AN: Sorry for the wait…here's the sequel! I've found out some disturbing things on and it's really pissed me off. -Anger sweatdrop- Anyways, I'm writing this story out of anger but I know what to do. This is about 2 years after and Naruto finally has some leads. He's 14 and just before the timeskip to when he returns to Konohagakure no saito.

Unsteady Grounds

A figure was sent flying into a tree as Naruto walked up to it, grabbing the person by their collar and holding him up against another tree.

"Where IS HE!?"

The figure laughed as Naruto questioned the hooded character.

"You really want to know…my dear Naruto..?"

He growled and craned back a fist, ready to slam it into him.

"Where!? Tell me NOW!"

"Don't want to kill me now, do you? I'm the only one besides Orochimaru who knows his whereabouts and if he's even alive…"

"You're pissing me off!"

The hood slid off the man, revealing bandaged eyes with bloodstains on them. His face ran with fresh blood. His rusty hair defiantly was longer than it looked, being kept hidden under the cloak as it was tied in a low ponytail. Now that Naruto took a second look, he didn't seem to be any older than he was.

"Y-you're…"

Naruto set him down slowly.

"Don't pity me."

He pulled his hood back up, looking straight into Naruto's eyes.

"You're blind!"
"Don't think so lightly."

He replied.

"Why did you poison Ero-Sennin!?"

"The poison is not dangerous, but he needs anti-poison to wake him up. He needs to wake up before twenty four hours or he'll slip into a coma. I needed him out of the way."

"For what!?"

"To be able to tell you that…"

He leaned in and began to whisper into Naruto's ear, making his eyes widen.

"No…he's…"

The blind man nodded.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he's already found some place to hide. The last time I saw him, he gave me this,"

He pulled out a letter.

" and told me to give it to you. Somehow he knew that we would meet up. More like he wanted us to meet up."
Naruto took the letter and quickly unfolded it.

Naruto,

I don't know when you'll be reading this…Ryu is a good person if he gave this to you. I miss you so much, Naruto. I love you. I keep changing hide-outs every week. I am sorry that I cannot tell you where I am when writing this, but all I can tell you is that the sky is very dark and you always have to seek shelter. I wouldn't be surprised if you have already gone through my room…I don't mind. Naruto, I need you to stop whatever you're doing and pay attention to your surroundings. There are spies looking for me and if they manage to get their hands on you, I'd have no choice but to come out of hiding. If anything ever happened to you, Naruto, I'd never forgive myself. I would like nothing better than to go see you but I'm weak. I have been for sometime now. I've found a way to keep myself here for a longer time and not turn to dust, but even my chakra is fading as the days go by. I swear that I'll come back soon…Naruto, I have one more thing to teach you before I turn to dust and fade away. Kiseki would have been proud of you, Naruto. I am proud of you for not crying about being alone. I never said anything to you because I was afraid…afraid of what you'd say to me. I'm so sorry and hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me.

Love,

Your father, Arashi

Naruto lifted his eyes from the paper, feeling tears sting his eyes.

"He intentionally left a hint for you. He was in Lightning Country. The sky always being dark and looking for shelter meaning a thunder storm that leads to Lightning Country."

"You're name is Ryu then, right?"

"Yes."
"I'm sorry for what I did. Just because you had information didn't mean I had to go mental on you."

"But I approached in a threatening manner. I will make anti-poison for your sensei and tend to him, but he needs medical help. What is the closest village? This poison is easily cured but is known for long term effects."

"The closest village is a few hours away."
He nodded and took out a vial of anti-poison from the inside of his cloak, walking over to Jiraiya and lifting his head, tilting the lip of the glass into his mouth.

"Right, lead the way."
Ryu picked up Jiraiya with the greatest of ease and placed an arm around his neck. Naruto went over and took his other arm.

"I'll help."
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Hours passed and neither said a word. Ryu was able to dodge tree limb that stuck out from the path and step around every pebble on the ground with ease.

"Something tells me that the village is closer than you think."

"How would you know?"

"Just a feeling."

