Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)

Key
*thinking*
"talking"
*thoughts progressing into speech"
'substitute for italics'
::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)
~POV~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...


Chapter One: Dead


~Author~


::Konoha, Iruka's home::


Naruto wasn't moving, his eyes were puffy, dried tears tracks stained his face, and sorrow was etched very visibly into his small frame.


The crowd were whispering among themselves, which he tried hard to ignore.


"What's that demon child doing?"


"The jounin that had to take care of him was killed I think."


"Serves him right for housing a demon."


"Tch, that damned demon probably killed the jounin himself."


"Yep."


Naruto stood in the doorway of his adopted father's home, trying with all his might not to rush in and attack the ANBU ninja who were taking away 'his' Iruka otou-san under a white sheet stained with blood. The crowd stays a few yards back, giving Naruto a wide berth, but slowly dispersing as the Third Hokage comes out to approach the now crying child.


"Naruto," he says, sighing and placing a hand on the child's shoulder. "Will you be alright?"


Naruto wipes his eyes, whimpering, but looking up at Sarutobi.


"I thi-" he's cut off as he has to make way for the ANBU carrying Iruka's corpse, one of his arms slip off the stretcher from under the sheet to hang limply in the air. Sarutobi tries to turn Naruto where he can't see, but to no avail, Naruto's whimpering turns into screams coupled with heart wrenching sobs as he turns away to bury his face into the Hokage's robes, bawling.


"I-I-...He was the only one who could...-hic-...who could take care of...-hic-...-hic-...me! He was the only one who...-hic-...cared! Why'd they have to...-hic-...kill him?"


Sarutobi sighs, making no attempt to pry the boy from his robes as he pats his head gently.


"I don't know little one, I don't know." he replies, his eyes looking as though they'd spill tears as well as Naruto slowly stops sobbing and lets go of the Hokage's robes and wiping his eyes again.

"Come, let's go on to the tower, I've got paperwork to fill out, and we've got to find you somewhere else to stay, you know." Sarutobi says, smiling lightly. However, Naruto almost starts to cry again, he knew noone else in the village really liked him all that much, but Sarutobi picks up on this too. "Don't worry, it'll be someone as nice as Iruka, maybe nicer."


Naruto's tear streaked face pulled itself into a weak smile as he stared up at Sarutobi, but he shook his head.


"Noone's nicer than Iruka otou-san."


Sarutobi smiles down at him, ruffling his hair and taking his hand.


"No, of course not."


::Hokage's office::


~Sarutobi~


Well I'd finally gotten the paperwork finished, Naruto was fed and sleeping in the adjacent room, so the only thing left was to find him a suitable new guardian. I go over to look out the window and happen to glance over at the entrance gates to the city, it seemed as if they were having a problem. I was just about to go see to the matter when a messenger nin bursts in.


"Hokage-sama, there's a strange woman at the gate demanding that she be let in! She's threatened to kill the guards if they don't comply, what's your response?"


Yet, before I can reply I hear yelling in the hallway.

"Goddamn you all to hell! Let me go right now, you fucking bastards! I'm going to see Sarutobi-sama and you aren't gonna fucking stop me!" a woman's voice growls as sounds of a struggle rage on in the background.


I had to smile, all these years and she hadn't lost her spirit.


"Miss, please calm down! I'm sure the honorable Hokage-sama will see you shortly! There is no need for this, now please stop before we-!" the voice of the guard is cut off as the door bursts open and I see a woman slamming one guard into the wall, using a subduing taijutsu on the other, and baring a sword at the third.


"I swear, if you ever do that again then you will be nothing more than a stain on the end of my sword!" she growls at them, slowly turning towards me. "Sarutobi-sama, your damn guards don't know an official summons when they see one?!"


"Well, it depends on wether or not you showed them an 'official' summons, or one you faked using genjutsu." I reply jokingly, folding my hands together atop my desk. She turns away, scoffing, and I tell the messenger to take the three guards back to their posts.


As soon as he clears the hall and the door is shut she starts yelling at me; I rub my temples and bid her to calm down.


"Please, Naruto is still sleeping." I say and she huffs, plopping down in a chair.


~Author~


Sarutobi sits quietly, studying the pouting woman in front of him.

She has red hair the color of Gaara's, except there are golden tips at the ends. It's hanging down in spiky locks. Her eyes are a cold ice blue, a bit lighter than Naruto's. She's a few inches taller than Kakashi when standing, and her skin is a bit pale.


"I see the rumors were true, hm Sanziya?"


The woman, now dubbed Sanziya, looks up at him bewilderedly.


"What rumors?"


Sarutobi fixes her with a hard gaze.


"The rumors that you had one of the beasts sealed into your own body. You have some traits of the Phoenix."


Sanziya sighs, nodding her head.


"Yes, I did, but I had to Sarutobi-sama! It would've destroyed the village who helped me when I was hurt."


Sarutobi nods understandingly.


"I suppose you seek renewed citizenship into Konoha then?"


"Yes, I'm tired of wandering for the time being, so I'd like to settle down for a while before setting off again. Besides, I'm broke." she replies sheepishly.


"Alright, this is fortunate, I have a favor to ask of you instead of payment for your citizenship."


Sanziya eyes him suspiciously.


"Alright, and what might that be?"


"There's a boy here who is the same as you, you remember the Kyuubi attacking 6 years ago don't you?"


"Yes, I'd always assumed you'd managed to kill it. I left in the middle of the battle, but I heard about the Yondaime and regretted my decision."


"Yes, well...let's not dwell on the past, the favor I wish from you is to take care of this boy, but he has the Kyuubi sealed inside him."


"Why me? Won't the villagers take him?"


"The only one who really cared for him was killed late last night by bandits, but the only reason Naruto wasn't killed is because he hid himself in the closet. You're the best candidate for three reasons, you're poor, you're in the same state so you know what he's going through, and the villagers shun him because of the Kyuubi."


Sanziya pouts a little at the 'poor' comment.


"Gee thanks, Sarutobi-sama, but why do the villagers shun him? If anything, they should praise him as a hero for having to go through what he did so their ungrateful asses could be safe!" she states, her voice growing in volume at each word as she slams her fist down on the desk.


Sarutobi tells her to lower her voice when the sliding door on the opposite side of the room opens slightly.


Frankly the Hokage was surprised Naruto had slept this long with all the noise as he watches the boy come out, his blanket dragging on the floor behind him and his thumb in his mouth. His hair is ruffled, his eyes are puffy as if he'd been crying in his sleep and he goes over to sit beside the Hokage's chair; looking curiously up at the woman who had awoken him by accident.


Sarutobi smiles down to Naruto, calling in an assisant to come and take him down to the baths.


Sanziya smiles as the assisant walks Naruto out.


"So that's the boy eh?" she asks and Sarutobi nods. "I think we'll get along fine."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anaki: So that's the first chappie, what do you think?

RC#16: Not bad for an anime you've never written about.

Anaki: Aww, thanks Chibikins! -heart eyes-

RC#16: -sweats- I-I mean it looks like that, but to me it's pure crap!

Anaki: ...-gets mallet and chases-

RC#16: -runs- Ahhh! Review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)
Key
*thinking*
"talking"
*thoughts progressing into speech"
'substitute for italics'

::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)
~POV~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...

Chapter Two: Proclamation

~Naruto~

::Konoha, walking along the streets::


We were walking down the street, I was having fun and hanging onto her arm, suprisingly she could hold me up on that arm alone, it was like having my own little swing. I couldn't help but I think I would like this lady, she was alot nicer than villagers, even if she dressed strangely.


She wore a red shirt with the kanji for 'Flame' on the back of it and green pants with a gold dragon snaking around one leg, along with a matching set of silver bracelets and earrings. Too many earrings, she had about six in each ear, same for the bracelets except on her arms. All in all she looked kinda like a christmas tree ornament, a funny christmas tree ornament. I laugh lightly.


Then again I wouldn't like her as much as Iruka otou-san, but I'll try not to let those tears fall again.


~Sanziya~


I look around me, a deep frown marring my face. Things had changed greatly since I was last here, I think the clans have gotten weaker, and not to mention there's no evidence of those high-end Uchiha bastards hanging around. Then again, that may have been best, they'd want me slain for leaving.


I feel a sharp pull on my arm and then shooting pain.


*Ouch! Goddamnit man, that kid is heavy, he's gonna break my fucking arm swinging like that!* I think, on the verge of shaking him off when I hear laughter. *Sigh, well he's happy, so I'll be nice about it.*


I smile down at him and he just kinda stares back in reply.


"Ok Naruto, you're gonna have to get off my arm you know."


He frowns, but hops down regardless, and I sigh in relief, rubbing my arm to get the feeling back as he grabs onto my hand.


"Where we going Sanz-, Sanz-?" he pouts, trying to say my name, I laugh and he pouts more.


"Haha, just call me Sa-chan."


"Okay, where we going Sa-chan?"


"Well, since Sarutobi-sama was 'nice' enough to give me a map, I think the house we'll be living in is on the east side of-...No, wait, here it is." I say, looking over to the modest sized house.

Naruto looks over with me.

*Heh, 'nice' wasn't the word, he thought just since I'd lived here for most of my life that I should still know how to get around after 6 years.* I think, my eyebrow twitching at the mere memory. I snap out of my daydream to see Naruto somewhat glaring at the house.


"Well come on Naruto, let's go in. "


~Author~

::Iruka's old house::

Naruto stood his ground even firmer than before. How could the Hokage do this to him? He knew this was where everything had happened, yet he still...


The small boy sighs, well there was no use in fighting back, he probably wouldn't get his way, besides, this would always be a reminder of what he failed to do.


Sanziya frowns and picks him up after he doesn't respond, carrying him into the house and sitting him down at the table.


*What's wrong with this house I wonder?*


"Well Naruto, what do you want to eat? Sarutobi-sama said you might be hungry and he had the cupboards stocked before we arrived.


"Is there any ramen?" he asks, his eyes shining now.


"I'll see what I can do." she replies, smiling.


Naruto smiles, hopping down from his chair to go explore the halls. The ANBU had cleaned up well, there wasn't a trace of anything left, and the entire house smelled of a lemony-vinegary type cleaner. It smells good to Naruto, he inhales deeply, but coughs when it overwhelms his sensitive nose.


He totters down the hall, eventually ending up in a familiar room, and he goes in, plopping down on the bed.

"I miss you, Iruka otou-san..." he says, burying his face in one of the pillows on the bed. It was warmed by the sun, but carried the same scent as it had before the tragedy; he sighs into the pillow, quickly falling asleep.


~Sanziya~

*Where was he?! I had let him out of my sight for all but two minutes and he disappears!*

I sigh, regaining my composure.


"Ok, it's only been an hour, so he can't have gotten far. He's in this house somewhere, probably curled up somewhere asleep. Hm..."


I tell myself this as I walk through the halls, searching each room thoroughly. I find Naruto curled up in the last one I search, and, just as I predicted, fast asleep.


I go over, sitting down on the bed, shaking him lightly.


"Naruto? Wake up, Naruto." I say, his eyelids fluttering slightly as he yawns, turning over to face me.


"Iruka otou-san?" he asks, his sleep clogged mind not comprehending much yet.


"No, Naruto, it's me, Sa-chan. You're probably hungry hm?"


His stomach rumbles, right on cue.


"Thought so, well, Sarutobi-sama didn't give us any ramen, so we'll go out and buy some!" I say enthusastically, Naruto yawns again, sitting up.


"Okay." he replies, grabbing my hand, and I lead him from the house.


::Going to Marketplace::


*What was wrong with these villagers? They kept glaring at us, I had half a mind to beat some sense into them, but I didn't want the village guards all over me.* I think as I'm broken from my thoughts by a loud yell.


"Get out of here demon!"


I turn in the direction of the voice to see the butcher coming out of his shop, wielding a large knife. I push Naruto behind me, he clutches my pant leg and shrinks further back as the man stops in front of me.


"Get out of the way woman, don't you know what's behind you?" he asks, holding the knife steady, and I don't bother to reply so he rambles on. "That's the Kyuubi! If we work together we can wipe him out-!"


He doesn't get to finish because I grab him by the throat, pulling his face to mine.


"Listen here-" I glance at his nametag. "Raiyu. If I ever, and I mean EVER, hear tell of you bothering my son again-!" I let my nails sharpen until they prick into his skin. "Then you won't live to see the next sunrise..."


He sputters a 'yes' so I let him go, the fool runs off screaming, and I wonder if he'll learn anything from my warning.


I turn around, crouching down to Naruto's level, he's teary-eyed and sniffling.


"Naruto? We're gonna go do a few things before we get ramen okay?"


He nods, grabbing my hand again as we make our way to Hokage tower.


~Sarutobi~


::Hokage Tower::


*This was getting too out of hand, the villagers were acting like fools, but I could only offer Sanziya so many options per the Council.* I think, turning away from the window and sitting down, sighing.


I hear Sanziya shuffle restlessly and I look down, feeling Naruto tugging at my robes. I pat him absentmindedly on tthe head, and he smiles up at me.


"Sarutobi-sama?"


I look up to face Sanziya.


"Yes?"


"I only have a simple request. I'd like to make a statement to the entire town in the square today at 3:00pm."


"Well, I see no problem with that, be ready within the hour and the villagers will be gathered accordingly."


"Thank you Sarutobi-sama."


I nod as she and Naruto take their leave.


*What could she have planned?*


I steeple my hands together atop my desk to think.


*Whatever it is, if I know Sanziya like I think I do, then it's sure to be extremely interesting.* I think to myself, smiling as I go to tell the messengers.


~Sanziya~


::Konoha Town Square::


We stand before the millions of accusing eyes of the Konoha villagers.


"Alright Naruto, you ready?" I whisper up to him as he was sitting atop my shoulders.


He doesn't say anything, but looks down at me.


"Why did you call me your son?" he whispers back down.


*Crap, had I done that?* I think, mentally berating myself for that slip.


Naruto tugs on my hair lightly. Ow, that still hurts.


I smile, shaking my head slightly so as not to throw him off while I reply.


"I'm sorry, it was just instinctive, I used to have a little boy that looked similar to you."


"What happened to him?"


"He...went away a long time ago..."


"Oh...sorry Sa-chan."


"It's alright, well time to address the masses of assholes, you ready?"


"Yeah!"

*Man, I knew I'd get along with this kid, he doesn't do that 'Oooh, you said a bad word!' thing even though I curse for almost every other sentence. Rock on kid!*

~Author~

The crowd is getting rowdy, but they aren't throwing anything because they are in the presence of the Hokage, who resides in the tower above, looking down serenely.


They start to get louder, veins start popping out on Sanziya's forehead, and Naruto covers his ears because he knows what's coming.


"WILL ALL OF YOU MOTHER-FUCKING RETARDS, PLEASE SHUT THE HELL UP??!!!" Sanziya yells, and the crowd goes instantly silent. "Thank you, now it has come to my attention that you all think that since the child atop my shoulders harbors a demon inside of him, that you have the right to treat him differently! You refuse him food, pelt him with garbage, and even have the nerve to threaten him with death!"

I glare around the square at the many defiant faces, but some are rightfully ashamed. I see an old man and a little girl nodding in the back however, which made me wonder if they agree with me.

"If he were an adult you wouldn't treat him the same, now would you?! No, because he would be a hero in this village! The Yondaime didn't want this for this child, he intended for him to be revered as he himself was! A hero! Now for all of you, I have something to show and say to you!"


I put Naruto down, he goes behind a box to watch as the Fenikusu's orange aura starts to surround my body. My hair spikes up, pointing skyward, my nails grow longer, sharper, changing into a light orange color, and my eyes turn from their normal blue to green, the Mangekyou sharingan starting to show. The villagers gasp, some of the women cover their children's eyes and the men look on at me.


"I harbor the eight-tailed demon, the Fenikusu and Naruto harbors the nine-tailed demon, the Kyuubi! If you have the nerve to threaten him or me ever again..." I trial off, not feeling the need to say more for the fear I have instilled in them. "Naruto is just a normal child like your own, you accept them, so why don't you accept him as well?!"


They stand in silence, most agreeing, but some still glaring at me.


I sigh, I was getting tired of yelling, besides, it seems most of them have gotten the message.


"Good, now think about what you've done." I say, reverting to normal, grabbing Naruto's hand, and leading him to the nearby ramen stand as the crowd disperses.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anaki: So that's the second chappie up now. (Btw, RC is my annoying muse.)

RC#16: I'm not annoying!

Anaki: Yeah, you are. -smiles- Now where's my mallet?

RC#16: -throws mallet in fireplace-

Anaki: Grr...-pulls new one from hammerspace- I'll get you...that was my favorite mallet...

RC#16: O.O -teleports to distant place- Review. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)
Key

S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)
*thinking*
"talking"
*thoughts progressing into speech"
'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu (Phoenix's Name) at times)

::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)
~POV~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...

Chapter Three: Ramen

::Ramen Shop::

~Naruto~
I love miso ramen, it's so good. Mmm, Ramen...I wonder if there's a magical ramen place that can be reached by a jutsu, or maybe the perfect bowl of ramen! I'm gonna do that when I get older. Mmm...Ramen is soooo yummy.


~Sanziya~


Man, he could eat fast. Was it even healthy to eat that fast? Good lord, what if he chokes?


I look over to him, he has a gigantic smile on his face.


"Well, at least you're happy." I think, turning to the proprietors, coming face to face with the old man I saw in the audience, and the little girl carefully holding a bowl of pork ramen up to me. I take it, thanking her politely, and giving the old man some coins to pay for our dinner.


"Excuse me miss, but my grandaughter and I really enjoyed your speech. We completely agree with you, noone in this village should be discriminated against, even if they harbor a tailed-beast inside of them." he replies, bowing. "Here, there is no need to pay us, we have been paid very well by your words."


He pushes the coins back over to me, but I push them back across the counter.


"Please, take them, even if my words have paid you, they won't help pay the fees for this lovely shop." I tell him respectfully, bowing my head slightly. "Also Honorable Grandfather, my name is Sanziya, and I believe you already know Naruto."


I gesture to the small boy seated beside me, smiling as I see that he has fallen asleep at the counter.


"Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you Sanziya-san, my name is Ichiraku and this little one's name is Ashui." he tells me, patting his grandaughter's head. She smiles up at me, showing a few teeth missing in front, I smile back warmly and reach over to pat her head as well.


"You both as well, I'm sorry but I must make my departure, it is late, and I believe we all know what the owls cry." I reply jokingly, it was nice to know that if things got rough I would always have someone to talk with I suppose, taking care of Naruto was most likely to be a difficult task, and he would need a playmate. "Goodnight, Ichiraku-san and Ashui-chan."


I stand, bowing, and picking Naruto up as I exit.



::In the streets of Konoha::



~Author~



Well, there they were, walking down the street when two thugs come out of an alley behind them.


*So, they wish to play?*


'Ahh, a good fight for me Sanziya? Will you let me?'


*I've got this, shut up.*


'I hate being cooped in here with nothing to do!'


*So? How is that my problem?*


'...I hate you.'


*Glad for it.*


Another thug appears in front of Sanziya, grabbing her shirt collar to slam her and Naruto into a nearby wall.


*-sigh- Are all Konoha villagers asking for death?*


'Probably.'


"Listen demon-bitch, you think people in this village are afraid of you and this boy 'cause you two got those demons inside of you, ain't nobody afraid of you. Got that?" the thug tells her, trailing a hand down her thigh. Sanziya's eyes flash a dangerous green, she hugs Naruto close to her chest as her leg flashes out, and she kicks the guy, hard, as if his groin were a football. He crumples over effectively, paralyzed with pain.


"Don't touch me again, scum."


The other two thugs come up to her, cracking their knuckles.


"Oh, so you think you have some power huh demon? We're gonna teach you and that boy of yours some manners." they both say, closing in around her.


Sanziya sighs, frowning.


"You idiots, I don't have time for this. Now move or be moved!" she hisses at them, letting a bit of Soriyu's aura surround her body.


The nearest guy throws a shuriken at the child in her arms, the Phoenix's aura hardens to form a protective shield, but from the side another ninja appears and steals the sleeping boy from her arms.


"No, give me back my son this moment." she says calmly, but inside she is frantic.


*I must get Naruto back, any way possible, I must!"


The ninja with Naruto has poofed out with a chuckle, knowing she can't follow just yet, which is just part of the plan. Sanziya knows she won't get anywhere with these guys in the way, but she can't kill them without facing a penalty.


'Let me handle this Sanziya, I promise I won't kill them.'


She watches as the thug she kicked earlier gets to his feet, mumbling 'Goddamm that bitch kicks hard.'


*Alright, hurry, I must get Naruto back.*


'Your caring will be the death of you, keep that in mind.'


*...*


The thugs withdraw 'heavy' kunai, holding them like switchblades, and going in for the kill as Soriyu's aura encloses Sanziya's own. Green eyes glare at them, piercing the darkness of the alley as sharp nails quicker than a cat's claws strike thier necks. The thugs crumple to the ground, a bit of blood seeping from thier necks.


*You said you weren't going to kill them.*


'And I am true to my word, they are still breathing. Now be silent while I locate your chick.'


Sanziya frowns slightly, but obeys.


*I hope he is alright.*


'...There are no promises, just get there now. They are in the forest behind your home.'


Sanziya nods mentally, taking off to her house.


::Forest::


"Sa-ch-!" Naruto's cry is cut off as his kidnapper slaps him.


"I told you, shut the fuck up!" he hisses at him, tears welling up in the boy's eyes as the red mark on his face starts to darken to a deep violet. He sniffles a few times, but tries again.


"Where is Sa-?" he's cut off once more, the ninja stabs a shuriken star into his arm and kicks him hard in the ribs. He coughs up blood, being kicked a little too hard, and tries to dig out the star.


~S.S Ahead (Skip if need be.)~


"I see I'm gonna have to teach you a lesson in obeying your elders demon." the ninja replies, grinning sinfully. "This should be fun." He grabs Naruto's shirt collar, pulling him up close and ripping off his pants as well as underwear. Naruto, knowing nothing of sex, rape and whatnot, wonders what the man is doing, but seeing as he has already been hurt; struggles anyway.


"Let me down! Let me down! I want Sa-chan, where is she?! I want Sa-chan now!" he says loudly, screaming outright being impossible because of his cracked ribs.


"I said...shut UP!" the ninja hisses again, slamming Naruto into one of the nearby trees, he hits his head hard enough to where he almost passes out. When everything comes back into focus he is on the ground, ninja kneeling over his now fully naked form with a kunai hovering over his stomach.


"What are you doing?" Naruto asks hoarsely, trying to raise his head.


The ninja doesn't reply, pressing the kunai against the boy's stomach and starting to carve a kanji into his abdomen. Naruto's renewed screams fill the air, his abused lungs taking in as much air as possible to let it back out in a torrent of heart-wrenching screams and sobs while the ninja carves the kanji for 'Demon' onto his stomach. The pain doesn't stop when he's finished either, but Naruto doesn't feel the rest, he passes out as the ninja undoes his pants and pushes into his broken little body.


~S.S Done (For this chappie.)~


~Sanziya~


::Getting to the forest::


I could hear him screaming for me, anyone to save him, but I could only move so fast. I could only hope that he wouldn't be so badly injured. My prayers weren't answered, when I got there that sorry excuse bastard of a ninja was zipping up his pants, and reaching for a kunai. HOW. DARE. HE. I literally saw red, didn't know I had done it until it was over, and he was split in two. I didn't care that I had his blood on my hands, he deserved it, worse. I look over to Naruto, he isn't in good shape, from my sight I can see many bruises, blood, other bodily fluids. I don't even remember picking him up, I just remember being in that hospital, tears streaming down my cheeks.


*Why was I crying, I was supposed to strong, no emotions.*


The nurse gasps, calling a stretcher immediately to take him into intensive care.


*My son...*


She led me towards a vacant room and bade me sit on the bed, a doctor coming in minutes later to examine and question me.


*Nothing's wrong with me, it's Naruto, save him!*


"How did this happen?" he asks me lightly.


I recount everything, leaving out the pieces about why they 'really' attacked us and the last part about the killing.


"I see, well, we have other doctors examining your son right now-"


"He isn't my son, I'm just his caretaker." I reply, cutting him off.


"Yes, well, Miss Sanziya, we are examining him now, and unfortunately we can't give you an accurate diagnosis...Now, unless you want to stay here, I suggest you go home and rest, we'll look after him."


I nod, I'd go home and come back tommorrow morning...after I told the Hokage what happened. He probably has ANBU stationed everywhere, so it's hurtful to know 'why' they didn't come to our aid.


~Author~


Sanziya makes her way to her home, stripping down and getting into the shower.


Her face goes stoic as she muses over killing that ninja while scrubbing the sweat, blood, grime and tears from her body.


'Quit worrying, explain the situation and it will not be an issue.' Soriyu says, trying to snap her out of it. 'You had to protect your chick, it's what parents must do.'


*I know Sarutobi-sama won't mind...much, he'll understand my reasoning, but when this gets out to the villagers...*


'When it gets out to the villagers you'll handle it like you always have.'


Sanziya turns the water off, leans her head against the shower wall for a second and sighs.


*Yes Soriyu, I suppose you're right.*


She gets out, dries off with a very fluffy towel, putting on an oversized green tee and orange shorts. Sighing, she slips off the many bracelets she wears, revealing the many scars that crisscross her wrists, and she runs her fingertips across them as she sits down on the bed.


'You humans, always thinking you can take death into your own hands.'


A misty figure appears in front of her, but we can soon make it out as a young man with red & gold hair, slanted green eyes, and slightly tanned skin.


"Not to mention that you all are so fragile, you die so easily, at the slightest little things." the man says, tapping her in the center of her forehead. Sanziya brushes his hand away, sighing again.


"No we don't, not if we are strong and can avoid death, but some, like myself, sometimes seek it."


Soriyu frowns, sitting down beside her and grabbing her right arm. He examines it, Sanziya shivers under the scrutiny of his emerald gaze, he soon lets her go; his face stoic while he stands and turns to face her.


"I never want to see another self-inflicted scar marring your skin, is that clear?" he asks, catching her by the chin and forcing her to look up at him.


She jerks away, turning her head to the side.


"What'll you do if I don't, asshole?"


He doesn't reply, instead choosing to wrap slender arms lightly around her torso in a loose hug and breathing into her ear.


"Trust me, you won't, I know you won't. Besides, you have your chick to take care of."


Then, with that said, he fades away, back into the darkness of the seal.


"Damn you Soriyu." she curses under her breath, turning off the bedside lamp and climbing underneath the coverlet.


As her breathing becomes deep and irregular, the sound of light chuckling can be heard.


::Next morning, Hokage tower::


"While what you did was wrong, we do understand your reasoning." one elderly male council member states solemnly.


"But this cannot go unpunished!" another one, an old woman, butts in.


The old man nods, Sanziya looks down forlornly.


"Yes, and taking into account thier hideous actions, the remaining men who attacked you have two choices: Exile or Death."


Sanziya looks up, surprised, but from behind the councilman she see Sarutobi winking at her surreptitiously. The council members grin slightly, they may not like the fact that two Jinchurikki reside in their village, but they are still people. People that seem to be able to supress the demons housed inside their souls.


"Which will it be dear?" the councilwoman asks, patting her on the shoulder to get her attention.


Sanziya sighs deeply before lifting her head and replying.


"Kill them."


"It shall be handled accordingly." the councilman states. "Meeting adjourned."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anaki: So that's the third chappie up now. I wonder if anyone likes it, they aren't reviewing much...

RC#16: That's cause it's sick, ugh.

Anaki: ....

RC#16: And they hate your crappy writing style.

Anaki: -flames of anger surrounding-

RC#16: Oh crap...-runs for hills- Review!

Anaki: GET BACK HERE! -chases with flaming chainsaw-

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)
Key

S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)
*thinking*
"talking"
*thoughts progressing into speech"
'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu (Phoenix's Name) at times)

::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)
~POV~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/n: All my reviewers rock! I love you guys! Rock on and prosper! Positivity is awesome!

Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...


Chapter Four: Healing

::Hospital, later in the day::

~Sanziya~

Well Naruto's bleeding was stable now, and they managed to give me the extent of his injuries.

He has 4 broken ribs, two cracked, a severe concussion, his vocal cords are badly damaged from all the screaming and that he may never be able to speak again.

As for his mental state, the haven't a clue as to wether or not he's sane.

And then they told me that no matter how hard they've tried, that the kanji carved into his stomach won't fade away. He would have to live with that for the rest of his life, curse those fools.

I suppose I got some sick satisfaction from being able to murder those bastards with my own hands. The Council gave us a secluded section in the forest, locked down the men's chakra systems, took away all their weapons, and placed a barrier around it so they couldn't escape. I think the best part was that they actually stayed and watched me as I slew them, even Sarutobi-sama. Sadly, they wouldn't make it a public execution, but I was allowed to take their heads and put them on pikes in the town square for a few days.

::Flashback, earlier that day (S.S: Blood & Gore ahead, skip if need be.)::

They just stood there lazily, as if they thought a kunoichi couldn't lay a hand on them, even after last night. They sneered at me and the leader stepped up, bandages around his neck.

"Tell me demon-bitch, did the demon-kid enjoy-?" he cuts himself off, making an obscene gesture with his hips.

That was it, the straw the broke the camel's back you could say. I disappear too fast for him to see with my enhanced speed, and came around back of him, wrapping my hand around his throat.

"You know, I was gonna castrate you and let you go on living, but now..."

I don't finish as I take out a kunai and infuse it with a jutsu of my own design: Fire Acid. I stab it into a non-lethal point on his body and jump back to watch.

He pulls it out, looking at me skeptically.

"That all you got whore?! Come on! Kill me why do-!" he's cut off as he starts to feel something eating away at the stab wound, he clutches at his chest and starts to shake uncontrollably as I grab his arm, ripping it off.

"Yeah fucker, that's all I got."

I grab him by the collar, punch him in the abdomen as I make sure to pull out a good amount of organs and make him see them.

"You see these? They're yours, and guess where they're going?" I ask, grinning sadistically at him. He doesn't reply, turning his face and spitting out blood to the side. "Answer me!"

I shake him wildly, slapping his face.

"I dunno...stupid...bi-bitch..." he replies as I thrust my hand into his chest; his heart falling to the ground behind him. He vomits up blood, glaring up at me as he sinks to the ground.

"Wrong answer." I perform a few quick hands seals, putting my fingers to his temples."I'm keeping you alive with the 'Endless Sorrow' Jutsu, enjoy your pain, now I'm gonna go deal with your friends, be a good boy ne?"

He flicks me off, growling. I smile, throwing him into the electric barrier and going to slaughter his friends, who, to my dismay, have already committed suicide. I pout a little, going back over to the leader.

"Guess what hun? We get to play more, your friends ran away on you."

You know, I guess as bloodthirsty as Soriyu is, even this was making him sick, because he took over and went ahead to castrate the guy, listening to him scream for a bit.

"You never hurt a woman's chick." Soriyu and I say, smiling as we crush his head as if it were a grape.

The Council looked positively green, even Sarutobi had turned away. I just grinned and looked down at my blood-soaked clothes.

"I'm done guys!" I called out cheerfully.

*Gonna need new clothes, sigh. Such a damper .*

::End Flashback::

I stand over Naruto's prone form, glaring at the medical report in my hand and looking up to glower at the nurse. I knew she was one of the people who despised his very being, so I was keeping my eye on her because if need be, I could heal him myself.

"If you do anything to harm him or not get him well to the 'best' of your abilities, and if you let the doctor do anything to harm him or not get him well to the best of 'his' abilities..." I start, my eyes turning a slight tinge of green.

She nods frantically before I can finish, quickly replacing his morphine IV drip and scurrying from the room. Naruto's eyelids twitch after a few minutes, and he groans slightly.

"You awake Naruto?" I ask as he gives a slight nod, not opening his eyes. "How are you feeling?"

He doesn't reply, instead, he shakes his head 'no'.

"Not too good huh? You feel well enough to talk?"

Another 'no'.

"Are you hungry?"

Another 'no'.

"You just want to get out of here don't you?"

He nods 'yes'.

"I thought so, I'll go check with the doctor on how long you'll have to be here."

He nods, and I sense the distinct drop in his chakra system as he sinks back into sleep.

I make my way down the corridor and into the office at the end.

"Dr. Kotimo?" I ask, knocking on the door lightly, he looks up from his paperwork to squint at me, his glasses lay discarded by the stack of papers.

"Yes, yes, what is it Nurse Aki?"

I snicker a bit before going over and picking up his glasses, handing them to him.

He looks at me again.

"Ah, thank you, that's much better, wait, you're not Aki. You're the woman with that Kyuubi b-" he stops, noticing the stony look in my eyes. "...Ah...what can I do for you and your son?"

"Not my son."

"Ah...of course. Well, your charge then."

I laugh slightly and clap him on the shoulder, smiling.

"I was just wondering when I could take him home?"

His face takes on a blank look for a moment, then starts going through his files. A look of enlightenment hits him as he locates a chart with NARUTO UZUMAKI scrawled across the top.

"Hm, well given all the injuries he's had I'd say we'd like to keep him for at least another week or until he fully heals."

"Alright then, I won't be going back down the corridor, when he awakens tell him what you just told me alright?

He nods, turning back to his paperwork as I exit.

~Author~

::Konoha streets::

Sanziya makes her way through the net of villagers milling around the streets, frowning slightly.

'What's wrong my dear?' Soriyu asks sweetly.

*Oh cut the crap, bird.*

'I couldn't resist, but I know something's the matter.'

*Nothing, I'm just fearing for my son.*

'Liar, there's something else bothering you.'

*Fine you bastard bird. I'm worried that he may never speak again, that he may be a different person after he leaves the hospital, and wether or not any one will attack 'me'.*

'You'll just have to see won't you Sanziya?'

*I suppose I will.*

Sanziya opens the door to her house, stepping in.

*But that doesn't mean I'll let it.*

::Week later::

~Sarutobi~

I look at Sanziya, waiting patiently. Like always, she had just stormed into my office, however Naruto was right behind her. Of course I didn't mind this much, as she didn't threaten any guards this time and I wasn't busy. However, I wondered what could have her so angered. Especially to the point that she could have the door guards gasping for their breath at her killing intent. She closes the door, sealing it with a privacy jutsu, and sitting down in the chair for guests.

"Sarutobi, look at Naruto and tell me what's wrong." she tells me, her non-usage of a suffix indicating her anger. I glance down to Naruto, who sits beside my desk as always, at first I see nothing indicating what the angered woman in front of me may mean, but then I notice his eyes. They're blank and lifeless, not at all like the happy child I sent off with Sanziya some days ago.

"Naruto..." I say, sighing heavily as I reach down to pat his head. He flinches away slightly, but allows me to pick him up and put him on my lap.

"I see what you mean, his experience has left a very negative effect on his personality."

"I can see that! What is to be done about it? He won't speak to me, and the doctors say they've completely repaired his vocal cords!"

I sigh, rubbing my temple.

"I wouldn't know, maybe the experience has left him not wanting to speak. Or maybe he just doesn't trust anyone fully yet. After all, he hasn't known you for very long, even if you are his m-" she clamps a hand over my mouth before I can finish.

"I told you...not to speak of that." she tells me calmly, removing her hand.

"Sorry, it slips out you know, but for the moment I can only tell you to treat him as you were before, be caring, and maybe he'll slowly go back to his old self.

She stands up, picking up Naruto despite his shakiness, and nods to me.

"Thank you Sarutobi-sama." she replies, releasing the jutsu and exiting my office.

I put my elbows on the desk, fold my hands together and rest my chin upon them.

"I can only hope those results will happen."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anaki: The most suspenseful yet I'd think!

RC#16: Must you do this every chapter? I can't even get a good nap in.

Anaki: You're a chibi, chibi's sleep when they need to.

RC#16: At the rate you update I can sleep for days at a time, but you're always pestering me with some crap.

Anaki: So?

RC16: So? So my ass! I quit!

Anaki: You can't quit!

RC16: Just did! -runs off- Freedom, freedom!!! Review yeah, but Freedom!!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)
Key

S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)
*thinking*
"talking"
*thoughts progressing into speech"
'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)
//telepathy//
::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)
~POV~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...


Chapter Five: Changes

::Timeskip, 6 years: Sanziya's home::

~Author~

Well, it had been six years since that day, six years since his healing, and six years since
he'd talked.

He always carried a small chalkboard with a piece of chalk tied to it around with him at all times, the need to communicate not halting because of his unwillingness to speak. Now he could walk around the village without fear of being attacked per 'that day' so many years ago.

::Flasback, 6 years ago::

Sanziya was laboring to stand up a tall pole up in the town square, she had already put up two and wanted to get this one up most of all. As it was, she managed, and then a pink-haired woman came up, tears in her eyes, and she slapped Sanziya brutally. The pole with the leader's head shook slightly.

"Why? Why did you kill my husband? Why?" she had asked, sinking to the cold ground to sob brokenly. Sanziya looks down at her, frowning slightly, and rubbing her red cheek a bit. The woman didn't have enough power than to make that sting for a little. "He didn't mean to do anything! He had been drunk!"

Sanziya's eyes hardened at this as she glares up at the head now.

"That bastard wasn't drunk, he knew exactly what he was doing."

The woman just continued to sob as Sanziya walks away, fists clenched tightly, and Soriyu's aura on the verge of overwhelming her.

::End Flashback::

Nope, since the 'pole' thing, as he liked to affectionately call it, the villagers didn't even try to attack him. Although that didn't stop their hatred, Sanziya couldn't make them not hate him, but the merchants didn't give him rotten food anymore, which was good.

Sanziya had taken it upon herself from that day to talk to Kyuubi and ask her to help Naruto, suprisingly it wasn't as hard as it probably would've been if she hadn't had Soriyu's help.

Kyuubi would now heal him as best she could, was teaching him to do jutsu in his mind (no hand seals and no having to speak the jutsu aloud), keeping horrid memories from him, and giving him chakra as much as needed.

Sanziya and Soriyu have trained him in Taijutsu, Genjutsu, and Ninjutsu, so he was a fairly good opponent as he knew a few Ninjutsu's that no one had ever heard of, a very horrible Genjutsu, and his Taijutsu style was so unpredictable that nothing could copy it. Not even Sharingan.

*Today is going to be an interesting day.* Naruto surmised as he went into the academy, entering into Tekai-sensei's class a few minutes later and seating himself beside a sleeping Shikamaru.

Tekai-sensei comes in ten minutes later, looking flustered.

"Sorry I'm late kids, my alarm didn't go off this morning and I woke up late and my stove wasn't working and-" she's cut off by a few students saying: 'It's fine Tekai-sensei, calm down.'

This was a daily routine, she was almost always late, and when she wasn't it was a miracle in itself.

"Okay, well, we're gonna take the genin exams today and then you'll be assigned to teams tommorrow if you pass." she says, taking out the class roster and calling each student to follow her into a seperate room. She gets to Naruto, he enters silently, his little chalkboard sticking out of the back pocket of his odd green and red jumpsuit. (Courtesy of living with Sanziya for 6 years.)

"Alright Naruto, this is pretty simple, I'd like you to create at least three Bunshin (clones), please."

Naruto nods, using hand seals so as not to give away his hidden skills, but he goes a little overboard and creates about six. Tekai-sensei's eyes bug out a bit.

*He's good for a genin.*

She marks down 'pass' on the sheet, telling him to grab a hitae-ate of any color. He looks over the colors: black and blue. He finally decides on a blue one, tying it around his head and bowing to Tekai.

