Naruto Uzumaki roamed the edges of the dreary forest searching for threats. The forest was silent; the only thing that accompanied him were the tall, barren trees that loomed over him. Naruto let out a soft groan, he hated going on missions alone. With Konoha still recovering from the recent war with Pein, not many ninjas were available for missions.

He had just finished the A rank mission that was assigned to him, eliminating the band of ninjas with ease. Having undergone fierce training over the last couple months, not much was difficult for the Toad Sage. Unfortunately, this left the unpredictable ninja rather bored, but he couldn't complain too much about his missions. Even Naruto had enough tact to realize that he shouldn't grouse too much at the Hokage with the village's current condition. As the blond made his way back to Konoha, he scanned the dark woodlands, figuring it would be best to look out for any additional threats.

All of the sudden, Naruto heard a faint, female voice pleading in his mind, "Why didn't you choose me? I gave you everything I had..."

The reckless ninja paused in his tracks, surveying the area for any abnormalities. Being a Jinchuuriki, Naruto was used to hearing Kurama constantly admonish him, but the fox didn't seem to notice or acknowledge the feminine voice.

Naruto was puzzled; after doing a quick check in sage mode, he confirmed that there wasn't any signs of animal life in the desolate forest, but he sensed something unnatural. Furrowing his eyebrows in concentration, he enhanced his senses once again. This time, his search wasn't fruitless - Naruto noticed a faint ripple in an area only a few meters away. Unable to contain his curiosity, the kindhearted boy made his way to the odd undulation.

Naruto pursed his lips and leaned towards the ripple. Knitting his eyebrows in confusion, he prodded at the small area with a kunai, not daring to touch it with his bare skin. He let out a startled yelp as he was suddenly thrown into an unfamiliar place.

Unwilling to alert anyone of his unexpected predicament, Naruto had to restrain himself from yelling as he tumbled through the open sky. The lithe ninja contorted his body and let out a burst of wind chakra to orient himself, allowing him to land soundlessly and unharmed in a crouched position.

Naruto stood and took in his surroundings. He was in a rather large city that was littered with trash and various cans. Among the trash, Naruto spotted a wet newspaper covered in Japanese text, assuring him that he was still in the same country. Looking around, Naruto once again heard the female voice, louder this time, "I'm breaking, please help me."

Naruto's serious face twisted to one of concern. Who was this woman speaking in his mind? He carefully assessed his surroundings, unable to detect any danger Naruto continued to search for the woman in distress.

After several minutes of searching, Naruto finally located the woman. Standing still, Naruto quietly observed her. She was sitting alone against a building, her arms wrapped around her legs in a protective position. Her face was downcast against her knees and her bright blue hair was pulled up into a ponytail. She had a cute purple headband embroidered with frills and a single, yellow star. She sported a long white shirt topped with a pale yellow vest, and a short, brown, plaid skirt. Her legs were adorned with loose white stockings and black dress shoes. Her light blue bangs framed her nice, pale face and her body shook lightly with restrained sobs.

Naruto silently walked up to her, carefully observing her to gauge her reactions. To Naruto's surprise, the distraught girl noticed his noiseless footsteps and her head quickly shot up. The girl's shining, amethyst eyes focused on him. She made a cursory observation of his figure, noting his odd attire and bright blond, spiky hair. He donned a simple, long sleeved black shirt with an orange swirl in the center and long khaki pants.

Naruto's purposeful stride faltered when his eyes locked onto hers. Her eyes were beautiful, but they shone with bright tears. They conveyed an underlying message, a world of pain and loneliness. Her poignant eyes tugged at his heart strings, reminding him too much of his own, only years before.

With that in mind, he resumed his walk towards her, this time with a firmer resolve. She frostily observed him advancing towards her, not willing to open up to a complete stranger. Unfazed by her glare, he crouched down next to her, watching as her eyes turned defensive. It was only through his own cruel experiences that he decided to ignore that.