly.

"So you can do something!" Turning, Naruto once again caught a glimpse of those blood-filled eyes.

He shakily brought his arms up to guard himself and yet he knew he was no match. He distantly realised that this man was simply playing with him, like a cat does a shiny ball when it sees it in a side alley. And there was nothing that could prepare him for what happened next.

Another ninja appeared next to the first, crouching like a tiger, a blade dripping rivulets of blood clenched in his right hand. The newcomer was in full ANBU gear and had the same swirling red-eyes of the sharingan blazing as he regarded the figure in front of him.

"Madara-sama, the mission has been accomplished. Not a single one was left alive." The other figure nodded.

"Leave me, I have some unfinished...business to complete with my young acquaintance." The second figure turned, but paused as he spied Naruto at the end of the street. His eyes widened imperceptibly as he took in the frightened 7 year old, quailing at the corner of one of the japans-style houses typical to the Uchiha District.

"I said LEAVE!" The thunderous growl jerked the new arrival and he disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

The Shinobi identified as Madara, simply disappeared as well. Naruto had absolutely no time to even attempt a guard as a punch slammed into his chest. Almost faster than his brain could register, the black-clad ninja followed it up with three more punches, two to his chest and another to his gut. Finally, Naruto was hit by a devastating upper-cut and his small form was thrown like a rag doll into the Uchiha District's wall.

His body slid down until he sat in a slumping position, his head lowered and his body battered with the aching pains from the blows he had just received.

Madara stepped lightly until he was directly in front of the blond once again. Reaching out with a pale fingertip, he hooked the end of Naruto's top and pulled it up to reveal his stomach.

"It was unlucky for you to have met me this night, young Kyuubi. As you can see, my faithful apprentice and I have just finished...disposing of the trash housed within these walls. A bin requires cleaning once in a while, wouldn't you agree?" A sardonic grin once again curled the edges of the nin's mouth.

"Within you is sealed a beast of great power. My pet, the Kyuubi no Yoko. If you ever come in contact with him, kindly relay my words to him: You have failed, my pet. I will save you, but for your failure I will require double the payment."

The tip of his outstretched finger made contact with the smooth skin of Naruto's belly and Naruto blearily felt something probing into his body.

And then it appeared.

A blazing black tattoo of such complexity that Naruto knew in his young mind that no tattooist could have ever done such a thing.

"And that is all the proof you require. If you resist me, then grow strong, strong enough to fight me. You have tasted but a particle's worth of my strength so know what you are up against. But know this; I will be back, and when I return it is either your death or mine, Uzumaki Naruto."

The figure withdrew his finger and Naruto suddenly felt all his energy drain from him. In a last ditch effort, he painfully made the seals for the Goukakyu. As Madara walked away, the fireball consumed him whole, and yet Naruto felt no satisfaction from scoring a hit on his attacker. Evil laughter rang raucously from the centre of the ball of fire, but when it extinguished there was nothing in its wake.

"Madara..." His whisper was caught by the two figures that appeared at that instant, as Naruto slumped sideways into unconsciousness.

XXXXX

In a dark and damp corner of Naruto's subconscious, a lethargic crimson eye slowly opened.

He was no Pet and the Uchiha would do well to remember that.

And no payment was given when there was nothing to pay for.

The eye closed once again as darkness enveloped it once again.

XXXXXX

Uchiha Itachi dashed through Konoha's forest at top speed. The world was a blur to him as he sped through the undergrowth, the greens and browns of the plants around melding into one as they zipped past him.

His senses caught the tri-layered genjutsu almost immediately and his Sharingan eyes revolved into life as he dispelled all three layers. As he completed this task, his body revolved 180 degrees in the air, his feet latching onto the nearest tree with Chakra, and his Chokuto hissing as it was removed from its sheath at high speed; his whole world spinning as he completed the manoeuvre.

Suddenly, the tilting world came to an abrupt halt, and Itachi felt the bite of a Kunai against his throat, whilst his own weapon had found the neck of his assailant. He regarded the 3 tomoe of each eye of the Uchiha in front of him.

"Shisui.."

Said Uchiha was tensed like a tightly coiled spring, if Itachi even moved a nanometre his Jugular would be severed. Both Uchiha were suspended horizontally on the surface of a great elm in Konoha's outer forest. It was a small concession that his opponent was in the same situation; he was no good to anyone if he was dead.

"So it was you." Shisui's gaze was hard as he stared into his best friends eyes. He knew something was up and he had gone scouting only to find his clan slaughtered on his return. Itachi would be dead if he had been anyone else, 'Shinkiro no Shisui' never left an opponent alive.

"Shisui, there is no time for this. You do not comprehend the situation at this moment. I have not the time to explain it to you." Itachi rarely spoke with emotion, yet his voice had quivered in that instant. It was low and the words were spoken quickly, completely uncharacteristic of the usually monotonous Shinobi. He scrutinised the Uchiha-killer's eyes to find any deception in that statement.

He didn't find any.

Slowly, he tilted his Kunai away from the neck of his best friend and retracted his arm. Itachi re-sheathed his sword.

"Why?"

"On orders." Shisui's eyes flicked to the side when he heard that statement. So it had been a coup, Sandaime must have figured it out.

"Survivors?"

Shisui saw it then, the slight tremble of the other's eyes when he comprehended his question. Itachi's answer was swift.

"Three, including yourself."

Springing to a tree further from Itachi, he landed on a branch crouched and ready to take flight again.

"I will never agree with your method. We shall meet again."

The two disappeared as they sped off in opposite directions. A leaf fell to the forest floor and lay there, completely untouched by the confrontation that had just taken place.

ZZZZZZZ