"Don't forget to come back tommorrow for your assignment."

He nods, exiting the room.

::Outside the Academy::

Naruto sits outside on the swing, dozing lightly, but hearing the two women talk about him.

"I can't believe they let that little bastard become a genin."

"It's probably because of that demon whore of a caretaker that he has."

"Yeah, stupid bitch acts like she rules the village."

"She even has Hokage-sama wrapped around her finger, probably screwing around with hi-..." the woman trails off, feeling a sudden malicious wave of killing intent coming from the small boy sitting on the swing. She wisely shuts up as Naruto comes over, scribbling something down on his chalkboard.

'No one talks about Sanziya kaa-san like that, no one. Do not try me, I will not hesitate to kill you for that next time.'

The women shudder in fear as the boy walks away.

He later informs Sanziya of his passing the exam.

"Good job Naruto, I'm gonna teach you a new Genjutsu style as a reward!"

::Next day, Academy::

"Team Seven will be Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto, and Sasuke Uchiha! Please wait for your jounin instructor as he will arrive shortly."

Naruto sighs.

*What joy, a Sasuke-obsessed fangirl and a bastard with a tree stuffed up his ass. What a team.*

'Haha, that would be a pretty funny sight Naru-chan.' Kyuubi states, snickering lightly from behind her bars.

*Yes, very funny Kyuu-san, but I can already tell we are not going to get along, I believe that girl is the daughter of the woman who slapped Sanziya 'nee-chan.*

'Yes, and that boy had his clan slaughtered when he was seven. Everyone in this team has suffered a hardship, the boy has no family, like yourself, and the girl's real father is dead.'

*Eh, let them deal with it.*

Sakura, meanwhile, was glaring daggers at Naruto.

"So you're the one who's spreading lies about what happened to my dad."

Naruto sighs again, writing something on his chalkboard to her.

'No, that was my mother, I was just a victim.'

He had finally accepted Sanziya as his surrogate mother, unknowing of what she really was to him.

"You little bastard, whatever Daddy had done to you, you probably deserved it." she says angrily as Naruto grabs the sides of his head while Sakura continues to bitch.

*She's right, I did deserve it, I'm nothing but a, I'm just a...*

'Don't Naru-chan, it's not your fault that happened, don't release those memories, it'll be fine...'

*No, I just wanted it to stop, all the pain, please...*

'Naru-chan...'

Naruto opens his eyes, tears running freely down his face now as he struggles to keep his memories under control, and Kyuubi resists the urge to kill the girl in front of them. He wipes them away, catching Sasuke's confused look before hearing the click of the door opening, and a shock of silver hair poking itself into the doorway.

"Yo. I'm Hatake Kakashi, your instructor." he states, stepping inside and surveying them slightly through his one uncovered eye. His eyes lock on Naruto, who is wiping away tears, Sakura who is still glaring at the boy, and Sasuke who has gone back to his stoic mask.

"You're late!" Sakura yells, turning to Kakashi.

Kakashi's eye crinkles down in a slight frown.

"I'd say, my first impression of you all, is that you confuse me. Now, everyone to the roof." he says, poofing out.

Naruto surprises the other two genin by poofing out as well, beating Kakashi to the roof by a split second.

*Well, I guess I have to give him credit, I didn't learn teleportation until I was 16.* Kakashi thinks, watching as the boy sits cross-legged on the railing to wait.

"Don't fall off Naruto."

Naruto throws him a look that says 'Do you honestly think I'm that slow?'.

Kakashi's eye crinkles in a smile.

"Ah, didn't mean to offend."

Soon Sasuke and Sakura join them, and Kakashi speaks.

“So why don’t we start by introducing ourselves?”

Sakura raises her hand.

"Okay, but like how Sensei?"

Kakashi sighs, shaking his head.

*Such an airheaded little thing.*

"Full name, likes, dislikes, short or long term goals, and any hobbies you may have."

Sakura raises her hand again.

"You should introduce yourself first Sensei!"

Kakashi rubs his temples.

*Kami this child is loud.*

“Fine, my name is Hatake Kakashi. What I like and dislike are none of your business. My goals? Hmm...” he sighs lightly. “And I have many hobbies,” again he sighed lightly. “Now you pinky.”

Sakura huffs indignantly at the nickname, but continues.

“I’m Haruno Sakura, I like,” she looks at Sasuke and blushes. “I dislike Ino-pig. My goal is ...” again she looked at Sasuke but blushed even more this time.

*Great, and a fangirl too.* Kakashi thought, mentally rolling his eyes.

"Now you." he said, pointing to Sasuke.

“My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I don’t like anything and dislike many things." There was a pointed look at Sakura, which to his dismay went unnoticed. "My long term goal is more of an ambition which is to kill a certain man and rebuild my clan.”

Kakashi nods.

*He's going to be trouble later on.*

"Okay, you're up." he says, pointing at Naruto.

Naruto takes out his chalkboard, writes everything down, and passes it to everyone.

It gets to Kakashi and he's surprised, but he doesn't show it other than raising his eyebrow.

'My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I like ramen, my kaa-san, and the old man Hokage. I dislike the three minutes it takes to make ramen, this village, and almost everyone in it. My short term goal is to contain what I hold within. My long term is to make friends outside this village.'

*He is very determined.*

Kakashi nods, handing it back to Naruto, who erases it. Sakura seethes and Sasuke is just stoic.

“Well then, meet me tomorrow morning on training field seven at 5:00 am for some survival training,” said Kakashi but before he could leave Sakura speaks up.

“Sensei, we did that in the Academy,” she said, calming slightly.

“This is different, this is actually your final test to become true Genin. Oh yeah, don't eat breakfast, wouldn't want you throwing up.” Kakashi explained, disappearing in a poof of smoke.

"Ugh, stupid sensei! I bet he'll be late tommorrow like he was before!" Sakura growls, fuming slightly. "Ne, Sasuke-kun, want to walk home together?"

Sasuke has already started walking down the road, attempting to get away from his teammates as fast as possible, but Sakura follows him, chattering endlessly about things he doesn't care about.

Naruto sighs mentally, walking to his home to see Sanziya waiting outside for him.

"Hey. We're going for ramen, I heard about your assigned team."

Naruto growls at the mention of his 'team'.

'They are all just going to slow me down kaa-san, I know we are supposed to work in teams, but the Haruno girl holds a grudge for her father from six years ago as well as a crush on the Uchiha boy, and the Uchiha is too set on revenge to even think about teamwork.' he writes, giving the board to Sanziya to read. She skims it, nodding.

"Alright, but try to work together tommorrow, ne Naru? Kakashi is very strict on teamwork. Have you been working on your telepathy with K-san, it'll do you no good to be showing a chalkboard in the middle of a mission."

Naruto nods grudgingly, not wanting to reveal all of his tactics so soon, but having no choice as he didn't want to talk.

"Good! Now, ramen time!" Sanziya squeals, grabbing his hand and taking off towards Ichiraku's.

::Ramen Shop::

"Hey Sanziya, Naruto, how've you been lately?" Ichiraku asks, sitting a bowl of beef ramen in front of Sanziya. Ashui, now 12, puts a bowl of miso ramen down for Naruto. She smiles at him, and he smiles back, mouthing a 'thank you'. Ashui blushes, scurrying into the back to cook more. "Still not talking, eh Naruto?"

Naruto shakes his head, Ichiraku smiles, patting his head.

"Give it time, you'll be speaking soon enough." the old man says as Naruto smiles at him.

*Pfft, yeah, then we'll have a big party with Otokagure and the Akatsuki.* he thinks, continuing to eat his ramen. Kyuubi laughs at this, but soon tunes out the human's chatter to speak with Soriyu.

'Hey Phoenix, where are you?' Kyuubi asks, reaching out to Soriyu with her telepathy.

'Right here Foxy.' Soriyu replies, yawning. 'I was in the middle of a beauty nap.'

Kyuubi snorts. 'Yeah, you narcissitic bird, like I care. Vain little bastard...do you think it's a good idea to let Naruto attempt to work with these children 'and' reveal his telepathic skills? They may turn traitor later on, especially the Uchiha child.'

'I believe we should let him do as he wishes.' he replies, yawning again. 'Now let me get back to my nap.'

'Alright, but if he's hurt you're answering to me.'Kyuubi growls menacingly.

'Right-o Foxy.' Soriyu states, curling back up to sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anaki: Well, since my previous muse quit, now there's...

RC#17: Me!!! Hello all you fans out there!

Anaki: Kawaii! -hugs-

RC#17: I love hugs!!! -hugs back-

RC#16: Yeck...see? That 'why' I quit.

Anaki: Well then wh are you still here?!

RC16: Um...

Anaki & RC#17: You love us!

RC#16: Noooooooooooooooooo! -runs-

Anaki: Review while I chase the chibi!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)
Key

S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)
*thinking*
"talking"
*thoughts progressing into speech"
'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)
//telepathy//
::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)
~POV~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...

A/n: I'm not an avid Sakura hater, I just feel the need to not like her greatly. :) Thank you guys soo much! All the positivity in these reviews boost my confidence! (Meant mostly for mm.org, Tonfa ppl, and a few ff.net ppl.)

Chapter Six: Examination

::5:00am, Training Field 7::

"Ugh! Where is he? It's freezing out here!" Sakura gripes, shivering and pulling her pink jacket closer to her body in a futile effort to retain heat. "Baka sensei!"

Naruto and Sasuke sigh simultaneously, mentally and physically. Kyuubi just snickers.

::One hour later...::

*What is with this guy?* though Naruto to himself, almost somewhat miffed.

'No need to get angry Naru-chan, go through a few of your katas atop one of those poles there.'

Naruto, looks over to see the poles, sensing the truth behind Kyuubi's words as he jumps up to balance on one and practice some katas.

Meanwhile, the still shivering Sakura couldn't stand show-offy people like she thought Naruto to be. Especially when they acted like they were better than 'her' Sasuke-kun.

*Cha! I'll show this baka kid a thing or two, he can't deserve to live if Daddy tried to kill him!*

Sasuke sits silently on the ground, watching Naruto go through the different katas for his attained style.

*This kid, he intrigues me alot. I wonder why he doesn't speak, could he be a mute? Or does he just not want to talk?* he thinks, looking up and catching Naruto's eye for a second, realization dawning upon him. *His eyes...they're blank...like he has no will anymore...*

It was from that day that Uchiha Sasuke vowed to do one more thing as well as his goal of killing Itachi, he vowed to befriend Naruto, and find out why he had such lifeless eyes.

::One more hour later...::

“Yo,” Kakashi said, poofing into the area.

“You’re late!” Sakura shouts angrily, standing up and still shivering.

“Well you see, a black cat crossed my path so I had to take the long way...” he replies, nose buried in his little orange book .

“LIAR!” she shouts, rubbing her arms to bring some feeling back into them.

“Anyway,” Kakashi says, rolling his hidden eye slightly in annoyance as he places a clock on the pole beside Naruto. “You have until this clock chimes to take a bell from me." he holds up two bells, jingling them. "Otherwise you fail and you'll never be allowed to become ninja.”

A collective look of shock goes around the group, Sakura gasps loudly.

“B-but sensei, there are only two bells and this isn't fair either way! You're a jounin, how are we supposed to get those bells from you?!” said Sakura.

“In battle nothing is 'fair' pinky. Besides, 'one' of you will fail no matter what, and just because I'm a jounin doesn't mean I'm undefeatable.” Kakashi states, his one visible eye crinkling up in a smile. “You have until noon, use any weapons ou deem necessary to bring me down and get the bells, if you aren't prepared to kill me then you won't get a bell. Ready? Go.” Then he vanished, Naruto sits down cross-legged atop his pole to think for a bit. Sakura scoffs, going off on her own, but Sasuke stays, looking up to Naruto for an explanation.

//What do you want Uchiha?// he asks mentally, looking down at the now stunned black haired boy.

"That you Naruto?" he asks, trying to confirm the fact that he isn't crazy and hearing thngs.

Naruto shakes his head and rolls his eyes.

//No it is Halle Berry, of course it is me you teme.//

Sasuke frowns, glaring up at the demon carrier.

//What do you want anyway? It is not like you are going to attempt to complete the exercise as need be.//

"I thought that maybe if we work together we'd have a better chance of getting those bells." he replies, snorting at Naruto's comment.

Naruto raises an eyebrow, surprised the boy has figured it out so quickly.

'Maybe he isn't as arrogant as we first thought.'

*I suppose not.*

//Alright you teme, what's the plan?//

Naruto and Sasuke head off together, eventually finding Sakura unconscious under a tree because of a simple genjutsu.

"Hey, wake up Sakura." Sasuke says, slapping her face lightly.

//Move.// Naruto tells him, forming two quick handseals as Sasuke hurries out of the way, never seeing the rat and monkey handseals used like that before . //Water Ball Jutsu.//

A perfectly shaped orb of water forms above Sakura's face, plopping down onto her face with a wet 'smack'.

Sakura jerks awake, sputtering angrily.

"What was that?!" she asks, looking around, her eyes alighting on Sasuke immediately. "Oh Sasuke-kun! I thought you were dead!"

She starts crying, hugging him. Sasuke frowns, pulling out of her grip.

"Pull yourself together, we've got to get those bells."

Sakura's eyes shine merrily.

"Of course, anything for you Sasuke-kun!"

Naruto growls mentally, rolling his eyes upward.

//Come on, we do not have any time for this, we have to get those bells. Now we only have an hour and a half left at most.This 'test' is a trick to divide us, and we are supposed to work together.//

Sakura thinks on it before she reluctantly agrees.

"Fine." she spat down at his feet, not even noticing his use of telepathy, she just thought he was talking normally. Although she couldn't figure out why his voice sounded so much like an animal's. "What do we do then?"

Naruto narrows his eyes at the pink-haired girl, resisting the urge to haul her up by her collar and slap some sense into her.

Sasuke goes over the plan once more for Sakura, also resisting the urge to hurt her for being so rude. Not that she noticed.

"We'll sneak up on him here," Sasuke says, drawing a crude diagram in the dirt with a stick. "Naruto will cast a Genjutsu while we create a diversion."

Sakura nods, Naruto nodding as well and they all disappear from sight.

Meanwhile...

Kakashi was leaning against a tree. It was a nice day, he surmised. The grass was green, the birds were singing, the water was sparkling with gentle dashes of lovely sunlight, and then a blast of shuriken came out of nowhere to knock him off his feet.

"Unh!" he grunts, a poof of smoke revealing that he has used an utusemi jutsu or substitution jutsu. He appears behind Sasuke and Sakura, tsking. "Very sloppy you three, I thought you could do better than-wait, where's Naruto?"

Suddenly Kakashi goes stockstill, a sign that the Genjutsu is taking effect, and the two in front of him quickly snatch the bells from his belt. He doesn't notice, his knees buckling underneath him as he sinks to the ground shaking uncontrollably.

"Obito..." he murmurs, the word flowing past his lips before Naruto comes up, releasing the jutsu. He scribbles something down on his chalkboard and holds it in front of him.

'You are okay I would think Kakashi-sensei?'

Kakashi nods, shaking his head to clear his mind of the unstable memories, and seeming to be aware of the missing bells.

"Very well, you all pass." he says, his eye crinkling up a bit. "Sakura, Sasuke, do what you will, but report at the bridge tommorrow at 7:00am. Naruto, can I...talk to you for a second?"

Naruto nods, Sakura sneering at him, flouncing off behind Sasuke as said boy throws a subtle look of worry at Naruto before turning around and heading into town.

Kakashi waits until he knows they are out of hearing range and looks at Naruto.

"What was that Genjutsu you used? I've never experienced anything like that, it's terrible."

Naruto scribbles something down on his chalkboard, handing it to Kakashi.

'Kaa-san calls it 'Fire Element: Undead Silence', what I used was the first phase. She taught me the second phase after exams. It's supposed to make you relive the worst memories of your life in first phase, and in second I don't know yet. There are four phases, one for each element, but I don't know all the effects.'

Kakashi nods, telling him he can leave now, Naruto nods, going off down the road to his home.

*If he knows things like that, he'll be a great ally, but I would never want him as an enemy...* he thinks, shivering as he watches the boy fade from sight.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anaki: So sleepy...

RC#17: Aw, poor thing -goes to find blanket-

RC#16: Wtf? This is supposed to be hyper hour.

Anaki: You and 17 be hyper, I'm too tired.

RC16: Um...no?

RC#17: Spoilsport -puts blankie over Anaki-

RC#16: -gags-

RC#17: -bops you on head with mallet- Shhh! She's sleeping!

Anaki: Zzz...

RC#16: -rolls eyes- Whatever, just review.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)

Key


S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

*thinking*

"talking"

*thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

//telepathy//

::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)

~POV~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...


A/n: Y'know, you have a good point Demon, I think I will do that! ^^ Oh yeah, and I put up a pic of how I think Kyuubi looks when female along with a

lil' pic of Naru when he was small, go here: http://s83.photobucket.com/albums/j296/kyura-saiya/ action=view¤t=naruto_naruandkyuubi05.jpg


Chapter Seven: Mission


::7:00am, Bridge::


~Author~


"Ugh! Not again!" Sakura groans, frowning because Kakashi was late once again, which shouldn't have really been a surprise in itself. "Baka sensei!"


Naruto has just arrived, Sasuke presumably on his way he supposed as he sat on the railing of the bridge.


Sakura grinned, unbeknownst to Naruto. *This is the perfect time to screw with his mind.*


"Ne, Naruto?"


Naruto turns around, glowering slightly at the pink haired kunoichi. He scribbles on his chalkboard, holding it up. A big 'WHAT?' decorates the greenery.


"You know my dad didn't want to hurt you?"


Naruto snorts, rolling his eyes. *Lies.*


"He really didn't, my mom said he wanted to 'kill you'. She said he wanted to break you like a horse, until you shivered and cried like the little demon

bastard that you are."


His calm state starts to waver, said boy starting to shake.


*How does she know about you Kyuu-san?*


'I don't know, hm...maybe the 'big' statement that your kaa-san made six years ago has something to do with it?'


*....-.-;...Shut up...*


"He wanted you to suffer Naruto, and I want you to suffer too, because you killed him! You're a worthless piece of shit who doesn't deserve to live! The

whole village hates you! You're nothing but a good for nothing idiot who's too stupid to talk, you don't deserve to be a shinobi!" Sakura says, coming up to

hug him and whisper in his ear. "And he showed how much you were loved Naruto, I'll show you too..."


*Why...she...he did, I know it, haven't deserved life at all...how have I?...* he thinks, now shaking his head and pushing her away from him, off of his

shaking form.


//DON'T TOUCH ME!// he screams into Sakura's mind, said girl taken aback.


He screams, sinking to his knees, not noticing Sasuke running up to see what's the matter.


"What did you do Sakura?" he asks, crouching down to tend to the boy, and glaring slightly at the kunoichi.


"Nothing Sasuke-kun, he just went off when I tried to hug him." she replies in her sweetest voice. *I'll get you, little bastard...stealing 'my' Sasuke-kun

again! Cha!*


::Inside Naruto's mind::


Now he's just a small litle boy in his now warped mindscape where the moon is black, the water red, and the rain of panful blood never stops. He's by a

pond, curled into a ball, and crying as his eyes grow reddish raw with salt.


'Naruto?' Kyuubi says, coming over to him in human form, her nine tails flaring around behind her.


"Go away! I hate you, go away!" he screeches, curling up more, evidence of his beating six years ago appearing on his form, the injuries also appearing on

his real world body as the effects of psychosomatic injury sets in.


::In the real world::


"What the hell?" Sasuke asks himself, watching as lacerations and whatnot appear on Naruto's neck and face. However, going on a suspicion, he pulls off

Naruto's jacket, seeing more injuries as well as blood seeping through the shirt. "Sakura! Give me a medical kit right now!"


"I don't have one Sasuke-kun." Sakura replies, shaking her head solemnly. *And even if I did I wouldn't give it up for 'him'.*


"Damnit..." he says, but looking on in shock as the wounds start to heal with a hiss of steam, and noticing the kanji carved into his stomach. He traces over

it lightly. "What are you Naruto?"


::Naruto's mindscape::


Kyuubi waves her now glowing red hands over his wounds, healing them, and she wipes away the blood. Naruto whimpers, she hugs him, the broken boy

clinging to her and sobbing,


'Shh Naru-chan, don't bury yourself again. Just let me take over and you go on to sleep, dream nice dreams.'


*I...-hic- ...but I...* The look Kyuubi was giving him was enough to stop any more protests. *Okay...Kyuu-san...-hic-...Don't act too out of

character.*


'Not a problem, my kit.'


::Real World::


As Naruto's chakra was mixed slightly with Kyuubi's own in the switch, his eyes took on a more feral look and his nails lengthened slightly.


Kyuubi, reveling in the feeling of control she got, as well as fresh air, turned to look at the source of the kit's problems. However her vision was blocked

by someone helping her to her feet, she hadn't noticed she was on the ground.


"Are you okay Naruto?" it was that boy with the proverbial tree up his ass. Sasuke was his name. She started to speak, but then she remembered that

Naruto didn't speak, and scribbled her reply on the chalkboard currently dangling from her wrist.


'I'm fine Sasuke-teme.'


Sakura was glaring daggers at the boy on the ground who was being helped up by 'her' Sasuke.


"Sasuke-kunnnnn! Don't help him! He's nothing but a fool!" Sakura whines, looking at Sasuke.


Before Sasuke can concentrate the annoyance building inside him into some new jutsu, Kyuubi-Naruto stands up, going over to the pink haired girl silently.


Sakura stops bitching long enough to glare at Kyuubi and try staring her down, unbeknownst to her that a genjutsu was being placed on her before her

very eyes.


The world turned to darkness, like someone clicked off the sun.


"W-what? Where are we? Why is it so dark?" Sakura asks into the darkness, getting no reply.


A card flies out of nowhere to float in front of her, it bears a picture of her mother crying at the bottom of the pole with her father's head atop it.


"Poor dear, six years old and your father dead." A voice rings out.


"W-w-who are you?"


Another card flies out, mimicking the other.


It shows her mother in the hospital, bandages around her throat.


"Suicidal mother? She wouldn't want you, would she? To try and leave her child."


"Shut up! Who are you?"


A final card comes out, but this time it's held by someone, a woman in a kimono with a very elaborate hairstyle and large fox ears.


"Finally, your poor father, speared atop that pole, left to bloat, rot and blacken in the scorching fire of the sun." she shows Sakura the card, however,

before the pink haired kunoichi can faint, Kyuubi lets her fox form appear. "I AM KYUUBI NO KITSUNE, HURT NARUTO AGAIN AND I SHALL

MAKE SURE YOU PERISH!"

Sakura's scream is heard halfway around the Country of Fire as she faints.


::10 minutes later::


Sakura has been revived courtesy of Naruto's Water Ball Jutsu, as performed by Kyuubi, and sits on the railing by herself, wondering if it was all a dream.


Kyuubi-Naruto is sitting down, half asleep next to Sasuke, who nudges her to full alertness as the familiar 'poof' is heard.


"Yo."


Sakura quickly snaps out of her musings to yell at Kakashi.


"You're late Sensei!"


Kakashi sweatdrops and buries his nose further into his book.


"Alright, today is your first mission, you'll need these." he hands Sasuke and Sakura little microphones, which they place in thier ears. "Naruto, you'll use

your telepathy okay?" Kyuubi-Naruto nods. "We are looking for the target, it has a red ribbon around it's neck, is about a foot and a half tall, and cream

colored. Ready? Spread out and search, report your findings." he replies, all of them spreading out.


~Kyuubi~


I, understanding Kakashi's slight riddle, use my enhanced senses to sniff out the cat. I jump into a nearby tree, seeing the cat on the branch.


//I've located the target, it's at 10 and 25, approaching target now.//


"Alright, be careful, you don't want to scare her off."


After confirming my understanding of the situation to Naru-chan's sensei, I decide to use my animalistic skills to talk to the ball of annoying fluff.


//Why're you out here cat? Shouldn't your lazy ass be at home curled up on a beanbag pillow?//


The cat glares at her, moving farther to the edge of the branch, and soon returning to washing it's face with it's paw.

//-hiss- Shut up you damn fox, you don't know how bad 'home' is. It's like hell, except with a fat bitch who wants to -shiver- coddle me.//


I 'tsk', shaking my head.


//Sorry cat, but we've gotta take you home.//


The cat rears up, fur spiking as it hisses at me.


//Try me!//


Unbeknownst to the cat, inside his mindscape, my sleeping kit whimpers, obviously afraid, and that pisses me off. He has to deal with the pink haired child

first, and now a disobedient house pet was scaring him more? I wouldn't have it.


I narrow my eyes, crouching down as well and releasing some of my chakra.


//I am Kyuubi, I have a very unstable kit with me right now, you are scaring him, and I 'am not' in the mood to play games. Now either you come quietly,

or I can rip you to shreds and bring back the pieces. Personally I'd prefer the latter, it'll be good practice for a certain narcississtic someone who will

definitely suffer that fate later today.//


The cat cowers, slinking over to my with barely recognizable defiance, but mostly fear. I smile as I pick it up, jumping from the trees, and landing right in

front of Naruto's perverted sensei, Kakashi.


He crinkles up his eye in a smile.


"Good, you have Boopsie. Well, back to his owner then."


I snicker, picking the cat up to look it in the face.


//Boopsie?//


The cat frowns, well, as much as a cat 'can' frown and sniffs haughtily.


//It was either that or be named Fluffy Wuffy Patsikins.// he replies, shivering in fear at the rememberance.


::At the payment desk::


"Boopsie Woopsie! I missed woo, don't ever wun away from mommy wike that again my widdle fluffy baby!" An ugly-as-fuck fat lady squeals, clutching

the poor cat tightly and planting big, red, wet lipsticky kisses all over it's poor white fur.


*Damn, I almost feel bad for this.* I think, subconsciously curling my tails tighter around Naruto, but grinning slightly inside. *Almost.*


I take out the chalkboard, scribbling something down on it and tugging at Kakashi's sleeve.


"Hm?" he glances down at the chalkboard I hold out. "Oh, yes of course, you already have your cut of the payment right?"


I nod and start to walk out, only to have that Uchiha boy grab my arm.


"I'll walk you home Naruto." he said, not really leaving room for argument as he walked out along beside me. I vaguely felt the chakra signal of that Haruno

girl as she followed, but paid it no heed, only if she did something (or tried to) would I retaliate.


::Naruto and Sanziya's house::


A few moments later we arrived at the house. I thanked Sasuke gruffly, as Naruto would have done, entering the house, and I watched the two walk back

down the road until I was relatively sure they were out of earshot. Then I closed the curtain, turned around, and...


'Soriyu! You vain little flaming piece of bird shit! Get out here now so I can tear the tail feathers off your ass!'

...yelled to high heavens for that dumb bird.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anaki: Gawd, that took, like, forever....

RC#17: Yes, but it was worth it! -cheers-

RC#16: Worth it my ass, this is crap.

Anaki: Stfu 16!

RC16: And now we are reduced to the retarded terms Anaki has picked up off of webcomics.

RC#17: You're mean!

RC#16: So? That's why they pay me.

RC#17: No one pays you.

RC#16:

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)

Key

S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

*thinking*

"talking"

*thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

//telepathy//

::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)

~POV~
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...


A/n: For the record, Sakura isn't going to die right now, later maybe, but not for a while.


Chapter Eight: Subordinate


::Their house::


~Sanziya~


'Aw shit.' Soriyu growls from behind me, cursing some random kami.


"Ooooh, Soriyu, what'd you do?" I ask him, also hearing Kyuubi's death threat as I rummage around in the kitchen for ramen.


'Fuck if I know, maybe she's PMSing.' he replies from the chair he currently sits in, leaning back against it sleepily, eyes shut.


'PMSing my ass you red and yellow chicken shit! This is all your fault!' she yells, fuming as she storms into the kitchen and plops down...in Naruto's body.


I sigh, turning around to get my food, and then sitting down at the table with a cup of my lovely noodles to look up at Kyuubi.


"Where's Naruto, ne? Why aren't you in your own form?" I ask, slurping up a few noodles.


Kyuubi rolls her-I mean Naruto's eyes, slumping further into the chair as she tells me what transpired today.


"Oh." I reply thoughfully, now draining the remaining juice from my cup before getting up.


'Where ya goin' Sanziya?' Soriyu asks, opening an eye as Kyuubi turns Argument Number Five of 'this is your fault' on him.


"Oh...to kill a certain pink haired bitch and her idiotic daughter." I reply, my aura spiking in barely controlled anger as I head for the door. Alas, before I know it I'm on the ground, face meshed into the tatami and my arms captured by another's behind my back.


'No you aren't.'


~Author~


"Goddamnit Soriyu, you bastard! Lemme go right now so I can rip off your arms and stuff them down your fucking throat!" Sanziya rants, struggling wildly, Soriyu doesn't bat an eyelash.


'No, because if you go off in anger, you'll end up being executed. The council doesn't approve of killing people just because they messed with your 'precious' son.'


The red haired woman ceases her struggles, realizing his truth, and he releases her. She stands, trying to get the feeling back into her arms.


He sighs as Kyuubi gets up and comes over, dropping to her level.


'Either way...he'll be alright now Sanzi-chan, I've pushed his memories back into the recesses of his mind and behind the strongest mental barrier I could manage, so even that Haruno girl shouldn't be able to bring them back.' she tells me, smiling lightly. 'Now Naruto can come back, he's waking up anyway.'


*Only seeing some remnant of what happened should trigger it, and there's nothing around for that.*


Oh, how little she knows...


Sanziya and Soriyu watch as the presence of the red chakra fades and Naruto's features return to normal, he immediately hugs Sanziya.


"Hey Naruto, how're you feeling?"


He nods his head, indicating his well being, but pats his stomach.


"Haha, you're hungry then?"


He nods eagerly.


"It's Ramen time then!" she replies, and they race out of the house to Ichiraku's.


Soriyu sighs, rolling his eyes and fading away.


'Yay! Naptime.'


Kyuubi, hearing him, snorts.


'Stupid L.N.B'


Soriyu quirks a mental eyebrow at her.


'Meaning?'


'Lazy narcissistic bastard.'


'Ah...right-o foxy...' Soriyu says, yawning. *Bitch.*


::Ichiraku Ramen::


"Ten bowls of ramen apiece please, Ichiraku-san!" Sanziya asks, pushing back the curtain as she sits down, Naruto seating himself beside her.


"Ah, back again eh Sanziya? Though you were abandoning me for the instant stuff, how've you been lately?"


Sanziya has the grace to look sheepish, but soon launches into a tirade of what she's been doing and how her missions have been going.


Naruto, being served by Ashui, smiles at her, nodding.


"How have you been Naruto-kun? Any good missions lately?"


Naruto sighs, shaking his head and scribbling his reply on the chalkboard.


'No, it's so boring, All we do is weed lawns, walk dogs, and chase cats, I think that we can do alot better. Well, Sasuke and I can, all that Haruno girl does is fawn over him.'


Ashui nods, snickering and handing it back to him.


"Haruno-san and her daughter left here not too long ago, ne? You'll probably see them on your way back home." the purple haired girl states, nodding slightly as she goes back to the kitchen.


Sanziya, who was on her seventh bowl, perks up slightly at this knowledge. Naruto senses what she's planning and hurries to catch up so that they might have a 'chat' with the two pink haired annoyances.


After finishing thier ten bowls, they decide that ramen is a much more important than the annoyances, and they order ten more bowls as a result. Ichiraku smiles, he didn't make the ramen special for his two best customers for nothing.


::Streets::


"Well Naruto, off to the Haruno's, shall we?" the eccentric Phoenix carrier asks, her charge nodding affirmitively as they approach the Haruno residence and knock on the door.


A shuffling of locks is heard and a cry of 'wait a minute' rings through the plain wood. After a few moments the door is pulled open by a pink-haired dumpy woman.


"Yes?" she asks, her tone turning a bit frosty as she notices 'who' it is. "What do 'you' want?"


"Ne, don't be like that Mrs. Haruno, we can't just have a nice talk over tea?"


The woman shakes her head violently.


"No, now please get off my porch." she replies, trying to close the door. Sanziya stops her.


"Then at least allow us to escort your daughter to the bridge tommorrow." she tells the woman earnestly.


Mrs. Haruno thinks for a bit, realizing that they can't possibly do anything to Sakura while in the open and nods. After a brief 'thank you', Sanziya and Naruto depart, making their way back home.


*Ah, repentance, such a sweet thing, ne?"


Naruto, hearing the last bit and guessing what she's talking about smiles, silently agreeing.


::6:30am, S & N's House::


Naruto, already dressed, goes into the master bedroom, where Sanziya lays sprawled across the bed. Covers are strewn everywhere around the bottom of the bed, a pillow has been flung at an innocent alarm clock, both of which now lay on the ground, pillow unharmed and laying atop the clock to muffle it's shrill endless cry of 'beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!'.


Naruto, sneaking over to the side of the bed, tickles her nose with a feather he plucked from the pillow. She moans, turning over and burying her face under the covers.


"Mmm...five more minutes Sori-kun, gotta catch the toaster..." she mumbles, pulling the covers tighter around her body.


Naruto rolls his eyes, wondering what he should use today to wake her up, there were so many options...The classic water ball, the snow ball, dumping ice down her shirt, dragging her into the bathroom and turning on the shower, or...


Naruto chuckles deviously to himself.


*Ooooh, I know....*


'Is this gonna result in our deaths Naru-chan?'


*Ah.....maybe?*


Kyuubi sighs.


Naruto goes through the handseals in his mind, ending with 'tora'.


//Fire Element: Palm Fireball Jutsu.//


A marginally small orb of flame forms in Naruto's hand, he lights the tip of Sanziya's nightclothes aflame, and swiftly exits. Smoke fills the room as flames crawls along the edges of her shirt. Sanziya rolls over, sniffs, and her eyes fly open as she begins to bat at her clothes frantically.


"Shimatta! Naruto!! You're so DEAD!!!" she screeches, quickly performing a water jutsu to put out the flames. Naruto, meanwhile, has escaped to the front porch, snickering to himself.


'Ah Naru-chan, such a trickster.'


::6:45am, Streets::


"You could've done a less destructive method of getting me up y'know..." Sanziya states, groaning at her misfortune as she plucks at her hair. "Look what you did to my hair, you better be glad Soriyu can regrow it for me! Not to mention those were my favorite nightclothes! You don't get shirts in those shades of magenta and shorts in that shade of seaweed green anymore!"


Naruto smiles to himself as Kyuubi silently thinks that the boy has done the Phoenix carrier a favor in the clothing department. Her hair was fucked up though, the edges looked like she'd dipped them in black hair dye, but once you got used to it, it looked okay.


'Maybe we can burn that hideous jumpsuit of yours next...and do something about your unruly hair?'


*Okay, Hair? Maybe. Jumpsuit? No way in hell.*


Kyuubi grins a foxy grin, curling her tails around herself as the two arrive at the Haruno residence.


'Alright kit, we'll see.'


Naruto knocks at the door, and Sakura answers.


"Naruto..." she hisses out, catching sight of Sanziya. "Well, let's go then..."


Naruto's face goes stoic, much like Sasuke's, as he walks beside the pink haired kunoichi.


Sanziya, meanwhile, is behind them, going through quick handseals as Naruto performs 'Kage Bunshin' in his head.


"Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings." Sanziya whispers, stepping out of the picture as one of Naruto's clones morphs into her, unbeknownst to Sakura.


Sanziya laughs to herself, walking Naruto off to the bridge.


"That'll keep her busy for about 3 hours, just enough time to make it back for your new C-rank mission, ne?"


Naruto sighs, growling to himself as he grins at Sanziya.


'What's the matter Naru-chan?'


*Nothing, it's just, this is so boring, all we get to do is protect some old man who's ungrateful.*


'Haha, you may have more fun than expected...'


Naruto mentally sighs as they arrive at the bridge, Sanziya bidding him goodbye as he sits down beside Sasuke, who gives her an odd look as she hurries off to the Hokage's tower.


"Have fun on your mission Naruto!"


Naruto waves at her until she's out of sight as Sasuke looks over to him, crouching down to stare the fox boy in the face.


"What happened to your kaa-san's hair?"


Naruto scribbles his reply on the chalkboard.


'Heh, mishap with her 'alarm clock'.'


Sasuke raises an eyebrow, but doesn't reply.


::Two hours later::


"Ne, have you seen Sakura, Naruto?"


'No.' Naruto replies, via chalkboard.


*I wonder where she is now?*


::Meanwhile with Sakura::


Sakura climbs out of the river, sputtering and wet.


"NARUTO!!!!!!!!"


::With Naruto and Sasuke::


Naruto shivers, sneezing as a feeling of impending doom sweeps over him.


Sasuke looks over to him from staring out into the forest.


"Someone's talking about you, ne dobe?"


Naruto rolls his eyes at Sasuke.


//I told you not to call me that, teme.//


"Long as you call me teme, you're a dobe." Sasuke replies, shrugging uninterestedly as Sakura is comes walking up the path to the bridge, dripping wet.


"Naruto, this is all your fault, you and that bitch kaa-san of yours!"


*Oh...here we go...*


Sakura comes to stand over him, but before she can start her rant, he gets up and claps a hand over her mouth.


//Listen girl, there are about 50 reasons why my kaa-san and I did that, but the top three are: You annoy me, Sasuke, and my kaa-san, you can't take a hint to 'back off' to save your life, and you have no common sense whatsoever. That was a prank compared to what we can and want to do. If you mess with me, badmouth my mother, or even have the nerve to even 'attempt' fucking with my mind anymore to bring up my past...I will kill you. No mercy, you pink haired little shit, now get out of my way.// he tells her, sending a wave of his and Kyuubi's killing intent to push at her from the depths of his soul.


Sakura gasps, stepping back in shock as her body quakes, and she drops to the ground, retching. Sasuke's eyes mirror his disgust, but otherwise he sits stoically.


*Sakura's such a fool, she does nothing but hold us back, such a weakling. Naruto...what do you mean when you said 'fucking with your mind'? Was that what happened at the Academy and on the first day? Is that why you have such lifeless eyes? Because of your past?*


Naruto goes back over to stand on the railing of the bridge, going through katas, Kyuubi's chakra surrounding him slightly in his anger. Sasuke sees this, about to take the oppurtunity to ask the boy if he wishes to spar, but two things dispel that option. Sanziya appears, Tazuna stumbling behind her drunkenly, and Sakura (after cleaning herself up) gets up, fuming as to Kakashi-sensei's whereabouts and how stupid he is for being late.


*Can't say anything about that bitch, Naruto would gut me, can't play around like that anymore.*


Sanziya sees Naruto, his back turned to her, and a smirk crosses her face. She also sees the Haruno girl, soaking wet.


*Haha, she landed in a river, but she'll be no good on the mission if she has a cold, so...*


"Here." Sanziya calls to Sakura, tossing her a towel and a small package.


Sakura catches them, getting the message and starting to towel off her hair, heading behind a tree to change. Naruto turns around at hearing his kaa-san's voice, wondering why she's here, but he looses his balance and slips off the railing.


*Ah, dammit.* he thinks, but notices he isn't going anywhere, just hanging in mid-air by a leg, and he looks up. A string of orange chakra lies coiled around his leg, tied to the railing.


*What in the seven layers of-?*


He doesn't get to finish his thought as Sasuke appears over the railing.


