This fic' is a translation from my french story that you can find on my profile:
Un Prisonnier Oublié

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs Masashi Kishimoto

Forgotten Prisonner

Prologue

Night had just fallen; the forest was sinking in a sinister and eerie obscurity. But at this moment, woods were hiding something much more frightening than darkness. Sounds of battle, clashes of katanas and kunaïs and explosions were echoing in the dark green maze, punctuated by the dreadful screams of the dying humans.

The clearing, where an important group of missing nins had set up their camp, was the prey of flames. All these men and women were pushed back by only one ninja, an ANBU of Konoha. He was moving like a shadow, but with the speed of a flash, striking and killing the deserters.

Gradually, the cries became less frequent until silence returned, only to be broken by the cracks of trees, eaten by the fire. Over one hundred shinobis, only one remained. Wearing the hitai-ate of the ninjas of Kaze No Kuni, he seemed to be the gang leader and had been the only one able to stand up to the young ANBU.

But the battle had lasted too long for him and his body gave up. He fell on the knees, clenching the fists. In a last dash of despair, he raised the head at least hoping to die with a semblance of dignity. But the last vision he had of this world froze him with horror.

A few seconds before, he had managed to touch his enemy, which had taken off his mask. From the dark silhouette coming out of the flames, only two eyes, with slited pupils were visible. Their colour was dreadful; they were as red as the blood in which his companions laid. Flames were reflecting in these eyes, making them shine but at the same time they seemed so cold, so hard and lifeless.

The missing nin was paralyzed by terror. "Demon…" he whispered in a last breath, before falling in an eternal sleep.

Ten meters from there, hidden behind the trees, three others shinobi had witnessed this horrible scene. They were also wearing the mask of ANBU and the symbol of Konoha-Gakure. During the battle, they had almost retained their breath, amazed at the power of their fourth fellow-member. One of them spoke with a voice which wanted to sound assured but where a note of anguish was perceptible.

"Taichou… shouldn't we help him?"

The man he was speaking to, shook the head negatively. "No, follow the orders. Go with him, watch him but only help him in case of major danger-"

"And let him do all the dirty work." the third person cut. It was a woman who had spoken and her voice expressed anger.

He didn't answer, he understood her aggressive tone. Although they were ninja, trained to be insensible to any emotion, from the bottom of his heart, he also hated this mission.

"It's inhuman…" the kunoichi continued.

He simply nodded but inside, he was hesitant. For the first time, he was questioning the legitimacy of his mission, the value of the orders he received and above all, the worth of those who gave them. But his sense of duty quickly came back and he turned away to observe his team mate.

The small silhouette was standing in front of the last victim, having just finished him off. Rain was now falling heavily, cleaning the bloodied grounds and putting out the last flames. As if it was kindly erasing the lasts signs of the fight. Despite this rain shower, the young ANBU did not move, he remained standing in the middle of the clearing whereas water streamed on his face.

Then he heard his captain calling him. "Good work, mission is over now, let's go back." He did not answer. He only took back his mask before following the rest of his team when they dashed into the trees.

---------------------------

Rain fell over Konoha-Gakure. In his office, an old man looked at his village, sometimes hidden by a droplet silently sliding on the window. Eyes' staring into space, Sandaime was taking the rare pleasure of contemplating Konoha while forgetting for a moment the mountain of daily wretched paper which was spreading out on the table. He let out a heavy sigh; in fact he was all but relaxed. Anxious, he was waiting for a certain team of ANBU, which should return this evening of an S-rank mission.

It was not the risks threatening the ninjas that worried him, he knew that they were more than competent and would carry out this mission without failing. No, what frightened him were more the ninjas which constituted this team. And more particularly the youngest of them. For a long time he had watched him without being able to help him and every day, remorse and regrets were penetrating a little more into his soul.

His reflections were interrupted by the arrival of his assistant. "Hokage-sama, team Ryû has just arrived."

Although he had prepared himself for that, a new wave of anxiety submerged him but he didn't let it appear. "Very well, let them come in." While he sat down again in his armchair, four shinobi appeared. Sandaime looked at them one by one, there was the leader Ryû, then a new recruit Nezumi, a kunoichi veteran Tora, and - his glance went down- Kitsune. (1)

His clothes were the most damaged, stained with red in some places; they had also a little darkened, as if they had crossed a wall of flames. With difficulty, he looked away to face the captain of the team.

"Ryû, let me hear your report."