Ryu replied, turning his head towards Naruto.
"We need to get you some help to, don't we?"

Naruto said to Ryu, smiling. The boy didn't answer.
"Ryu?"
"Naruto, just focus."
"Y-yeah…"
He noted Ryu's expression of concentration. Naruto felt the air get tense. It was almost unbearable.

"Ryu…"
"What is it?"

Ryu questioned, turning his head to Naruto as if he could see him.

"Isn't being blind hard?"
"Not really."

He replied as if he didn't want to strike up a conversation.

"Naruto, is he still breathing?"
"EH!? Why are you asking that question!?"

"It's been known that the poison sometimes suffocates its' victim. Your sensei sounds fine, but I'm not really sure."

Naruto felt his neck for a pulse, nodding.

"Yeah, he's fi-"

A loud snore made the two stop dead in their tracks.

"He's fine, alright."

Naruto let go, Ryu starting to shout his name only to fall due to a sudden mass weighing him down.

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Darkness fell when the trio finally arrived at the village. They didn't have any permission to enter, but seeing their condition, they had no choice but to let them through.

"Ryu…"

"Hm?"

The rusty headed boy acknowledged.

"Where do you come from? Are you even a ninja?"
"That's not important. Get some sleep. Your sensei should be awake by tomorrow morning and I have to go."
"Huh? Go where?"

Ryu went silent.

"Go where?"
Naruto repeated himself, starting to edge his way closer to Ryu. He began to speak when a nurse entered the room.

"Ryu…what did you say your last name was?"
"I never did say."

"Anyways, the doctors are concerned about your eyes-"

He snorted.

"What eyes? They're gone."

"Don't kid yourself. They're there. We can see the shape under your bandages."

He growled.

"I would like to take a look at them, please."

Ryu didn't hear her coming closer to him. She quickly tore off his bandages, Ryu twisting his head away from the nurse as he covered his eyes with one hand.

"We can help you! Just…"

She tried to pull his arm away, almost succeeding until he used his other hand to pry her bony fingers off his arm, revealing empty eye sockets.

The nurse let go immediately, shrinking back in terror.

"I told you! Leave me alone now!"
He closed his eyelids, grabbing the bandages on the ground and tying them around his eyes once again.

"But your eyelids…how?"

"Don't ask me, I'm not the one with a health degree."

He replied coldly.

"Then…you should at least replace those bandages! It's unhealthy to keep dried blood anywhere!"

She searched the drawers and gave him new ones. Naruto watched everything with surprise.

"Naruto, what did you give me?"
"Ah! Ero-sennin!"

Ryu smiled and looked their direction.

"I see you're awake. My name is Ryu."

He stood up and bowed towards Jiraiya.

"I am the great sannin, Jiraiya!"

"Nice to meet you."
Ryu bowed even lower.
"I am sorry for having done what I have to do. I apologize again."
"I see…come here."

Ryu did as he was told, Jiraiya giving him a punch on the head.
"That is for messing with my sake. And-"

He looked closer.

"You're blind."
Ryu sighed.

"I know I'm blind…"
He replied, smiling.

"Oh! Ero-sennin! He met up with Hokage-baka! He was-"

Ryu covered his mouth quickly, looking at Jiraiya.

"I just know where he is."

He let go of Naruto's mouth.

"I have to go now."
"But you said tomorrow morning!"
"I have to go now."
"Why!?"

"Come on, Ryu. You just came here."
Jiraiya tried to get him to stay so Naruto would actually converse with someone his age and not thirty eight years older.

"I really have to go, Na-"

"We can go buy some ramen! My treat!"
Ryu knew that no wouldn't be an answer.

"I g-guess…"
"Yatta!"

Naruto jumped up and smiled.

"I think I'll stay here for the night."
Jiraiya smiled and lay back.

"You have to find your father soon…he's disappearing. Remember?"

Ryu didn't want him to get peppy too much.

"If he was in the area of where you met him, he couldn't have traveled far! So I know where I can start looking!"

"So you're okay with the fact that he can barely move?"
Naruto's smile fell.