"Dobe, your mother says 'get up here before she clocks you one, we're late as it is'." he tells the pouting boy, noting that he looked good with his legs hanging open like that.


*What the fuck? I am NOT gay...but he looks like an uke, definitely....agh! Stupid perverted brain!*


While Sasuke is going through this mental debate with himself, Sakura comes out from behind the tree and Naruto hops back onto land. Sanziya nods her head in satisfaction.


Sakura frowns, sweatdropping.


"Is this another joke?" she asks, looking down at the red shirt and baggy yellow ninja pants.


"Nope, now come on, we've gotta go." the red and gold haired kunoichi replies, starting to walk down the road, Tazuna does a double take.


"Wait, you mean these munchkins are gonna be protecting me?! They don't look like they could fight their way out of a paper bag!"


Sanziya sighs, growling as she rounds on the drunken old man.


"Now listen here Tazuna-san! It's a three day trip to the Wave Country and I want to get there as soon as we can, if you don't want our genin watching over you then fine, go complain to Hokage-sama, but otherwise, simmer down and march!" she screams at him, numerous veins in her forehead throbbing.


Tazuna just stands there, gaping like a fish for a few minutes before 'hmphing' and following behind them.


"Good, now let's go shall we guys?"


Two of the genin have shocked looks adorning their faces as they follow the woman, Naruto snickering because he already knew the extent of her temper, and Sakura was stretching it to the limit with her next question.


"Ano...where is Kakashi-sensei?"


Sanziya twitches, but calms down, still walking as she replies.


"He's on a spy mission that'll last for a while, so I'm your temporary sensei for a while, I'm more or less on the same level as your sensei."


'Ha, more or less my ass woman, you're more powerful than your Hokage.'


*Shh, they don't need to know that.*


Naruto smiles to himself, thinking along the same lines as Soriyu.


*This will be a fun trip.*
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Anaki: Blue!

RC#16: Wtf?

Anaki: I like blue.

RC#17: It's Indy-Pen-Dance Day, I like red!

Anaki: 16, what's your favorite color?

RC#16: Green.

Anaki: You're supposed to say white!

RC#16: Screw that, I'm going to set off fireworks.

-BOOM!-

RC#17: Omg! Anaki he blew up your manga library...

Anaki: Nooooooooooooooooooooo! 16 you must die! -chases-

RC#16: Review! -runs like hell-

Anaki: Get back here you bastard!!! You owe me $730 dollars!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)

Key

S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

*thinking*

"talking"

*thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

//telepathy//

::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)

~POV~
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...


A/n: Please don't ask me about pairings, I'm not planning to make any lemons or love and whatnot, and even if I did it'd be Naru/Sasu, Naru/Gaa, or Naruto and any other guys. I do not like many het pairings, only Naru/Hina and this won't be one. No lemon, no lime, just perverted one-sided thoughts from a few male characters. :)


Chapter Nine: Wave


::Road to Wave Country::


~Naruto~


Well so far this was going smoothly, no one has really been talking except for kaa-san and it was only to tell us to be on guard just in case something attacked.


"Sasuke-kun, I made snacks for you and I to share, it's Onigiri!" she squeals irritatingly, holding out a bundle.


I snicker as I listen to that, how she had actually managed to unknowingly make the Uchiha's favorite food was beyond me. I knew Sasuke wouldn't want to turn down perfectly good riceballs.


'I bet 1000 yen he will.'


*Prepare to lose Kyuu-san.*


I watch as Sasuke frowns, opening the bundle and taking a riceball.


"Thanks."


*Haha! I was fucking right! Kyuu-san, you owe me 1000 yen!*


'Aw, you suck.'


I laugh to myself, the puddles we just walked past not going unnoticed.


"Sanziya-sensei?" I ask warily.


Kaa-san doesn't turn around, her posture indicates her guard is up however.


"I know."


Even though we were expecting it, the others were completely shocked when two nin came up out of the puddles. A chain whips out from ones hand, wrapping around kaa-san and splitting her to pieces.


~Author~

It was a high level genjutsu, for it to look that real, and Naruto believed it. He was ready to scream out to Sanziya when a tap on his shoulder interrupted his frantic thinking.


He turns around, Sanziya blocking an attack from one of the Demon Brothers so it wouldn't hit him.


"Shisui Rendan!" is heard somewhere on the battlefield, issuing from Sasuke.


Sanziya starts to drone out a lecture, grinning slightly.


*Yay! I get to lecture Naru-chan, this is gonna be lorded over you for life, ha!*


"Ne, you have to be on 'guard' Naruto. You could've been killed in those spare seconds looking around for me. First and foremost: Take out the enemy..." with this she grabs the nin's arm, flipping him over and kneeing him in the face so that he flies back into a tree. He manages to get back up, but she blurs, reappearing behind him and placing him in a choke hold.


"And then worry about your teammates. Go help Sakura."


Naruto looks away from his mother to see Sasuke unconscious under a tree and a frightened Sakura desperately trying to defend the equally frightened (now sober) bridge builder.


Naruto goes through quick handseals, catching Sakura's eye and motioning for her to move. She gets the hint, forcing herself and Tazuna to the ground as the fox boy fires off a Raiton (Lightning) jutsu.


*Lightning Element: Four Corners Jutsu.*


The nin is electrocuted as lightning crashes into his from all sides, originating from Naruto's outstretched palms. Sasuke awakes in time to see this attack.


*How? Raiton jutsus, especially that one, are at least high jounin lvl!*


The man falls to the ground, charred and smoking lightly...and dead.


Sanziya sighs.


"Well, we can still interrogate you my friend." she says to the guy she has in the choke hold as she ties him to a tree. After getting all the wanted information from the man, she slits his throat, and rounds on Tazuna. "You have alot of explaining to do Tazuna-san."


Tazuna gulps at the glare in her eyes, nodding.


::Boat::


Tazuna has just gone through his story, leaving Sakura sobbing and the other two official members of Team Seven mulling it over and thinking 'Girls...what a pain.'


Our resident Phoenix holder, however, was none to sympathetic, but didn't bother to withdraw them from the mission.


Tazuna looks over his shoulder, grinning and giving the peace sign.


"I win!" he murmurs softly.


The guy who was steering told them this was their stop as they docked.


::Road to Tazuna's::


"We'll be at my house in a bit, so you all can rest up." he tells them as they walk through the thick mist.


~Sasuke~


What a pain, it turns out this is a B-rank mission, not that I mind, but still...


I wonder what Kakashi-sensei could be doing to not be able to take us on this mission, not that Sanziya-sensei was a bad person to have around, I had broken two ribs in that fight and she patched them up like new.


Although, that raised more questions. Just who was this woman? Where had she come from? Naruto told me she said that she had left the village twelve years ago when the Kyuubi attacked. So was she a coward, and what was the point of her coming back six years after the Kyuubi attacking? Why did she abandon the village, and why did no hunter-nin go after her?


Too many questions, ones I would find the answer to, but all that happens in these next battles just raise one single question: What. The. Fuck?


~Author~


Out of all the likely people, no one expected a shout of 'Get Down!' to issue from Sakura. They had a split second to throw themselves to the dirt road as a huge sword ripped through the mist where their heads were before.


"Hand over the bridge builder, and I may let you live." a voice says, a man clad only in cargo pants tells them from his perch atop the sword, now embedded in a tree.


Sanziya shakes her head.


"Not happening Zabu, you know I don't make deals with other people's lives."


Zabuza looks at Sanziya, doing a double take...sort of.


"Why in the seven hells are you here Sanzi?" he asks, grabbing the sword hilt and jumping down, yanking it from the tree in the process.


The genin and Tazuna's jaws drop.


"You two know each other?!" Sakura screeches, asking the hanging question.


Sanziya looks back to them, smirking.


"Yep, we met when I was headed out to Waterfall twelve years ago, he's a decent fighter and has a kid. Come to think of it, where's that whelp of yours anyway?"


Zabuza growls.


"Listen Sanzi, I'm here for the bridge builder, if you won't hand him over willingly, then I have to fight you to get him. Friends or not."


Sanziya sighs, dropping herself into a taijutsu stance.


"Alright, maybe when I kick your ass 'again' you'll listen to reason."


Zabuza performs a few quick handseals, and the water around them raises up, taking on his shape. About 5 clones surround them.


*Mizu (Water) Bunshin (Clone).* Sanziya thinks, dodging as Sasuke and Naruto do as well. She throws a few kunai at Sakura's feet. "Protect Tazuna girl, don't let him get killed under any circumstances!"


Sakura picks up the kunai, spreading them between her fingers and nodding. This was no time to defy orders just because you hated your sensei. "Right!"


Sasuke dodges a swipe from one clone, only to get hit in the chest by another as Naruto kicks it squarely in the head, said clone vanishing in a splash of water.


//You okay Sasuke?// he asks, parrying another clone's attack, and managing to stab it in the stomach.


"Yeah." Sasuke replies, taking down yet another clone as the one fighting Sanziya manages to throw her into the lake. The duo go for the last clones on their side, taking it out in a flurry of kunai and shuriken, before turning to the final one as the red haired jinchurikki comes up from the water. She's about to attack the clone, when Zabuza appears beside the lake, going through handseals and finishing with...


"Water Prison Jutsu!" he says, holding out his hand as the attempting-to-move Sanziya is imprisoned in a large, hollow orb of water. "You won't get out, you'll suffocate in a while, so just give up the bridge builder, Sanzi. I really don't wanna kill you, 'cause I see you have a gaki (brat/kid) as well. It's that badly dressed boy over there isn't it? He shares your taste, or is it the girl? Or maybe both?"


Naruto rolls his eyes and Sakura balks at the prospect of being Sanziya's daughter, Sanziya herself chuckling.


*This is serious, if I don't get kaa-san out of there she'll die!*


Another bunshin blocks any hopes the genin have of rescuing Sanziya.


"This bunshin has 30 percent of my power, unlike the others with only five percent. This should be more than enough to fight you, while your sensei slowly suffocates...unless you give up the bridge builder."


Naruto growls, shaking his head 'no' as he tosses Sasuke a fuuma shuriken. Sasuke catches it and gasps slightly.


*This is...* he thinks, unfolding it. *Right.*


"Demon Wind Shuriken: Windmill of Shadows!"


He throws the shuriken, missing the clone completely as the shuriken goes to hit Zabuza who catches it, quickly noticing the hidden one and jumping over it.


"Think you can fool me with that?" he tells them, utterly surprised when Naruto 'poofs' into exisistance from the shuriken behind him, throwing a kunai knife at him.


"Good job Naruto!" Sanziya cheers from inside her prison.


Sasuke smirks, but that soon turns to shock when Zabuza throws down the shuriken, catching the kunai just before it makes contact. Naruto growls deep in his throat. "Weak, there's no point in keeping any of you alive anymore, I've had my fun."


He tightens his fist that holds Sanziya captive, the Water Prison shrinking fast, so that it forms a sheen over her head. The woman tries to move, scratching at her throat furiously, but to no avail. Zabuza releases the jutsu, and she falls into the water, unmoving.


Naruto looks about ready to drop to the ground in sorrow, but he pulls himself together, going over to the body of the woman.


//Kaa-san?// he asks gently, shaking her shoulder. //Kaa-san this isn't funny, I know he can't beat you.// He turns her body over, slapping her face lightly. Sakura and Tazuna turn away sadly. //Kaa-san...wake up...Kaa-san, please wake up.// He lifts her arm, dropping it, and it falls back to the water with a splash, the woman not moving a bit other than that.


'Kit...she's dead...'


"KAA-SAN!" Naruto screams, using his voice for the first time in six years as he sinks into a crouch, Kyuubi's red chakra surrounding his body as his face turns more feral, nails turning into claws and the whisker marks become more pronounced. He turns to Zabuza, red chakra bubbling around him in the form of Kyuubi with one tail. "You killed kaa-san, you killed her, your own friend...You fucking killed her! I'll rip you apart!"


Naruto growls, using Kyuubi's speed to get behind Zabuza.


*I didn't even sense his movements.* are the thoughts of three stunned ninja on the battlefield, Zabuza is kicked into a tree as he raises his sword to block the boy's attack. Naruto follows, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him into the tree hard enough so that it shatters into nothing. Then they are on the ground, Naruto stepping on Zabuza's chest. The other genin and Tazuna rush to follow them.


"Bastard..." Zabuza groans, coughing up blood.


"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Naruto yells, stomping into the Mist-nins chest with each word. Sakura winces at the killing intent he's giving off, but suddenly senbon needles come from nowhere, piercing Zabuza's throat, and his eyes shut, he's dead.


A hunter-nin can be shown in the tree above, holding more of the needles.


Naruto rounds on the nin.


"You bastard! That was my kill, how dare you interfere!"


Just as he is about to attack the nin, a gasp as well as a tap on the shoulder interrupt him, and he whirls around angrily.


"Nani?! (What?!) Kaa-san...-" he is cut off as Sanziya punches him in the stomach, catching him as he falls.


*Sleep...*


Sanziya looks at the nin as they jump to the ground, bowing to her.


"Thank you, we have been after this man for a very long time, it is only with your assistance that we were able to finaly apprehend him." the nin says, taking up Zabuza's body.


Sanziya nods as the nin 'poofs' out, smiling to herself.


*Good to know you're still alive...Haku.*
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Anaki: Wah! So sad!

RC#16: Oh be quiet!

Anaki: Shut up and keep working, you still owe me $560 dollars!

RC#16: -grumbles and continues to clean-

Anaki: -smiles-

RC#17: Haha! Review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)

Key

S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

*thinking*

"talking"

*thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

//telepathy//

::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)

~POV~
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...


A/n: I'm on a roll! :) Um, beware of fluffy cuteness in this chappie, as well as utter fillery pointlessness.


Chapter Ten: Control


::Tazuna's house::


~Author~


Well, Naruto was sleeping peacefully in a guest room in the house, the others gathered around the table for tea and to talk.


"Why were you pretending to be dead?" Sasuke asks, not wanting to skip around the subject as he looks to Sanziya.


"Who was pretending? I was "dead". It was a foolish mistake on my part, I let him catch me and I couldn't get out of his grip, then I "died". Soriyu helped me regain consciousness though." she replies, downing her tea as Sasuke frowns slightly.


"But if you were dead, how are you here now?" Sakura asks, sipping her tea.


Sanziya's eyes quirk up as she grins a sneaky grin, reaching up to her neck, she unclasps a thin strip of what looks like skin.


"Ewww!" Sakura screeches, backing up from the table as Sanziya holds it out.


"Oh calm down, you silly girl." she tells her, the "skin" in her hand turning a nice shade of ice blue as she lays it on the table.


Tazuna and Tsunami look on in awe as well as shock.


"You ninja have some fancy protection." Tazuna says, picking up the necklace and turning it around in his hands. "It's really hard, how'd you change it to your skin?"


"This is a 'body sheath', it's like armor in the sense that it protects you indefinitely. It can be as small as a ring, or as big as my body depending on how much chakra you feed into it. It's also good in the sense that once you feed it chakra it takes on the exact shape and color of your skin, and whatever you're wearing as well if you expand it to cover the whole of your body." she sips at her tea again, sighing.


Tazuna and Tsunami just kind of look on blankly, Sanziya sighing.


"Ano sa...one of you give it a bit of chakra and you'll see what I mean." she tells them, waving her hand at the necklace disinterestedly. Sakura, albeit hesitantly, leans forward, touching the necklace and sending a light bolt of chakra to her fingertips.


The necklace immediately softens, taking on Sakura's skin tone as well as texture, and then shrinking to the size of a bracelet.


"Sugoi! (Amazing!)" Tsunami exclaims, watching as Sakura withdraws her hand and the body sheath reverts to it's hard state. Sanziya picks it up, clasping it onto her wrist, the blue disappearing into nothing as it blends with her skin.


"The other reason I'm alive..." she folds her hands over each other as a soft smile crosses her face. "...is because of a nice bird."


~Naruto~


I lay in the bed with my eyes closed, listening to their exclamations as kaa-san showed them her armor. You know, it was funny, because when she first showed me I asked her where she got it, she said some far off place called Yarnis across the sea, and I'd asked her if she could get any more. At that, her face took on that far away look and she didn't talk to me for three days. I'd never asked her about it again. However, on to more pressing matters. I had spoken, I hadn't spoken in six years and my voice was fine, like I had never stopped talking. Chalk it up to Kyuu-san for not letting my vocal cords rot I guess. Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to talk again, but...no, I'm not going to even think about that.


*Hey, Kyuu-san?*


'Yes?' she replies sleepily, yawning.


*Why'd you tell me kaa-san was dead? Did you know she was alive?*


'Well...um...'


"Naruto! Get up!" a slightly gruff voice yells in my ear, I jump about a foot in the air and Kyuu-san sighs, glad she was able to avoid my question.


I look around, bewildered, to see kaa-san smirking at me with that annoying 'i scared the fucking shit outta you' smirk. I also noticed she had a pair of scissors in her hand.


"Kaa-san? What're you doing with scissors?" I ask, looking at her, my face neutral.


"Ah, I'm not your kaa-san for one Naru-chan, and I'm just acting on Foxy's wishes."


"Huh?" I ask, and he points up at my head, I rush over to the mirror and gasp. My hair is trimmed, actually hanging down straight for once without the aid of gel.


*Kyuubi nee-san, is this really your doing?* I ask ominously.


'Eh...heh-heh...' she replies nervously, sweatdropping.


I mentally hug her.


*This is awesome! Thank you!*


As for Soriyu, he just sits in the chair and smirks.


"You look almost as pretty as me Naru-chan." he says, Kyuubi snorting and replying in my head.


'Damn narcissistic bird.'


I snicker.


He gives control back to kaa-san and we both walk back downstairs together.


~Sanziya~


He wasn't asking any questions, so I could only assume he heard the explanation of why I wasn't dead. I could tell he liked his new hairstyle too, which made me wonder what he'd do if I told him about his f-


No, I couldn't do that to the man. After all, I suppose for now, Naruto is better off not knowing. It could cause many problems if he knew exactly who that man was to him...to us.


"Ne Naru-chan, Tazuna's daughter made lunch for us all!"


I watch as he flashes me a toothy grin, nodding inwardly to myself, yes, it was best he didn't know.


'Keep telling yourself that, you cannot deny his heritage, the facts are going to be clear soon. He'll start showing signs of the multi-bloodlines in a few days, even you know this, he's come of age.'


*Shut up Soriyu!* I reply to him, trying not to cry inside. *I know alright...you don't need to tell me that...dammit...*


I must have been doing something on the outside to show my anger, because next I knew something had nailed me in the side.


"Itai! What the hell?!" I growl out as I clutch my side and try not to double over, only to see Naruto and everyone else staring at me. "Nani?"


"Oh nothing, only that I've been trying to get your attention for twenty minutes since we got here, ne? Take a glance at your hair, fingernails and eyes." Naruto says, thrusting a mirror at me, I thought I already knew what I'd see, as this had happened many times, but what I did see totally shocked me.


~Sakura~


What is she? Our sub-sensei looked so scary right now, and the killing intent radiating from her was just horrible. It's like she wasn't even 'trying' to frighten us, that it was just something that came naturally with that terrifying orange aura of the Fenikusu.


It had to be, because when it first started, so did the changes. It was odd, her hair was now spiking up towards the ceiling and glowing golden, her eyes were...green? Odd, and I don't know if it's just me but are those three white teardrops in her eyes...connected by a... white dotted ring? Even her pupil had turned white, weird, was it a bloodline?


Her nails were also weird, they were red, and long. Almost the length of a pocketknife...


~Sasuke~


Who is she?


It's undeniable, she has the Mangekyou Sharingan, the only other questions were: Why are the dots white? Why don't her eyes turn red? And...is she an Uchiha?


I will find out more about this woman, I swear it!


~Sanziya~


Damn, damn, damn! How could I mess this up that bad, how could I get that angry, how...


'Dear, you may want to disengage my chakra before the questions-'


"What's with all the multicoloration?" Tazuna's grandson, Inari, asks as he descends the stairs.


Soriyu sighs, puffing up his feathers.


'...start. Too late.'


I laugh it off, feeling my body reverting to normal as I allow Soriyu's chakra to fade.


"Nothing, nothing, experimenting with new techniques."


I watch warily as Inari frowns, coming to sit at the table as Tsunami begins to serve lunch.


"You're all gonna die." he says, frowning more as he looks down at his food. "There's no point in you trying to help, Gatou's men will just tear you apart!"


At this he slams his fist onto the table, startling the lot.


Tsunami turns to him.


"Inari! You know that isn't nice!"


Inari scoffs, turning to go upstairs.


"It's the truth, they'll just end up dead! Just like everyone else!" he yells, tears streaming down his face as he races upstairs.


Tazuna sighs, looking around the table at genin and (supposed) jounin, apologizing for Inari's rudeness as Tsunami heads upstairs. The old man sighs, launching into the story about Inari's dad. (Can't remember his name. ^.^;)


After he finishes Sakura is crying again, and even I'm teary. Naruto looks slightly pissed, as does Sasuke.


"What right did they have for that?" I ask, shaking my head. What right did I have to argue? I had killed more people than scum like Gatou had killed in a month. Granted, 'they' deserved it, but still...the guilt was there. What right did someone who tried to kill themselves have to kill another?


"Ahem...well, thank you for telling us, now, Tazuna-san, Tsunami-chan, if you'll excuse us."


I bow, motioning for Naruto and the others to follow as I head for the door. They bow as well, hurrying after me.


::Forest::


We head out into the nearby forest, coming to rest in a grove of trees, and I decide this is a good of place as any to practice the training exercise Kakashi suggested. I grin to myself, only...I'd do it my way.


"We're going to be doing an exercise in chakra control today, Kakashi gave me the simple version, which is this." I place my hands together in a seal, gathering chakra to my feet, and walking up the tree to a high branch. 'Too' fucking easy. "But that's retarded, so you're going to do something else along with it."


I hop off the limb, quite brave considering I was about twenty feet in the air, and go through another seal as gasps are heard from below. Probably Sakura and Sasuke, I didn't surprise Naruto with many of the things I did now. Not to mention I'd taught him this already. Instead of falling like a lead weight as gravity intended, I hung there, upside down, waiting for a reaction as I looked down at two stunned genin and my unfazed 'surrogate' son.


~Sakura~


She may be a bitch, Naruto's mother, and a demon, but I'll admit...she knew some awesome stuff. I couldn't help being impressed.


"Sugoi, sugoi! How are you doing that Sensei?" I ask, shielding my eyes slightly from the glare of sunlight. "I didn't know you could hang onto 'air' with your chakra!"


She kinda gives me a look, shaking her head.


"Iie (No), I can, but for either of you it's utterly impossible. It takes years of training, and large chakra reserves for that. I'm doing something simpler." she says and goes through a handseal, throwing down a...blue rope? I catch it, awed, it's a rope of chakra. "I'm hanging on by strings of chakra, commonly used in medical jutsu, they cannot be cut by normal methods. Only the casters of the string, or a kunai with a special charm can destroy these, including that rope you have in...-."


She breaks off and yawns, the rope in my hands disappearing as she starts to fall, so I assume her chakra is depleted.


I look over to Sasuke, seeing what he'll do. He seems to look stunned, his eyes locked on Sanziya. Naruto, on the other hand, was calm. I didn't see how he could be so calm when his mother was falling to certain death, he was such an icy bastard.


~Naruto~


Well, this was certainly a pain in the ass, how the hell are you gonna teach someone when you know how much making 'ropes' out of your chakra, maintaining such a thin string to hang on, 'and' applying enough chakra to your feet to 'stick' to aforementioned string would drain you?


*Kaa-san...is such a baka.* I think, sighing and shaking my head.


'Eh? Kit? You are aware that she's falling from twenty feet in the air?'


*So?*


'Shouldn't we...oh I don't know, do something?'


*I fail to see your logic.* I reply, I felt like being an ass today, it was fun! Now I could see how Sasuke could keep it up.


Kyuu-san didn't find it as amusing as I, there was a 'big' vien throbbing in her forehead, aw hell...


'Dammit Kit, you better do something right now or I'll dream up so many fluffy bunnies that you won't sleep for a week!'


That got me.


*Eh, not those again, okay, okay...Wind Element: Gentle Capture Jutsu.* I think, grumbling as I mentally go through the handseals.


~Sasuke~


What in the thirteen layers of hell was that? One minute I was about to try and catch Sanziya, the next I was looking at some giant puffy ball of wind as it came out of nowhere to save her.


None of us had done any handseals, so how in the hell...wait, I remembered something from a while back when I was talking with Naruto.


::Flashback::


~Author~


A big ball of water came out of nowhere, hitting Sasuke in the back of his duck-shaped hairdo, as a disembodied laugh resounded throughout the compund.


"Usuratonkachi, you're gonna pay for that." Sasuke growled, turning around to face the window where a certain blonde ninja was currently snickering to himself.


//Come catch me teme.// he replies, another water ball coming out of nowhere and hitting him. //Unlike you, I need no seals.//


At that he jumped out of the window, leaving Sasuke to chase him down.


::End Flashback::


~Sasuke~


Yeah, I remebered now, I'd asked him later and he said it took no more chakra than normal, and since he owed me for helping him on the bridge that he'd teach me someday.


Today was that day.


I watched as the puffy wind lay Sanziya down underneath a tree, then I watched as Naruto prepared himself to go up a tree, but I stopped him.


"Hey, dobe."


He sent me a glare, but came over.


"What?"


"Remember what you promised to teach me?"


He took on a thoughtful look, nodding as it came back to him.


"Think them in your mind while sending the correct amount of chakra mentally as well. It may take you days, weeks, months, maybe even years, but you'll eventually get it."


I groan, yeah, that was real helpful, but how hard could it be?


::Two hours later::


Okay, so it was a pain in the ass, I had to start with small jutsus, but utilizing that tactic, I did manage to get up the tree, just had to form the chakra strings now. I had stopped awhile ago and started using visible handseals again.


Meanwhile, Naruto had already made it into the air, even higher than Sanziya had, and was currently sitting crosslegged on what was probably multiple connected strings of chakra. He was looking down, watching over us all I suppose, and being somewhat wary of Sakura. She too had made it up the tree, and was molding her chakra into strings hesitantly as she walked off the tree branch. Almost at once, her control faltered, and she fell towards the ground.


Naruto was too high up, or lazy, or uncaring...to do anything, and I was almost out of chakra so I couldn't do anything either. However, something completely unexpected happened. A girl in a pink kimono came out of the woods at an ungodly pace, catching Sakura about five feet from the ground, and setting her right. Sanziya sleeps on.


Sakura thanks the girl, who nods, going back into the woods.


She seemed familiar, where had I seen her before?


~Naruto~


Sakura was falling, but I didn't really care, not to mention I'd already sensed there was someone in the woods, watching. My suspicions were confirmed when the girl caught her a few minutes later, hm...that girl...she's odd.


I look over to kaa-san, resisting the urge to roll my eyes when I see she is now feigning asleep. I know Soriyu has already restored the chakra that she's lost, and that she 'woke up' thirty minutes ago. I suppose she was just keeping an eye on us, and that she sensed the girl too, because a smile flitted across her face when the girl appeared.


'Get her up Naru-chan.'


*Okay, and ideas?*


'How about a...Earth Element: Stone Throw?'


*Are we trying to kill her or scare her?*


Kyuubi frowns, pouting.


'Fine, fine, how about genjutsu, enter her dreams?'


*Once again, are we trying to kill her or-*


'FINE! Then you think of something, spoilsport...'


I smile, dropping the water ball I had hovering in my hands onto kaa-san, then forming a ball of lightning and dropping it along behind the water ball. As suspected she lets the water hit her, then blurs out as the lightning comes down, and is soon behind Sasuke, much to his dismay and shock.


"Ne, Naruto! You trying to murder me?!"


I snicker.


"Should've fricasseed you! BBQ'ed Phoenix Woman, yummy!"


"You're dead Naru!" she yells, jumping off the tree branch to get up to me and smirks. "Ninpou: Tickle Attack!"


~Author~


As the insane woman ascends upon Naruto in a bout of good natured tickling, the rest of Team Seven sweatdrop.


And this was the woman who was going to get them through a B-rank mission....


A puff indicating sighs came out of the Uchiha's mouth, and the sweatdrop on Haruno's head grew bigger as Naruto came back at Sanziya with 'Ninpou: Fluffy Bunnies!' and the spiky haired Phoenix vessel falls back onto the chakra strings, swirly eyed. Along with one thought for this mission:


They were screwed.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Anaki: Haha, F.O.F, fear of fluff!


RC#16: Ugh, bunnies...

Anaki: -gives bunny-

RC#16: The horror! Ahh!-runs and screams like a little schoolgirl -

Anaki: -smiles evilly-

RC#17: -roflmao- Can't breathe, haha! Review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)

Key

S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

*thinking*

"talking"

*thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

//telepathy//

::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)

~POV~
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...


A/n: Thanks loyal reviewing fans, but I have one complaint!

Please, don't attempt to give me any ideas for this fic, I've pretty much planned out (and still planning) what I'm going to write when I have the option (and chance) to write. I do plan to follow the Naruto manga series as long as I see fit, yes, all the way to Chuunin exams and more than likely further on from there. :) -sigh- Thank you, I hate being so serious, but that irks me so much. Now, loyal fans! Just sit back, get some pocky, let me drive, and enjoy the ficness!


Chapter Eleven: Surprise


~Author~


::5:00am, Bridge::


Well here it was, go to the bridge with Tazuna, and protect him. They had done that for three days straight and nothing had happened yet. They had all finally gotten the hang of tree climbing and the molding of chakra strings, albeit Naruto and Sakura more than Sasuke, but Naruto had promised to teach the Uchiha more when the returned to their village.


"Ugh! It's so boring Sensei, how can you expect us to sit here and not do 'anything'?! Not to mention getting up soooooo early!" Sakura gripes, flopping down on the floor of the bridge.


Sanziya, who was minding her own business by watching the workers construct the bridge, turns back to Sakura, smiling.


"Ne Sakura, being a shinobi or kunoichi, entails that you must have patience, discipline, and not be overly emotional. So take that page from the manual I know you keep in your backpack, quit whining...and either read it or shove it." she replies, still smiling in the face of a now pissed Sakura as she takes out a cigarette, lighting it with a Palm Fireball, and taking a drag.


"Sensei!" the pink haired girl yells, standing up and rushing Sanziya. "You're such...a bitch!"


*Yeah, kick her ass, she can't talk to you like that, screw Naruto baka' s threat! Cha!*


Naruto, who is on the other side of the bridge along with Sasuke; also surveying the workers, hears her and looks over to the two women.


"Stupid girl." he murmurs, shaking his head as they watch the altercation, Sasuke silently agreeing with his oddly dressed counterpart.


Sanziya doesn't move, instead taking another drag from her cigarette as she eyes the Haruno girl, now trapped in chakra strings emanating from her fingertips. She exhales, tilting her head to the side slightly as a malevolent grin crosses her face.


"You are aware, 'dear', that if I were to, oh I don't know, do 'this'," her emphasis on 'this' is followed by a sharp jerk on one of Sakura's arms so that it is twisted almost 360° degrees around, a gasp issues from Sakura, unable to drop to the ground from the pain because of the way the strings are entwined around her body. "And complete this-"


Another tug and the girl's arm is one step from being dislocated, tears stream down her face.


"...that you would never have use of that arm again? You do not rush at an enemy without knowing their attacks, strengths, weaknesses, 'that is how you die'. If this were a true battle I would hold you hostage against your teammates and they would have to choose which is more important. You or them. Who do 'you' think they would pick?" Sanziya releases her and the girl drops to the ground, crying and repeating 'I'm sorry' over and over again.


The Phoenix jinchurikki smiles, stomping out her cig.


"Yeah, I know you are. Now get up and let me heal that arm, you may have stretched a few hundred tendons."


Across the way, Naruto sighs, sitting back.


"She's too forgiving for her own good."


Sasuke nods, agreeing once more.


"Hey, Naruto?"


"Yeah?"


"Your kaa-san...she has the Mangekyou Sharingan doesn't she?"


Naruto stiffens slightly.


"I don't know." he lies, fidgeting.


Sasuke scowls, hearing the lie in his tone but not wanting to give up.


"Well then, is she an Uchiha?"


Naruto shakes his head.


"No, I don't know if she even has a clan."


Sasuke growls inwardly. This was going nowhere, but on a side note, he 'had' gotten the boy to open up more since they first met. It was comforting, yet eerie at the same time, he liked having someone to talk to and fool around with despite his seeming hatred of everyone around him. Then again, he wondered wether or not life would ever be the same since the massacre, but maybe he could call these people family now. Naruto had never shunned him, and Sanziya certainly never had. She didn't mind the two boys hanging out together, and even let Sasuke stay over whenever he wanted since they had met.


(For the record, the time now is set about 6 months since they became a team.)


Somewhere in the back of his mind he remembered a murmur from her saying it was good for Naruto to have at least one friend 'inside' the village. Whatever that meant.


~Sanziya~


Well, it was nearing the end of the day, and the workers were slowly trickling down to none until only Tazuna-san was left.


"Come on you guys, we're headed home!" I yell out to Tazuna-san and my team as I finish mending Sakura's arm. She's finally seemed to gather enough sense to understand the concept of 'Mess with my family and die.' which was a good thing in itself, 'cause I was really getting sick of playing with her...wait, that came out wrong. Oh...you know what I mean!


We end up getting back to Tazuna's house with no problems, and are sitting down to dinner when Inari speaks up again.


"You're all just gonna die! Don't you see? You don't know anything about this country, or us! You guys come from a rich ninja village, so you don't even know the meaning of pain and suffering!" he yells at us, and then I wonder something...what if I was blue? It'd be so cool.


'Woman, quit suffering from lapses of sanity and pay attention.'


*Stuff it, you turkey.*


~Author~


Sanziya, noting Naruto's sudden eye twitch, and the snapping of chopsticks, frowns.


*Joy, and now we have a problem.*


Now that, that little comment from this little bastard made Naruto's blood boil.


*How can he even think to say that? God, I'm so mad, I even snapped my chopsticks in half, oh...damn it all to hell.*


'Naru-chan, calm down, ne?' Kyuubi tells him, sipping at a cup of tea in his mindscape calmly, although her tails flail in anger at Inari as well.


*It just ticks me off so bad Kyuu-san, I've gotta vent.*


Kyuubi sighs, sipping her tea with a slight grin.


'Do so if you must.'


And that he did.


"You keep going on, and crying and sobbing...like some sorry little victim! Your father might be dead, but trust me, people in our village have been through more suffering than you can ever think of! I fall into that category, so don't even try preaching! You're nothing, you're nothing...but a coward!" he almost screams at the boy, face set into hard lines of anger as he pushes away from the table to head upstairs.


"Naruto!" Sakura calls to him, wanting him to apologize to a now teary Inari.


Naruto 'hn's' and turns the corner, the rhythmic thump of his shoes is heard as he ascends the staircase.


Sakura turns to Inari, at a loss for words as Sasuke gets up to go see about his friend.


~Sasuke~


::Upstairs::


I knew I should've clocked the boy one while I was downstairs, but that would've been rude and put us out of a mission more than likely. Although I couldn't stop myself from feeling bad for my friend as I listened through the door to hear him talking to someone.


Who could be in there with him?


~Kyuubi~


I was leaning back against the wall and Naruto lay curled up on my lap, using my tails as a pillow. I run my fingers through his hair every few minutes as he purrs in contentment.


"Naru-chan, did you have to be so hard on the poor boy? I mean, hai, he was out of turn, but you should still apologize, ne?"


Naruto yawns, stretching much like a fox, and nods.


"I guess so, can't be meant to the little guy after all, everyone has their hardships. No one told me to suck it up when I was going through crap like that, but for him to say we don't understand his village, just-"


I place a finger on his lips, smiling.


"At-at, it is of no consequence ne?" I remove my finger, tapping the side of his face gently.


'You're getting sloppy Naru-chan, you haven't even noticed there's someone outside the door, listening in.'


*There is? Crap.*


Naruto quickly gets up, hand slipping down to his weapons pouch quicker than the eye can see, and throwing a volley of shuriken through the paper screen of the door. A thorough 'rip' of paper is heard as well as the tell-tale the 'thunk' of the shuriken embedding itself in the wall.


~Author~


Sasuke lay flat against the floor, heart panting from the effort of dodging ten very well aimed shuriken. He even had a few cuts on his arms and legs despite his skill, he looks up warily to see a slightly angry Naruto smirking at him.


"Usuratonkachi..." he starts slowly, pushing himself up. "Are you trying to kill me?"


Naruto tilts his head to the side, looking somewhat mischievious.


"Maa, maa, you shouldn't have been listening in. And if I wanted you dead, you would be dead, because I would've used these." he replies, withdrawing a kunai from his pouch and holding it delicately between two fingers. A vile stench arose from the weapon along with a glint of something green as the light nailed it's tip.


"Hn, what is that?" Sasuke asks, covering his nose.


"It's a poison kaa-san brought back with her from her travels, she says it's from some place called Rus-sy-ya, (Russia) and that the fighters there coated their swords in it when they went to battle."


Sasuke frowns, glaring from the weapon to a grinning Naruto and back again as the blonde boy pockets the weapon, kneeling down to help him up.


"I've got a medical pack in my room, let's patch up these cuts." he tells the boy, turning back toward the room. "Kyuu-san! We have a visitor, it's the boy with the tree up his ass!"


Sasuke eyes Naruto skeptically, wondering who the hell he could be talking to, and why he was being referred to in that way. Especially when Kyuubi was inside of him. However, all that is washed away when he comes face-to-face with a woman dressed in a pair of blue nin pants and a white shirt with a fox on it as he rounds the corner.


"Hello Sasuke-bou, we meet again hm?"


"I have never seen you before in my life."


Naruto shakes his head.


"You never told him you weren't me that day Kyuu-san."


Kyuubi looks rightfully bashful.


"Oh...poo. Well...let's get these wounds cleaned up ne? He's bleeding bad from a deep cut on his left leg, kinda surprised you haven't noticed yet." she tells him, changing the subject quickly, much to Sasuke's chagrin.


However, he does look at his leg, the pain of his wounds finally registering in his mind somewhat as Naruto sits him down across from Kyuubi, who begins cleaning away the blood and applying antiseptic. He hisses as it stings the cuts, his blonde attacker going to the bathroom.


"Naruto, are you oka-...Holy shit! Who killed the door?!" a voice exclaims, it's owner coming around the corner to reveal (who else?) Sanziya, who looks on at the scene in front of her with slight shock. "What the fuck?"


Kyuubi explains as Naruto comes out of the bathroom, coughing.


"What's the matter Naruto?" his caretaker asks, looking him over with a critical eye.


Naruto shakes his head.


"Nothing kaa-san, I'm fine, don't worry about it-" he replies, coughing more and leaning against the wall to keep his balance. Sanziya frowns, first looking towards Kyuubi, who shrugs, and then to Naruto. The boy stops coughing long enough to look up at Sanziya, an apologetic look gracing his features as he slumps down against the wall.


Kyuubi ties Sasuke's bandage a little too tight for comfort as she watches her precious kit sink to the floor, Sasuke yelps, and Sanziya rushes over to the blonde haired boy, running her hands over him, checking vitals.


"Erratic pulse, fever, glazed eyes, dialated pupils, cold to touch. He's been poisoned looks like, for a few days now, must've been in our fight with those Demon Brothers. Kyuubi, you didn't sense it at all?"


