Naruto One Man Team by Ackdam

Chapter 1: Rough Beginnings

A doorway opened into an alley, spilling light into the darkness and making the shadows seem all the darker. A boy's silhouette could be seen holding a large bag in one hand, his head turned over his shoulder. A muffled voice could be heard from inside the building to which the boy responded. "Yeah mom, I'm taking it out right now! Sheesh you'd think I've never taken out the trash before." Hefting the bag he walked over to the nearby trash bin and tossed the bag in before returning to the safety of the building.

A short way down the alley a shadow moved towards the bin and, careful to not make too much noise, sorted through the contents. Shifting aside a few old ragged clothes and scraps of paper he spotted something that instantly got him excited. It seemed someone was cleaning out old supplies as there in the bin he found some scrolls and books. Just what he was looking for. After grabbing the items and stuffing them in his satchel, he did one more quick sift through before rushing off down the alley and into the night.

A moment later the same boy peeked out again from the doorway as the muffled voice from before came once again. "No mom there isn't anything out there. It musta been a cat or something."

• • •

Across town a bit later...

A figure could be seen slinking through the streets, sticking to the shadows as much as possible. When it separated from them long enough to distinguish itself as human it merely seemed to be a standing shadow from all the dark clothes it wore. Rushing into a nearby park it instantly jumped into some bushes as some civilians walked by unaware that he was only a few feet away glaring as they passed by. After they were a comfortable distance away soft sounds of movement were heard again as the figure moved towards the back of the park. In a section that was covered with various shrubs it lifted a hidden doorway and slipped beneath the surface of the village.

It was dark, but he knew his way by now. He had visited this place since he was very young when he had found it completely by accident while running from a mob. After that it became one of his greatest safe havens in the village. It was here that he would escape to when the glares became too harsh, or when certain celebrations were held that would cause him to need to flee from crowded areas when he was able to. This was also the place he kept his most precious possessions. He had found the area many years ago, and foolhardy as he was at the time, he cleaned out many items that would probably been very valuable to him in the coming years, but that that was fine. He still ended up with far more then he started with.

Rounding another corner he came to a stop in front of a door. Taking a moment he pricked his finger before swiping it over a small tile near the door. He heard a click that let him know the door was now unlocked. Upon entering he was greeted with the all too familiar smell of old paper and the sight of numerous racks of scrolls, books, weapons and other items he had collected over the years. For now though he took a quick look through the items he had just found and took the ones he didn't want to look through at the moment to the shelves and after cataloging them in a thick ledger he placed them in their respective spots.

Taking a glance at the clock nearby he realized he had little time left before sunrise. Quickly grabbing a blank scroll, he sealed up his new possessions before opening a nearby closet. In a flash of dull dark and blinding orange he had transformed into his 'public mask'. The stealthy cool headed night stalker now became the loudmouthed blonde-topped academy dobe. Grabbing a quick bite to eat he locked the door to his secret reprieve from reality and headed back towards the exit. Letting out a sigh he climbed back up into the twilight of early morning and crept back to his apartment to start the morning ritual that everyone was used to seeing from him. Soon he could drop this mask though. Soon he would show them all just what their ignorance could have cost them.