Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Nightfall ❯ Prologue ( Chapter 1 )

Blanket Disclaimer: (Covers all chapters following this one) I do not own Naruto and Co. Nor do I own any references to characters created by other people be they artists, fellow writers, or manga specialist, etc. Anything that is referenced be it a character's name or appearance is merely coincidence. However, all characters created by me will be subject to copyright.

 

“blah” = speech marks |blah| = flashbacks

`blah' = thoughts

“blah” = kyuubi speech

`blah' = kyuubi thoughts

 

 

 

Looking over the ruins of what appeared to be a smoking settlement; several peering eyes examined every scrap of ruin effusively - there had definitely been some sort of action here, but what kind? No matter, as the eyes suddenly disappeared from sight and with a shuddering crash, the smouldering encampment became refuse.

 

Four groups of highly indistinguishable blurs moving through the trees began their increasingly important trek back to their village, back to their home…, back to Konohagakure.

 

 

 

Night's whisper

 

In a forest full of shadows, demons, and mythological creatures, two figures were camping in a small clearing hidden by the tall, death-pale trees. Lying beside the fireplace, they were dozing off as the night progressively wore on. As the silence permeated throughout their hidden clearing, the wind shuffled noisily along the ground scattering the flickering flames and causing the shorter of the two figures to stir. As the shorter figure stretched; a matted cloth draped over it as a blanket fell, revealing locks of spiky, long hair - pigments changing in the firelight.

 

Instinctively clawing for warmth, the form sleepily opened one eye and became still. Listening to the whispers of the wind as it shuffled along the floor and flew through the night's sky, the figure cautiously slunk over to the other figure and proceeded to manipulate its hands in such a way that anyone who would have looked at them would have remarked on how graceful and deadly it looked. At once the other figure stirred as well, upon which the first figure scanned the clearing for stones, and rocks; anything to put the fire out without alerting anything else to their location. Or anyone…

 

With such items found, the fire was casually put out and darkness once again was supreme ruler of the shadowy forest in which the two figures camped. Crouching into a defined stance for crawling and evading, the two figures slunk into the shadows, leaving nothing to show they were there.

Several minutes later a group of dark blotches snuck into the clearing, patiently looking for any signs that showed intruders were present. Sniffing about, the most graceful thing, and what appeared to be the leader of the group, stopped and stared in the direction the two figures had escaped through. A couple seconds later it barked orders towards the other members of the group, intent on chasing the trespassers.

 

 

Stopping on a branch after running for a good hour, the two figures looked at each other before criticizing the other on the previous events.

 

“No-one would even think to look for us in such a place you said; no-one would even dare to look in such a place for us, you said; with my skill no-one will even be able to see past the illusionary techniques much less be able to chase us, you said! This is the last time I am ever following your advice regarding spooky forests in which no humans would even dare to tread - including Akatsuki!”

 

With that the shorter fellow bopped the taller fellow on his head, before continuing running at a pace that would have made an Olympic runner pale in comparison. The taller fellow glared at the shorter fellow before starting a lecture that seemed highly inappropriate in relation to what they were doing.

 

“Listen, you don't have to be so mean to me. Come on, how many demons would one expect to find nowadays on this world, excluding yourself of course. Sure there was the tragedy about, hmmm how long ago was it now… 15 years? I'm sure that many people would have made the same mistake as me. And you! You should have scouted around looking for tracks instead of just plopping down to sleep. It's your fault just as much as it is mine! Hey, come back here and face me like a man… shit!”

 

The taller fellow remembered why he was running and started pumping chakra into his legs, trying to catch up with the shorter person.

 

“Shut up Ero-sennin; less talk, and more focus on speed.”

 

And with that the two figures carried on running as though demons were on their heels; which literally were.

 

“Respect your elders boy! Why I remember in my day when being chased by demons was the most fun thing to do. We would score major points in the girls' eyes, and if we managed to singe or soak them then we'd score big time!”

 

“Is that why you're old, grey, and still trying to hit on the baachan? `Cause it looks to me as if she was the one beating demons whilst you stayed back and then tried to nab her when she was done for a date. Definitely shows that right now… Oww, what'd you do that for!”

 

“As I said before Naruto, respect your elders.”

And with that the two figures burst into sunlight, escaping from the forest and their pursuers. And now there was enough sunlight to identify the two figures currently finished from escaping with their lives intact to standing in heroic postures. However, not all was well with them: the shorter figure, Naruto, was staring at the taller figure, Jiraiya; who was standing on one foot whilst hopping about exclaiming his joys on being alive.

 

Wearing a blue face mask that covered his lower face, Naruto flaunted his teacher with his bemused expression - well at least as much as one could see. Opening his jacket for a scroll, he plonked down and started formulating hand seals. After a couple of minutes he slammed his hands on the ground. A small poof later and a rather diminutive ethereal fox appeared, an irritated expression on its face.

 

“You again? Whaddya want this time?”

 

Naruto shrugged. “Just create some illusions to cover our scent, appearance, well… everything really.”

 

A few hand seals later and the two became shrouded in a mist before disappearing from view altogether. With that the fox disappeared to wherever summons go when they're dismissed and Naruto and Jiraiya relaxed, confident that the fox's technique would prevent their hunter from finding them.

 

With a gleam in his eye, Jiraiya turned towards Naruto; “So, ready to pose for the next volume of Icha Icha Paradise, hmm?

 

Naruto, it has to be said, began face-vaulting as soon as Jiraiya started pestering for him his help.

 

“Uh, ero-sennin, um… I do know that we just managed to escape with our lives, but... do you really have to make things more complicated and perverted every time this sort of thing happens? Think of all the missed opportunities to train we're missing as a result of your ineptitude to remain focused.”

 

`And hopefully the next training session will not be on research again… uh!'

 

“Not now Naruto, now give me a little peek; or I'll never teach you the next step to the wind spiral….”

 

`Hee hee, the boy has to do what I say or else he'll never get the next stage… of course only if there… hahah… were a next stage… and think of all that research I could get…' With the image of a naked, female Naruto Jiraiya began drooling in earnest - especially since Naruto's special techniques incorporated the more endowed aspects of his gender changing transformations and as such one couldn't really blame someone like Jiraiya. Hey, anyone who had made it his goal to be able to view and draw all things beautiful known to mankind cough women cough had to keep an open mind when it came to these things.

`Never mind' was Naruto's only thought as he looked at the grass plains around them.

`Hey, wait a minute… what happened to the forest?'

 

And with that, Jiraiya and Naruto fell unconscious from two well placed and timed strikes to their heads.

 

“We finally have them! Hyoushitensu-sama will be pleased!”

 

 

 

AN:

 

Welcome to my first published story and may I thank those of you who took your time and patience to read what I have written. Although not much, this is only the prologue and any chapters that follow this one shall earnestly be much, much longer in length. So feel free to review. Pairings will only start around chapter 8 or so (and it will definitely not be a Naruto/Hinata pairing. There are WAY too many of them!). Also I feel particularly loathe of Sasuke. Someone who purposefully kills someone they deem a friend just to kill their brother is a bit on the excessive side.

 

Someone who has a much better description (than I can come up with right now) of why Sasuke is someone I loathe is Kraken's Ghost. Check out his story Foxhound for one of the best stories ever written. It features a rather obscure pairing but it fits in well with the direction the author is taking his story. I am addicted to it greatly ;) and encourage all to read his story. I hear its got quite the reputation already!