Kyuubi shakes her head, murmuring a slight apology to Sasuke as she comes over to see about the boy, she takes his arm, checking the pulse as well.


"How he could even go on with something this potent?" the eccentric Phoenix woman growls, tears leaking through her clenched eyes. "We'll have to abandon this mission, we don't have the proper tools to do a bloodletting."


Naruto stirs, wrenching his arm from Kyuubi's grip.


"No kaa-san, not letting you give up this mission for my stupidity, give...give me a kunai Sasuke-teme..." the boy says, getting to his feet drunken-like. Sanziya shakes her head, trying to pull him back down, but the boy turns and growls deeply at her. "NO, BACK OFF KAA-SAN."


'Let him do as he sees fit woman, this may turn out for the better.'


Sanziya flinches at the growl in Naruto's tone, and Soriyu's warning, letting the blonde go as he grabs the kunai from Sasuke, opening the window. He quickly stabs into his hand, letting the blood fall onto the grass below.


"I was sick of it then, and I'm sick of it now. People taking pity on me, or looking down on me for what I am, saying I'm weak. Well screw them damnit! We're not abandoning this mission! We're gonna help them! We'll save them!"


Sanziya and Kyuubi chuckle, Sasuke looks at them incredously as he goes over to Naruto.


"Dobe, you lose any more blood and you're gonna die."


Naruto nods to him, letting the boy pull him away from the window so Kyuubi can bandage him up.


Sanziya sighs, shaking her head.


*Just like his father, same stubborn spirit, same stamina freak.*


::Two days later, 4:30am, Tazuna's house::


"Tsunami, when Naruto wakes up tell him to meet us at the bridge okay?!"


It was really Soriyu's decision to let the boy stay asleep, he was still exhausted, even after having two days of recovery from the bloodloss and poison.


Tsunami pokes her head out the door, yelling an 'ok' to the temporary leader of Team Seven; said woman dragging an sleepy Sakura and stoic Sasuke behind her.


::5:00am, Bridge::


As soon as they get to the bridge the sit down to eat the small breakfast Tsunami so kindly made for them, but before they can even get into their packs a barrage of senbon and a giant Zanbatou is flung their way.


"Shit!" Sanziya curses, pulling Tazuna with her as she dodges, the other two members of Team Seven quickly moving as well. The needles embed themselves into the stone of the bridge, with the exception of the giant sword, which acts like a boomerang, returning to it's cargo-clad owner.


"If you'd give up the bridge builder Sanzi, I'd quit attacking you and we could go for tea or something." Zabuza tells her, the hunter-nin beside him chuckling softly.


"Damnit Zabu, what part of 'no' do you not comprehend?! Oh yeah, almost forgot, how've you been Haku-chan? It's been six years you know, did you miss me?"


Sakura falls over, twitching, as Sasuke sweatdrops. Haku sweatdrops, but nods nonetheless.


Sanziya smiles, relaxing into an odd taijutsu stance.


"Well Zabu, we fight, if I kick your ass, you and Haku have to come back to Konoha with us, and if you win, you get Tazuna, deal?"


Zabuza smirks, motioning for Haku to go attack the genin.


"Hmph, you've got a deal, Sanzi."


Zabuza rushes her, the woman telling Sakura to protect Tazuna at all costs as she blocks Zabuza's attack.


::5:25am, Tazuna's house::


Naruto awakes, quickly taking note of the fact that he could barely sense the other's chakra signatures, he gets up and heads toward the kitchen.


"Ne, Tsunami-chan, where is everyone?" he asks, poking his head into the kitchen and looking around quickly.


"They went on down to the bridge, Sanziya-chan wanted you to get a bit more rest and said to come on down whenever you get ready."


Naruto nods, going back to his room to put on his clothes.


*Grr...kaa-san, gonna make me miss all the fighting!*


'Quit complaining and get dressed, Naru-chan.'


Naruto sighs heavily and Kyuubi yawns, the boy following her orders as a crash is heard from downstairs.


"Tsunami-chan? You alright?" he asks warily, zipping up his jumpsuit and tying his headband loosely around his throat. A cry of 'Mom!' and 'Inari, stay back!' as well as the swishing of swords brings him barreling down the stairs at top speed. "What's wrong?!"


One of the attacking samurai glances his way lazily.


"Hey An, we got another one, want I should tie him up and take him with too?"


The other one, standing over an unconscious Tsunami with Inari by the collar in one hand, sword in the other, shakes his head.


"Kill him, we only need one hostage and this bitch here'll do nicely."


Naruto growls, pulling out a kunai, ready to defend the unconscious woman and her crying son. The samurai near him scoffs, shaking his head.


"Aw look, the lil' baby ninja has a lil' baby weapon. Watcha gonna do baby, poke me with it? Come on, I'm so scared...Hah-" his laughter is cut off as he is clonked upside the head from behind, falling to the ground and foaming at the mouth, unconscious. His partner barely has time to register that before he too, is down for the count, and they are both being tied together by Inari and Naruto.


"How did you do that Naruto nii-san?" Inari asks, he had gotten to understand the boy a little better in the two days he had been confined to his bed, the had talked and apologized and joked around.


"Simple nin trick Inari, simple nin trick." he states, picking up his mom and carrying her to her room. "Look after your mom, ne? If these fools are here,...then my team must be in trouble."


::Bridge::


Phoenix and Mist Demon were in a dead lock battle, blood covered them both from numerous nicks and gashes along their bodies. Their clothing was torn and bloody as well, pants rang out clearly between the two. They were obviously exhausted, but neither planned on backing down anytime soon. Zabuza's sword had been broken in half sometime ago by Sanziya, so he was forced to rely on his Kirigakure (Hidden Mist) Jutsu with a few offensive water Jutsu thrown in to wear her down. Sanziya, however, having a fire-based youkai sealed inside of her, and primary jutsu's being Doton (Earth) elements, had a tough time countering as she had to use the Phoenix's Katon (Fire) jutsu's to evaporate the majority of Zabuza's Suiton (Water) based ones.


"Gonna give up Zabu? I can keep going longer than you, you know that!" Sanziya yells across the stretch of stone. Zabuza scoffs, the mist having dissapated long ago so that he was now relying on things other than chakra.


"Don't give me that bullshit, just fight, there's gonna be an end to this, one way or the other!"


Sanziya sighs, not really wanting to, but having no other choice. This fight had to end, she closes her eyes, channeling as much chakra as needed into them.


"Mangekyou Sharingan, Earth Element: Undead Blood Illusion." she murmurs quietly, unlocking the second phase of the genjutsu she taught Naruto.


Although, unlike with Kakashi, Zabuza doesn't sink to the ground. He looks in shock as the blood he's covered in starts to writhe and pulse, likes it's alive.


Sanziya watches him warily as he tries to scrape off the blood, but to no avail. It pulses, writhes, and millions of mouths open on it as it moans, screaming.


"You murdered me!"


"You killed us!"


"You weren't even a student!"


"How could you do this son?!"


"Save us!"


"Help me!"


"I don't wanna die mommy, please help me!"


"We're dead....we're dead....and it's all your fault Zabuza Momochi!"


::Other side of Bridge with Haku and Sasuke::


Uchiha and Senbon wielder weren't faring any better. Sasuke was covered in numerous cuts from Haku's senbon. Haku, was unwounded, but his chakra was getting low from darting around in those damn mirrors. He had to end this.


And so, he did, a few well placed Senbon and the Uchiha boy was down for the count. He was (presumably) dead, and it was just around this time that Naruto decided to pop up.


"Sasuke!" he yells, almost going off the hook, but remembering the last time he jumped the gun. He checks the boy's pulse, finding it to be extremely faint, almost undetectable, but nonetheless, his friend was alive. Haku does nothing to stop him as he furiously tears all the senbon from Sasuke's body, laying the boy off to the side.


"Now, I'm kicking your ass, you fake hunter nin bastard."


Haku smiles behind his mask.


"Please...call me Haku."


Naruto closes his eyes and expands his senses as the other androgynous boy begins darting around in the mirrors, throwing the occasional senbon at the calm Kyuubi holder.


"You'll die if you don't act soon, Leaf shinobi." Haku tells the concentrating boy. "What are you waiting for?"


Naruto mentally rolls his eyes.


"Name's Naruto, not Leaf shinobi...and you'll see what I'm waiting for in a few seconds."


"Well the same still goes, Naruto-kun." he darts out, going to another mirror as Naruto's eyes snap open.


*Now!*


He jumps up, kicking Haku hard in the stomach, and through a mirror. Although, before he can recover, Naruto punches him in the face, sending him skidding along the water resting on the bridge from now his melted mirrors.


After a few more kicks, punches, a Kage Bunshin jutsu, and trapping the boy in chakra strings, Haku goes down.


He laughs as he tells Naruto of the bet he made with Sanziya before fainting outright.


Naruto sighs, deciding to plop down right there, he was exhausted. Making that many chakra strings, using Kage Bunshin, not to mention enforcing his hits with chakra took a hell of a lot out of him.


"Good, that's over." he states, falling down onto his back as Sakura comes over.


"Is Sasuke-kun alright?!"


*Great, after all that she's still worried about Sasuke. Sigh, will she ever notice that he 'hates' her?*


Instead of voicing his opinion Naruto turns his head to look at Sakura.


"He's fine, he'll be back to normal in a few days. Chakra exhaustion, not to mention a few of those needles closed off about 20 or more of his tenketsu, so he won't be of any use for a few days either. Just enough time to get back to Konoha."


Sakura glares slightly at him, but otherwise doesn't say anything. Tazuna sighs, one threat down, one to go.


::With Zabuza and Sanziya::


Zabuza officially had no use of his arms, which he himself had been forced to break by way of the genjutsu that had fucked with his mind.


"Well Zabu, this is officially over hun, you can't fight anymore. I know it. Now acknowledge that and I'll mend those arms of yours as much as I can right now."


Zabuza shakes his head, growls, then sighs, knowing the multicolored woman was, to his dismay, right. And, it was at that moment, that the fat pig bastard Gatou decided to show his ugly pig face, his henchman snickering and sneering behind him as he launches into his speech of how worthless Haku and Zabuza were and blah, blah, blah.


Zabuza scoffs, Naruto and the others dragging Haku and Sasuke with them as they came to that side of the bridge.


"Hey kid." Zabuza says, looking back to Naruto, who looks up in confusion. "Toss me a kunai."


Naruto shrugs, the man was no longer a threat, and the boy threw a kunai to him, not wondering how he'd catch it with two broken arms.


The Mist Demon grabs it with his mouth, rushing towards Gatou, despite the henchmen's attempts to kill him. He slashes at the man, stabbing him twice in the chest, slicing out his eyes, and finally slitting his throat before the man falls back off the bridge and into the water. He doesn't resurface.


"You killed our meal ticket!" the henchmen growl, going to kill Zabuza, when a deep voice stops them.


"I DON'T THINK YOU WANT TO DO THAT."


They shiver, slowly turning around, to come face to face with a hellishly scary amount of chakra in the shape of an orange bird. They, being sensible for once, run like hell, clamoring over each other to get in the boat.


Sanziya, being the vessel for this hellish amount of chakra, bitches at her tenant as it dissapates. Meanwhile, Soriyu sighs and begins counting.


*Soriyu you bastard, do you know how much that hurt?*


'Five.'


*I know you were trying to scare them off, but damnit pouring out that much of your chakra when you're in my body is not healthy!*


'Four.'


*You expended my reserves 'and' yours, god I can't tell you how much of a pain in the ass you are sometimes!*


'Three.'


*I can see why Kyuubi gets fed up with you so much too!*


'Two.'


*And why in the seventh layer are you coun...Aw shit...*


'One.'


As soon as he finishes saying that, Sanziya collapses from severe chakra exhaustion.


Naruto sighs.


"What freaking joy! Three people to drag back to the house, and all because of a stupid bird and a fat pig! Damnit!"


Everyone (including Zabuza) laughs.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Anaki: Lovely new chappie! And now, an Omake! (Bonus.)


Omake


"Hey kid." Zabuza says, looking back to Naruto, who looks up in confusion. "Toss me a kunai."


Naruto shrugs, the man was no longer a threat, and the boy threw a kunai to him, not wondering how he'd catch it with two broken arms.


The Mist Demon grabs it with his mouth, and it was a that moment that Naruto pouted.


"Aw man, that was one of my favorite kunai! Now I'll never touch it again!"


Omake 2

"Hey kid." Zabuza says, looking back to Naruto, who looks up in confusion. "Toss me a kunai."


Naruto shrugs, the man was no longer a threat, and the boy threw a kunai to him, not wondering how he'd catch it with two broken arms.


The Mist Demon grabs it with his mouth, and Naruto cocked his head to the side slightly.


"Was that one of the poisoned ones?" he asks, Zabuza's eyes widening comically.


"Poison? Damn." the man says as a 'thump' indicates his meeting with Mr. Ground.


Omake End


RC16: Hahaha! Stupid guy! -kaughing and pointing at Zabu-


Zabuza: I have a big sword you chibi thing. -.-+


RC16: Eeep! -shuts up-


RC17: Funny! Review you guys!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)

Key

S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

*thinking*

"talking"

*thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

//telepathy//

::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)

~POV~
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...


A/n: I'm not starting the Chunin Exam in this chapter, I may in the next one, but I don't know yet. Just trying to delve into a bit of Sanziya's past before she came back to Konoha I suppose, oh, and of course about Naruto's father.


Chapter Twelve: Returning


~Author~


::Tazuna's House::


After a few days of rest, being yelled at, and basically doing nothing that even promotes the word 'ninja' in any sense. Team Seven and the two missing Kiri (Mist) nin, were definitely ready to get out of Wave Country. Sanziya, much to Naruto's annoyance, was still asleep. Apparently Soriyu exhausting his chakra and hers as well was a big burden on her body, it'd take him some time to fully heal her, and a whole bunch of other bull that Naruto shrugged off angrily.


He didn't particularly like waiting, but there was no way around it. They had gotten some medical attention for them all, Sasuke had minor neck problems and a twisted ankle from the fight with Haku, who, in turn, had a broken nose and trouble moving his torso for a few days. Sakura, as she didn't do much of anything, didn't have any ailments to speak of, other than her airheadedness, but sadly that can't be cured. Zabuza, of course, had two broken arms and many superficial wounds, the arms of which, had to be painfully reset before casting them. Naruto, with his fast healing due to his tenant, deciding to forgo the doctor and just confined himself to taking it easy as Kyuu-san did her thing. Sanziya's wounds healed on their own of course, and they got a blacksmith to repair Zabuza's Zanbatou.


As the days wore on he got more impatient, until finally his 'good for nothing kaa-san' as Naruto so affectionately called her, awoke.


"Oi...what in the seven hells ran me over?" a groaning voice asked from across the room. The only ones there to hear it were Sasuke and Naruto, who were playing Go, the blonde and raven haired boys turned to see the eccentric woman sit up on her futon. She immediately grabs her head in pain. "Fuckkkkkk..." she hisses, rubbing her temples. "That hurts like hell!"


While Sasuke contemplates his next move, Naruto reaches over for the canteen and little white bottle beside him, tossing them to his mother.


"Here. Take one of those, Haku made them for you 'cause I said you'd probably have a headache when you got up, and although I could annoy the crap outta you now for sleeping so long, I won't."


Sanziya catches the two items, glaring at the blonde boy so hard it seemed like her gaze would melt steel.


"Quit complaining, you're in no hurry to return to that backwater village and we both know it."


Sasuke kinda chokes at that statement, trying not to laugh, and Naruto smiles grimly.


"Ne, kaa-san, not true. I want my money." he replies toothily, Sanziya sighs, downing a pill with the water.


"Whoa, that stuff gives you a rush. Damn, I feel better already, Haku'll do good in the medical field, where are they now?"


Naruto nods his head towards the open window.


"They should be outside in the forest somewhere. Did you know Haku was the 'girl' who rescued Sakura? He's so androgynous that I didn't know till he took off that damn mask."


Sanziya lets out a full belly laugh, wiping tears that spring to her eyes.


"Yep, I knew it was Haku, he's always been like that, and the green nail polish doesn't help any." she replies, winking as she gets up and jumps out the window. Naruto sighs, turning his attention back to the game. He glares at the board, the glares up at a smirking Sasuke.


"Sasuke-teme,......I hate you." he whines to the stoic boy, pouting as he glares back down at the board.


He had lost by 10 komi.


::Forest::


Haku is in that pink kimono again, picking herbs, while Zabuza sits off to the side, watching. Both are startled when Sanziya hops down out of seemingly nowhere, eyeing them critically before going over to Zabuza.


"Zabu, let me see your arms." she tells the masked man as he stands up so she can get a better look at his arms. "Shimatta, I didn't mean for you to break them this bad, oh well, I can speed up the healing."


With that said she places her hands over his arms, a glowing green chakra surrounding them, along with 'clicks' and 'snaps' as the bones mend themselves somewhat. Zabuza winces at the sharp pains, but she soon finishes.


"There! They should heal in half the time now!" she states happily, pulling a tea set out of seemingly nowhere. "Now let's have that tea like you said Zabu."


Zabuza just looks at her skeptically, as if actually remembering how insane she was, then grunts an affirmative. Sanziya grins widely, going to get logs and water from the nearby river.


Haku looks to Zabuza, smiling.


"She hasn't changed has she?"


Zabuza shakes his head and grunts.


"Nope."


::River::


Sanziya holds the canteen underneath the water of the rushing river as she drifts in and out of memories.


::Flashback, 6 years ago::


The green kimono clad woman crushes the letter in her hand, tears rolling down her cheeks.


*-sigh- I can't put it off any longer, I did promise.*


A few days later finds the Phoenix vessel packing her things in the middle of the campsite the three shared.


"Oi! Oi! Where are you going, nee-chan?" a small black haired boy asks as he comes up to her, tugging at the sleeve of her kimono. She smiles down at the boy clad in a blue and white yukata, bending down to pat his head. "I'm going back to my home village Haku-chan, it's time I took responsibility for something."


Tears well up in the chibi's eyes.


"I don't want you to leave nee-chan, don't go!"


Sanziya smiles sadly, shaking her head.


"I'd stay if I could Haku-chan, but this must be done. I've put off my duty for too long."


Haku nods, still crying.


"Okay, but I made a present for you nee-chan, Zabuza nii-san helped me pick them out, he said you liked these shiny things." he tells her, holding out a medium sized package. This piques the woman's curiosity and she opens it, finding numerous silver bracelets and twelve earrings. She smiles, grabbing the child up in a hug.


"And nii-san was definitely right, this is the best gift ever Haku-chan. Thank you, I'll wear them from now on." she tells the boy, and with that said she takes out the earrings, putting them in the holes in her ears that would never heal, and slipping the bracelets on as well. It was then that Zabuza comes out of his tent.


"Sanziya, you should find those bracelets useful in...hiding things. No more long sleeves."


The woman nods, appearing to zone out for a moment, before snapping back to herself.


"Well...I have to go, will you not follow?"


Zabuza shakes his head as she hugs the boy a final time.


"No, in six years, maybe, but I want to try pursuing my own goals first."


The woman nods, hugging the ex-Kiri jounin, he stiffens slightly, then hugs her back.


"Bye Zabu, bye Haku-chan, take care and we'll meet again in six years!"


Zabuza nods, Haku jumping up and down and waving furiously.


"Bye-bye Sanzi nee-chan! We'll miss you! Bye!!!"


::End Flashback::


"Never thought we'd meet like that, heh." she says to herself and sighs, standing up and capping the canteen to go search for wood. She seems distracted as she goes deeper into the forest.


::Flashback, 10 years ago::


"Ahh, it's so nice here, if I hadn't made that promise I'd stay here forever!" she exclaims, looking out from her balcony among the vast expanse of green and blue that made up Yarnis. A man poofs beside her, bowing low.


"Sanziya-sama, for protecting us from the Phoenix, we would like to present you with some of the most advanced protection we have available to help you in your travels." he tells her, holding up an ice blue ring. "Please accept this meager gift as a sincere expression of our gratitude."


"What is it, Norimu-san? And get up please, there's no need to bow to me you know...or call me sama." she tells the man, smiling gently. He nods, getting to his feet and giving an explanation of just what he has given her. "Sugoi! This will be useful, but are you sure? What if I was to steal the technology and claim it as my own?"


Norimu smiles, leaning back on the balcony railing.


"Even if you did Sanziya-sama, we are sure you would put it to good use."


Sanziya looks down at the ring, slipping it onto her finger, and it melts into her skin.


"Now Norimu-san, you know I could never do that. Thank you." she replies, bowing to him and looking back out, over the blues and greens of this doomed land.


::End Flashback::


Sanziya slowly gets up to find herself nose to nose with Zabuza, she jumps back, startled, and drops the wood she had been collecting.


"I could've killed you right there and you wouldn't have noticed, you don't normally let your guard down that much Sanzi, you've been crouching there on the ground for a good ten minutes, staring at that stick." he pauses, looking pointedly at the piece of branch. "You're reminicising about the past aren't you?"


Sanziya nods numbly, going about collecting the scattered bits of wood.


"Sorry I was taking so long, go on back, I'll...be there in a bit."


Zabuza nods, going back to camp.


Sanziya sighs, standing up slowly and adjusting the firewood in her arms as she looks up to the sky.


::Flashback, 12 years ago, 2 months before the Kyuubi attacks::


"I'm lost without you, you know." she says, leaning back against the blonde haired man, who smiles and sighs.


"I know dear, I know, but we'll be together as long as possible, and soon we'll have a little one."


Sanziya, her hair a dark blue in this stage of life, pats her swollen belly and nods happily.


::2 months later::


"It's a healthy baby boy!" the nurse tells Sanziya, snipping the crying blonde child's umbilical cord. Sanziya holds out her arms to hold the child, just as an lizard masked ANBU poofs into the room.


"The Yondaime requests that child right now! He says it's an urgent matter!"


Sanziya, although she is angered by the decision, nods, the nurse handing over the boy, and the ANBU poofs out. She immediately gets up, despite the protests of the nurse, going to the bathroom to clean up.


"I hate this, I hate this, I hate this!" she growls, smashing the mirror. "But it cannot be helped, he knew it would come to this I bet, the bastard."


She comes out of the bathroom and quickly dons her clothing, heading out to meet the nurse and give her a letter.


"Give this to whoever is Hokage after the Kyuubi battle, can I trust you with that?"


The nurse nods dutifully, calling after the woman as she exits the hospital.


"Where are you going Sanziya-san?!"


Said woman looks back over her shoulder wearily.


"It is of no matter to you, I just won't be back anytime soon."


The nurse gulps at the blank look in the woman's eyes before Sanziya turns around, exiting the hospice.


It was raining.


::End Flashback::


*No one ever said life was fair, right Soriyu?*


'I suppose not.'


She nods, getting up and quickly going back to their meeting place, not looking up at the other two occupants of that space as she makes the fire, putting on the tea kettle.


Haku looks to Zabuza pointedly, who shakes his head.


"Nee-chan, how have you been all these years?"


Sanziya's frown immediately turns into a wide grin as she lifts her head.


"Well, I've really just been living out in the Leaf, doing missions for them, and watching over Naruto. Not much, but I'm itching to get out and back to wandering." she says, fake happiness in her voice. "How about you two? Besides the whole 'I'm going to take over Hidden Mist and kill an innocent bridge builder in the process'?"


Haku laugh and Zabuza snorts.


"We've been alright, nothing too stressing."


"Yeah, we all know Zabu's a big softie inside!" the eccentric woman says, jabbing Zabu lightly in the ribs. Earning a laugh from Haku and another 'now annoyed' grunt from Zabuza.


::Tazuna's house::


Naruto has just finished packing everything, as have Sasuke and Sakura. The blonde boy hefts Sanziya's pack onto his shoulders as well, the three heading out to the forest.


"We'll say goodbye at the bridge you guys!" he yells back to Inari and the others, who nod, the little boy having tears streaming down his cheeks.


::Forest::


The trio have just finished drinking their tea, Zabuza having help from Haku since he couldn't fully use his arms yet, when a kunai flies into the clearing.


"Kaa-san, Haku, Zabuza! Time to go!" a voice yells out as the three genin appear.


Sanziya rolls her eyes, packing her tea set into her pack and hefting it onto her own shoulders. Haku takes his and Zabuza's small packs from Sasuke, putting them both on his back.


"Good, now back to Konoha!"


::Bridge::


After teary goodbyes and promises to come back one day, Team Seven, their temporary sensei, and the two missing Kiri-nin were on the road again.


Inari looks up to Tazuna.


"Jiijii (Grandpa), what should we call this bridge?"


Tazuna smiles, looking out as the nin fade into the distance, eyes alighting on the red and green of Naruto's jacket.


"We'll call it, The Great Naruto Bridge, because that boy himself demonstrates courage."


The other villagers nods thier affirmative on that decision.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Anaki: Awfully short, but still good.

RC16: Eh, you just say that cause you don't like changing scences so dramatically in the same chappie

Anaki: Yup. ^.^

RC17: Oi....review! -dances-

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)

Key

S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

*thinking*

"talking"

*thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

//telepathy//

::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)

~POV~
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...


A/n: Lemme see...well, someone thought that they'd be attacked by hunter-nins since they have two missing-nins with them, so I'll explain it, but I don't think I plan on going into the fight details. In all honesty, I hated the last chappie, only b/c I don't like doing flashbacks really, but this makes up for it in it's entirety! Oh yeah, reviewers! Kudos you all, especially my frequenters, you know who you are I hope! Rock on guys, you rule!

Sadly, this is another filler chappie, not so much in the way of flashbacks, I just want him to meet a few people that I'll probably wanna use in the upcoming chapters. Oh yeah, and since I don't feel like going through the sequence, he already knows Kage Bunshin.


Chapter Thirteen: Vandalism


~Author~


::On the Road to Konoha::


Well, to put it bluntly, they were pissed. More like, Sasuke was slightly angry, the two jinchurikki were fuming, Haku was indifferent, Zabuza was ready to maim something, and Sakura/Inner Sakura was bitching again.


"I can't believe this! Fifteen hunter nin attacks in two hours! Are you guys really that evil?!" she asks, directing her question towards the two missing Kiri-nin. Haku shrugs and Zabuza glares. "Ugh!"


She throws her hands up in surrender, frowning and muttering. Sanziya soons gets annoyed at this and yells at her to shut up, before she 'makes' her shut up.


"Everyone's just as agitated as you are, but we're getting more agitated from your endless ranting! So be quiet goddamnit!" she yells, two veins throbbing on the side of her forehead as she eyes the girl with a glare of enough intensity to rival an Uchiha Death Glare ™. Sakura wisely shuts up.


Haku is poking carrots into his bag and cooing at some unseen thing.


"Aren't you cute? Yes you are! Who's the best pet in the world? You are!"


Naruto tries to peep over the boy's shoulder into the bag.


"What're you talking to Haku?"


A fluffy white head with two long ears pops out of the bag, carrot between it's paws.


"AIEEE! THEY'VE COME TO TAKE OVER!" the blonde screams, jumping onto Sasuke's head like a cat.


Haku looks at the innocent looking bunny in his bag, then to Naruto, and back again.


"What'd you do Mini Zaza?"


The bunny continues to munch it's carrot, a bunny like smirk appearing on it's face.


::Konoha Gates::


After about ten more attacks, a mishap with a duck as well as a deer, Sanziya putting a silencing jutsu on Sakura so she wouldn't be forced to decapitate the girl, and promises that 'Fuzzy Evil Bunnies' weren't coming to take over the world to get Naruto off Sasuke's head. They finally arrived back at Konoha.


"Halt! State your name, business, and country of origin." a guard yells down from the watchtower.


"So much fuzz..." Naruto murmurs, still looking suspiciously at Haku's bag where a Mini Zaza lie balled into cutesy fluff sleeping. Sanziya, however, glares up into the tower.


"It's me you shitheads, we just came back from a mission, we're tired, hungry, and irritable! We have two other people with us now, and need to see Sarutobi-sama! Now let us in before I make good on that threat from six years ago!"


The guards whisper among themselves, almost frightenedly, and the gates slowly roll open.


::Hokage Tower::


After much hassle, and one of the guards 'insisting' that they should let him escort him, they get to the Tower, greeting Sarutobi.


"Right, Team Leader, report please." he says, folding his hands and waiting for Sanziya to begin. The woman goes through the entire mission, leaving out nothing, and telling exactly why two missing Kiri-nin were with them as well as if he would allow them citizenship into Konoha.


Sarutobi looks to Sanziya, still seeing the disraught woman who appeared secretly before him almost three months after the Kyuubi attacks as he sighs, taking out two papers and stamping them in red.


"Here, you are both on a year's long probation however, so tread carefully. You are both in your respective rankings. (Jounin and Genin.) No active missions until your probation is alleiviated." he hands them both to Haku since Zabuza can't hold his. "Let's just hope that the Mist won't accuse us of betrayal."


Sanziya nods, prepared to defend her friends, (and the ungrateful village as a whole) if it came to that.


"Where will they stay? Have you given thought to that Sanziya?" Sarutobi asks, blowing out smoke from his pipe and smiling.


Sanziya nods.


"They shall stay with Naruto and myself, we have more than enough room." she replies, turning to go down and get their team's payment, when Sarutobi stops her. She sighs, ready to listen to foreboding news by the tone in the old man's voice.


He folds his hands, looking at them all grimly. Sakura grabs onto a stoic Sasuke's shirt in fear, Naruto clenches his fists, and the two Kiri-nin don't dare break the tense silence.


"Hatake Kakashi went to spy on Otokagure on behalf of Konohagakure no Sato, and didn't return for three days, but when he finally did...it was in a body bag. It is now confirmed that Orochimaru captured him, tortured him for information, and when he got none, removed his Sharingan eye." he tells them all, closing his eyes as he removes his pipe and blows out a long stream of smoke. Sanziya growls at this new information, throughly pissed at Orochimaru and his sick minded ways, and saddened for Kakashi. "It is for this reason, that Sanziya shall be designated as your permanent Jounin sensei from now on. Kakashi's furneral shall be held 2 days from now, and his name carved on the memorial stone. "


The genin of Team Seven nod, stiffly following the two jounin and Haku as they exit the room.


They come out of the tower a few minutes later, Sasuke and Sakura sweatdropping as Naruto rubs his cheek against a bulging frog purse.


"You're so kawaii(cute) when you're this fat Gama-chan!" he exclaims, bidding the raven haired boy and pink haired girl a goodbye as they go off towards their respective homes.


~Naruto~


::Sanzi and Naru's House, 12:00pm::


Okay, this wasn't as bad as most things done to us in this past.


*I'm not going to get angry, I'm not going to get angry, I'm not going to get angry.*


It was like a mantra in my head as we walked through some rooms of the house, red paint or maybe blood splashed across the walls, and hateful messsages scrawled in red as well.


'Demon.'


'Whore.'


'Go back to hell!'


'Get out of our village!'


Those were just some of the insults across the walls, all our furniture was smashed to pieces, Kaa-san's clothes...well...more like ashes now I suppose, were drifting in the closet. The beds were smashed, and the futons had their stuffing torn out of them. I wasn't going to go in my own room until later, but I could only imagine the damage. The kitchen was trashed, all our ramen was crushed to bits on the floor, as well as our other food. Windows were broken, glass littered the floor, but the most hurtful message was painted solely on the ceiling of the hallway.


'They got you first, but this time 'we'll' get you, we'll hide you, and we'll kill you.'


I looked away.


~Sanziya~


What could I do? Nothing, I didn't have as much power as I thought I did anymore. Maybe it was the stress of the mission, or maybe seeing Naruto deflate like that, I don't know, I just didn't have anymore energy to be pissed. I go over to the broom closet in the very back of our pantry, luckily it was painted over to look like the wall so they didn't know it was there, and take out cleaning supplies, mops and buckets.


"Come on guys, we have a lot to clean up." I say with a bright smile, masking the hurt I felt inside.


~Haku~


Who would do something like this? Was there hatred so severe that they would go so far as to threaten our friends? And what did that message on the ceiling mean?


I shake my head in mild confusion as I accept a bucket of soapy lye water and a green sponge from nee-chan, starting to scrub away at the walls.


*Can't this villagers see the truth? Naruto-kun and Sanzi nee-chan may contain demons, but they aren't demons themselves.*


~Zabuza~


It irked me to see Sanzi act like nothing was wrong, she was good at hiding her emotions when she really tried, and this was one of those times. I asked her what I could do, despite having two broken arms of course, and she eyed me with a look that said exactly what I thought a moment ago.


"Zabu? Well, I suppose if you really want to do something I'll give you a broom to sweep away the glass and dirt, although I fail to see how you'll accomplish that." she tells me, smiling wryly.


I get the broom from her.


"Haha, very funny Sanzi. I'm a ninja, we adapt."


::10 minutes later::


Okay, this wasn't going well. It was damn near impossible to sweep while holding the broom in your mouth and the dustpan with your foot. What a pain in the ass, not to mention everytime I dropped the broom I could hear quiet snickers from everyone in the room at the moment, even Haku was laughing at me, his idol! The little twerp...what was the world coming to?


~Author~


Well it was now three o'clock, and three of the four nin were tuckered out, they had scoured every bit of the house except Naruto's room, the boy saying that he'd get that himself once he'd finished cleaning all the guest rooms so Haku and Zabuza could have places to sleep.


True to his word, as soon as he was done, he went to his own room. Upon sliding opening the door, he is pleasantly shocked to see that it is as he left it. Well mostly, his clothes were most likely in that pile of ashes with Sanziya's, but everything else was fine. He let his eyes roam the expanse of the room. Walls not defiled? Check. Nothing on ceiling? Check.


Door to bathroom broken in two on floor? Check.


Okay, so they had gotten some damage in, it had to have been getting morning by the time they got down here presumably. He steps over the remnants of the door, going into an untainted bathroom.


"Well this is odd, they haven't done anything except break down the door." he says, looking around as Kyuubi forms her spirit like form to look around as well. She gasps at what she sees, having formed where she was behind Naruto. "What's wrong Kyuu-san?"


"Nothing, just...just don't turn around, go back out, and go take a nap or something." she tells him shakily.


He's confused, but listens to her. It turned out everyone else was in thier respective rooms sleeping as well, so after a good two hour long nap, the four go up to go do more shopping for their house.


::Konoha streets::


"And they didn't destroy anything but the bathroom door?" Haku asks, puzzled. Maybe the villagers had something planned?


"That's it, and my clothes, everything else was intact. It's weird, I went in there and was looking around, but before I could finish K-san got all shaky and told me to get out."


Haku nods in agreement with the blonde, pondering what could possibly be in there that Kyuubi didn't want the blonde to see as the two go into a clothing store. It was decided that they would do the clothes shopping for the group, each knew what they wanted as well as what their older guardians wanted as well.


"Let's see, 10 oddly colored shirts? Check. 10 oddly colored pairs of pants? Check." Naruto continues to read down the list. "Undergarments?!"


The people in the shop glare at the boy for such an outburst, as if he wasn't red 'enough' from embarrassment.


"Heh-heh, sorry." he apologizes, face burning as he picks out bras and panties for Sanziya. Haku grins, trying to stifle his laughter as he picks up things for Zabuza and himself. As they go up to the counter, they look at each others purchases.


"What's with all the dresses Haku?" Naruto asks, raising an eyebrow. Haku retorts back by asking what happened to his multicoloredness. He frowns, pouting. "K-san wouldn't let me get anything red or green for myself. She made me get blue and black outfits and two cloaks, a black one with white flames on the bottom, and a blue one with the symbol for 'Fear' on the back."


Haku nods, admitting that he likes to wear dresses and kimonos, it was a habit.


Naruto 'hm's' in understanding, while Kyuubi growls.


'Perverted Transvestite.'


*So mean, nee-chan.*


Kyuubi just growls more, not particularly liking perverts that went that far.


Soon everyone was done shopping, food was put away, clothing was hung, and futons as well as beds were assembled and made up. Naruto decided to go bug old man Hokage while Sanziya and Zabuza play Go, Haku was going to wander around the village to get accustomed to it.


"Hey old man!" he says, having slipped past the ANBU guards and now knocking on Sarutobi's door. Sarutobi looks at the door with a start, whose voice was that?


"Come in." he tells the boy, looking up to see exactly who it is. To say the least, he is surprised to see Naruto. "So you're speaking now, hm?"


Naruto nods, explaining, but getting cut off as a new voice rings out from behind a shogi door.


"Fight me, old geezer!" a boy in a helmet with a frowning smiley face on the side and a long blue scarf yells to Sarutobi, coming at the man with a shuriken. "The title of Godaime Hokage belongs to me, Konoham-!"


He trips before he can finish his sentence however, getting up as a black clothed man with sunglasses enters the room.


"Young master!" the man exclaims, apologizing to a sighing Hokage, his eyes stopping on Naruto as he looks around. He mouths a word.


"Demon."


Naruto ignores him, looking pointedly at Konohamaru.


"Is this a trap?" Konohamaru asks, looking around, his eyes alighting on Naruto. "You set up a trap didn't you?!"


Naruto leans back on his chair, yawning as he eyes the boy with askance.


"You tripped over your own feet,..." he tells the boy, then, as if adding it as an afterthought, "Chibi."


Konohamaru glares at the blonde boy, pointing at him.


"I am not a chibi! Take that back or fight me right now!"


Naruto yawns, digging a pinky finger in his ear, and flicking away whatever was on it.


"No thanks, niether of those options fit my fancy. Bye old man, I'll talk to you later." he replies, nodding to the Hokage in goodbye as he walks through the double doors.


::Training grounds::


Naruto gets to Team Seven's training grounds, noticing the square rock behind him, and sighing.


"Chibi, rocks aren't square."


A poof of smoke destroys the 'rock' and Konohamaru appears.


"I'm not a chibi!"


Naruto starts going through katas, nodding.


"Sure you aren't, what do you want chibi?"


The boy pokes his fingers together, much like Hinata would do, and mumbles something.


"Didn't hear you chibi." Naruto replies, not ceasing his training.


"I said teach me a technique that'll defeat Grandpa! And I'm not a chibi!"


Naruto sighs, plopping back down onto his log and taking out a bottle of water.


"What makes you think I can defeat your grandfather, chibi?"


"I dunno, you just seem powerful, more than Ebisu-sensei anyways!"


"Why do you want to be Hokage?"


"I was named after the village, but no one recognizes me for that. I'm just 'young master' or 'the Sandaime's grandson. I want to be recognized for myself, not just because he's my grandpa."


Naruto guzzles down the water, one eye shut, the other staring interestedly at the small boy. He polishes off the bottle, crushing it against his forehead, and leans back across the log.


"Alright chibi, but you have to do something for me first."


::Sanzi and Naru's house::


A mini-ninja in black snuck into the house where three nin lie slumped over various objects, asleep, the sleep bomb had worked perfectly. He hovered over the one with broken arms, figuring him to be an easier target if he should awaken, and took out a long, black stick-like thing, presumably some kind of weapon. However, that notion is erased as he giggles, uncapping the 'stick', drawing doodles, and writing jargon on the man's face.


'Haku and I are exhibitionist lovers, and I am a sadist.' is on his forehead, and he repeats the same thing with the others.


'I am a closet perverted transvestite, and a masochist.' decorates Haku's forehead, and he just tacks random paint bombs all over Sanziya, as well as a pastel plaid in her hair. They'd go off when she moved. Of course, as odd as she was, she'd probably dye her hair that color. Ugh...