"Hai. The mission has been completed without any problem, at first; we followed the missing nins ' gathering. Indeed, it seemed that their plan was to attack every village which had exiled them, beginning with Suna-Gakure. Taking in account that they were quite numerous, it could have quickly become a serious threat. But we mana... well, they were all eliminated. »

Ryû had made a slight break, involuntarily turning his gaze to his small team-mate. That was noticed by the Hokage.

"Thank you. You did good job, you are now dismissed."

"Hai." They bowed, before leaving the room.

"Not you Kistune, I would like to have a talk." The young ninja nodded and returned in front of the Hokage's desk. "Could you take off your mask?" The old man quietly asked.

"Of course, Hokage-sama." he answered in a flat voice.

He removed his mask, letting his wild blond locks fall again over his forehead. Sarutobi contemplated the face of his… or rather the one who should have been his protégé. Behind the mask was hidden a face still so young, but which had never been enlightened with childish emotion. His cheeks were streaked by thin scars, proofs of his past, unknown but incredible.

His blond hair was a mess, as usual. Sandaime almost smiled, thinking of a certain person it reminded him, but his smile faded when their glances crossed. These eyes… he couldn't bear to look these red eyes which were the proof of his failure. Despite his confusion, he tried to put up a good show.

"So, tell me Naruto, aren't you tired from your mission?"

"No, Hokage-sama."

He almost sighed. "Yon don't need to always add me this title, you know "-I am so unworthy of it- he thought at the same time.

Naruto slightly frowned, showing his incomprehension. "You are the leader of this village Hokage-sama. I am at your service and I must show respect and obedience." He explained, in an indifferent tone.

Sarutobi closed his eyes. How many times had he heard it, that litany, learnt and repeated by heart … It demoralized him, but he did not want to get angry, not in front of him. After so many tries, he had never managed to repair the damages this cursed Council had made on the young ninja's mind.

As soon as the Kyûbi had been sealed in him and immediately after the death of Yondaime, the Council members had decided that the boy would become the village's most powerful weapon. When Sarutobi had been released from the hospital, several weeks after the attack of the devil-fox, it was already too late.

He had tried to take back the child, but the Council had asked for the Daimyô's opinion and unfortunately, they had received his support. He was now bounded by the law.

Since, he had only been a witness of his education and training. Every time he saw him, he regretted it a little more. The child had neither become the joyful young boy that he should have been, nor the bloodthirsty monster that all the villagers feared, Sandaime would have almost preferred it. Instead of that, he became what the Council had made of him. A ninja. A human being who had no more feelings.

"Hokage-sama?" The young ANBU had somehow perceived his distress but he called him without showing the slightest interest.

"Oh sorry, I was thinking about something else."

"You do not have to justify yourself-"

"All right." He cut him before hearing this 'Hokage-sama' which discouraged him so much, what his interlocutor did not seem to realize. "This mission was hard, I guess that you've taken care of all those ninjas by yourself, how are you feeling?" He says, hoping for a different answer.

Unfortunately, this kind of discussion was foreign to the boy. He stopped it politely. "With your permission, Sandaime-sama, I am going to train until the next mission."

"No! You have to rest. That… This is an order, Kitsune." He says as a last resort, knowing that nothing else could prevent him from training.

He did not protest "As you wish, Hokage-sama." He bowed before leaving, putting back his mask.

The old man was now leaning against the back of his armchair and closed painfully his eyes, whispering words to his only memories."Ten years… ten years already my friend, and what have I done all this time…"

--------

On the other hand, the young ninja had returned at his house. After a quick shower, he changed his clothes and then sat down on his bed, his back resting against the wall. He was not really sleepy, but he had received an order from Sandaime and thus had to execute it.

He had been, as usual, slightly surprised by the attitude of the Hokage. He simply did not understand either the meaning of his words or the tone of his voice when he spoke to him. And he did not try to understand.

The red eyes fixed the window in front of his bed. For a moment, he watched the rain falling as the Hokage did a little before, but unlike him, he felt no particular emotion.

He brought a knee close to his chest and just put the head above. After a short while, the young boy fell asleep, sinking into a dreamless sleep.

First impressions?
how's the english? it's not my mother tongue and sometimes i'm not sure of the grammar

The french version is already at chapter 6, I'll try to update as soon as possible^^

(1) Ryû: Dragon
Nezumi: Mouse
Tora: Tiger
Kitsune: Fox

See ya!