Naruto ran.

He won't stop until he reached the borders or the Land of Fire.

That, and the missing ninjas -somewhere between Chuunin and Jounin- are tailing him.

Years of running away from civilians and ANBU made him fast, but the environment around him made it difficult to hide.

He took out a kunai to deflect a few shurikens as he ran. He was lucky to be taught by his new family to fight.

Suddenly, a kunai hit his leg, earning a pained yelp. The four missing nins surrounded him, smirking.

"So this is the Fourth Hokage's brat, could've sworn he has redder hair.

"What are we waiting for, get 'im!" Naruto felt his hair yanked, and glared at the man.

"What's the wittle little boy doing out here, so far from his mommy and dady?" The man smirked evilly.

"Fuck you!" Naruto spat on his face, and the man became red of anger.

"Why you fucking-" The man took out a kunai, ignoring the yells of 'Dojima no!'.

Naruto closed his eyes, waiting for the pain, when he felt something wet touch his skin. His nose picked up a familiar smell.

Blood.

His eyes openned slowly, and then blown wide, as the image of the decapitated corpses was what he saw.

"Are you ok, child?" A gentle voice shook him out of his stupor.

He whiplashed around.

There stood a man with a red tengu mask, clad in a blue jinbei-styled haori with white cloud patterns, a katana strapped to his side.

He scooted back, hitting the downed body of the dead missing nin.

"Don't be afraid, child. I won't hurt you." The man crouched down. "Let's get your leg checked up. Would you let me do it?"

Even though Naruto couldn't see the man's eyes, he could hear the honesty in his voice.

So he took the man's outstretched hand.

When Naruto was secured on the man's back as he made his way to, assumably, his house, the man spoke up.

"My name is Urokodaki Sakonji, what is your name, child?"

Naruto contemplated on sharing his name, and the man caught on his hessitation.

"It is ok if you are wary." Sakonji continued his walk steadily.

Naruto slowly dozed off.

Kurama seemed silent. This man is safe, for now.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

When Naruto woke up, he was surprised to be in soft bed and blanket, a far cry from the ones at home. His bag lay next to him, untouched, and so does his katana.

He breathed in relief.

"I see you are awake." The familiar voice of the old man drew his attention.

"Where am i?"

"A cottage at the bottom of Sagiri mountain, in the Land of Water." He breathed in relief.

"I have prepared food for you, child. You seem to have not eaten in a while." Right on cue, his stomach growled.

Sakonji placed a bowl of soup next to the futon, and Naruto picked it up warily.

"It's not poisoned, Kit." Kurama spoke up.

He scooped up some broth with the spoon, and found himself eating all of it.

"More?" Sakonji chuckled. Naruto nodded eagerly.

The masked old man took the bowl and left the room.

Naruto relaxed into the soft matress. His lavender eyes darted to the Rusted Rabbit on his side.

Rusted Rabbit...

Sabito..

The man returned with a full bowl of soup, and Naruto accepted it without hesitation.

"What happened to you, to make you leave your home like that?" The man questioned, and the peach-blonde stopped eating. He set the half-full bowl down.

"They... They don't want me. Almost everyone in the village. As long as i am still in it, i will have to watch my back every second i go out."

"What village does this to a child?!" The man raged.

"Apparently... Konoha does."

"And why does a powerful village want anything with a young boy?"

Kurama is silent, but he seems to want Naruto to tell the man.

"It was because of what is sealed within me." Everything fell into uncomfortable silence.

The man stood up.

"I am going to masacre the Leaf Village."

Naruto let out a dumb 'huh?'

"A Jinchuuriki or not, nobody has the right to belittle one for it, especially if they are a child. The Daimyo will not be pleased to hear this."

Naruto shook his head.

"Don't, please. I want to get away from them. They disowned me, they made sure of that." He dipped his head down-

"Look up!"

Teary eyed, he looked at the man. He was gripping his fists tightly.

"No matter how much they hurt you, do not give them the satisfaction! Man up and fight back, do not give them the opportunity to push you around!"

Lord Third's words played in his mind.

Naruto felt warm water flowing down his cheeks.

"Having scars does not mean you are weak. It means that you are strong enough to experience it and live to tell the tale."

The man hugged Naruto as he screamed till his throat couldn't take it anymore, patting the young boy's back in a comforting pattern.

"I will keep you safe from them."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The next morning, Naruto never returned. Or the day after, or even after that.

Kushina tried asking Mikoto, but she all but slammed the door in their faces.

Minato tried asking Kakashi, but he recieved a dark glare as an answer.

Akaru and Hanae asked their classmates and teacher, only to recieve a sneer and a 'that freak again' in return.

It was frustrating and worrying at the same time!

They asked the Hyuuga clan, to which they couldn't find his chakra signature.

They asked the Inuzuka clan for help, which finally gave them a clue. Their nin dogs lost track of Naruto outside of Konoha.

Outside. Of. Konoha.

"This isn't possible! Somebody would've noticed if he was gone!" Kushina panicked.

"They wouldn't care..." Hanae muttered. Kushina slumped.

Akaru punched a wall so hard it cracked.

"It's all our fault."

Minato sat at the Hokage's desk, still furrowing his brows.

"Hokage-sama." A squad of ANBU appeared, and he perked up.

"Report."

"Mission failed. The subject has left the Land of Fire. The trail suggests he has been gone for days."

Minato sighed audibly. "Dissmissed."

The ANBUs kneeled and left via shunshin.

The whole Namikaze-Uzumaki family lowered their heads in grief and self-loathing.

They messed up.

'What have we done...'