::Training grounds::


"Good job Konohamaru!" Naruto congratulates, clapping the mini-ninja on the shoulder as he takes off his mask.


"So will you teach me a new technique Boss?!" he asks, hopping up and down excitedly.


"I suppose so."


"One that'll defeat Ebisu and Grandpa?"


"By all means it should." the blonde replies, making seals, and then pulling his hands apart. "Oiroke(Sexy) no Jutsu!"


He changes into a busty blonde with very little on in the way of clothing. Konohamaru's jaw drops.


"Whoa, cool Boss, teach me, teach me!"


Naruto nods, and a few hours later, after trial, error, and a few more bumps than he would've liked, Konohamaru succeeds in the Oiroke Skill...just as Ebisu jumps out of a nearby tree.


"Young Master! You shouldn't be here, slinking around with this demon trash! Come now, we have to get you some real training in before nightfall." he tells the boy, glaring hard at Naruto, who ignores him, staring off sullenly into the fading blue of the sky. Ebisu grabs Konohamaru's arm, trying to pull him along with him. "Come on, young master."


"No!" the small boy replies, going through quick handseals. "Oiroke no Jutsu!"


He transforms in a busty brown haired woman, much to Ebisu's shock, who starts ranting as soon as the henge wears off.


"What a vulgar skill! To think that you could even come up with something like this is appalling! You must've learned it from that demon spawn!" the man yells, Konohamaru looking slightly sad.


"It's not working Boss."


Naruto flicks away something else from his ear as he gets up off the log, forming seals.


"Tajyuu Oiroke Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." (Multi Sexy Shadow Clone Skill.)


Many bustly blonde women appear, some in short schoolgirl skirts, clinging to a steadily blushing Ebisu.


"Ebisu-sensei! Oooh!" they coo, some flashing the man a peek underneath their skirts, under which they had no underwear of course. Ebisu 'erks', his nosebleed sending him flying halfway across Konoha, and off a cliff. The clones disappear and Naruto goes back to his normal self.


"Sugoi, Boss! So cool!" Konohamaru exclaims, Naruto nodding and yawning, deciding to escort the boy back to his home.


::2 weeks later::


Naruto had recently purchased a weapon from Tenten's family weapon shop, and had been working with it to fit his Taijutsu style. The weapon was a CHH, or Chakra Heavy Hitter, meaning you didn't need chakra to activate it, but it'd do you better in the long run if you did. In this small amount of time he had also picked up a few more weights to go in his coat and shirt, per Kyuubi's instruction. He now had about 300lbs on him in all.


You'll find out exactly 'what' the weapon is later.


He had just finished going through a long sparring match with Sasuke to get used to the added weight of the weapon and his new weights, when a nearby square box starts to follow him as he goes to sit down and eat lunch with the Uchiha. The blonde boy sighs, wrapping his weapon in purple silk and standing it upright beside him, this was really annoying.


"Chibis, what part of 'rocks aren't square', don't you get?"


The box explodes in a poof of pink and the smell of gunpowder.


"The genius of the group, Konohamaru!"


"The kunoichi with more sex appeal than any adult, Moegi!"


"The one who loves numbers, Udon!"


All three of them go into some odd stance, stating this last part in unison.


"We are...the Konohamaru Corps!"


Sasuke looks at the three children, who dress like Naruto had before Kyuubi made him burn that hideous jumpsuit a week ago, and bursts out laughing. Naruto sweatdrops, the K. Corps crowding around him to pester the boy with questions.


"Nii-san, will you play 'ninja' with us?!"


Naruto frowns, popping a piece of egg from his bento box into his mouth via chopstick and chewing. He swallows, looking at the trio of chibis, and nodding.


"Just let me finish my lunch, and we can even get Sasuke-teme to play today."


The children cheer, they had warmed up to Sasuke too since he hung around Naruto so much. Sasuke glares at the blonde, who shrugs as he finishes up the last of his bento, and the children run off to hide.


Konohamaru, the other two behind him, runs into a guy clad in black with cat ears on his head and a mop-topped bundle on his back.


"Hey gaki, watch where you're going!" the guy yells, hauling the brown haired boy up by his collar, the four pony-tailed girl with the fan on her back behind him smirking. "Didn't even apologize eh? I'm gonna have to teach you some manners!"


Naruto comes running up a few seconds later, Sasuke behind him, both glaring daggers at the man.


"Put him down." he tells him, in a voice that no less promises pain if the guy failed to comply.


"Or you'll do what?"


Naruto sighs, dropping himself into his chosen Taijutsu stance. Sasuke doing the same beside him.


"Or I'll make you."


*This is bad I haven't gotten used to my new weights yet, if he calls me on my bluff I'm screwed."


Unfortunately for our blonde demon carrier, the cat eared boy heard him. Sasuke slaps his head at his friend's mental capabilities.


"Dobe." he hisses through his teeth as the guy smirks.


"Is that so?" he asks, reaching his free hand to the bundle on his back as sand starts to curl around the one holding Konohamaru. He stiffens and visibly pales, dropping the boy who sticks out his tongue and runs to hide behind Sasuke's leg.


"Stop it Kankurou." a cold voice says, resonating from behind a tree, the two Konoha genin shift their gaze to see a red haired boy hanging upside down on the tree branch.


"G-Gaara, I was just..."


Gaara narrows his eyes at Kankurou.


"Shut up,...or I'll kill you." he says, sand whirling around him as he appears beside the puppet master. The red head bows to the children and two Genin. "Sorry for the trouble, I am Gaara, this is Kankurou..." he looks to the boy. "...and Temari." he looks to the girl. "We are from Sunagakure, we've come here for the Chunin Exams."


'Kit, be wary, he has Shukaku partially sealed within him.'


*Right Kyuu-san.*


Naruto doesn't relax from his stance, but introduces himself and Sasuke. Gaara looks at him, his eyes seeming to blank out for a few minutes before him comes back.


"I hope to see you at the exams." is all he says before the Suna siblings take their leave.


Naruto 'hm's', nodding at the siblings retreating backs.


*This is gonna be fun.*


'Oh yes.'
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Anaki: My fingers hurt...

RC16: Well you have been typing since 2 this morning

Anaki: I know, but still, owie!

RC17: -hands ice pack- Chunin exams are next, I'll type and you dictate, it's gonna be a long chappie!


Anaki: Yay! -clutches pack- Oooh, feels better.


RC16: Review ppls, she's been at this chappie for a while!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)

Key

S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

*thinking*

"talking"

*thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

//telepathy//

::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)

~POV~
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...


A/n: Let's see, well you will find out what was in the bathroom today I know that much at least, and how our guinea pigs react to their new facial additions. Hehe, and of course the first part of the Chuunin exams shall be in here, possibly the second if I can work it out. Anyway, get some pocky or yan-yan, and read!

Oh yeah, and I know 'demon' was in the living room too, but it was 'written' out in letters, like 'youkai', not in kanji. So it didn't trigger anything. Btw, no bugging me about the two week time lapse from the last chappie okay? Let's just say it's a liability, if you want it to exist, it does, but I don't give a damn either way. ^.^ But they still met with the Sand Siblings.


Chapter Fourteen: Chuunin


~Sanziya~


It was morning, and something was definitely wrong. I felt like I had drunk a keg of sake because my head was pounding like mad, and I had to bury my face under my pillow from the sunlight. At least that's what I was trying to do, I had just turned over (and realized I was on the couch) when I heard random 'pops' all around me, and something wet in my hair and soaking through my clothes. I sit up quickly, looking around, and almost dying of laughter at what I see.


Zabuza lay on the floor next to Haku with 'Haku and I are exhibitionist lovers, and I am a sadist.' scrawled across his forehead, doodles of smiley faces and whatnot are drawn on his cheeks, and more are drawn on his casts. Haku, on the other hand, has an arm wrapped around Zabuza's torso, 'I am a closet perverted transvestite, and a masochist.' decorating his forehead, along with more doodles on his face. I laugh, getting up to go take a shower.

"Holy fucking shit...NARUTO!" I yell to him as I see myself in the mirror, I looked like I'd lost in a paintball war, been dumped in a vat of discontinued technicolor, and had one of Dega's paintings throw up on me. Trust me, it wasn't pretty. "Naruto!"

"Coming!" he called, skidding into my bathroom and sliding to rest up against the opposite wall. "Ow...yeah kaa-san?"

He rights himself, then looks at me.

"Oh my god..." he states, obviously attempting to stifle his laughter as I glare hotly at him. "It worked perfectly! Hahaha!"

He collapses on the floor in giggles as I frown, kicking him in the side.

"Not funny, does this wash out?"

He heaves, bringing his laughter under control as he clutches his side where I kicked him, and wipes tears from his eyes, getting serious.

"Um...I don't know?"

~Author~

Sanziya frowns, growling at her son, and then sighing.


"I'll deal with you later, go...take a shower or something, I'm gonna try and wash off this crap."


Naruto mock salutes her, taking off to his bedroom. Unfortunately for him and his current sanity level, Kyuubi was asleep, and he had promptly forgotten all about her warnings of 'don't go in the bathroom' for whatever reason or another. So it came as no meager surprise when he goes to step in the shower that he finally gets to see what had Kyuubi so shaken. More red is on the tile of the bathroom, this time you can tell it's blood because of the way it flakes, smells, and how brown it has gotten. The mirror over the sink is smashed, much like someone took a hammer to the center of it, so that spiderweb cracks spread outward. The insults of the living room are in here too, but one thing they left for him, and only him, was the kanji on the mirror that still resides in white lined scars on his stomach.


'Demon.'


And as if his mental stability was strained six years ago, it is strained even more, now that he knows that someone is still out there, someone who knows what happened to him, someone who'll attempt the same things from six years past...someone who wasn't killed with those sick bastards.


~Naruto~


I wasn't going to scream, I truly wasn't going to, but this, this was terrible. I could remember everything now, what they did, how no one came to save me, not even kaa-san, she was too late. I stared into the depths of that mirror, fragmented sapphire staring back at me blankly. Now in my head there was a little ball of sanity left, and I clung to it like a life raft. The shark-like memories wouldn't go away, but I'd be sure to dodge them.


*Kaa-san, why weren't you there? Why weren't you there damnit?!*


I screech the question in my mind, clutching the sink so tightly my knuckles turn white.


*And where the fuck were you nee-san?! Where were all of you?! All that hatred from these damn villagers, and I didn't do anything!*


It was the truth, I hadn't done anything, so why did I feel like this?


Why do I feel so depressed?


"Why do I feel..." I ask myself as I grip the sink tighter. "Like I should've died that day?"


~Sanziya~


It wasn't coming out, and I still looked like something the cat threw up. I was gonna get him back if it was the last thing I did in life. Of course, knowing his tricks, this is probably a Genjutsu of some sort, and I already got the paint off.


"Kai?" I ask hesistantly, putting my hands together in a seal. Nothing happens, I'm still freaky looking. "Shimatta."


Oh well, I wasn't going to sit in here the rest of my life being pissed, I was gonna go bug my son on how to get this out,...right after I brushed my teeth.


~Haku~


I could feel it in my bones, today was gonna be a good day, well, as good as days not on the road get I suppose. I notice a warmth near me and snuggle closer, assuming it's Mini Zaza or something that I had my arm wrapped around. I trail my hand upwards, intending to pet the rabbit on the head, but coming into contact with some sort of cloth.


*Wait a sec, bunnies aren't that muscled and they don't wear bandages and they don't smell like the forest eit-...aw dam-* The whole time I was thinking that I hadn't stopped moving my hand.


"Haku, just what are you doing?" a gravelly, yet sleepy voice asks from beside me. I jerk my hand back to my side as if burned, I 'knew' that voice, I knew that tone, and it meant nothing good.


"N-nothing Zabuza-san." I reply, keeping my eyes shut tightly, face burning in shame as I curl up and wait for him to yell, hit me, or something else. But he doesn't, instead he starts laughing, a sound I hadn't heard much in my travels with him. "What's so funny Zabuza-san?"


I open my eyes to see my Konoha hitai-ate in front of me, supposedly acting as a mirror, and my jaw drops as I see what someone has scribbled on my forehead. Zabuza continues to laugh as I frown, covering my eyes with my other hand.


*So much for a good day.*


And then I looked up at Zabuza.


~Zabuza~


There was more laughing than there should be, Haku was laughing now too, what the hell?


"What's so funny Haku?"


"Take a look at yourself sir."


I shrug, grabbing the hitai-ate as I was able to move my arms now, and hold it up to my face.


Whoever did this must die...


Haku was still laughing.


"It's not funny!"


~Author~


After the initial laughter and whatnot wore off, the two went to wash the statements off their skin, Sanziya finally going back to see what was taking Naruto so long in the shower, it was his day to cook after all.


"Naruto?" she asks, knocking on the side of the open bathroom door, and peeking around the corner. (Yeah, Kyuubi repaired it a while back.)


She sees the boy standing over the sink, a large piece of glass from the mirror poised over his wrist, and the blood staining the porcelain. He hadn't done anything yet though, the blood was from the vandals, and Sanziya was glad. Kyuubi couldn't heal the scars of self-inflicted wounds, none of the Bijuu could. His eyes were blank, so blank, there was nothing there anymore, it was like he was just another nameless soul, trapped behind skin. Sanziya slips behind him, taking the glass gently from numb fingers, and leading him out of the bathroom that looked more like a war zone than a place of cleanliness.


"Naruto..." she sits him on the bed, stooping down to look into the boy's eyes. "Are you going to be alright?"


The blonde boy looks up at her, as if he had no idea what he was doing just a few minutes ago.


"..."


"Naruto?" she asks, the boy in question smiling at her.


"Why of course kaa-san, I shall be alright."


~Naruto~


Ah, fake smiles. They could disarm an enemy, and they could fool people.


After a few minutes I managed to convince kaa-san that I didn't know what I was even doing a few minutes ago, and she nodded, albeit skeptically, but left me alone.


I really hated myself right now, despised my very being...but she didn't have to know that.


'Naru-chan...'


*Not now, nee-san.*


If I didn't have Kyuubi sealed inside me, would I still be hated? Would...would they have done the same?


I wanted to rip apart the seal and let her free, then see what the villagers thought of me then, haha, while they screamed as she took revenge for the killing of her mate and kit. I drag my fingernails down the side of my face, leaving long red marks.


Hahaha...is this what they call insane?


~Author~


::2 days later::


"I nominated you guys for the Chuunin Exams!" their (still) impressionist-looking sensei exclaims, bouncing on the balls of her feet almost as Sasuke looks at her interestedly, Sakura looks somewhat afraid, and Naruto just nods, absently scratching the bandaged side of his face. The marks from his fingernails hadn't healed yet, when asked, he said he lost a battle woth a cat. "So much for enthusiasm, here are the papers you'll need, report to room 301 of the academy seven days from now."


They nod, Sasuke and Naruto going to eat lunch, Sanziya going to train Sakura in some last minute skills.


~Sanziya~


This child was pathetic, if she was going to even survive the Chuunin Exams, I would have to give her a few basic lessons in Taijutsu, Ninjustsu, and Genjutsu.


"Since you have near perfect control, I'm teaching you four offensive elemental jutsus, and four defensive. The offensive are Raiton: Shi Yosumi no Jutsu (Four Corners Technique), Suiton: Kaihoden (Water Pressure Canon), Doton: Doryudan (Earth Bulets), Fuuton: Ryouchi Kuuken no Jutsu (Slicing Hands Technique). The defensive are Doton: Doryuheki (Earth Wall), Fuuton: Daitoppa (Great Breakthrough), Ninpou: Hari Jizou (Needle Guardian), and Kirigakure no Jutsu." she tells the girl, who nods attentively. And the Phoenix vessel continues on.


"Now, both Fuuton jutsu take alot of chakra, because you are literally solidifying the air around you. When using Ryouchi Kuuken, you have to form the wind around your hands, shape it into a blade, and throw it at your enemy. With Daitoppa, you are forming a great ball of air within your body and expelling it, much like Katon: Gokakkyu (Great Fireball), but with a larger range of destruction. It'll also blow away your enemies, but it'll more than likely leave you completely drained, so use it only as a 'last resort', got me?"


Sakura nods.


"The rest are fairly easy, except for Raiton, because you are changing your chakra into lightning, not a last resort move, but uses quite a bit of chakra. Now, as for your Genjutsu, I believe I'll teach you Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings and...Sleeper Child: Blood Rain. Then some basic Taijutsu." she states, standing up and pulling Sakura to her feet as well. "Now let's get to training."


::Seven Days Later::


Well, you all know what happens here so I'll just summarize, ne?


They go into the room, there's a Genjutsu cast to make it seem like it's 301 and it's actually 201, one of the guards attacks Sasuke, Lee blocks both their kicks, and they all proceed through to whereever as the illusion fades.


"Fight me Sasuke, I wish to test my mettle!" is what rang forth from gejimayu (fuzzy eyebrows) as he jumped down from the railing.


"We don't have time for this." Naruto tells the green-clad boy, starting to walk through the doors, dragging his teammates with him of course. Sasuke refuses to budge though, engaging in a fight he was destined to lose anyway.


Only after getting his ass throughly handed to him on a silver platter does he allow Naruto to drag him through the doors, where they meet up with the faces of many, many Genin.


"Well look who it is, dog-breath and beetle boy." Naruto jibes happily, smiling at Kiba and Shino.


"Shut up Naruto, you fox turd." Kiba retorts, Shino just ignoring his insult and watching.


Kyuubi huffs indignantly at that.


"Mutt."


"..."


"Ha, I win."


"'Vertically challenged' fox turd." Kiba replies with a smirk.


Naruto grumbles under his breath.


"Hope you get hit by your dog's 'Dynamic Air 'Pissing' in training"


"It's 'Dynamic Air 'Marking', damnit!"


"Pissing in midair is not a skill, mutt-boy." Naruto replies, leaning back against the wall. Kiba scoffing and crossing his arms.


"C-c-can't we a-a-all j-just stop fighting p-please N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata asks, tapping her fingers together nervously as she blushes.


Naruto smiles at Hinata, who blushes more, shaking his head.


"But it's so fun to mess with Kiba and Shino, Hinata-chan! Well, Kiba at least..." he replies, looking pointedly at the bug user, who shrugs. "Shino's a wet blanket."


"Hey, you guys are rookies aren't you?" a white haired boy with glasses asks, coming over to them.


Sasuke glares at the boy, not liking him at all.


"Yes,...why? Are you scoping out the supposed easy pickings or something?"


"'No, just because if you weren't, you wouldn't be making so much noise. You've gotten all the Ame(Rain)-nin pissed off." he replies, gesturing to some skinny ninja glaring at them. Sasuke rolls his eyes, Naruto snorts, Shino tilts his head, and Kiba growls.


"The Ame-nin can kiss my ass any day of the week!" Kiba yells, sticking up his middle finger, and turns around to slap his own butt. The Ame-nin glare daggers at him, looking ready to slice the dog boy in two.


"We'll get you in the exams." they mouth to Kiba, who smirks, pulling down an eyelid.


Kabuto rolls his eyes, sighing.


"Utter foolishness. Anyway, I'm Yakushi Kabuto, and this is my seventh time here, so I know these things."


"Seventh? You must suck." Naruto tells the boy, digging a finger in his ear. Sakura jabs him lightly in the side for being rude, and asks if Kabuto can tell them anymore about the exams. Kabuto just smiles, going on to explain the history of the exams.


"We take the exam in teams to deepen our friendships with other villages and to heighten the level of the ninja. However, I think the real purpose is to confirm the level of the ninja in each adjacent country and to try to balance out the power. They do this to check and restrain each country’s powers." Sakura looks surprised at this, seeming to calculate it in her head. "Is there anyone you'd like some information on? Just tell me the name and I can get it for you."


Naruto, surprised at this new information, asks about Gaara of Sunagakure, and Sasuke asks about Rock Lee from Konoha. Kabuto shift through his cards, hands glowing blue with chakra.


"Rock Lee is a year older than you Sasuke. He’s done 20 D-rank missions and 11 C-rank missions. The squad leader is Maito Gai and his teammates are Tenten and Hyuuga Neji. The boy's hand to hand combat skills have increased dramatically this past year, but his other skills are terrible. This is his first time taking the Exams."


More shuffling, and he comes up with another card.


"Subaku no Gaara has completed 8 C-rank and 1 B-rank mission, and returned from all his missions unharmed. This is also his first time taking the exam. Oh, and a word of advice, watch out for those Genin from Otokagure(Hidden Sound), it's a new village, so most is unknown about their jutsu. " Kabuto warns, pointing to three Genin, one is a guy with spiky hair, another guy has some sort of metal thing with holes on his arm, and a half bandaged face. The last is a girl, who looks pretty normal. However, apparently Bandage-Face heard Kabuto, 'cause he gets up, rushing to Kabuto, and punching at him, which the boy promptly dodges. The effort seems lost though, as Kabuto shakes, his glasses crack, and he loses his lunch on the floor.

"Kabuto!" Sakura screams, bending down to help as Naruto reaches to get the weapon on his back, Sasuke activating his Sharingan and dropping into a fighting stance. The Bandaged Guy smirks behind his wrappings, ready to attack again.

A poof in the front of the room draws attention away from the upcoming skirmish as six men in gray suits appear, along with a scarred man in black.

"Settle down, you worthless bastards! There's to be no fighting unless myself or one of your other examiners allow it! And even then, if you kill your opponent, your disqualified! You disobey and you fail! Got that, maggots?!" A corresponding nod goes around at this. "Good, now sit down by your seat number."

The genin sit in their designated seats, Naruto in the front, Sasuke somewhere in the middle, and Sakura in the back as the guy starts explaining.

"I'm Morino Ibiki, your proctor. The first exam will be a written test, which will be graded likewise." he flips over a chalkboard for them to see.

'1. Each participant is given 10 points at the start. The written exam consists of 10 questions, each worth 1 point. The test is a deduction based test, so if you get all problems correct, your point total remains at 10. If you get 3 problems incorrect, your point total is reduced to 7.

2. The pass/fail decision is determined by team’s total points.

3. If a participant is caught cheating, each action will cause him/her to lose 2 points. If they drop to 0 points, they are kicked out of the exam.

4. If anyone on the team gets a 0, the entire team will fail.

5. The last problem will be given 45 minutes after the test begins. You'll have 1 hour to complete the exam.'

"Any questions?" he asks as he hands out the tests. No one says a word, he finishes and returns to the front. "No? Then...begin!"


The sound of many papers turning over at once signals the start of the exam.


~Naruto~


Hm, it was too tough to answer without 'knowing' the answers, besides, who knew the 'exact' angle a shuriken would hit if thrown through a dense fog, deflected, and thrown back at it's owner from two sides with one being a bunshin shuriken? It was impossible, but they said if you're 'caught' cheating, so a simple Genjutsu should help attain not being caught, but these were six high-level Chunin and a Jounin Interrogation Specialist. It'd have to be a really thorough illusion, woven very thick, and implanted into their minds so that they couldn't break it even if they truly wanted. However, sadly, that was beyond my capabilities, so I would improvise.


I closed my eyes and concentrated, making thirty-seven quick seals in my mind. If this turned out wrong, then I'd be stuck outside my body for the rest of the first test, if it went right, I'd be floating in the air until I returned to my body. This was by far the longest jutsu I had under my belt, kaa-san said it was something she learned while in India, I thought it was an odd jutsu to use, since you really couldn't attack or anything, but then she compared it to Ino's Shintenshin, saying that it had three key differences. You could possess your opponent, kill them, and leave the body without harm. Also, you could travel anywhere, not just in a straight line. Although, like the Shintenshin, it was only supposed to be used with either one opponent, or on a spy mission. It also had no time limits, but when your body started to call your spirit back, it's wise to go back, because the longer you stay away, the more difficult it is to return.


*Astral Projection no Jutsu.*


I open my eyes to see myself floating above my own head, the body of which was slumped over haphazardly on the table. I noticed Hinata looked afraid, she had her Byakugan activated, and seemed to be checking my vitals. She wouldn't find any of course, it was basically like I was dead, there was a very faint heartbeat keeping my body alive and that was it. This was a forbidden technique for a reason I suppose, if you got the wrong opponent they could seal your soul from your body forever and that would suck. I could only hope she wouldn't panic and call Ibiki over. I floated around to take looks at people's papers, noticing things I'm sure weren't there before. The Tanuki boy, Gaara, had a hand covering his right eye, and there was an eyeball looking around from a corner of the room, darting around every few seconds. Another girl had mirrors attached to the ceiling, it was Tenten. A few amatuer cheaters got knocked out of the test quickly.


I needed to hurry of course, Hinata seemed to be getting more afraid as time wore on for she kept looking over to my body every few seconds. I hovered over the head of a Konoha genin, who had six of the answers, and I got the rest from another Genin, who was Sakura. I noticed she wasn't acting herself, and performed a release seal shortly after. I recognized the seal as the release for the Shintenshin, must be Ino then. Hm, this could be quite fun, I had 30 minutes till the test ended, 15 till the last question. Moving quickly I forced myself into Ino's vacant body, needless to say I bet she was scared shitless by her body moving seemingly on it's own without a soul. I looked pointedly up at her where she floated, slack-jawed, and waved, exiting her body.


She stared, inherently shocked at my spirit as I came up to float beside her.


"What? Surprised that I know this jutsu?"


"T-t-that's my families Kekkai Genkai (Bloodline), how did you-?"


I grin disarmingly at the long-haired blonde girl, leaning back in midair with my hands behind my head.


"I didn't. It's a kinjutsu (forbidden technique) called Astral Projection. Don't bother asking me how you do it, we burned the only scroll a while back." I say, feeling a pull from my body, it's time to go back. "Bye Ino-san."


I float back over to my own body, sinking myself down into flesh and bone once more. I jerk awake, quickly scribbling down my answers, startling a teary Hinata, and getting the final question answered just as Ibiki says 'Pencils down! It's time for the final question.'


I place my pencil on my desk as he begins to explain the last question.

"Everyone can choose if they wish to take the tenth problem, however, those who choose not to take it will fail, and get to come back next year. However...if you choose to take it and get it wrong, you will lose the privilege of taking the Chuunin exam ever again, and be stuck as Genin." he tells us, I yawn and lean back in my chair as many people raise their hands and exit the room.


This was bull, they were all leaving 'cause they couldn't take a little jibe from an Interrogation Specialist? It just showed their weakness. I look back to my teammates, Sakura is shakily raising her hand, and I roll my eyes.


//If you give up, it'll just show me and Sasuke that you're weak. But go on, give up, it's not like you're any use to us anyway. Weakling.// I tell her, she takes a moment to figure out it's me, glaring my way, and I smile as she jerks her hand back down. Mission accomplished.


"Alright, if that's the last one..." the scarred man starts as a final person exits. "Then you all pass."


~Author~


As Ibiki finishes explaining 'why' they pass, a purple blur bursts through the window, two kunai with a banner attached to them lodge themselves into the ceiling, and a golden-eyed, purple haired woman with a skewer of dango in one hand emerges from the ball of cloth as the banner unravels.


"I'm Anko Mitarashi! And I'm your next instructor!" she says, Ibiki stepping out from behind the banner.


"Too early again, Anko." he states, shaking his head as Anko sweatdrops.


"And you let too many pass. Oh well, they won't survive the next test so easily. All of you, follow me!"


Ibiki sighs as she jumps out the window.


"Crazy woman."


::Forest Of Death::


Anko stands in front of the gates, explaining about the forest and whatnot.


"Now, you will be given packs which will contain solider pills, ration bars, and bandages. Your team will have five days to navigate the forest and get to the tower in the center. To get in the tower however, you must have two scrolls, Hebun (Heaven) and Chi (Earth). You will start out with one or the other scroll. To obtain its partner, you can engage teams in battle, use your ninja stealth to steal the opposite scroll, or some other ways. You'll figure it out. It's dangerous in this forest of course, there are many things you'll encounter in here other than humans, from giant bugs to mutated creatures. You cannot open the scrolls, you must enter the tower in your complete three man teams, and you must have 'both' scrolls. If you cannot meet these requirements, you will fail. You have a thirty-minute window before this next phase starts, so go get your packs and scrolls." she relays this to them all, looking out over the crowd and hearing a scoff.


"Yeah, dangerous, sure Anko-sensei! We'll be really, really, careful!" Naruto says sarcastically, fake sweetness in his voice. A kunai whips past his face, making a shallow cut as Anko appears behind him. The kunai continues it's course, cutting the long hair of a Kusa(Grass)-nin and embedding itself in the ground. Meanwhile, Anko wrap an arm around Naruto in a slight hug, licking the blood off his face, and the boy shudders. "Ah..."


"I like you kid, you've got spunk. Don't die, I might wanna have a little fun with you later." she tells him, licking her lips as a tall Kusa-nin wearing a straw hat taps her on the shoulder. The beige-eyed woman whips around, kunai in hand, to see a woman, holding out another kunai to her with an abnormally long tongue.


"I wasss...just returning your kunai, Anko-san." she states, a slight hiss in her voice, Anko eyes her warily.


"Why thank you Kusa ninja, but it's not wise to stand so close behind me."


"Sssorry, if I ssstartled you, that kunai cut my hair sssomewhat, and it got me excccited." she replies as Anko takes her kunai, the Kusa-nin withdrawing her tongue back into her mouth, and walking away. She brushes past Sakura.


~Sakura~


*I've met some wierd people, but she takes the cake.* I think, shuddering as the Kusa-nin passes me. I had watched our instructor lick the blood off of Naruto's face, it was odd because he had leaned towards her instead of jerking away like someone else would do, and let out sort of a low moan. Did he like pain or something? I shake my head, going over to him and Sasuke as Anko-sensei lets him go.


"You okay Naruto?" I ask, looking his way as Sasuke goes to get our packs and scroll. He doesn't reply, seeming to have lapsed into one of his frequent trance-like states. When he's like that, I can't help but feel sad, his eyes seemed even more lifeless than normal. He smiles like nothing's wrong at times, but his eyes...


I reach up to trace the whisker-marks on his face, they made him look like a fox, and seeing him like this, vunerable...I hate him, I still do, it's because of him my dad is dead...and what was stopping me from slitting his throat right now? I trail my hand down to my weapons pouch, withdrawing a kunai, and pushing it up against his throat.


My inner self was cheering me on.


*Go on Sakura, do it! No one's watching! Quickly!*


A voice breaks me from my thoughts.


"Are you going to kill me, Sakura-chan?"


I look up at Naruto, bewildered, but he just has a serene smile on his face, looking at me peacefully.


"Well? You only have a little time, we'll have to head out soon. Of course, you could always kill me in the forest, I do have to sleep sometime, ne?"


My hands are shaking...why are they shaking? His smile, it was so, it was like he was inviting me to murder him, I...I...


"Go on Sakura, then I'll be out of your's and Sasuke's way, after all, I'm just a demon-bastard anyway aren't I? I don't deserve to live among the likes of you do I? I'm just the little demon-boy who couldn't do anything, couldn't even defend myself back then, so I was defiled and broken...almost like a toy that needs to be thrown away."


How could he say these hurtful things, and about himself no less. Had he given up the will to live already? No...but I couldn't lose my resolve now. I push the kunai deeper into his throat, drawing blood, and starting to drag it across his neck. His smile doesn't waver, but a hand suddenly catches my own, I look down to his, it wasn't him. I'm pulled around to face my worst nightmare.


~Sasuke~


I went to get the packs and scroll, leaving Sakura to chat with Naruto, who seemed to be having a conversation with Kyuubi at the moment by the way he was staring into space. I would be back in a few, so Sakura could keep an eye on him to make sure he didn't hurt himself, I certainly didn't think she'd attempt to kill him. Not to mention he wasn't doing anything, he was just standing there with a stupid smile on his face, while that pink-haired bitch was beginning to drag the kunai across his throat. Before I can get there and stop her though, someone beats me to it.


~Author~


Naruto looks over to the person who stopped Sakura from killing him.


"Haku nii-san, what are you doing here?" he asks, still smiling, and looking at the blue kimono clad boy.


Haku glares at Sakura, tightening his grip on her hand, but directing his question at Naruto.


"Naruto, what were you doing? Why didn't you fight back?"


Naruto shakes his head, still smiling.


"There's no point nii-san, we all die anyway, so why does it make a difference if my time comes early?"


Haku lets go of Sakura, giving her a glare rivaling Sanziya's that says 'I'll deal with you later' as he goes to stand in front of Naruto. Sasuke comes rushing up.


"Are you okay Naruto?" he asks, watching the wound on the blonde's neck heal. Naruto doesn't reply, he just keeps smiling at Haku.


"Hai? (Yes)" he asks, Haku's face contorting in anger as the ice wielder slaps him.


"Don't ever do that Naruto! Do you know how much it hurts to lose a precious person?! And everyone would miss you, if you died Sanziya nee-chan would kill herself too! Damnit Naruto!" he yells, hugging the boy. Naruto's smile fades away to an apathetic look, his eyes...his eyes are just dark glass orbs, looking out among the stunned crowd as his cheek stains red. He clenches his eyes tight, grabbing onto Haku's kimono, and buries his face in the boy's shoulder.


"I'm sorry nii-san...I'm so sorry..." he tells him, tears leaking from his eyes to wet the blue fabric.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Anaki: Damn I'm good.


RC16: Eeh, pretty good chapter...


Anaki: -hugs 16- Thank you! Yay! -glomp-


RC16: -turning blue- Can't breathe...


RC17: Aw...the love...review all.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)

Key

S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

*thinking*

"talking"

*thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

//telepathy//

::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)

~POV~
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...


A/n: Ano...well to answer a few questions, yeah Haku's there to watch the Chuunin exams and watch over Naruto, you didn't honestly think Sanziya bought that B.S did you? Haha, and another question, I am going to kill off Sakura, and, if possible, I'll try and have Sarutobi live, although if he dies I just have something else planned anyways, so eh. I do want Tsunade to become Godaime though.


Y'know what? Here's a few questions no one has bothered to ask. :)

1. How did Sanziya seal the beast into herself?

2. Doesn't it require a sacrifice? And who did she use?

3. Don't you have to be a baby to become a jinchurikki?


Vote for them and the one that gets the most shall be answered. :D


Chapter Fifteen: Snakes


~Author~


::Forest of Death Entrance::


After Naruto finished sobbing on Haku's shoulder, the boy went to give a sealed scroll to Anko, explaining why he was there, and that he wouldn't help any team in the exams. Her eyes widen as she reads the scrawled print, the purple-haired kunoichi nodding, and opening the gates to the forest as the exams commences.


"Remember, we aren't responsible if you die! Now go!" she states, gesturing with her right hand, the other clenching the scroll tightly as the genin teams disappear into the dense forest. She looks down at the scroll in hand, unfurling it to read it's print once more.


'Dear Anko-chan,


Please allow the bearer of this letter to accompany Naruto and his team within the forest. He will only be watching over 'Naruto' as the others are not suicidal. Said bearer of this letter will not helping if his team is to be attacked. He also, of course, should be allowed the right to defend himself if and when one of the other examinees dares to attack him.

He will only intervene if Naruto attempts to injure himself. (Or is about to die from some outside cause such as poison or an enemy.)


As the latter at least, should not be the case, since he has trained under myself for six years, but of course there is always the possibility. Also, I wish you well, and would ask how your teacher is doing if I didn't already know he was a traitor to our village, the bastard. Don't think I haven't managed to keep tabs on you guys while I was gone. ; P


Messenger bird of course, and a friend of mine in the village. I wish you all the well I can muster at the moment, which isn't much, but I know you can appreciate it.


Take care and come visit soon,

Sanziya'


Anko lets her snakes eat the scroll, frowning as she chews on a piece of remaining dango on the stick.


"I hate it when she calls me '-chan'." she mutters, teleporting out.


::Forest Of Death::


Sasuke is shooting death glares at a very nervous Sakura every few minutes, and casting worried glances at Naruto. Haku trails behind them, wishing that he could kill the girl right then and there, but remembering his probation, and Sanziya's orders of course. Naruto still has that glassy-eyed look about him, but he seemed more focused now, and slightly pissed that Sanziya felt the need to have someone keep watch over him.


'It's for your own good, kit.' Kyuubi tells the boy, still angry at him for almost letting Sakura kill them both.


*You act like you don't 'want' to be free of me.*


'That may be so, but I don't want you dead!'


*...*


The boy mentally turns his head away from Kyuubi, effectively closing the link. He feels a low chakra signature approaching them as they stop for a few minutes to rest, although he'd worry about that later as there were 'other' bodily needs to attend to.


"I gotta go piss." he tells the group, Sasuke nodding and Sakura not replying as he goes behind a tree to do his business. He comes back a few minutes later, Sasuke pointing a kunai at him.


"Stop there."


'Naruto' cocks his head to the side, looking at them quizzically.


"Hai, Sasuke-kun?" he asks, Sasuke throwing the kunai at him.


"Faker, Naruto only calls me Sasuke-teme, his holster is on the right side, not the left, you forgot the band-aid from Anko-sensei's kunai, and the bandages from his cat scratches. You suck at bunshin"


He laughs, going up in a poof of smoke, to reveal an Ame-nin.


"Very good Uchiha boy, now give me your-." he says, getting cut off as a kunai impales his shoulder. Naruto comes from behind the tree, rope trailing from his left wrist where the nin tied him up, the boy seething as he brings his clothed weapon down upon the Ame-nin's skull, very hard.


"Bastard, a guy can't piss in peace anymore can he? Kami-sama, you fucking asshole." he gripes, rifling through the unconscious Ame-nin's clothes, to come up with a Hebi scroll. "Don't even have the scroll we need...stupid..." the rest of his muttering dissolves into intelligible mumbling.


He closes his eyes for a second, hands glowing with blue chakra as he picks the Ame-nin up, and throws him into the far reaches of the forest. The remaining members of Team Seven and Haku, shudder, he was 'fucking scary' when he was angry. They set off again, Sasuke devising a long as hell password in case something like that happened again, which, of course, it did.


This time however, the clone looked exactly like Naruto, right down to the 'cat' scratches on his face, and once again, Sasuke stops him with a kunai.


"What's the password?" he asks, still shaken from the giant snake that had attacked them earlier.


~Naruto~


::Meanwhile...somewhere else in the forest::


Well this sucked. I was stuck in the belly of some giant snake, and it wasn't pleasant smelling. I took out a ration bar, throwing it some ways away from me, only to watch it dissolve in a sea of green foamy acid. Okay, so if I didn't get out of here, that's what would happen to me. In a way, I suppose, it's not a very pleasant option to have to die like that at all, I can only hope my team and Haku are faring better than myself.


~Author~


::With the remaining members of Team Seven and Haku::


Naruto had recited the password perfectly, and Sasuke threw a kunai at him, again.


"Sssasuke-kun, you're good at perceiving tricksss."


"You didn't mask the hiss in your voice well enough, Kusa-nin."


The boy shakes his head, transforming into the tall straw-hatted Kusa-nin from earlier, holding up a Chi scroll.


"This is the scroll you need? Am I correct?" she asks, seeing a slight flicker of hope in the two genin's eyes as she smiles malevolently. She holds up the scroll, wrapping her long tongue around it to drag it into her mouth, and she swallows it down whole as both genin look on in horror, shock, and disgust.


"You'll have to kill me to get it I suppose, ne?"


