Of oddly misplaced caves | Event: Welcome

[orange_dattebayo]

When Naruto stepped out of the cave where he was training his nine tails power, he didn't expect to see this.

He expected waterfall, Gai-sensei and Yamato-taichou, not... not this village. It was village, right?
As curious as cat, he walked in the village, looking around at stores, houses and all the interesting places. No weapon store though. Weird. Maybe it wasn't shinobi village?

Wait- how did he ended up here!?

With a sigh, he sat down on the bench under a tree, with long look on his face. In just what kind of trouble he got into now?

Comments

[stillpure]

He'd been wandering, carefully, for nearly half an hour, but no, there was no sign of, well, anything familiar. He knew he hadn't been kidnapped. After all, who in their right mind would fail to actually lock up their abductee? Thus, on peeking around a tree at -finally- sensing someone with chakra, he was kind of nervous, but somewhat reassured by the Hitai-ate.

Thus, he carefully picked his way over, hands clasped behind his back. "Um, hello?"

[orange_dattebayo]

He was about to doze off (the Sun felt so good and there was small breeze, perfect for napping) when a voice snapped him back. He blinked several times, looking around, and finally noticing a kid. Maybe... seven or eight years... and there was something eerily familiar about him too.

But he grinned anyway:"Hey there! Did you get lost?"

[stillpure]

He frowned at him for a moment and padded closer, studying him closely. "Um... I guess you can say that. I seem to have lost Konoha."

[orange_dattebayo]

He sighed, scratching his cheek:"Then I guess we are in same problem, dattebayo. I've lost track of my comrades too." He scooted on the bench, making some space:"Come sit down."

[stillpure]

He padded over, hesitating a moment before sitting next to him, back straight as he looked sideways at him. "I haven't seen you before."

[orange_dattebayo]

He scratched his cheek:"Yes well, I have a lot of work these days, dattebayo. Although," he squinted a bit, "you look familiar somehow?" Was the eyes? Yep, definitively the eyes.

[stillpure]

"Maybe you've seen me? I've been a genin for a year..." He bit his lower lip and frowned slightly.

[orange_dattebayo]

Yes, ge-- haaaah?! "G-Genin!? Oi, how old are you?" Is this kid serious?

[stillpure]

"I'm eight." He looked over at him, nodding seriously. "I usually get accused of looking younger..."

[orange_dattebayo]

"B-But! But you're too young to be genin, dattebayo!" He is hardly believing this.

[stillpure]

he wasn't sure if he wanted to be offended or pleased, and he shrugged, digging in his pocket before puling his hitai-ate. "If you pass, you're old enough."

[orange_dattebayo]

Holy cr-- wait, he shouldn't swear in front of a kid... if this kid can be called a kid. "Whoa..." he poked it. Yep it was real.

[stillpure]

He stared at him for a moment, then snickered softly, leaning up to jab Naruto in the forehead. "You have one too."

[orange_dattebayo]

He grinned and poked his own:"Yep." He sighed, leaning back:"If I wasn't away for three years maybe I would have been chuunin by now... or jounin!"

[stillpure]

He settled back on his heels. "Why were you away?"

[orange_dattebayo]

He grinned:"To train of course! I got more stronger and such! It's important for me to get strong so I can protect everyone," he gives him wide grin.

[stillpure]

He shifted around in place and nodded firmly. "That's a good reason." Hesitating, he drew a deep breath and offered him his hand. "I'm Uchiha Itachi, you?"

[orange_dattebayo]

He blinks. Once. Twice. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH!? Wait! He shouldn't panic in front of a kid, he might scare him... even if-- so that's why he looked familiar! Wait- why is Itachi, not just younger, but KID!?

He gulped, but grinning nonetheless:"U-Uzumaki Naruto!" he accepted his hand. Should he ask him why is he younger?

[itachi_san]

Naruto wasn't alone on the bench. There was a man quietly resting, quietly watching, on the other side.

The Akatsuki cloak, so it seemed, would do him more harm than good here. He'd left it and his traveling hat behind when he ventured into the Village that morning. In its place, he wore a nondescript grey tunic. It made his thin body look far less imposing.

"Ironic..." he whispered, glancing over at the boy. His sharingan eyes whirled. "In another place, nine-tails, you would be fleeing from the likes of me."

[orange_dattebayo]

Naruto blinked. Once. Twice. And then he looked to the side from where the voice came from. And it sounded so much like--

"--Itachi!" He jumped from his seat and promptly fell down. What? He was startled. "DON'T SNEAK UP ON PEOPLE LIKE THAT DATTEBAYO!" And why would he flee from him? The guy is Hokage, right? "I have no reason to run from you" he muttered, standing up.

[itachi_san]

"I was seated on this bench long before you arrived." Itachi pointed out calmly.

But he watched Naruto's reaction curiously, regardless. He had no reason to run? How was that possible? Unless...

"I am a rogue shinobi. I am Akatsuki. My mission for the past seven years has been to hunt you, to kill you." he added, though there was no threat behind any of these words. "Is this... not the truth as you know it?"

[orange_dattebayo]

He was? He didn't pay attention at all so he shouldn't be surprised so much.

He tilted his head curiously at Itachi, frowning:"Yes, yes, that's what--" wait. Whoa. He blinked. "You are-- when did? How--? Aren't you Hokage!?" Crap, if real real Itachi is here, there MIGHT be some BIG problems.

[itachi_san]

Itachi tilted his head to the side. He knew that Naruto was prone to ridiculous outbursts. It was like he remembered telling Deidara - his bark was worse than his bite. But... Hokage?

"I know this village has many strange qualities about it... But have you taken a blow to the head?" he asked matter-of-factly. "I am certainly not Hokage. And it has been seven years since I was last a welcomed citizen of the Leaf."

[orange_dattebayo]

"Ah, of course you're not--- I DIDN'T TAKE BLOW TO MY HEAD DATTEBAYO!" What the hell is wrong with Itachi?!

He frowned at him, then glared:"You mean- you are THE Itachi? One from my timeline? Not Hokage-smartass?"

Crap.

"What the HELL are you doing here!?" Okay, now he's wary. Extremely wary. "Shouldn't you be dead!?"

[itachi_san]

He simply nodded once.

It appeared, in some place and time, he was successful with his true mission. He died. Most certainly by Sasuke's hand.

"I was traveling to settle some... unfinished business... with my younger brother, when I somehow found this place instead." Itachi explained calmly. "And as you can see... I am still alive."

Still alive... but for how long?