"Y-you're right…"

Ryu smiled in triumph, only for Naruto to smile once again.

"We'll start to look for him tomorrow! I want to get to know you better first!"

Ryu was taken back. Who was this person who would put aside all the odds of losing someone? Why was he willing to be friends with him? He was blind after all…right? Who would want to be friends with a blind person? They couldn't usually find their way around anything until practice…how could he make his way around the village? A village he'd never 'seen' before? Then again, he made his way through a foreign forest and navigated through it like he had lived in it.

"You're bizarre…"

Ryu shook his head, sighing.

"So…is that a yes?"
"Don't make it sound like we're going out…"

Ryu stated bluntly, making Naruto choke. Jiraiya began to laugh.

"But sure…I guess…"

Naruto almost burst out laughing.

"Cool! Ero-sennin! I'm going now!"

He grabbed Ryu's wrist and began to drag him, accidentally making him bump into the wall because he ran too fast for Ryu to realize where he was going.

"Sorry about that!"

"It's okay…"

He groaned, rubbing his nose.

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"How long are you going to keep that cloak on?"
Naruto questioned Ryu, tugging at his sleeve in hope of him getting rid of it.

"Forever. I even sleep with it."
"Why?"
"It belonged to my father."

"Cool! Did you see the one my dad has!?"

"Yes, I did. It was white with red though. Not brown like mine."

Ryu replied, picking up chopsticks with his gloved hands.

"What do you do when it gets hot?"
"It's like a second skin to me. I keep it on."
Naruto felt the air get tense again, but Ryu didn't seem to mind.

"You!"

The ramen owner pointed towards Ryu.

"Me?"

"You're the one that almost destroyed the village 3 years ago!"

Ryu turned his head upwards.

"He would never do something like that!"
Naruto tried to defend him.

"It's okay, Naruto. Let's just go."
"No! He knows that isn't true! You could never have done that!"

"Naruto, I know what you're doing. It's okay. Let's go."
He stood up and began to leave.

"R-Ryu…"

"I can sue him if I burn myself with the ramen. He doesn't want that to happen."
He explained to Naruto.

"Just something that people don't accept. They think I'm bad because I'm blind. Oh well. It doesn't matter. I know who I am."

Naruto's face softened.

"Tomorrow…we leave for Lightning Country. And then when we get home back to Konoha, we can maybe heal you! We have the world's best medical ninjas! Our Hokage is the legendary Tsunade!"

Ryu snapped his head towards Naruto.

"R-really!?"

"Yeah! I bet we can do anything! If my sensei could get a whole new eye, the same could be done for you!"

Ryu smiled happily.

"That would be great. I'd love to see again."

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Naruto curled up under the covers, clenching a fist.

'Dad…I'll help you. I want to help you. Please be okay…at least now I know you're alive…'

He smiled to himself. His dad was alive. That meant so much to him…he could go up to him and hug him freely…call him dad…he could rely on him…a dad was there for that.

"Naruto…"

"Nani?"
"Your father is a good person. I wish I had a dad like him. My dad died when I was young…"
Ryu told Naruto in a small voice from the other bed. Naruto's face softened. He knew that feeling all too well of being alone.

"Your mom…?"
Ryu didn't answer, confirming Naruto's answer. He was an orphan.

"I bet we can share my dad."

Ryu burst out laughing.

"You really are bizarre, Naruto."

He turned over in his sleep, a content smile on his face.

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AN: OKAY! This is the first chapter to the sequel, Crying Out! I had to introduce another character in here because of what the end will be. Surprisingly, I wrote this in a day. I know I said that I'd write this after the school year, but I thought of this for too long. And Ryu being blind was something to make the girls squeal. He is a very mysterious character that is not as tight as Sasuke, so I hope this makes people a little happy. I love my Ryu, though. You'll see in a few chapters why I love him so much.

Naruto basically needs a friend here because I won't be putting Jiraiya in this much and he is traveling with him now. I have to tuck Jiraiya away somewhere. XD Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please Read and Review!