Her lips turn up into a frightening smile as she sends a wave of killer intent at the trio, not disregarding Haku just because he wasn't helping.


The three freeze up in fear, all seeing kunai's being thrown into their foreheads as the Kusa-nin rips them apart. Shaking in unconcealed fright, Sakura drops to her knees, arms wrapped around her torso, crying. Sasuke remains stockstill in terror as the Genjutsu fades, Haku leaning back onto a nearby tree to steady himself.


~Haku~


That was a high level, A-rank at highest. It's one of the worst Genjutsu I've ever encountered, although there's no damage physically, mentally you feel as though your whole body has been put through a meat grinder. I couldn't help these children if I wanted, but I could defend 'myself'. If she came at me, I'd do so.


::With Naruto::


~Naruto~


I suppose this isn't neccessarily the 'worst' way to die, well, if you're normal anyway. I just happen to have fast healing thanks to Kyuubi, so if I couldn't get out of here I'd most likely starve to death before being dissolved. Sigh, did life have to suck that much?


Well, back to important matters, no time to be dwelling on my sucky life when my teammates could be getting murdered right now. As much as a welcome thought that may be concerning one pink haired kunoichi. I maneuver myself into a ball, figuring out that I'm stuck in one part of it's stomach, with enough expanding, or a cutting jutsu, I could be free. I weighed my options, I could use Kage Bunshin or Ryouchi Kuuken, but Kage Bunshin would work better, because Kuuken took too much chakra. Mentally going through the seals, I manipulate my chakra to form about thirty clones, and as they appear the snake's belly expands 'til it 'pops'.


I have snake guts all over me, some in my hair, so I jump into the nearby stream as I disperse my clones. I hated being dirty, especially having the stench of Hebi(Snake) clinging to my body...ugh...Not to mention that Anko woman smelled of Hebi...


Hopping out, I heighten my senses to smell out my teammates and brother.

~Author~


::With Team Seven and Haku::


The Kusa-nin was coming at the three with a kunai, with the way she was angled it'd be possible to injure them all and give two a fatal wound in one swipe.


Sasuke was willing himself to move, having activated his Sharingan to help with that little problem, Sakura wasn't doing anything but weeping pitifully, and Haku had said earlier that he couldn't help. Actually, he was trying to get the nin to attack him so the other two Genin would have time to get away, but it wasn't working.


~Sasuke~


*I have to move, got to get away, or she'll kill us. Move, damnit, move!*


I shakily got my hand to my kunai pouch, withdrawing one, and shutting my eyes.


*I've got to do this.*


I stab myself in the leg, breaking the spell she's cast over us. Quickly, I grab Sakura, jumping out of the way of the woman's attack, Haku following behind me, as we end up somewhere up in the trees.


*Gotta get away, gotta get away, or she'll kill me! Please don't kill me!*

~Author~

Sasuke was thinking a mile a minute, somehow this little scene made him remember what happened with Itachi. He had thought the same thing while running from his insane older brother during the Massacre. He shakes his head to get that thought out of his mind, focusing on running along the thick branch, when the Kusa-nin appears in front of them. Sasuke stumbles back, trying to keep a hold on an unconscious Sakura as he falls on his ass.

"Now, now Sssasuke-kun. It's not nice to run from people, you know." the Kusa-nin tells him, smiling as she forms handseals. "Tajuu Shuriken Bakuha no Jutsu!" (Multi Shuriken Blast Technique!)

She throws out a volley of explosive-tagged shuriken (about ten), which quickly become 100+ as they approach the trio, one snags itself on a low-hanging branch, and detonates, disentegrating the limb.

Haku and Sasuke are shocked, thinking the same thing as they dodge a few.

*Those are no illusions!*

The shuriken follow them, the Kusa-nin laughing in delight.

"There's no use in dodging, they've honed in on your aura." {1}

A snort is heard from above as a black and blue blur jumps down in front of the fleeing Genin, taking the brunt of the shuriken. Haku looks on in utter shock, not being able to do anything.

*Damnit, Naruto you better not be dead, or Sanziya will wring my neck!*

As the smoke from the blasts clear, Naruto is seen, surrounded in some kind of white sheen with a few cuts and blood, but for the most part, unharmed. He bares his teeth in a feral grin as the sheen fades.

"You sent that snake after me, didn't you bitch?" he asks, everyone is taken aback at his appearance as the Kusa-nin recovers enough to chuckle, nodding. Sasuke looks frantically to the seemingly cocky boy.

"Naruto! Get away, we have to get away! She's too powerful for us to kill, she's not a Genin!"

Naruto looks back to Sasuke, blue eyes tinged with red staring at the boy in sadness, emptiness, and fear as he shakes his head from side to side slowly.

"I want to fight." he replies, voice slightly distorted, like a growl, like a fox.

Sasuke clenches his hands into fists, he had long since set Sakura down, and shakes his head back at the boy, looking over his shoulder at the Kusa-nin.

"We'll give you our scroll, but you have to let us go." he states, pulling the scroll from a slightly stunned Naruto's belt, he couldn't believe what Sasuke had just said. Aforementioned boy goes to set the scroll down halfway between the distance of themselves and the Kusa-nin.

"What are you doind Sasuke-teme?!" he asks as the Kusa-nin goes forth to get the scroll, the fox vessel blurs out of sight, the scroll disappearing before the woman can pick it up as the boy reappears in front of Sasuke, landing a solid punch to the stoic boy's face. "You've lost your mind or something Sasuke, 'cause normal you wouldn't give up so easily! There's no guarantee this chick'll let us go even if we gave her the scroll, damnit!"

Sasuke looks away from the boy to the ground, frowning, but Naruto grabs his shoulders and shakes him somewhat.

"If you even try to betray us like that again, I'll kill you, friend or not. Shinobi Rule Number 15: Don't betray your fucking comrades!" he states, pocketing the scroll, and turning around to rush the Kusa-nin.

"Naruto, don't do it!" Sasuke yells, Haku silently agreeing.

The nin pushes up her sleeve to reveal a lengthy and odd looking tattoo as she bites her thumb, and smears the blood down it, slamming an open palm to the ground.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" (Summoning Technique)

A large red and black spotted snake appears, hissing, as some vile orange poison drips from it's blue forked tongue.

::Somewhere outside the forest::

"Hawk, Toad, Wolf! Over here." the cat-masked ANBU yells over to his comrades as he looks down at the three cold bodies before him. "Their faces are gone...it's as if they were peeled off."

"Aw, that's sick." Toad states, bending down for a closer look.

The four men go to immediately inform Anko, who comes over to investigate. Anko, examining them, says that they're Chuunin Exam registrants from Kusagakure no Sato. (The Village Hidden in Grass)

*This could be 'his' work.* Anko thinks, picking her teeth with a dango stick.

"Give me pictures of the appilcants right away!"

The ANBU bow, nodding and taking of somewhere, only to return moments later with the Chuunin registry book. Rifling through the book, she stops on the name she found on the dead body of the woman.

"This is..." she starts, remembering the woman who gave her back the kunai at the beginning of the exam. "Inform Hokage-sama at once! Tell him I request for a mobilization of at least two ANBU squads to go into the Forest of Death! We're going after these guys..."

"Yes ma'am!" the ANBU state, disappearing again.

::Somewhere in Konoha, nighttime::

"Whooooo!" a cry of happiness that can only come from one person rang throughout the bar. Zabuza looks over to his drinking partner and sighs. She had been riding that mechanical bull for a half hour now, the owner was turning red 'cause he owed her a near ass load of money because she beat the challenge. However, Zabuza didn't think that was the real reason said owner was pissed, he thought it was because Sanziya was off-her-rocker drunk, was 'still' drinking, and hadn't fell off the bull yet.

Sighing once more Zabuza holds up his cup for more sake,...this was gonna be a long night.

::In the Forest::

"What cute prey." the woman states as the snake whips it's tail at the branch Naruto stands on. It breaks in two, Naruto jumping up, but getting caught in the backlash of the snake's tail so that he is sent flying upwards through a number of branches.

"Naruto!" Haku and Sasuke scream in unison.

The fox boy finally comes to a stop, slamming into a particulary thick branch, and coughing up blood, Sasuke looks on in horror. The Kusa-nin smiles slightly, chuckling.

"Eat him for now." she tells the snake. Said snake opens it's mouth wide to devour the seemingly unconscious boy, when he opens his eyes, the orbs now fully tinted red.

"Damn it!" he yells, flipping over to deliver a heavy kick to the snake's nose. Purple silk from his weapon fluttering slightly, as if begging him to use it, but now was not the time for it. The shockwave from the kick travels throught the snake and master, who looks stunned as Naruto pushes off the snake's nose to jump into the air a bit. The slimy reptile rears it's head back, hissing as Naruto comes back down with a giant grin, hands glowing red as the nails grow longer.

*What is this kid? Could he be...?*

The woman doesn't get a chance to answer her own question as Naruto attacks her relentlessly, putting her on the defensive. A swipe to the midsection, kick to the head, jabs and swipes at her legs, grappling, and throwing. This boy had a style similar to...no...she died a long time ago, at least that's what the woman heard in rumors. Dodging a very vicious kick, she finally sees an opening, using it to lob off a hell fireball so that the boy is forced back.

*This is getting fun.* she thinks, looking down to a shaking Sasuke, an awakening Sakura, and an on guard Haku. "You're next, Sssasuke-kun, fight well."

She directs the snake towards the stunned Genin, closing in on them fast. Sasuke stands there, looking retardedly frightened as Naruto pushes off from a nearby tree, coming back fast, but not fast enough.

"Sasuke-kun look out!" Sakura yells, performing the seals for the jutsu she knew she hadn't perfected yet. "Fuuton: Ryouchi Kuuken no Jutsu!"

The pink-haired girl shakes her head and gathers as much chakra as possible into her hands, sending it flying towards snake and master in the form of curved blades. One strikes the snake's side, the reptile hissing, but not poofing out. The other is not so lucky on it's path as the Kusa-nin dodges, Sakura tries to direct it back towards the woman, but messes up, the wind blade going off course to slice into an utterly shocked Naruto. It made a neat cut from his shoulder to his hip, the boy screaming in pain as he loses control of his chakra, resulting in the chakra string he was standing on to dissapate. He falls to the ground beside a barely breathing Sasuke, who stares on in fright, concern, and anger as blood from the boy pools at his feet. How could the girl mess up so badly? Haku rushes over to tend to the boy as this counted on his list of things he was ordered to be there for.

~Sakura~

Shimatta, shimatta, shimatta! I have throughly screwed up now! Crap! And with that earlier attempt on his life they'll think I did it on purpose. Why did I use that jutsu? Why?

The glare on Sasuke's face was enough to make me want to piss myself. I knew that if I didn't die in the exams, then he, Haku, Sanziya, and probably that Zabuza guy, would kill me. Regardless of the consequences.

Life friggen' sucked.

~Haku~

You'd think that Kusa-nin would attack us like this, trying to heal a teammate and all, but she didn't do anything, just sat ontop of that snake of hers and watched.

I worked fast to heal my little brother, downing five blue pills to keep my chakra up that I knew I would regret taking later, but I didn't care. Medical jutsu's took alot of chalra, but Naruto's life was at stake, and I smile when, under my influence and Kyuubi-sama's, the wound begins to heal. Naruto growls at me to get off him and I comply, not particularly wanting him to start fighting so soon after that, but there was no arguing with a determined boy like him.

~Author~

As soon as Naruto gets to his feet Sasuke tries to get him to sit back down, but the boy shrugs him off.

"Back off Sasuke. I'm fine." he replies, digging a claw into his ear lightly as the woman's long tongue wraps around the boy, bringing him to level with her face.

"Hm...hm, ssso you're the Nine-tailed child?"

"Goddammit! Let me down you freaky Hebi bitch!" Naruto yells, struggling and trying to get away. However, the woman's tongue was stronger than it should be and kept the boy bound.

"Sssuch foul language, and in front of a lady no less. Well, well, looks like I get to teach you a few mannersss."

Steadying her hand, the woman's fingertips start glowing with purple fire as she lifts his shirt with the tip of her tongue.

'Kit, get out of there now!'

*I'm trying damnit!*

The woman slams her hand into his abdomen, cutting off his connection with Kyuubi.

"Gogyo Fuuin!" (Five Element Seal)

Five swirly teardrop like marks appear on Naruto's stomach, the boy's eyes dimming back to sapphire blue as he loses consciousness. The woman smiles, taking his Chi scroll from the pouch and throwing him down to the three Genin. Haku catches the unconscious boy, doing a medical scan on him as Sakura pleads with Sasuke to snap out of his stupor and fight.

After a vision of his brother, he comes to his senses, Sharingan activated as he takes some of Naruto's poisoned kunai and hurls them at the woman. She blocks, thinking they are just normal kunai, but regretting her decison to just let them hit her arms as the quick acting poison starts to set in.

"Poison?!"

Sasuke tackles the now shivering woman, holding her as the two fall through branches and whatnot to the earth below. The nin hits head first, but melts as Sasuke realizes she’s just a doton bunshin.(earth clone)

"You'll have to do better, Sasuke-kun." a voice states from behind him as the nin slams him into the ground, Sakura cries out for him, not being able to help as of yet.

"Moeagaru!" (Burst)

The explosive tags on the surprised Kusa-nin's back burst into flame as the boy catches the nin off-guard and uses Sharingan-Controlled Triple Windmill Blades to tie the woman to a tree with razor wire.

"Katon, Ryuuka no Jutsu!" (Fire Element, Dragon Fire Technique) he yells, sending a stream of fire flaring towards the struggling woman. She goes up in flames.

"Yay Sasuke-kun!" Sakura yells, cheering about his 'victory'.

However, as the fire dissapates, they see only a husk of the supposed burning woman. She had molted, just like a snake.

"Kanashibari no Jutsu!" (Temporary Paralysis) the nin yells from somewhere in the foliage, the three Genin not being able to move. The woman jumps down out of a nearby tree, congratulating Sasuke on activating his Sharingan so early and using the abilities as well as he did for his age. "At this rate Sssasuke-kun," she whispers into his ear. "You may have even more potential than your older brother Itachi-kun."

Sasuke growls at the mention of his brother, but finally gets a good look at the 'woman'. Part of the nin's face is burned off so that a single, golden, slitted snake-like eye is visible, the skin underneath noticeably paler than the rest, like paper almost.

"W-w-who are you?" Sasuke asks haltingly, trying to get his limbs to respond, they, of course, don't.

"Don't you hurt Sasuke-kun!" Sakura yells from her place a small distance away.

The 'woman' ignores the pink-haired fool.

"My name...is Orochimaru, I was so pleased with this fight, if you want to see me again, you must survive the trials I have set for you. Goodbye Sasuke-kun." he starts to walk away, but turns back around, as if remembering something. "Oh yes, almost forgot, here's a gift for you."

He stretches his long neck out to Sasuke, sinking his long fangs into the boy's neck. Sasuke screams, clutching his new curse mark as Orochimaru withdraws.

"You 'will' seek me out Sasuke, with that I'm sure you will."

Sasuke's screams fill the air as the snake-man disappears and the paralysis wears off. He sinks to the ground, Sakura coming over to help, Haku trailing behind her.

"Sasuke-kun?" she asks, trying to help him. He slaps her hand away.

"Don't...don't touch me Sakura..." he states, fainting dead away.

Sakura sniffs, starting to cry, but steeling her resolve as she makes to pick up both the boys, and drag them to a safe place. Haku would've helped, he could've carried Naruto as this was still a life-or-death situation, but he was still pissed with the girl for earlier, of course, who wasn't? Let her suffer, Naruto's wound wasn't even halfway healed internally, it had went deep, and if not for Kyuubi-sama making a chakra barrier, albeit weak, at the last second, he would've died. Yep, let her suffer, he wasn't going to offer to take a watch shift either.

*I really hope this is over soon, the girl would kill her own teammates with 'her' level of control over the jutsu Sanziya nee-chan taught her.*

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


{1} Cheap shot at YYH, yeah, I know. :)


Anaki: One word: Stupid fucking writer's block

RC16: That's four words.

Anaki: -vein popping out in forehead.- Urusei! (Shut up)

RC16: -rolls eyes- Not my fault you can't come up with anything good.


Anaki: -twitch-


RC17: -pats Anaki's shoulder- Now, now, calm down, you can kick his ass later.


RC16: -snorts- Yea, when cows fly. Review all.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)

Key

S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

*thinking*

"talking"

*thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

//telepathy//

::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)

~POV~
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...


A/n: Okee-dokee! The questions shall be answered regardless!


1. How did Sanziya seal the beast into herself? Yes, I know you all think she used the Yondaime's method, but does she really seem the type to do that? Not to mention she would've had to seal it into someone 'else', to sacrifice her own life to the Death God. Also, she was (and still is) pissed at her husband for sacrificing himself to seal Kyuubi into her precious son. So how was it done? Hehehe, that's a story for another day, doncha just hate me?


2. Doesn't it require a sacrifice? And who did she use?
Her method did require a sacrifice. She used someone who was gonna die anyway. :)


3. Don't you have to be a baby to become a jinchurikki?
Well, they say it's because the chakra coils hadn't had time to develop in a baby. My opinion is that an adult can have full grown coils, 'but' in my theory, if they destroy those coils, and seal a beast into themselves, then it should be fine 'cause the coils will regrow.


P.S: And here's where I realize that I can't kill off Sakura, because...sadly enough, she will be somewhat needed in future chapters, if I continue to follow the storyline that is. :) If I don't she'll die sometime. Sorry all you haters out there! Btw, Naruto's hair is back to it's spiky normalness because he got sick of looking like a Bristish schoolboy.


Chapter Sixteen: Sound


~Author~


::Deep in the Forest of Death::


Orochimaru, meanwhile, sinks his half disguised body in a tree to heal.

"Orochimaru! You are an extremely dangerous S-class nuke-nin (missing nin), and it is my duty as your former student to take you down! Sen'eijashu! (Hidden Shadow Snake Hand)" she yells at him, throwing out her arm, cobras fly outward, grabbing onto the snake nuke-nin, and pulling him to her. Jamming a kunai into his right hand with her left, and grabbing the other with her right, and forcing him to make the seals with her. "We'll both die here. Sōjasōsai no Jutsu! (Twin Snakes: Mutual Death.)" She is unable to finish as the Orochimaru in her grasp melts, a mere clone

"Not good enough Aaanko, why do you think I abandoned you as a student anyway? You're weak." he states, pulling off his mask fully, to reveal the sunken bone-white face known to many Konoha nins. One golden eye with purple shadow, one red, the stolen Sharingan eye from Kakashi, and a smirk that could cut through steel. This was Orochimaru. Anko quickly turns around, throwing a kunai at him. However, he saw her movement, and caught it with two fingers.

"You'll have to do better than that Anko." he states cheekily, and performs Kanashibari, holding the woman in place. Anko growls her displeasure at her former sensei, asking why he's entered into the exams in the first place.

"Are you planning to assassinate Hokage-sama?"

Orochimaru laughs, the supposed sound of joy sounding more like a hiss than anything, as he nods.

"That is but one piece of the puzzle, I also..." Anko gasps as he speaks, sinking to the ground as her temporary paralysis wears off, clutching at her neck as the Heaven Seal emboldened there begins to burn. Orochimaru ignores this, continuing to talk. "Want to obtain one of the more...outstanding people in this village. I think the Uchiha boy will do much better than you Anko, his lust for power is unmatched." The snake sannin begins to fade out, using some kind of freaky darkness teleportation jutsu to go where ever he's going. "Don't attempt to interfere Anko, or I'll come back, and then, I'll destroy Konohagakure no Sssato."

Anko just sits on the ground as her former mentor dissappears into darkness, panting.

~Anko~

I have to inform Hokage-sama, Orochimaru must be stopped! I get up, walking out of the forest, but coming into contact with some weird mutated creature.

"I was a project of yours Anko-sama, don't you remember? You helped Orochimaru-sama disfigure me, and when I didn't come out right, you threw me into this forest for the rest of my life!...I'll kill you,...it's time for revenge!" it screeched at me, lunging. I dodge, only I had gotten lucky, my seal starts to act up again, and I curse as I am forced to my knees from the pain. The thing sees it's chance, about to strike me down, when an two ANBU come out of nowhere and dually decapitate it.

"Are you alright Anko-san?!" they ask, dropping to their knees beside me, and noticing how I am holding my neck, knowing what it means. "We have to get you to Hokage-sama immediately!" They both attempt to help me up, but I shake my head.

"No...bring Hokage-sama here, bring him to the tower." I state, the toad-masked ANBU taking off to retrieve Hokage-sama as the bird-masked one helps me to the tower.

~Author~

::With Sakura and the others::


Sakura had been awake for the better part of the night watching over the unconscious boys, Haku was asleep in a nearby tree, but his guard was up of course. When awoke he saw the girl hunched over on the stump she had sat on, asleep. Muttering about incompetence and a certain kunoichi, he took pity on her, placing her under the giant tree root with her teammates, and going back up into his chosen tree to keep watch. At around 6:00am he supposed, he felt three mildly strong chakra signatures coming their way, and threw a rock down onto Sakura's head. She woke up, looking around angrily, of course, until she laid eyes on the approaching Oto-nin.


*Shimatta, too early for a battle.* she thinks, grabbing a kunai from her pouch, and throwing it at the Oto-nin's feet as she stands. "Who are you, and why are you here?"


Bandaged Face steps foward, introducing himself as Dosu, the spiky haired one as Zaku, and the girl as Kin. He explained that they were there to assassinate Sasuke, and that she, her little friend up in the tree, and the other sleeping one, shouldn't get involved.


Haku snickers, thinking to himself.


*I'll only get involved if you attempt to kill my brother, other than that, Sakura'll fight you. I don't particularly want Sasuke-kun dead, but I'm sure she can do 'something'.*


Sakura, getting up from the hardness of the ground, and pulling out another kunai. Zaku walks forward, sidestepping a piece of fake looking grass.


"If you're going to lay a trap, don't make it so noticable."


He apparently didn't notice the giant logs coming towards him.


::Inside Naruto's mindscape::



Our resident blonde boy was seated in a worn wooden chair, which was floating atop the now clear lake of his mind. His head was thrown back, leaning against the hardness of the chair's headpiece as he looked up blankly at the steadily waning onyx moon while gray clouds came to cover it. His right arm hung down free of the provided arm rest, fingertips skimming the top of the water. His left arm, the elbow at least, was on it's armrest, the boy's hand resting comfortably in his lap. The tips of his shoes also skim the lake's surface, and it had began to rain, but the boy paid it no mind. His hair growing heavy with water, a few tendrils of blonde hair streaking their way across the delicate whisker marks engraved into his face. Water droplets running down across his face like tears. {1}


~Naruto~


Normally, I wouldn't be sitting there in the middle of that lake, no, I wouldn't have anything to do with that lake in the slightest, but today, there was a reason. She had been locked away, I couldn't talk to her, couldn't see her, all I felt from her was the chakra she was able to force into my coils in an attempt to heal me.


There was no constant essence of Kyuubi scattered around as there should be, only a bit of the wispy tendrils of red chakra, remained, and it was whipping around wildly, barely uncontrollable. I shut my eyes tightly at the sharp pains shooting through my torso, I was being shaken in the real world, and it fucking hurt like hell. The wound was nowhere near healed on the inside, and it would heal even slower now that Kyuubi's chakra was mostly cut off. She had been able to heal anything potentially vital, my organs for instance, before that 'freaky Hebi bitch', as I call her, did that weird seal thing and cut her off. I grit his teeth, trying to bear it, but another sharp jostle threw off anymore of 'that' notion as I open my mouth to yell.


~Author~


::Real world::


"Who the 'fuck' is shaking me goddammit? That hurts, in case you didn't know, you mother-fucking bastard!" he grinds out, noticing he's on his stomach, pushes himself up, and rolls onto his back to relieve the pressure on his wound. He looks up, seeing Shikamaru and Chouji hovering over him, looking slightly taken aback by his words.


"Oh, oops. Hey deer-boy, chubs, sorry 'bout that, but I've got a wound that hasn't healed all the way yet and your shaking didn't help."


Shikamaru frowns, muttering a 'Mendoukuse' (Troublesome), and telling the blonde boy that he missed a really cool battle. Naruto's cries of 'aw man' are cut off by Chouji consuming his chips. He looks over to the side, seeing Sasuke on the ground, clutching at his neck. Sakura is getting her now significantly shorter hair trimmed up by Ino. Haku has jumped down out of the tree, coming over to them with hands glowing green. Shikamaru draws a kunai, but Naruto waves him off.


"Leave it Shika, Aniki's (Older brother's) not an enemy." he tells the deer herder, who nods, pocketing his kunai as Haku kneels beside Naruto, skimming his glowing hands over the boy's torso. Naruto, however, notices something strange, the boy's scent wasn't the same, but he sensed no malicious intent from 'this' Haku. Reaching into his kunai pouch as Shikamaru and Chouji walk off, he puts one of the poisoned ones to the fake Haku's throat. "Who are you, and where is nii-san?"


The boy doesn't reply, continuing his diagnostic of the blonde's internal wounds.


"Answer!" he hisses out, putting more pressure on the kunai. Shikamaru was now helping Sasuke up, Chouji was watching Tenten get Lee off the ground. The stoic boy was coming their way.


"Are you always this wary Naruto-kun? I'm only trying to help you."


"Where. Is. Aniki?"


Sighing heavily, Fake Haku nods towards the tree, Naruto, focusing his sight, is able to see Haku through the leaves, asleep, but alive.


"What'd you do to him, teme?"


"Nothing, he's just sleeping. Maa, maa, you really should be nicer to people who are attempting to help you. I only wish to speak with you." he replies, eyes darting towards the still approaching Uchiha.


"Well, make it quick then." the boy replies, pocketing the kunai, and making no idication to halt Sasuke's approach.


'Haku' sigh's and nods, still healing the blonde.


"Orochimaru is going to attack during the final part of the exams. He'll be in disguised as one of the Kages. Right now his true objective is unclear, but I do know he plans to assassinate your Hokage."


There is a sharp intake of breath at this, and Naruto's gaze narrows to slits as he glares at the unknown healer, grabbing one of his hands.


"You'd better not be messing with my head on this, how does he plan to kill the old man?" he asks, being forced to let go of the boy's hand as the green chakra starts to burn and turn blue. The boy sighs, placing his hands back over the unseen wound.


"He's going to seal them both off in a four way barrier, and kill your Hokage in battle."


Naruto frowns, letting his head plop down to the ground as he takes in this new info.


*Old man...*


"Why are you telling me this?"


"Because I'm bored." the fake Haku replies with a grin, getting up, and walking back towards the tree as Sasuke gets to Naruto just as 'Haku' reaches the tree. "Now be careful otouto, stretch before your next battle, and beware of 'yellow sand snakes'."


Naruto nods, pondering the hidden message, but as the boy makes to jump back into the tree, the Henge over him flickers, revealing a shock of white hair.


*Kabuto?*


Fake Haku winks as he disappears up into the foliage, focusing once more, Naruto sees that the true Haku slumbers on, the fake one having vanished from sight. The blonde boy scoffs at Haku's unwariness, noting that he could've been killed, and not been any the wiser.


Tch. Some bodyguard.


He turns to his left, coming face-to-face with Sasuke, the boy extending a hand to help him up. Naruto grabs the boy's hand, being pulled to his feet, but suddenly doubling over in pain. Sasuke rushes to steady him, Chouji and Shika also rushing over, Shikamaru muttering 'Mendoukuse' under his breath all the while. Ino is still cutting Sakura's hair, looking over in concern, Sakura ignoring the situation, and keeping her eyes tightly closed. Even though this was probably her fault.


~Naruto~


Okay, my muscles felt like they were on fire, I suppose that was because they were 'just' reconstructed, but damn! Okay...take deep breaths, deep breaths. I forced myself to breathe slower than normal, feeling the tightness in my chest and down the rest of my torso lessen. It was actually quite bearable now, if that was Kabuto doing the healing, he'd be one hell of a medic-nin one day.


"You okay Naruto?" Shikamaru asks me, I nod, straightening up.


"Just a little tightness from where Haku nii-san healed me, nothing more."


Shika nods, eyeing me critically, but shrugging as he and Chouji go over to get Ino.


"We've got to go pack our camp guys, see you in the next round."


I nod my head, smiling inwardly to myself as Sasuke mentions that we now have a Chi scroll, and that all we needed was a Hebun scroll. I begin to laugh after he finishes, oh how dim-witted the Kusa-nin was!


~Sasuke~


Why he was laughing? I had no clue, but I did retrieve his bag as asked, eyeing my blonde friend quizzically. The mark on my neck was throbbing, but I tried to ignore it. He sits up triumphantly, a scroll in his hands. I still look at him, asking what the scroll is.


"Teme!" he screeches at me. "You can't recognize a summoning scroll?"


I mentally slap myself in the forehead. Duh, where had my mental skills gone? I watch as he bites his thumb, swiping the blood from it over the scroll, and a poof of smoke is seen, before revealing 'a Hebun scroll'?


"H-h-h-h-how...h-h-how did you get...what...what the hell, Naruto?!" I stutter, a feat in itself, Uchiha's weren't supposed to stutter.


Naruto just laughs, saying he switched a fake scroll with me as soon as we entered the forest.


"I thought something like that would happen, so I prepared!" he replies, a sheepish grin in place. I hit him on the side of the head, smiling lightly.


"Dobe."


~Author~


So a few more days passed, and the four Genin made it to the tower, reading the tablet that resides on the wall. Deciding to open the scrolls, they find that they are formulas for a dual summon, and toss them away from them so that they form an 'X' shape.


A shooting of smoke signals the arrival of a person, and a bloodied hand reaches out from the smoke.


"It's been a long time since I saw you last...Naruto."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
{1} Anybody who can draw that for me, in great detail, or knows someone who can, draw it or ask them. If you do I'll be eternally happy, I'll put the picture itself on TONFA, and the links at the beginning of the story for my non-TONFA readers. And you'll get a virtual cookie. Thank you. (Remember, detail!)


Anaki: I 'love' cliffies!

RC16: They suck! How could you do that to your readers?

Anaki: -shrug- It's my job.

RC16: -grumbles-

Anaki: Anyone who can guess who the person is gets virtual pocky. Or a cookie. Or maybe an Omake written for them, I dunno, pick. I'll let you know if you got it right. :)


RC17: She'll update sooner if you review, so review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)

Key

S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

*thinking*

"talking"

*thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

//telepathy//

::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)

~POV~
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...


A/n: The only person who gets a cookie, pocky, and an Omake is Ragnarok, since the only other guess was wrong. Sorry Ace, but enjoy this new chappie! (And Ragnarok, pick a short scene from any chappie that you may want an Omake written about, ne?) Ace, good guess, and I was 'this' close to making it be Arashi (Yondaime), but I realized I had no way to incorporate that in this chappie,...yet, yeah.


Chapter Seventeen: Preliminaries


~Author~


::Tower::


While Anko informs Sarutobi of the recent developments with Orochimaru, in another part of the tower, Naruto was hyperventilating.


"Yes, it's been so long...six years if I can remember. Did you miss me?" a chilling voice asks, said voice belonging to only one person.


*He was dead, he was dead, I saw the corpse!*


Naruto backs up, away from the scrolls that still pour out summoning smoke. The other three Genin eye him quizzically, wondering who it could possibly be that it would scare the boy so much.


"Come now, don't you want to give your old man a hug?" the person asks as they step from the smoke, to reveal...


Iruka.


The tell-tale scar across his nose, and arms outstretched to embrace the blonde. Heedless of his own paleness, the blood that runs down his arms, and even the gaping wound in his side.


"No! You're not Iruka otou-san...you're not! He's fucking dead! I saw him killed, I saw the corpse! You're just some worthless bastard using a henge! A lying trickster!" the boy screams, backing up further despite his own words, shaking his head in a desperate attempt to rid his mind of the unbidden memories that Kyuubi can no longer control. "You're...not...fucking...real!"


He growls these last words, rushing forward with an killing intent to rival Kyuubi's, and landing a heavy punch into the man's face. The sound of bone shattering assaults the ears of all present, as the man flies back into the adjacent wall. The other genin are stunned, not knowing what the deal was, but Sakura snaps out of it first.


"Why'd you punch him Naruto?! What if it was just a test, you don't know if that's who you think it is anyway! You're such a ba-!" she's cut off as Haku clamps a hand over her ever running mouth, telling her to be silent, as he looks over to the boy. Taking deep breaths, Naruto complacates himself with the fact that this is probably another village shinobi playing a trick on him, but that notion too is erased when he hears this next voice.


"Gaki! Did you have to hit me that hard? Ouch...think you broke my fucking cheekbone..." the person exclaims, climbing out of the rubble, and rubbing their reddened cheek. Today was just full of surprises wasn't it? Surprises that Naruto didn't like, he was definitely ready to kill the woman that stood in front of him.


"Why would you do something like that?"


The woman shrugs, standing up and dusting off her clothing.


"Do you know how much that hurts me? Do you even fucking know what I was going through that night?!"


Again, the woman shrugs, looking down to the floor however.


Naruto seethes internally, she had went too far with the jokes this time. She knew how he felt about that night, but she had went there. It may have seemed harmless enough, but no, she had to use the henge of how he looked right after he died, the henge of his corpse.


Haku and Sasuke look between the two people, both wondering how this would turn out. Sakura watches, looking interested as to how Naruto would handle this.


Heated glare still set into a firm lock onto his face, the boy manages to grind these few words out before turning on his heel, and stalking off into the other room.


"Three years. I am...not speaking to you again for three years 'Sanziya', you went too far." he states, confirming what he thought about his mother at the moment by not using 'kaa-san'.


Sanziya has the grace to look rightfully ashamed. Haku and Sasuke staring disbelievingly as they follow the pissed Genin as well, none taking the time to see the hidden smirk on her face.


"Phase One completed, the demon will break soon." she states into a hidden microphone, laughing at the fact the brat couldn't see through the first henge, let alone this second one.


"Good, return to base, we'll proceed with the next phase shortly."


"Right."


The woman poofs out, but unbeknownst to her, Sakura had heard the whole little convo, and was now in a mental debate with herself.


~Sakura~


Should I tell him? I mean, yes I hate him, but should I let him get into such a conflict with his mother that she didn't even do?


*Shannaro! Let the two demons suffer! Don't tell him!*


But I have to, imagine how we would feel in that situation?


*Why would you tell him anything though? He's the reason your father is dead!*


Yeah, but...maybe father was wrong, and not Naruto.


*NANI?! FATHER WAS NEVER WRONG, HOW CAN YOU EVEN SAY THAT?!*


I'm going to tell him, regardless.


*YOU TRAITOROUS WHORE! FATHER MUST BE ROLLING IN HIS GRAVE AT THIS!*


Shut up, I've been wrong all this time, so I'm going to make things right.


~Author~


Well, while we can suppose it was a good thing that the pink-haired child has decided to turn over a new leaf, it was another matter to get the blonde to believe her.


"But Naruto, I'm telling the tru-!"


"Save it! This is probably another of your tricks! You haven't cared before, so why are you bothering to help now?!"


"I'm sorry for what I've done in the past, I'm not saying we can be friends, but I just want you to trust me on this! Just once!"


Naruto frowns, putting a hand to his chin. Haku wonders wether or not he'll strike the girl, silently urging him towards that course of action. Sasuke is stuck on thoughts of killing his brother, and Orochimaru's final words to him.


'You'll seek me out again, I'm sure of it.'


"Alright...let's say you are correct in this...assumption of yours. Give me one reason I should believe you." the blonde jinchurikki asks, glaring at the Haruno.


"Because it's the truth." she says, and is surprised when another voice joins her own. Looking over to the direction it came from, she is utterly surprised to see our favorite Phoenix woman stepping out of...well, nothing really, a dark corner of the wall I suppose. Zabuza close behind her.


Naruto pointedly looks away, still listening, but not wanting to see his mother at this particular point and time. Sanziya sighs, taking a drag off the cancer stick nestled in-between her fingers.


"If you don't believe me ask Zabuza, the people at the bar, and the people at the gates. We've been to those places since just a few minutes ago, I was shifting through darkness and heard you two arguing about me. So I came here. Not to mention...Naruto, did you get a good smell of this person? Ever stop to think about that?"


The boy is shocked into realization, he 'had' gotten a slight scent of the person, despite Kyuubi not being there, and they didn't smell like Sanziya. She smelled of fire, darkness, booze, and the occasional cigarette. That person, that 'imposter', had smelled of...they smelled like..water, flowers, and pine.


Not at all like anyone he knew, but now that he had their scent, it'd be a simple matter to hunt them down. Not many had the same unique scent after all.


"Alright kaa-san, I am sorry for doubting you. I realize now that you would never do something 'that' mean, even if I really angered you. Forgive me?"


Sanziya smiles, revealing white fangs to all present as she does, and ruffles his hair with her cigarette free hand.


"Of course, Naru-chan." she tells him, taking a final drag before crushing the death stick underfoot. "Now, unless I am mistaken, you do have another piece of the exams ahead. Come on you guys, I'll explain about the scroll's purpose on the way, since I'm pretty sure you didn't get one while in there."


::Prelims, 4:57am, Tower::


After Hayate finishes explains the next piece of the exams, coughing the whole way of course, a random leaf ninja withdraws (not Kabuto), leaving the numbers even, and the first battle appears on the screen.


'Uchiha Sasuke vs. Akadou Yoroi'


The boy shakes off Sakura's futile attempts to get him to back out of the fight, standing his ground as the others head upstairs and off the battlefield. Yoroi getting ready across from him as Sanziya poofs down beside the raven-haired boy, whispering something to him.


"I have seen the seal, another like you wears the same. Be wary, do not activate your Sharingan in this fight, do not use any chakra if you can help it. If you do, the curse will take you over during the match, and possibly kill you. I'll hasten to stop the match if it comes to that however. Now kick some ass!" she tells him, a big smile on her face as she poofs back into the stands. Sasuke smirks at her choice of words, readying himself.

"Begin!" Hayate states through a series of coughs.

Yoroi immediately rushes the boy, hands glowing a fuzzy blue as he latches one onto Sasuke's head. The boy feels a pull from his chakra pool, and his body getting slightly weaker.

"You...you're draining my chakra!"

Yoroi smiles malevolently.

"Figured it out huh?"

::Meanwhile, in the stands::

Sanziya and Naruto both eye the Oto-jounin, knowing the feeling he radiates is no way in hell normal. Not to mention he smelled like Hebi, of course, he could just be around snakes alot, like Anko. But that still unnerved them.

Orochimaru, the disguised jounin of course, is mentally praising Yoroi in his mind.

*Good, good. With his chakra drained he'll be forced to rely on the seal.*

::Back to the match::


Sasuke hasn't given in just yet, and finds enough strength to kick the leech-like boy away. Said boy rushes forward, hands outstretched to attack. Sasuke wearily dodges each move, knowing that Yoroi wants close combat.

"Go Sasuke! Don't let him beat you teme!" Naruto yells from the stands, Sasuke forming a plan in his mind as he listens to the cheers of his blonde teammate and Sakura.

As Yoroi rushes once more, Sasuke dodges, disappears and reappears below. He delivers a powerful upwards kick similar of a move Lee performed on him during their match. As Yoroi continues his ascent upwards, Sasuke then appears beneath him and prepares the Kage Dansu. (Shadow Dance)


However, Sasuke’s seal reacts to his energy and spreads itself to cover the boy's face and neck.

Sanziya is ready to hop over the barrier to stop the match at any given moment.

Meanwhile, Sasuke flashes back to his teammates’ concern as well as Sanziya's words, feeling bad that he has worried any of them, and he vows to fight it as the seal retreats back into itself. After performing several punch and kick combos, Sasuke comes down hard with his Shishi Rendan (Lion Combo) kick to end it. Both participants fall to the ground, landing motionless. Sasuke then uses the last of his strength to pull himself up to his knees, Yoroi unmoving.


"Winner: Uchiha -cough- Sasuke!" Hayate states, bringing his hand down in an air of finality.


Sanziya and our freaky eyebrowed Taijutsu Master Gai are impressed that Sasuke could have learned Lee’s moves just by using the Sharingan.

"Usually that cannot be done without years of training." Gai states, Sanziya nodding in agreement. "That last move reminds me of something Kakashi would've done when he was younger."

Those words were stated in sadness, he was missing his 'eternal rival.'

Sanziya closes her eyes in respect and a silent prayer, while on the other side of the stands, Anko stares at the Uchiha, stunned.

*He pushed back the curse seal...impossible! He's able to control it! Haha, take that 'sensei'!*

A smile flits across Orochimaru's face, he's liking these developements.


On the fighting floor, Sasuke is totally worn out, and begins to fall back down to the floor when Sanziya appears up out of his shadow on the floor, catching him.

"We're going to seal that mark." she whispers to the boy, her tone leaving no room for argument. She looks into the stands, motioning for Haku to follow her as they exit.

As the trio walk out of the room, Naruto notices Sasuke holding his neck and asks Sakura if she also saw Sasuke develop bruises during the match. The girl remembers her promise to Sasuke not to tell Naruto, and replies that she doesn’t know.


Soon the next match - Zaku Abumi vs. Aburame Shino - begins. Zaku immediately jumps into the arena, Shino taking his sweet time on the stairs just to rile the boy. When he gets down there, he eyes the spiky haired Oto-genin, askance.

"If you fight me now, with those broken arms...you'll never be able to battle again."

"Shut up, I don't need your advice, we're here to fight, not worry about each other's health."

Shino shrugs, not bothering to get into a stance as Hayate shouts 'Begin!'.

"Zankuhaa!" (Air Slicer) Zaku yells, pulling his right arm from his sling, and aiming it at Shino. The boy puts up his arms to block as a fierce gale of wind comes forth to send him flying into the adjacent wall.

::Somewhere in the Tower::


Sanziya has Sasuke sitting on the floor, an expanse of different characters written about his face and torso in her blood to trail down to a circle of characters drawn about the floor and draws several characters in vertical rows down Sasuke’s arms and back. She then performs a series of twenty-five hand seals to finish the sealing.

"Ichi Chouin: Baindo no Ishinosotsuu!" (First Sealing: Bind of Wills) she states, and places her hands on his seal. Haku nearby in case something goes wrong. The characters written in the circle move up Sasuke’s entire torso to surround the cursed seal, the characters on his face move down to cover the seal. "If it tries to activate again," The Phoenix jinchurikki tells Sasuke through his pained screams. "The power of the Bind of Wills will hold it in, but if it does activate again, you tell me alright? Then I'll layer on the second sealing. Not unlike most binders, this relies on your will as it's main source, it can be shattered if your will to suppress the curse shatters. If you lose faith in your power, if you doubt yourself, the curse seal will reactivate."

Sasuke manages to eek out an affirmattive response as he collapses.

The sound of clapping is heard from the entry way, and hiss-like chuckling follows that sound. Sanziya, steeling her body so that she will not attack, turns around to find a golden and crimson eyed Orochimaru behind her.


"I'm impressed Sanziya, not many could perform that, and you certainly couldn't copy it. I thought you were dead, where have you been all these years, hm?"


Sanziya suppresses an ever growing urge to rip out the throat of the man in front of her, as she had every day she had ever laid eyes on him. Soriyu, however, watching from his cage, doesn't like the look in the Hebi's eyes, and pushes chakra into the woman's coils. Her nails turn orange, growing the length of a pocketknife, hair spiking upwards and turning golden, eyes turning green as the Mangekyou appears, unbidden, and her facial features taking on a broken pattern that looks somewhat like feathers.


"I'll tell 'you' nothing, it's 'your' damn fault that place is gone anyway! Now what do 'you' want?...Traitor?" she asks, her voice higher due to Soriyu's chakra, she sounded somewhat like a screeching bird.


Orochimaru takes a step back at the chakra she emits, on guard, but continues to speak.


"I have come for Sasuke, I would take the other Uchiha, or yourself for that matter, but you both are too powerful. So why not take the next best course of action and get the boy who does not 'have' power, but seeks it?"

Sanziya growls at his words, sinking into a different stance, she wasn't planning to use Taijutsu this time, or was she?

::With Shino and Zaku::

"You should always have an ace in the hole." Shino states, remaining unharmed by Zaku’s attack, calmly waiting as bugs emerge from underneath his skin. Zaku watches in horror as the Kikaichuu soon surround him. With the bugs behind him and Shino in front, Zaku’s chances of winning are slimming. Kikaichuu attack their prey in mass groups and consume it's chakra.

"If you doesn’t give up now, you will never fight again. Either myself or the Kikaichuu, depending on your choice of action, will end this now." Shino states, looking at Zaku.

"I'm not gonna lose to you!" Zaku states, going through his little flashback, and deciding to go for his final attack. He lifts both arms up - one pointed at Shino, the other at the Kakai bugs and attempts to perform Zankuhaa. He laughs. His ace was to make it seem as though he couldn’t use his right arm.


::With our two high powered adversaries::


Orochimaru admits to Sanziya that the recently made Hidden Village of Sound is under his control. Sasuke is apparently the supreme piece of his plan to achieve his ambitions, and those fighting for him in the prelims are mere sacrifices.

"I'm not letting you take this boy, Orochimaru. I can kill you here and now, noone would be any the wiser. What's stopping me from doing that, I ask you?"

Orochimaru gestures to where Haku stands, aforementioned boy has a clone of Orochimaru behind him, and a kunai at his throat.

"Coward." she spats out at him, not standing upright, but keeping her stance.

"Well? Don't you want to save that boy?"

Sanziya laughs, a screeching laugh that chills the Hebi's bones.

"Why do you laugh?"

"Do you honestly think I am that foolish Orochimaru?! As soon as I sensed you I had dragged Haku into the darkness. That's a clone."

The tell-tale poof confirms her statement as the clone disappates. Orochimaru curses inside his head at the woman. She would ruin his plans.

::With our fighters::


Zaku prepares his attack to find that nothing is happening. He looks down at his hands to find the holes in his hands that release the Zankuhaa have been forcibly blocked by the Kikaichuu. The pressure is too great and his air cutter finds its release at Zaku’s elbows, thus shattering Zaku’s arms. Shino finally backhands Zaku into unconsciousness to end the match.


Everyone is in awe of Shino, and Neji does a Byakugan scan to investigate Shino’s bodily makeup. He learns that Shino is of the clan that gives their bodies to bugs at birth. They can control the Kikaichuu bugs with their mind, and in exchange, allow the bugs to feed off their own chakra.


"That's insane." Tenten states after hearing the new info.


Meanwhile, Dosu and Kin look after their fallen teammate as he is taken to the medical wing. Dosu explains to Kin that Shino must have stuffed bugs into Zaku’s air holse so that if he fired the Zankuhaa in such a state, the energy accumulated would seek an exit and thus expand. The resulting force found such an exit at his elbows, so now Zaku’s arms are useless.

*I'll avenge your loss Zaku, if not for you, but for Orochimaru-sama.* he thinks, watching after the stretcher.


Shino walks back into the group, telling his teammates he expects them to win as well.

Soon, the next match is announced: Tsurugi Misumi vs. Kankurou.

::With Sanziya and Orochimaru::

"Well, you've lost your edge in this battle Orochimaru, now tell me what else you plan to do while here. You haven't just come back for a visit."

"No, of course not, you always did see through things like that didn't you? Well for one I'm going to kill my former sensei."

"Not if I can help it, Hebi-teme."

"Well, we certainly know where Naruto-kun gets his language from."

"You've met Naruto?!"

"Yes, we had a nice 'chat', I dealt with that troublesome seal of his too."

"You fucking asshole! What did you do?!"

"You'll see for yourself."

"Bastard!" she yells, lunging for him, hands balled into fists as she makes to slam one into his face. He dodges by a hair, smirking all the while as her fist sinks about a foot into the marble pillar behind him.

"You must know that there’s no point in using the seal. Sasuke is an avenger. He will seek power no matter what kind or how evil." he states, grinning at the woman as she pulls her fist out of the pillar, and going over towards Sasuke. Sanziya stops his trek forward, jumping down in front of him. Orochimaru only smiles, beginning to walk away through the door once more. "I'll have that boy Sanziya, I'll have him, and you as well."


The Phoenix woman stays on guard until she's certain he's gone, and the clone dissapates. Then she sinks to the floor, Soriyu withdrawing his chakra so that her features revert to normal. Well...as normal as she gets. She looks into the darkness of the door Orochimaru exited through, tears falling down her face as her fingers dig into the stone beneath her, nails cracking and drawing blood.


"I'll never be yours Orochimaru, I'd rather die before that happens." she says to herself, and in her distress, the carefully sculpted henge she has placed over herself completely drops to reveal her true body. She is covered with blue skin, symbols that look suspiciously like the infinity sign adorn her face, neck, hands, and possibly the rest of her body, her eyes are a frightening shade of ivory with purple pupils. The woman's hair remains unchanged, the tips only turning white, but her lips are a shade of deep blue that looks like lipstick. She covers her face with her hands as she allows Haku to step from the darkness, the boy staring at her in shock, and she tries not to let him see her face.


"Nee-chan?" he asks, coming towards her despite his instinct to run away, the last time he even saw her like this was six years ago, and that was when he found her with the kunai to her wrist...


"Haku." she breathes out, not standing up or looking at him at all. "Take Sasuke to the medical wing, tell them I want to ANBU guarding him at all times until he awakens. Don't tell anyone that you've seen me like this."


"What about Za-?"


"Especially not Zabuza."


Haku nods his affirmative, going to get the unconscious boy, and heading out for the hospital wing. The woman looks out after him as he disappears down the corridor, sighing, and smiling again before putting up the henge again.


'You'll be okay? You seem pretty shaken Sanziya.'


*I'll be fine Soriyu. Don't worry 'bout me, ne?*


Soriyu mentally nods to her, but can't help knowing that she too, was on the edge of her sanity. This Orochimaru guy was bad news for anyone possessing something he wanted, and for anyone he just plain 'wanted'.


"Well, gotta get back, I don't wanna miss Naru-chan's fight!" she states, masking her fright and pain as she slips into the darkness back into the arena stands.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



Anaki: I am awesome!


RC16: Pretty good I guess, but still an evil cliff.


Anaki: -shrug- So? Since when do you care about the readers?


RC16: -glares- Touche.


Anaki: That first pic from the last chappie is itching to be drawn you know, also, anyone who can also draw Sanziya in curse form is welcome to try. Lvl three curse btw for anyone wondering. I would do it, but I have 'no' drawing skills.



RC17: I wanna see some good pics too! Come on guys, you know what to do! Draw and review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)

Key

S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

*thinking*

"talking"

*thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

//telepathy//

::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)

~POV~
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...


A/n: Okay, there was a 'very' positive response to the last chapter, and I love positivity. I know now that I was planning to only go to twenty chapters before I cut this fic off. But due to recent developements, mainly my (inept) measuring skills while I type. I realize that that will probably be an impossible feat. So I'll lengthen my goal to twenty-five chapters at the least. Kiba is the leaf nin that withdrew for the record, guys. Come to think of it, do you guys even care about the canon matchings in this fic, 'cause I'm sure everyone knows the outcomes. Trust me, Naruto's battle will be so much more interesting, so I'm taking the canon fight scenes right out of a guide. No point in writing those I'd think. Oh yeah, on a side note...I hate the dubbed Naruto episodes!



Chapter Eighteen: Unveiled


~Author~



::Tower::



The match between Kankuro and Misumi begins. Misumi wraps himself around Kankuro by dislocating his own joints and using his chakra to control his loosened body. He warns Kankuro to give up or he’ll snap his neck, and when Kankuro isn’t fazed, Misumi breaks his neck…which was actually just Kankuro’s puppet.


Meanwhile, Sanziya appears in the stands, to everyone's minor shock, Naruto asking about Sasuke, only to be told that he's in the medical wing.


"Then where's Haku nii-san?"


"He'll be back shortly."


Orochimaru, still in his jounin disguise, smiles at her from his place, licking his lips. The woman shudders, turning her attention to the battle below.


"You suck at this, you know? And I thought you would be a better opponent." Kankurou tells the rubber boy, tightening his hold on him. Misumi grunts in pain, refusing to give up. "Well, then I don't think you'll be needing 'that' if you won't give up."


His emphasis on 'that' is punctuated by him clenching his grip on the chakra strings in his hand, resulting in the puppet tightening his grip on Misumi's neck.


"Well?" Kankurou asks, waiting for a cry of 'I give up' or 'Uncle'. Instead, the boy manages to twist his head enough to spit at the puppet master's feet.


"Go to hell."


"Alright then." the cat-eared genin replies, smiling as he moves his forefinger and thumb, a sound of bone-snapping is heard, and Misumi's head lies limp on Karasu's wooden limbs. "So do I win?"


Hayate looks at the smiling Suna-genin as he turns to face him, nodding.


"Winner: Kankurou!"


Kankurou wraps Karasu back up, settling the puppet on his back before walking back up into the stands, still smiling as they carry Misumi's body away.


The next battle was...


'Haruno Sakura vs. Yamanaka Ino'


Sakura looks to Ino, nodding, the two thinking: 'I will do my best!' as they descend the stairs.


Hayate coughs, looking between the two reminiscing kunoichi before saying: 'Begin!'



Both girls tie their forehead protectors in place and prepare for a serious match. The battle begins as Sakura charges at Ino with Bunshin no Jutsu. However, right before she reaches Ino, she gathers chakra into her feet, using the boost to pick up her attack as she punches Ino hard in the face.



The fight continues, blow for blow, for ten straight minutes. Sakura then taunts Ino to take the match more seriously, and, not wanting to be outdone, Ino takes out her shurikan and cuts off her ponytail to signal she is indeed serious.


"Medoukuse, she's lost it." Shikamaru states, shaking his head as he and Chouji watch her make the first seal of the Shintenshin no Jutsu, and Ino is apparently prepared to face the consequences and pulls the technique off. Falsely. She managed to trick the pink-haired kunoichi into her trap, now her feet are bound with the fallen hair from earlier as she enters the girl's mind. Ino-Sakura begins to raise her hand in surrender, but Naruto, watching concerned from the sidelines, and remembering that although he did hate Sakura, she did attempt to help him, screams to break Ino's control. It works well enough for Sakura to regain some consciousness and Inner Sakura fights to kick Ino out of their mind.


When Ino returns to her body, the two begin their final attacks, somewhat hinting back to their rivalry as children. They both strike solidly and knock each other out. The match is called - double KO. No one passes.


Sanziya and Asuma sigh simultaneously, going to retrieve their students, they weren't hurt seriously enough to require medical treatment.

The next battle in shown on the screen:

'Temari vs. Tenten'

The two immediately go down, Shikamaru commenting that this would be another win for Sunagakure.


As Tenten takes her place, Gai and Lee cheer her on enthusiastically. She begins her initial attacks, throwing a fair number of shuriken. Temari easily deflects the attack with her closed fan, and Tenten watches in shock.


"Is that all you've got?" the wind-user asks, taunting the weapon's mistress.



Again, TenTen makes another move to calculate her opponent and find an opening. She then tries a more advanced attack, circling Temari, and wrapping herself in a ninja scroll to obscure her weapons attack. Once more, her attacks are deflected. Temari warns her that when the third moon on her fan is shown, she'll know she's lost. Tenten disregards this warning, choosing to pull out two scrolls to use her main jutsu, Soushouryu (Rising Twin Dragons), and two large white dragons appear. She immerses herself in between the two ascending scrolls, and jumps towards the ceiling as she throws a number of weapons downwards at Temari. Still, the fan wielder easily deflects the attack, deciding that she's done toying around.


Temari disappears into her fan and reappears from above.

"Ninpou: Kamaitachi!" she yells, spreading the fan, and swiping it three quick times at the girl. A whirlwind quickly picks up, cutting and tearing at the girl as Temari appears back on the ground. "You were never a challenge for me, weapons are useless against the ever flowing wind."

This is said to a screaming Tenten as she suffers in the whirlwind, finally falling blissfully unconscious as it disappates, and coming down hard on her back atop Temari's closed fan. She then tosses the girl aside, like a mere ragdoll, towards the many scattered pointy weapons in the area. Lee quickly jumps down to catch her, making a move to attack the wind-user, but Gai steps in quickly to step on that idea. Temari smirks, unfolding her fan once more to sweep any and all of Tenten's weapons off the field and to the side.


Hayate coughs, annoucing Temari as the winner, wincing as he is hit with a particularly sharp cough.


"Worthless." she states ruthlessly, reattaching her fan to her back, and heading back up into the stands. Naruto grips the railing hard, he didn't like seeing Tenten in such a condition, he would make sure to get back at Temari when, and if he had a chance.


Sakura wakes up, thanking Naruto for cheering her on during her match with Ino. She woke up, and was able to regain control because of him. Naruto nods, not really paying her any mind. He still didn't trust her, Sakura sighs, she supposed this ws some sort of test on her patience from the gods.


The next fight is shown on-screen:



'Nara Shikamaru vs. Tsuchi Kin.'


The deer herder is at an immediate disadvantage because Kin already saw him fight and knows of his Kagemane no Jutsu (Shadow Imitation technique). Kin attacks with needles, one with a bell and one without. Her plan is to catch him off guard with the noise so that he falls into the other needle, which she's controlling with a string. Shikamaru barely manages to dodge a critical hit. The vibrations from the bell sounds enter the eardrum and head up to the brain where they induce illusion. Shikamaru grabs his head and looks up to see an army of Kin clones. Sensing she has Shikamaru where she wants him, she prepares to send a number of needles his way.


Shikamaru isn't one to fall into a trap that easily and uses the strings to find the real Kin. He uses his Shadow technique to catch her by trailing it along the string. He then pulls out shuriken, throwing it at her, and she is forced to mimic him. Shikamaru then ducks backwards at the last minute, but as Kin imitates, she smacks her head on the wall behind her and knocks herself out.


"Winner: Nara Shikamaru!"

Shikamaru mutters 'Mendoukuse' as he heads back up into the stands, clutching at his side. Sanziya comes over to examine him, poking at the wound slightly, he hisses in pain, but that's quickly remedied when she places her glowing green hands to the wound, healing it, and withdrawing the light poison.


"Feel better?" she asks, Shikamaru nodding, and she smiles. "Good."


The next battle is announced:


'Uzumaki Naruto vs. Yakushi Kabuto.'


Naruto steadies his weapon on his back, remembering what Sanziya told him earlier.


::Flashback::


"That seal Orochimaru put on you is powerful, it's blocking K-san's chakra, I'm sure you noticed that you can't talk to her either?" Sanziya asks, her son nodding sadly. "It'll also screw the hell out of your own chakra control, so you can use chakra, you just may not be able to mould it as such. You'll be wasting a lot in whatever battle you get in, so your chakra control basically sucks now, but I think...since that seal first placed on you is even, the Gogyo is odd, maybe placing another Gogyo over it will right everything. I can do another one, but I can't unseal the one you have, because I really suck at unsealing things. Want me to try?"


The blonde boy seems to ponder that notion for a second, wondering if it's worth the pain, and nods. Sanziya prepares the seal, her hand glowing much like Orochimaru's had, and striking Naruto's abdomen with a cry of 'Gogyo Fuuin!', it was a good thing she had dragged him into the darkness for this, everyone would wonder why she was using that seal, it was forbidden after all. The boy grunts in pain, promising himself he won't faint this time, and manages to stand upright after ten minutes. He notices his own chakra is flowing normally now, but he still can't sense Kyuubi.


Sanziya listens as he states this, frowning.


"Until I can find Jiraiya, he's a sealing master, you'll have to do without K-san's chakra."


Naruto nods, albeit slight angry, he missed Kyuubi already.


::End Flashback::


Kabuto greets the boy as they approach each other in the field, offering his hand to the blonde.


"Do well Naruto-kun."


Naruto smiles, shaking his outstretched hand.


"Same to you, Kabuto-sempai."


"Begin!" Hayate states through a flurry of hacking coughs.


The two jump back and away from each other, Naruto pulling the weapon off his back, and ripping the purple silk from it. It is a long staff, looking relatively normal, it has a nice sliver color coating it, striped gold with blue stone inlaid into the metal. There are seals at each knob-like tip to hold chakra for heavy hits, and possibly to serve another purpose.


"What a beautiful weapon, it must've been crafted by a master. You have a good eye for quality too Naruto-kun, does it have a name?" the medi-nin states with a smile.


The blonde nods, watching as Kabuto charges chakra into his hands, the begin to glow blue.


"Syriffian."


*So he'll rely on close combat techniques, those are Chakra Scalpels. It's a mistake to underestimate him.*


"Fitting name."


Kabuto replies as he charges first, going on the offensive, and forcing the boy to block heavily. Naruto winces as Kabuto makes it past his guard, grazing a hand against his forearm. It now hangs limp as Kabuto doesn't let up, managing to graze his other forearm before jumping away, the weapon clattering to the floor as the hand that held it goes limp and numb as well. The blonde curses, Kabuto smiling.


"You won't be able to use your arms for a while Naruto-kun, I've severed the muscles and tendons." he states, still smiling, frankly, it was creeping the fox jinchuurikki out. "You should give up, you won't be able to..."


Kabuto shuts up as Naruto begins flexing his hands, and then both arms shortly after.


"You were saying Kabuto-sempai?" he asks, bending down to pick up his fallen weapon. "It seems I'll have to get serious."


He braces himself, channeling chakra into the tips of the weapon, and rushing the white-haired boy. Kabuto moves back out of the path of the blue tipped glowing staff as Naruto slams it in a downward arc, the weapon slamming effectively into the ground as Kabuto narrowly sidesteps it. It makes a deep crater where the white-haired boy once stood, the momentum of Naruto's flaring chakra flinging him back. Naruto takes the offensive this time, Kabuto forcing chakra to the places he's hit to regenerate himself, and Naruto growls, realizing why he's not hurting his opponent.


*I'll have to step this up a bit, keep him on defense until he wastes all his chakra healing himself.*


Naruto pours more chakra into the tips, attacking Kabuto all the while as blades spring from each tip. There are three blades, spread out so that they form a cross shape. Naruto had an advantage, his chakra had heated up the blades. He doesn't bother to inform the white-haired boy of this, and continues his assault. Kabuto growls in pain as the heated blade makes contact with his flesh, but continues to heal it nonetheless, managing to knock Naruto's weapon away.


*Damnit.*


Kabuto then burrows underground in the slight leeway he achieved, leaving Naruto to scent him out. The blonde frowns, picking up his weapon once more, and taking what looks like a white solider pill (they're normally green) from his back pouch, popping it into his mouth to swallow it. He stays on guard, trying to scent out the white-haired medic nin.


~Naruto~


I messed up, grabbed the wrong set of pills, and to make matters worse I had swallowed one of them. Oh well, I'll deal with it later, maybe it'd be better to die like that anyone. I laugh bitterly, yeah, the villagers would certainly like that. Heh.


~Author~


*Wonder what he's gonna do with that solider pill...he hasn't swallowed it.* Sanziya thinks, watching intently. Kabuto suddenly bursts up from the ground, Naruto jumping in an attempt to avoid him, but getting grabbed by the ankles. Kabuto severs the boy's ankle tendons, Naruto blocking his next assualt with Syriffian, but that too is gone as Kabuto hauls him up by his shirt, knocking the weapon from the boy's hands, and throwing him back into a wall. Naruto slides down the wall and lies there, unmoving.


Kabuto frowns, telling Hayate not to stop the match as he heads over to Naruto, bending down to into the boy's face.


"Naruto-kun, I know you're awake, what are you plann-?" Kabuto is cut off as Naruto suddenly grabs the back of his head, forcing him to stay still as the blonde lifts his head to kiss him. He slips the pill into the stunned boy's mouth, making him swallow it.


Everyone in the stands eyes bug out, they didn't know Naruto swung 'that' way. Well, Orochimaru's eyes didn't bug out, but only 'cause he's a creepy pedophile and gets off on that sort of stuff. Sanziya pops her eyes back into her head, finally realizing what Naruto is 'actually' doing, and explaining to the other stunned audience members. They nod, still shocked that the boy would even think to do that in a battle situation though.


Kabuto pulls away almost immediately, not knowing what the blonde's issue was. He'd never admit that he actually 'enjoyed' that little kiss of course, but he had felt something go down his throat, and now it felt as though his entire body was being electrified. He charges the scalpels once more, attacking the serene-looking blonde. The boy ducks, jumps, and dodges half-heartedly, not minding that he couldn't move his arms after Kabuto's hands came into contact with them, but he did admit when the boy touched his chest that it hurt like hell. He drops to one knee, coughing up blood, apparently Kabuto had managed to sever an artery quite close to his lungs.


"Now...what was that you made me swallow?" the white-haired boy asks, not feeling anything other than an extremely bitter taste in his mouth and the tingling electricity, although that could be due to 'other' things.


Naruto only smiles, showing bloodstained teeth, and coughing up more blood. The small amount of healing from Kyuubi manages to make it to one of his arms, and he reaches into his back pouch, holding up a small vial of white pills for the boy to see.


"Strychnine, in about five minutes from now your entire body should be spasming in pain on the floor, especially since you only sped up the process by continuing to fight. That only pushed the poison further through your blood." he states, the other boy's eyes going wide at this new info as his head and neck start to twitch, the convulsions beginning and traveling down his entire nervous system until he lay seizing in pain on the floor. The boy looks pleadingly at Naruto, knowing that even the most superb medical ninja couldn't counteract 'this' without some form of antidote. Naruto smiles, managing to haul himself to his feet, and wipe his mouth free of blood.


"Wether I allow you to you die or not depends on your next answer...do you give up?" he asks, everyone in hearing range is stunned at the boy's ruthlessness, they had always thought he was kind, benevolent, well, tolerating at the least. The sheer contempt leaking from his voice was enough to make them shiver in fear, if the white-haired boy didn't respond, he'd be sure to die in the most horrible of ways. Naruto stands still, watching the boy solemnly, waiting for him to say anything so that he can free him from that form of death. It really was painful after all, but of course, if the boy couldn't say anything...well...let's just say it wouldn't be pretty.


~Kabuto~


I never thought that in a million years I would be a victim of this type of poison, not many ninja knew of it, much less how to compress it into a pill that wouldn't affect them if it was put into their own mouth. Of course, if they were to swallow it, it would've probably had a different effect. I suspect it was coated in a thin wax sheen that would dissolve when it hit the stomach acid.


Damnit, this is no time to be analyzing the effects of the poison, this could prove deadly if left in the system for too long, but I couldn't help wondering why he chose to adminster it to me in 'that' form. He could've easily used a syringe to inject it into my body, or put it into a smoke bomb, but that may have compromised the health of bystanders, as it could be absorbed by the eyes and mouth. Another spasm of pain hits me, it's getting harder to breathe now, I would have to give up.


~Naruto~


I watch Kabuto going through the motions of a strychnine induced seizure, and I wondered wether or not he would give in. I didn't want to kill him really, he 'had' helped me in the forest of course, but this was a battle situation, it was do or die. I was the one to give the poison, and if he didn't respond in the next few minutes, he would die.


*Sigh, such a promising medical nin too.* I think, figuring he's not going to give up because of 'honor' or 'pride' or something foolish like that.


~Author~


Kabuto manages to get out an positive response despite being slowly asphyxiated (strangled) as the blonde withdraws another vial from his pouch, pulling out a red pill this time, and again, popping it into his mouth. It was a mixture of everything used to combat strychnine poisoning, which was benzodiazepine, caffiene, and activated charcoal, the 'pill' was really more like a capsule with liquid in it. As activated charcoal without some form of water behind it could prove fatal as well. He has to really force the boy to swallow it this time, as the medic had very little control over his muscles at the moment, pinning the boy's convulsing body to the ground, and kissing him once more. (I love the Kabu/Naru pairing, eee! Couldn't resist guys, I'm sorry. ^.^; May write a one-shot lemon between the two in the future.)


Everyone in the stands blush, turning away from the display, it wasn't supposed to be that...wrong, but it looked the part. Hayate coughs, turning away as well, Orochi-pervert continues to watch, still smiling as Naruto relinquishes his hold on the boy, managing to struggle to his feet, Kabuto falling unconscious.


Something that sounds suspiciously like 'Is it safe yet?' comes from Hayate, before he turns around to announce Naruto the winner. Naruto sighs, explaining the treatment needed for Kabuto to the medical staff coming onto the field, he hadn't been exposed that long so he should be fine, but continue to give him intravenous benzodiazepine, to control the convulsions, and an activated charcoal infusion to drink to continue absorbing any lingering poison for twenty-four hours until he can move and breath normally on his own. The staff nod, taking off with Kabuto on a stretcher, Naruto picks up his staff, rewrapping it as he makes his way into the stands and past Hinata who manages to give him the cream without stuttering...much. The blonde wearily thanks her, giving the furiously blushing girl a tight hug before going over to sit down against the wall near his mother as Hayate calls the next match.


'Hyuuga Neji vs. Hyuuga Hinata.'


Hinata is visibly afraid, but after receiving a thumbs-up and a lethargic grin from Naruto, she steels herself for the battle, Neji watching in interest. He hated the Main House of Hyuuga, realizing that the heir wasn't only weak, but that she wasn't suited for combat situations either. She would do better as a medic-nin, but he wasn't going to tell her, she'd have to figure that out on her own. He was prepared to make this battle as painful for her as possible as he made his way onto the field.


"Begin!"


~Sanziya~


::Stands::


While the Jyuuken battle wages on below, I was worried about my son. He was laboring to breathe, one hand clutching his jacket near his right lung, the other clenched tightly beside him on the floor. I drop to my knees beside him, he was gritting his teeth, beads of sweat were running down his face, and his entire body was fully seizing. I frown, having a hunch about what happened to him as I run a diagnostic jutsu over the boy's vitals. It was certain, some of the strychnine from the pill had gotten into his system, and the wound in his lung from the scalpels wasn't helping much. I shake my head, reaching for the vial of antidote pills in his back pouch, but I grab the wrong one, coming up with the white pills. I go to put it back, but notice something odd, there were two pills missing instead of one as there should be. I look from the vial to Naruto and back again in shock. He couldn't have...but from the look of him he had. Kurenai comes over, dropping down on one knee beside me. I barely notice, I'm clutching the vial so tight it shatters into shards, the bits of glass cutting into my skin as the pills roll around in the dust of the floor.


"Chikusho...baka yarou! (Damn...idiot bastard!) What were you thinking?! Why didn't you take the antidote as soon as you knew you swallowed that pill?!" I ask, shaking the convulsing boy and surely not expecting a response, so it surprises me greatly when I hear a laugh coming from him.



"Kaa-san..." he starts, a laugh in his tone, opening one eye to look at me, his body stopping it's incessant tremoring as he does. "Did you ever stop to think that maybe I wanted to die?"


I am not taken aback at this information, having known it all along, but I can't help gripping the boy's shoulder in anger. I'm ready to yell at him, hit him for being so stupid, but his next words stop me cold.


"...And I did take the antidote, I took three of them, a little later than I should've but I did. Only because I didn't want to see you sad, kaa-san...."


Tears stream down my face at his words, and I hug my son tightly.


"Musuko...(Son)" I keen, crying into the boy's shoulder. Beside me, Kurenai still seems worried, but I still pay her no mind. "I don't want to lose you like I did your father, Naruto. I don't wanna lose you! So...please stop this...please?"


~Naruto~


*My father? Then does that mean she's my real mother?* I think, wondering what else kaa-san has withheld from me all these years. I suppose I should be angry, but I'm not, just confused. If it mean't finding out things about my parents, I'd be more than happy to stay alive. Screw the villagers and their threats.


~Author~


Naruto smiles serenely behind his kaa-san's curtain of oddly coloured hair, nodding.


"Alright kaa-san." he replies airily, slipping into a dreamless sleep. Sanziya pulls back, sniffling as she wipes away tears. Kurenai puts a hand on her shoulder, asking wether or not she can help, and Sanziya shakes her head.


"No, I'll handle it." she replies, going through handseals. "Ijutsu: Chishio Jokyo Taisha!" (Healing Arts: Blood Removal Regeneration!)


The chakra wrapping itself in tendrils around her right hand solidifies into what seems to be a large flask, she puts her free hand on the boy's chest, making a grabbing motion as she pulls backwards, and her arm tenses noticeably. There's a slight 'pop' as what looks like strings of red licorice follow her hand, she winds them around her fingers twice, pulling once more, and they finally seperate from the boy's body as she pours them into the flask, capping it and the flask disappates.


"Kurenai-san, give me five blood pills right away."


Kurenai rushes to comply, taking out a vial of 'what else?' but blood red pills. Sanziya tips Naruto's head back, giving him the pills, and rubbing his throat to induce his gag reflex so he'll swallow. She then finishes her healing by thrusting her hands into the boy's chest, his moans of discomfort follow as she repairs the slashed artery, finally removing her now bloody hands.


"He should be alright now."


::Ten Minutes Later::


Well Hinata had been effectively beaten, Gaara had taken down Rock Lee, and Chouji had been 'murdered' in the battle with Dosu. Not literally of course, but his match was relatively short. So that left us with our finalists, Sanziya drawing for Naruto and Sasuke as both are still unconscious, and since you don't know how my version of the finals will go, here it is:


Match One


'Uzumaki Naruto vs. Subaku no Gaara'


Match Two


'Uchiha Sasuke vs. Hyuuga Neji


Match Three


'Kankurou vs. Aburame Shino


Match Four


'Temari vs. Nara Shikamaru'


Match Five


'Dosu vs. Nara Shikamaru'


Shikamaru groans inwardly about having two matches, posing a question to the aging Hokage.


"If its a tournament, can only one can become chuunin?"


The Hokage takes a puff from his pipe and smiles, the Nara boy was persceptive.


"No, everyone is judged by myself and the other daimyos, it is possible for all or none of you to become Chuunin. It all depends on your abilities."


::Meanwhile, outside somewhere::


Seeing as the true Kabuto was confined to a hospital bed, a kage bunshin of the white-haired genin meets with Orochimaru, accusing him of hesitating to kill the Hokage, and revealing his knowledge of how Sasuke fits into his plan. Kabuto then accuses Orochimaru of not trusting him with the info that Dosu and co. were his pawns in the tournament. Orochimaru slyly gives Kabuto the duty of watching over Sasuke, the boy who’s been living with hate… knowing he can’t die until he kills his brother, Itachi.


However, Naruto is also interesting, and seems to have a significant influence on altering Sasuke’s intent for revenge. Kabuto should keep the two separated...and that if he wants to stop Orochimaru so badly, here’s his opportunity to kill Sasuke.


Kabuto stops then, an undescribable look plastered across his face, but it's then that Orochimaru smiles, and then replies that he’s kidding. The bunshin poofs out.


::In Sasuke's hospice room::


Another kage bunshin walks into the room, scalpel in hand, apparently about to murder a sleeping Sasuke. The ANBU guards lay dead around the room, he brings the scalpel down upon the boy's throat, ripping through the pale flesh as blood coats the mini blade.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



Anaki: Muhahaha!

RC16: Dude! That's pure evil man!

Anaki: I know, hehehe, doncha just love me and the cliffs?

RC16: No! That one was just too evil for words!

Anaki: -.-+ Then quit talking.


RC17: I agree with my brother, that is sinister.


Anaki: -jaws drops to floor- Meepage, they've agreed! It's Armageddon! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! -runs-


RC17: -sigh- Maybe if you review she'll update sooner. So review.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fox and The Phoenix
(Sono Kitsune Oyobi Sono Fenikusu)

Key

S.S = Sick Shit (is more than likely NC-17 and etc.)

*thinking*

"talking"

*thoughts progressing into speech"

'substitute for italics' (Kyuubi or Soriyu at times)

//telepathy//

::scene change:: (more for my reference than anything else)

~POV~
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Summary: Naruto's 6 years old, his caretaker, Iruka, was killed by bandits, and he was left orphaned. Well, until a mysterious wanderer appeared...


A/n: Sorry guys, this is a much needed filler and a break for me somewhat. I couldn't decide wether to kill Sasuke off now, later or not at all, but I've made my decision!


Chapter Nineteen: Training


~Author~


::Sasuke's Hospice Room, morning::


Well, I suppose, unfortunately for either side. Kabuto or Sasuke, however you look at it, it was a genjutsu. See, this person in the hospital bed was already dead, a corpse made to look like Sasuke. The ANBU were corpses too, apparently being moved by chakra strings, mere dead puppets. The kage-bunshin jumps back, disgusted at being fooled by such an amateur genjutsu, and releases the entire hospital from the spell. He was in the morgue, he goes up several flights of stairs, finally coming across Sasuke's room, and smirking as he withdraws the scalpel once more. Although, just as he is about to cut into the boy's neck, the scalpel disappears from his grasp.


He looks around, only to find a smiling Sanziya at the door, twirling the scalpel around on deft fingers.


"Now, now Kabuto-san, we wouldn't want to hurt Sasuke-kun would we?"


Kage-Kabuto growls, pulling a curved kunai from his back pouch, and holding it at Sasuke's throat. Sanziya doesn't waste time, going through the seals for a high level Katon, and lobbing off a fireball at the clone.


"You'd kill your own student?!"


"Not my student, foolish boy." she states, and the second layer of the genjutsu drops to reveal they're on the roof of the hospital. Kage-Kabuto poofs out, sending this knowledge to the real, bedridden one, who curses. Sanziya smiles, pocketing the scalpel and walking inside towards the elevators to go down into the real Kabuto's room, when Naruto stops her.


"Ne, kaa-san, they won't let me see Sasuke-teme, and I'm really, really, really bored, so can you train me?"


Sanziya frowns, shaking her head.


"Sorry musuko, gotta train Sasuke-teme, can't handle you both at the same time, ne? And he needs to get better with the Sharingan, and, since Kakashi went and got his ass killed, I have to do it. What do you think about getting trained by a Sannin though?"


Naruto perks up at this, listening intently.


"Really? Which one?"


Sanziya smiles, ruffling the boy's already wild hair.

"Jiraiya, or the Gama (Toad) Sannin. I think he's somewhere near the hot springs. Give this to him while you're over there, it's probably the only way he'll train you. It's also asks if he can remove those Gogyo Fuin on you too." she replies, handing him a sealed scroll.


Naruto nods, leaving the hospice as Sanziya goes to the elevator.


*If he corrupts my son...ohhh...he won't even 'remember' that he had balls!* she thinks, stepping into Kabuto's room. The white-haired genin looks over to her, sipping at a nasty looking black brew.


"Kabuto-san? I've got a bone to pick with you."


The boy mentally curses.


::Onsen (Hot Springs)::


"Hehehe, look at all the pretty ladies, hehehe." a person with long spiky white hair mutters, crouched down as he looks into a hole on the ladies side of the hot springs. Naruto frowns as he comes upon this, disgusted that his new sensei, was indeed, a pervert.


"Yo, Ero-Gama-Sannin?!" he barks, the white-haired man turns to the spiky-haired blonde, frowning.


"Shh! You trying to blow my cover kid?! Go play with your friends, I'm busy!"


Naruto growls at the man, tossing Sanziya's scroll to him. Jiraiya looks at the scroll for a bit, jaw dropping as low as possible as he looks back up to Naruto.


"Gaki...how did someone like you get ahold of Sanziya-chan's chakra seal? And don't say she gave it to you, 'cause she's been dead for twelve years!"


Naruto cocks his head to the side, not understanding the man, Sanziya wasn't dead, she was alive and well. He voices this to a steadily furious growing Sannin, who hauls him up by the collar and slaps him brutally.


"I...itsu...itsuwarimono!(Liar) She died...she killed herself sealing the Hachibi! (Eight-Tailed Beast) I saw the corpse! So don't you dare...don't you dare to stand here and tell me she's alive!"


Naruto growls at the man, rubbing his reddening cheek as he counts to ten.


~Naruto~


Don't get angry...don't get angry...it won't do you any good to get into a fight with this man. You'll lose...calm down...ichi...ni...san...yon...go...roku...shichi...hachi...


~Author~


Jiraiya continues to glare at the blonde boy in front of him, seething, and ready to punch him for spacing out while he was yelling at him, when a pulse comes from the seal. The white-haired man sighs, deciding to open the scroll, even if it was fake, and read it.


'Dear Jiraiya-san,


How are you? Yes, I know you thought I was dead, but I'm not, so before you go and hit my poor musuko (although you probably have already), go over to the hospital for proof. The rest of this letter will appear after you go there and I put a bit of chakra into it.'


Jiraiya scoffs, still not believing the woman to be alive, but taking off towards the hospice anyway.


::Hospice, 12:00pm::


Sanziya had long since come back down from talking to Kabuto, who escaped, much to her displeasure, and she also finished checking on Sasuke, satisfied that the now ten-layered genjutsu was in place. Unless someone was a Tokubetsu (Special) Jounin, like Anko or Ibiki, Sandaime Hokage, or was on par with her, (which was damn near impossible) they wouldn't get through. It took so much chakra though, and she wouldn't be able to fight or anything like that for a few hours at least.


She was just settling down for a light doze in one of the waiting rooms chairs, when Jiraiya burst into the room. The Phoenix carrier sighs, she was expecting this, but hoped that just once, someone would actually take the time to pay attention to the nature of chakra seals, and not be so...fuckin' impulsive. Standing up, she eyes the newcomers. Naruto is behind Jiraiya, an arm firmly in the pervert's grasp as aforementioned man's jaw hits the ground for a second time that day. Naruto is counting backwards from one hundred in his mind, probably in an attempt to 'not' castrate the man before him as Sanziya watches in pure mirth, snickering lightly.


"Believe yet, Ji-rai-ya-sannn?" she asks, stressing the final part mockingly.


"H-how? How are you alive? I saw when you sealed the Phoenix! You died! You had no pulse, you were dead, they...they put you in a mausoleum! How?! He really is your son?!"


Sanziya snickers, covering her mouth as Naruto opens his eyes slowly to look between the two, tsking.


"I'll tell you."


::Flashback::


"Evacuate this half of the village now!"


"But Sanziya..."


"Now! It won't do for any of you to be here for this, go now damnit!"


"Right...be careful Sanziya..."


The white haired man runs off, Sanziya sighing.

*I will...Jiraiya.* she thinks, staring down the Hachibi as she sits upon the head of her personal boss summon, Tagekiri. He was a large silver wolf, one of the Old Ones, in other words, one of the very first summons granted to the ninja world. Only those of a special blood could obtain the contract, and before that they had to complete a trial. 200 people in Sanziya's clan, all took the test, and all failed, except Sanziya. Then she married a Kazama, but apparently her clan despised the Kazama clan, so, she was banished, the clan disbanded itself in her disgrace and became nomads. Konoha had mourned the loss of the Uzumaki clan, for they were the only clan in known history with access to the Old Ones, the darkness, and many other potent Kekkai Genki (Bloodlines). It was even said that they created a synthetic version of the Sharingan Kekkai Genkai that was just as effective as the original, didn't absorb as much chakra, and didn't cause blindness in extended time periods. It apparently is also able to evolve on it's own, much like the normal one, but it used chakra to evolve to the final stage, not killing your best friend to shatter your remaining sanity.


Anyway, as Sanziya stared down the Hachibi, who she would later come to know as Soriyu, and become good friends with said bird. She asks a single question.


"Why? What have these people done to you to make you so bitter?"


The great fire bird trained his sharp eyes to her, piercing through the very soul of the woman resting atop the wolf's ample head, and puffing his feathers.


"I HAVE NO REASON, I JUST DON'T LIKE HUMANS. SOME OF YOU INSECTS HAD THE NERVE TO COME AND MURDER OUR KIND IN HIBERNATION. I NEVER FOUND WHERE THAT HUMAN WAS FROM, SO NOW ALL SHALL PAY!" he states, his great voice sending sonic booms over the entire village.


Sanziya sighs, she didn't know the entire story at this point, but she did know Soriyu was a threat, and all threats had to be dealt with. She goes through handseals quickly, Tagekiri fending off the Phoenix as she draws characters on her forehead, the inside of her palms, sides of her neck, and her stomach.


"ARE YOU CERTAIN ABOUT THIS SANZIYA? YOU KNOW THE REPRECUSSIONS IF YOU FAIL." Tagekiri asks worridly, still fighting, and Sanziya pats his large head.


"If it means saving this village, saving these people, and giving Norimu-san and all the others a second chance at life. Then so be it, the life of one for many is a noble thing indeed." she replies, finishing her sealing in the final sign which looks like the Shintenshin, and starting to spout off a long chant. "By the great and virtuous goddess that resides in death, and her mate, the Death God that deals with the departed souls of the living. I beseech you, snuff the light from this unworthy, graceless one in order to seal the beast before me, so that he may never plague this earth again. Let him be sealed until this world as we know it is dead, then release him into the pits of hell to live out the remainder of his immortal life."


Sanziya closes her eyes, mentally preparing for the onslaught of screams that would be her death as Tagekiri is forced to dissipate from heavy damage, a whispered apology passing between the two as Soriyu is bringing his clawed foot down atop the woman. She doesn't move, still holding the seal, and jumping onto his foot at the last second.


"Tenrai Gigei No Chouin: Kemono Rakuin No Jutsu! (Divine Arts of Sealing: Beast Mark Technique!)"


The screams of tailed-beast and woman could be heard all around Yarnis, and the villagers were afraid. Jiraiya was also there, and he feared the worst for the woman. After her funeral the next day he left to another village to drown his sorrows in sake, so he never saw her resurrection. Although, her resurrections had reprecussions that none would've expected. The consequences of sealing a beast, a Phoenix, had brought her back to life. However, at what cost?


The woman needed to eat no more than a fish needed to breathe air, she could eat if she liked, but it was not required.


She would forever be branded a 'freak', a half-demon, unaccepted on either side.



Also...the curse seal...with the new seal and added chakra of Soriyu, it spread, it engulfed her. Forming the woman we know today, well, without the Henge of course.


::End Flashback::


If it were humanly possible for Jiraiya's jaw to get any lower to the ground, it would be cemented there for eternity. He was gaping in comprehensively at the tri-color haired woman sitting before him, grinning a giant shit-eating grin as Naruto just stays off to the side, yawning boredly. After the man finally picks his jaw up off the floor, asking where she was all these years.


"Well, I've been back here for six years, kinda surprised you haven't noticed actually, what with your information seals scattered throughout the village. After I sealed the Phoenix I didn't expect to come back to life, so when I did it was surprising. I just went and wandered around for six years, meeting people, until I got the letter from Sarutobi-sama to come back here. But now I'm not in the mood to explain, so here." she taps the scroll. "Read that, listen to Naru-chan, and train your late apprentice's and 'my' son please? Thank you, now shoo. And next time don't hit him, pay attention to the nature of chakra seals. They can't be made if the person is dead y'know?"


With that said she poofs out, probably back to their home to catch a well-deserved nap, and Naruto smirks at Jiraiya.


"Shut up gaki." Jiraiya replies, twitching as he reads the rest of the scroll.


'Now that you know I'm not dead, I have a favor to ask. Train my musuko over there will you? I would, but I have to train Sasu-kun's adeptness with the Sharingan. So pwease train him? Thankies!' There's a chibi drawing of her doing the peace sign in the corner.


'P.S: Oh yeah, almost forgot. Corrupt him, you perv you, and end up like this.'


There's an arrow pointing down, and a 'very' graphic drawing of what looks like Tagekiri stabbing his claws into the Gama Sannin's crotch. Jiraiya 'eeps', throwing the scroll across the room. Naruto catches it, skimming the length, and wincing at the picture.


::Onsen, 3:00pm::


"Alright, first things first, we're gonna remove those Gogyo, so lift up your shirt, and mould some chakra."


Naruto does so, the three seals appearing on his stomach as Jiraiya's fingers on both hands start to glow blue.


"Gogyo Kaiin!" he cries, striking Naruto once in the abdomen with his left. The boy grunts in pain, trying to remain upright as Jiraiya slams the other glowing hand into his abdomen as well with another shout of 'Gogyo Kaiin!' At this final strike the boy's knees buckle beneath him, sending him to the ground to cough violently as the breath is forced out of him.

"Damn! -wheeze- You didn't -cough- have to hit me, -wheeze, hack- that fucking hard! -cough, wheeze, hack- Naruto tells him, glaring up at the white-haired pervert as he regains his breath.



"If I didn't the unsealing wouldn't have..." he's cut off as he looks down at the boy's stomach once more, the seals were still there, they hadn't released themselves in the slightest. "The hell? Why didn't it work?"


Naruto tilts his head, wondering that as well, but letting the man attempt the unsealing again. No effect. The blonde is on the ground wheezing as Jiraiya frowns.


"It's because of those double-layered Gogyo, in theory, one Gogyo can disrupt the spiral seal, and another will right it. However, because they were put on so far apart in time from each other, it's screwed up. Kyuubi's in a somewhat forced hibernation, she probably won't wake up until three or four years from now."


Naruto's heart stills at these words, feeling pangs of guilt go through his body, but he nods understandingly. Poor nee-chan...


"Now try water walking, same concept, constant flow of chakra." Jiraiya states, seemingly unaware of his thoughts. Naruto nods numbly, stepping out onto the hot water easily, but Jiraiya smiles.


*Perfect.*


"Katon: Gamayu Endan! (Fire Blowing)" he yells, blowing out pure fire at the boy, who yelps, losing his concentration, and falling into the boiling water.


"Ahhhh! Hot!" he yelps, jumping back up just in time to catch a faceful of flames. "Grrr..Ero-Sannin..."


*Good, baka gaki's back to normal, it'll do him no good to mope.*


The look on the blonde's face scared our favorite Ero-Sannin, he looked so much like Sanziya when he was pissed, and his angry aura was raw killing intent. He laughed and sweatdropped, telling him that to battle on water he'd need to have complete concentration or he'd end up boiled in no time.


::Three hours later, like 6:00pm now::


Our formerly handsome Kyuubi-vessel lay sprawled out beside the onsen, breathing hard, his entire body flame red; blackened in some places, and cursing his new teacher for being a perverted sadist. Said pervert was currently 'researching' for his next book, Naruto sighed, getting to his feet, getting dressed, but not bothering to put on his black coat, instead, vying to only wear the thin fishnet shirt.


"Okay, we've got the concentration thing down, so teach me something else, Ero-Sannin."


Jiraiya's eye twitches, but otherwise he seems unaffected, turning around with a seemingly evil smile.


"Alright gaki."


The two soon find themselves knee-deep in a discussion about many different things, and Jiraiya finally decides something.


"Ok, then I'll just teach you to summon!" he states, summoning a large orange toad with a scroll wrapped up in it's long tongue. "You'll be summoning the greatest animal of all! Toads!"


He does a little retarded pose at these words, Naruto rolls his eyes, and hears a growl from the back of his mind. Was that Kyuubi? Did he imagine it?


"Oh 'heeeell' no! You're not summoning 'toads' Naru-chan, they're disgusting and I hate them!" a voice states from behind him, Naruto's head turns around so fast he gets whiplash, straining to see his tank-top clad and now yawning mother. Jiraiya, who of course is livid that his favorite animal was insulted, retaliates by asking what Sanziya-'sama' thinks the boy should summon. All the while staring at the outline of her boobs in the tanktop as she glares daggers at him for getting a nosebleed.


"My son should summon something better than toads, I think he should go through the trial of the Old Ones like I had to."


Jiraiya eyes her critically, frowning.


"No, he should summon toads like his father before him..." the man claps a hand over his mouth, realizing the implications of what was just said as Sanziya's eyes widen considerably. "Shimatta..."


Naruto looks at Jiraiya, tilting his head.


"'You' knew my father?"


"Erm..."


"What was he like?"


"Eh..."


A vein twitches in the boy's head, face twisting in anger as he grabs the white-haired man's collar, shaking him.


"Tell me, goddamn you!"


Sanziya snickers at the Sannin's expense, but grabs Naruto's wrist as he's about to punch him.


"Now, now, I don't think that's wise. You'll find out about your dad soon, but not right now. So calm down."


Naruto rounds on her instead, tears streaming down his cheeks, hands shaking as he clenches and unclenches them.


"Why won't you fucking tell me? How is that such an S-class secret that I can't know who my own bloody father is?!"


The Phoenix woman looks down, tears sparkling in her eyes, not replying.


"Answer me goddamnit!" he yells at her, gritting his teeth, nails digging into his palms hard enough to draw blood. "I...hate...I hate that you feel the need to keep things from me...and...I hate you kaa-san! I hate you both!"


The two elder shinobi watch silently, painfully, as Naruto turns and runs away, off towards their home.


"Well, that didn't go well hm?"


Jiraiya 'hms' in agreement as he turns around to Sanziya.


"Oh well, he's tough, he'll get over it. He does need to learn something, though now I don't think he'll want you teaching him, or wish to even 'see' me for that matter, so..." she bites her thumb, swiping it down a previously unnoticed intricate tattoo on her uncovered shoulder. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" (If you don't know that...then you're either f-ing slow or not a Naruto fan, but it's 'Summoning Technique' for the record.)


She slams her hand into the ground, seals spreading outward as a small grey wolf appears in a poof of smoke with a meager looking scroll tied around it's neck by a worn earthy cord.


"Hi Tagekoro-kun."


"Hi Sanziya-chan, who's signing the contract now, ne?" it asks, scratching it's ear as it looks at her quizzically. She holds out Naruto's jacket, it having been forgotten in his rage and the wolf buries his nose into the fabric, inhaling the boy's unique scent.


"Alright, I'll find him, you want him to sign the contract right? He smells similar to you, your son?"


Sanziya nods silently, and the wolf takes off.


Jiraya watches Sanziya warily for the woman wasn't as calm as she appeared. He could tell, a twitch here, the look in her eyes, everything about her screamed 'I'm really on edge, don't mess with me!', well, to a fellow trained shinobi of course. He frowns, not being able to see through the Henge she has on, but knowing it's there.


The flicker of strain to maintain it would show every so often, so he puts his hands together in the tora symbol, yelling 'Kai!' Her minute of disorientation was in his favor, the entire Henge dropped, revealing just how little was left of her humanity. She doesn't do anything other than turn to him, her face stunningly blank, as he stares on in shock.


"You told me you sealed it!"


"My will wasn't strong enough to contain it."


"So what, you're just going to give up?!"


"You know as well as I that when he wants something he never stops."


"Then fight back!"


"There's no point."


Jiraiya is furious at her words, and punches her full out in the jaw. She skids back a few feet, a bruise already forming and healing, but otherwise makes no move to retaliate.


"Don't give me that crap! You know that you'd rather die than go to him! And by the looks of it you've already tried!" he growls, grabbing her arm to glare at the faint white lines marring the now discoloured blue skin. "The Sanziya I know wouldn't give up so easily! She'd fight to the very end, and...and she wouldn't be a fucking coward like you're being right now!"


Sanziya, hiding her eyes, doesn't deny his claim, though nor does she acknowledge it, she just pulls her arm gently from his grasp, and starts to walk away. Jiraiya isn't ready to let her go just yet however, grabbing her shoulder to pull her around to him. She growls, opening her eyes to reveal a fully activated synthetic Mangekyou Sharingan, the tomoe spinning wildly.


"You wouldn't."


"Try me."


Jiraiya smirks, not letting her go, thinking she wouldn't make a move against the great Gama Sannin, he was just as powerful as she was. A puny Genjutsu from her wouldn't do anything, even if it was the Tsukiyomi...right?


"You have ten seconds. Juu...Kyuu...Hachi" she states, and the application of more chakra causes her curse seal marks start to glow a golden-tangerine color, the infinity-like marks burning the Sannin's skin badly, but he refuses to let her leave.


"Shichi...Roku..."


Sanziya glares hard at the man, counting down as her three previously separate tomoe merge into what looks to be a three-pronged curved shuriken type shape.


"Go...Yon..."


Jiraiya blinks, not believing that she's about to even think of doing this, maybe that curse seal was screwing with her mind.


"San...Ni..."


"Sanziya! Goddamnit, fight the seal! This isn't you, I know it isn't!" he yells, shaking her, and by his own will or not, he looks into her eyes just as she hits 'ichi', casting the illusion.


"Tsukiyomi."


::A few seconds later::


The Phoenix jinchurikki walks swiftly away from the onsen, Jiraiya's limp form on her back. What had she done?


*Have I lost that much control? I just cast a damn Tsukiyomi on an ally, and didn't even know it! What kind of fucking monster am I?*


'Sanziya, you're not the monster, that hebi Orochimaru is.'


*But I...*


'If I hear one more word of self-pity come from your mouth I'm gonna come out there and slap you. None of this is your fault, it's the influence of that seal, you've had it for sixteen years, {1}and personally I'm surprised you've managed to keep it that sedated for 'that' long. It's flaring up again, and there's nothing you can do except kill the bastard that gave it to you. I'll help you contain it until then.'


*-sigh- Thank you Soriyu.*


::S&N's House, 9:00pm::


As Sanziya comes into the house, she notices something is 'off'. Naruto wasn't there, so she figured he was out doing his trial with Tagekoro, that is, until said wolf came out from the boy's room, looking beaten and bloodied. She dumps Jiraiya on the couch, ensuring with medical jutsu that he'd recover fully, and sets to work on Tagekoro.


"What happened Tagekoro-kun? Where is Naruto?" she asks, patching up some of his deeper wounds, and hoping what she feared hadn't come to pass once more. Tagekoro whines, nuzzling her wandering hands.


"They took him, -pant- some of the people that live around here I think. -gasp-" the wolf replies, having trouble breathing for having three broken ribs. "I don't know, -deep breath- I could sniff them out if I tried hard enough."


::Meanwhile...in an underground weapon's forge::


Naruto was hanging from the wall by chains, looking crucified, but without the cross. His legs hung down free, and that only put more strain on his upper body. His captor(s) wanted it this way he surmised.


"Well, we finally have you don't we demon brat?" a voice asks, its owner cloaked in shadow, they smelled exactly like the person at the Chuunin Exams who tried to trick him.


The boy sighs, mentally rolling his eyes. Was this the best they could come up with? He'd been through worse.


*Yes,* he thinks with a visible shudder. *Much worse.*


"Aw...is my pretty little demon afraid?" the person asks, stepping from the shadows, pink hair brightening the room as she draws a kunai. "You'll pay for what happened to him little boy, oh yes, you'll fucking pay."


Naruto growls at the woman, she was the one who messed up their home, she was the cause of so much pain over the last six years, she smelled like the shithead who had the fucking nerve to impersonate Iruka otou-san!


"You fucking cunt! Let me down from here you slutty bitch so I can kick your fat, ugly, pink-haired ass!" The woman ignores the insults, ears burning from such heated language, as she goes through handseals. "I'm gonna kill you, you motherfucking shithead! I'm gonna bust your head into tiny...-" the boy's tirade of anger is cut short as the woman finishes her seal, grabbing the sides of his head near his temples. "I'll rip your intestines out your own ass and...! Wait...what the hell are you doing?!"


He struggles, trying to get away from the unknown, true fear now showing in his eyes as her own eyes glow in what could only be the most horrendous kinjutsu ever created. How she learned it, he knew not, but it didn't bode well for the blonde. He couldn't close his eyes, something was keeping him from resisting. A drug? Or maybe his own fear?


Yes, a drug, he was hopped up on liquid fright, on adrenaline.


"Waza no Meimu: Atamagaokashii Toukai!" (Art of Illusion: Insane Destruction)


::Naruto's mindscape, S.S ahead (verbal abuse)::


Any previous thoughts of killing the woman that was before him are wiped clean, as well as anything else, and he finds himself before Kyuubi's cage. The fox demon is now awake and worried. The voice of the woman in the real world rings in his mind.


"That's right you little demon bastard, 'who's' going to kill 'who' now?!"


She quickly wraps her tails around the shivering boy through the gate, enveloping him in warmth as memories in the form of different weapons bombard Kyuubi's tails.


'You'll be fine Naru-chan, just bear it. Don't break, don't break, let me protect you.'


"You should've died at the very beginning!"


Soon they dissipate all together with curses from Kyuubi of course, locked behind the gate as the various memory-weapons slash, cut, stab and tear at Naruto's mental body. The woman's words destroying him as well. He was breaking again, his mental body seeming to get fuzzier as the weapons continue the assault.


"You're nothing but shit! A worthless little damned piece of shit!"


Screams echo throughout the corridor and he soon drops to the ground, the dark murky water of the sewers tinged crimson by his pooling blood, pouring unrestrained from his body. Limply he lay, scarcely breathing as growling sounds behind him, and he doesn't bother to shudder in fear, though he was so afraid. Extremely, extremely afraid. He felt like his heart was being crushed.


Poor little boy.


"Not even that faking bitch cunt you call a mother can save you from this! You're not gonna live to see the next sunrise, you didn't deserve to be conceived!"


He doesn't move, eyes blank yet shining with unshed tears, Kyuubi unable to help him and yet crying for him anyway.


A fragile porcelain he was, drop that porcelain and it shall shatter. So close to the edge he was.


"You're a fucking little pathetic monster, look at you, writhing in pain against the wall!"


*Mama...*


A slap is heard.


*I'm sorry...*


"Did you like it when that man fucked you?!"


*I'm so sorry mama...*


Another slap is heard.


*I'm sorry nee-chan.*


"Answer me...answer me...you filthy good-for-nothing whore!"


*Sasuke...*


Another slap.


*Sakura...*


"You're nothing but a needy little whore aren't you?!"


*If I wasn't so worthless, if I wasn't a demon, would they love me?*


Punching is heard now.


*If I were gone, no one would have had to die...*


"He died, but you didn't! You were supposed to bleed to death right there!"


*I am just a whore, they just use me and toss me aside. Just kill me...*


Kicking, scratching, crying.


*I want to die...*


"That bitch saved you though, and murdered my precious husband! I'll get her too, yes, she'll get the same treatment as you, you little slut!"


*Please...*


Sounds of chains being unshackled are heard, as well as men's voices.


"He ready for us yet, Sukari?"


Panting is heard, the shuffling of feet and undoing of zippers.


"Yeah, go for it. Make him see what a little slut he is, make sure he doesn't pass out, do 'everything' you can think of to him as rough as possible, then stab a kunai in his lung so he can drown in his own putrid demonic blood."


~More S.S ahead (heavy sexual abuse), may make you sick, skip ahead if need be~


::Real World::


"No more...please...kaa-san..." Naruto eeks out, tears streaming down his swollen and bloody cheeks. The woman, now dubbed Sukari, sneers, grabbing his face in her hands, slashing at the whisker marks with a kunai.


"Your mama ain't coming to save you this time boy, you're all ours now." she purrs malevolently.


"Kaa-san..."


"Shut up!" she growls, punching him in the jaw, blood staining her knuckles. "You have no right to even cry, you should be honored to pay for all your sins demon! You should be honored we're even going to take the time to kill you after this! So enjoy, my little slut."


Sukari walks away and stands off to the side, feeling no remorse as she watches the blonde being raped and abused. The men had managed to get the chains to hang from the ceiling, resulting in them stringing Naruto up so that he was spread-eagle in mid-air.


*Where was mother?*


One of them was buried to the hilt in the boy's ass, the steady pour of blood making his conquest even slicker, another had his length in the boy's mouth, wild with abandon. Apparently he didn't care if his victim was responsive or not, the boy certainly wasn't reciprocating, his eyes were half-shut, head lolling back on his shoulders, and he just hung lazily from the chains.


*I can't find her.*


The left side of his face was swelling up from Sukari's earlier punch, and his tears drop onto the dusty floor, blood pouring from the whisker marks to soak into his hair. He probably wouldn't be moving if it weren't for the men thrusting into his haggard body. They beat heavily across the tender flesh of his stomach with whips and chains, making him bleed more, and the whiteness of the kanji craved into his abdomen shows up clearly against the pure red.


*Please mother...*


Kyuubi's fast healing him only made it worse, such pain as the wounds closed desperately only to have fresh ones made. The man splitting him open anew each time his orifice grew new tissue, but he wouldn't scream, couldn't for the man's length that occupied his mouth.


*Did you hate me...?*


He bites down on the man's member, hard. Screaming, the man pulls away quickly, only to lose his manhood. Bleeding all over the place from his crotch, he pays no heed as he grabs a large piece of hot metal from a nearby oven, slamming it to the area to kill the blood flow. Naruto quickly spits the man's severed member to the ground, knowing he's gonna get hell for that.


*I only want for your happiness...*


"Ahhhh!" he hisses in pain, taking the metal and replacing it on the oven, only to grab another piece; slamming it into the boy's chest like a brand. Naruto screeches in hellish agony, back arching in pain as the steel melts through his flesh, leaving scorched bone and blood for all to witness. Sukari, still off to the side, smiles as she comes over with what looks to be a flat-edged cattle prod. The tips of which were glowing with pure reddish-orange evil.


*Maybe you'd be treated normally if you didn't agree to take care of me. If you had never came back to this village...then you wouldn't be hated, I'd be dead, and everyone could go on with their lives.*


"You know what I'm gonna do bakemono (monster)?" she asks, stroking the tears from his anguished face almost lovingly. He doesn't respond, little hics and sobs leaving his mouth with the occasional 'kaa-san' thrown in. The pink-haired woman growls, grabbing his hair and pulling downward on it. "Answer!"


*It's too much to ask you to save me, isn't it?*


"I-i-iie..." he croaks, throat hoarse from screaming so much. She smiles, shifting the cattle prod in her hand and letting the hand gripping his hair come up to hold his head steady.


*I'm sorry I've caused all this trouble.*


"Poor baka gaki." she states, laughing as she brings the tips closer to his face.


"Just kill me..." he pleads as she slams the poker tips into his dull sapphire orbs. The man fucking him pays no heed, continuing as the boy's body arched in pain once more, loving the tightness enclosing around his member. He should have payed more attention though, they all should've, then they would've noticed the red chakra emanating from their blonde prisoner.


"Alright kid, you deserve that much at least." Sukari states, finally satisfied as she withdraws a kunai from her pouch.


"Aw...and you were such a good fuck." the man that was screwing him states into his ear, licking the outside. Tears leak from the boy's blackened eyes as he attempts to recoil from the touch. "Oh well. Bye-bye...my little toy."


Sukari smiles as she brings the kunai down to the boy's chest, ready to put on that extra force and slam it into his lung.


~S.S done~


::With Sanziya and Tagekoro::


"Whoever kidnapped him knows how to mask scents well, but I smell the strong scent of blood a few meters away. Come on, it's potent, must be fresh." the wolf states, sniffing the ground eagerly. Then suddenly, they both stop, the waves of Kyuubi's chakra and killer intent rushing over them.


*Naruto...my baby...my baby boy...* Sanziya thinks, growing increasingly worried as she increases her pace substantially. "I'm not gonna let them kill you Naruto, just hang on!"


Tagekoro looks up to her as they run, a smile appearing on his face, followed by a frown. He didn't know what she'd do if the boy was...no, better to not think that...


::Back with Naruto::


Our blonde has slaughtered the woman, and her many subordinates that came to help, including the ones that raped him. He didn't take pleasure in this however, his previously blackened eyes were blank, a dark cerulean now, holding the look of someone who has seen much carnage over few years as he crushed the screaming Sukari's head in hand. If he were to look at you in this state, you would see no life in the boy's eyes, only your own reflection. He had the look of a haunted Vietnam veteran, not a young boy of twelve, it was scary, and this is how Tagekoro and Sanziya came to find the boy.


He was still strung up by the chains, coated in the warm, crimson, sticky, coppery-scented blood of his slain captors, as well as some of their 'other' sticky bodily fluids. Clothes torn, almost non-existent from the rape as well as the bloody brawl. His entire body leaked blood, open wounds tried to heal, but couldn't. Kyuubi had exhausted too much of her chakra destroying those sick people. A slew of new kanji had joined the now bloody 'demon' on his stomach, placed there a few minutes before the slaughter after Sukari had burned out his eyes, which Kyuubi managed to heal as much as she could so as to not leave permanent damage to his sight. They read as 'toy', 'monster', and 'whore'.


Tagekoro wrinkles his sensitive nose at the stench of the vermilion life liquid and the scent of other things. Sanziya immediately goes to his side, knowing full well that all the others are dead and about to check for any injuries when a keening cry rings out from the boy.


"Get away!!!! Don't touch me!!!!" he screeches, letting his head fall back as he whimpers pathetically, fearful deer-like ocean blue eyes now trained on the woman. Sanziya draws back, looking him over silently, and seeing the faint remnants of chakra lingering around his temples.


"What did they do to you musuko?" she asks, whispering so as not to upset him as she works out of the boy's sight to get him down.


"Don't touch me...you'll dirty yourself..."


"Poor kid." Tagekoro states, Naruto flinching at the sound of his voice so that the wolf immediately silences himself, not wanting to upset the child anymore.


Sanziya chokes up at the words leaving her son's mouth, finally getting him down and hugging him. He stiffens against her then relaxes, recognizing her scent, but he doesn't stop murmuring.


"I told you..." he gathers some strength, pushing the woman off of him.
"Not to touch me...stay away kaa-san, lest this worthless blood stains your flesh."


He turns away from her, the blood on his skin glistening in the firelight of the forge as he picks among the remains, looking for something decent to wear.


"Naruto..." she sighs out, looking at the broken child as he steps around gingerly, unsympathetic; picking the oversized shirt from one of the dead men. He then growls in disgust, catching a glimpse of the corpse's face. It was one of the men who had did 'that' to him; without paying heed to his shoeless state, he stomps into the side of the man's head and effectively crushes his head to pulp. He brings his foot up once more, uncaring of it's now reddened state, and slams it down one more time.


"I don't want pity, I already know I'm pathetic."


Sanziya growls, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists.


"If I weren't here you could be free to roam...yes...then maybe those people would still be alive...or been avenged by now at least..."


Tagekoro looks to the woman in alarm, smelling the blood from her hands as her nails bite into the skin. The memory of something his father had said came to him.


'She was crying, clutching someone's head in her hands as she watched the pale hebi slaughter the rest. There was a second, when her face darkened, and she looked to be a demon. However, it came and went so quickly, I thought it was a trick of the firelight. That night, she went insane, trying to do anything she could to die, but I wouldn't let her. I watched over her for the better part of the night, persuading her, until she finally listened. Now, while I don't think she's been particularly following her words to the 'tee', she's not dead yet. She loved that land, and it broke her to see that happen; she may seem happy, but it's a false smile. If she ever summons you my son, mention nothing of Yarnis' downfall.'


Tagekoro sighs, wanting very much to lay down and cover his eyes with his paws as he shook his head. This would only end badly, but he couldn't necessarily do much to stop it.


"Then none of this would've happened." Naruto says as they go above ground and towards the Hokage's office to report this incident before someone else finds it and tries blaming this on them.


The Phoenix jinchurikki shakes, trying to keep her anger in check, but the blonde boy doesn't seem to notice.


"...And all those people would still be living..."


He looks up to the sky, rain starting to fall and rinse away the bittersweet carmine clinging to his skin.


"And I would be dead, as it should be."


SLAP!


The woman finally loses her composure, laying a heavy-handed slap upon the boy's cheek. The blood flow from the whisker marks increases, coating her hand in a thin sheen of scarlet as Naruto staggers back into the wall of a building.


"Don't ever say that! They have told you nothing but lies! All life...all life deserves to live! And you are no exception Naruto!" she screams at him, breathing hard, and pushing her now wet hair behind her ear, leaving a red trail across the side of her face. The soaked blonde sitting on the ground, cowering against the wall; his head down to his knees and arms wrapped around himself.


He was mumbling something unintelligible, too low for either of them to hear. Tagekoro goes closer to understand what the boy is saying.


"Sorry...so sorry...don't make me go back...no...please...please...please. No more...won't say anything else...just can't go back...please...don't hit me...don't send me back...ple-..." he chokes up at this last bit, drowned out by his sobs.


Sanziya runs a hand through her hair, looking away from the boy and to the sky, taking out a cigarette and shielding it from the water as she lights it. Sighing and drawing the smoke into her lungs, she holds the lighter lightly, flicking it on and off under the cover of her hand as the rain soaks her through to the bone. She flicks it one last time, finally throwing it into the sky and slicing it in two pieces with her sword. The Phoenix woman would never draw another breath of the cancer inducing smoke as long as she lived, however long that may be.


"I can't apologize for that Naruto, but know that I'll 'never' send you back."


None would be physically sick that day, but there were other sicknesses, and they were contagious. No matter what the experts say.


*You are my light, my darkness, my joy, my sorrow, but first and foremost....you are my baby boy.*


::A month later::


He still flinched at any loud noise, shied away from almost everyone, generally absorbed himself in training and taking many showers, occasionally whispering unintelligibly to himself about blood still staining his skin or something to that effect, and almost dropped out of the final exams.


His sight was returning gradually, and he could now make out slight outlines of people, but it'd be a bit before his could truly see again. So he mostly identified people by their scent for the moment. It hurt him to walk for a while, and he was bedridden for two weeks in the trauma ward. Dr. Kotimo thought it was a miracle he hadn't gone insane, even most jounin couldn't take that kind of pain for long. Once more, once again, like last time, the kanji scars didn't heal.


He knew he had a match coming up, and he wasn't really up for it mentally, but physically he'd make it. Kyuubi had tried her best to piece his shattered psyche back together, and she had managed to help him regain some form of self, but he was still 'extremely' skittish. He wouldn't let anyone except Haku touch him, anytime anyone else made a mistake and accidentally did, he screamed bloody murder, running away to lock himself inside his room for the remainder of the day.


At least until Haku managed to coax him out. He knew internally that Haku was a guy, of course, but sight didn't register that, he just looked so much like a woman. Also, the boy's hands weren't as heavily calloused like men's hands were...like those ruthless shinobi's hands.


The news of Haruno Sukari's death, as well as those following under her, spread fairly quickly, but any thoughts of the execution of the demon vessel standing before the Council and Hokage were immediately squashed and due to good reason. Once the chakra around his temples had been analyzed, and the kinjutsu used was revealed, no one saw fit to blame the boy for what he had done. Even the most unemotional ninja would crack under 'that' kinjutsu.


Surprisingly enough, he decided to allow Jiraiya to teach him the Toad Summon. As long as the oldman didn't touch him. After mastering that; the blonde having summoned Gamabunta, who kinda scared him. He made his way through his own Old Ones trial, winding up with a huge glittering golden dragon as his personal boss summon, named Akiro.


"AH, LITTLE ONE, YOU HAVE PASSED MY TEST AND NOW HAVE PERMISSION TO SUMMON MYSELF, AND ANY SUBORDINATES AS YOU PLEASE."


The blonde, prideful that he's the second (and currently last) person of the Uzumaki bloodline to master such power, sighs contentedly atop the dragon's head. Albeit he was a little afraid of Akiro as well.


::Meanwhile...during Sasuke's training...::


Our raven-haired Sharingan user was faring much better than the blonde in the mental department of course, and Sanziya, no matter how worried she was about her son, was obligated to train the boy to the best of her abilities. She didn't mind, and drilled him more than a sergeant in the military would. He didn't complain, but at the end of these little sessions, he had no more energy to stand, much less complain. However, whenever he did complain, this was said to him.


"If you've got the energy to whine like a little bitch, you've got the energy to do something about it. Now come at me with all you've got!"


This went on for a while, until she decided to teach him something truly useful. It involved changing one's chakra into another element, wether you had an affinity for it or not.


And yes, I know you are all thinking 'Chidori' in your little one track minds, but this is far from it.


This is a single move, unheard of by many ninja, called 'Kanshiki' (Judgement). It was fire-based, a pretty powerful move, much like a Palm Fireball, but...well, a hell of a lot more destructive. It formed like a Gogyo Fuuin seal would, but then you blew the flames from your fingertips, and they grew into orbs of flame much larger than a Gokakyuu Fireball. It was a genjutsu essentially, the person would feel like they were being incinerated by the flames of hell, while actually getting burned. Although not as severely, but hell if you didn't wanna give up after that.


He worked for days on perfecting this technique, only to learn that when he did, he would only be able to use it once a day. Lest he exhaust his entire chakra system, thus resulting in a coma, or worse, death. He didn't have the proper reserves for such a technique really, but even so, he didn't care anyway.


'Why does Father praise you and not me, nii-san?'


'I'm the barrier you must overcome, so you and I will continue to exist together. Even if you hate me.'


*Itachi...*


'Why did you do this onii-san?!'


'To measure my capacity.'


*I'll hunt you down...*


'Don't do that to Mother and Father! Don't kill me! Please don't kill me, Aniki!'


'Foolish otouto, if you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me, and survive in an unsightly way. Run, run, and cling to life.'


*And slit your throat.* Sasuke thinks, turning over in his bed, thoughts of revenge lingering as the curse seal grows stronger.


::In the rest of Konoha::


Sakura was headed to Naruto's house, a bouquet of mixed flowers in hand. No, she wasn't angry at him over her mother's death and just being courteous. Far from it actually, she was -pardon the term- fucking elated. Her mother had been abusing her badly ever since her father's death, it was only with her slight knowledge of healing that she survived not being killed. The bruises didn't fade right away, but thankfully no one had noticed.


The girl hadn't spared a tear at her mother's funeral, nor that of the other men. She knew her mother was at fault, she knew that the man who impersonated Iruka and Sanziya had been sleeping with her mother. That was why he smelled so much like her, her mother was so stupid. She had gone as far as to steal the boy's medical records from the hospital 'and' the report of what happened to Iruka as well as the boy six years prior from the Hokage's records. That was how she had gotten such an apt henge for the man, the forensics had taken many pictures of the slaughtered Iruka.


But now, she was dead. Sakura was going to thank a certain blonde, unknowing that though the idea was sincere, it may not have necessarily been a good one...


::Naruto's house::


The boy screamed a silent scream, pitching anything and everything at the Haruno girl now attempting to console him. Haku has to restrain the boy from causing her any harm, asking over Naruto's sobs into his shoulder why she was here.


"I've come to apologize for my rash actions in the past, I've realized he wasn't at fault for any of this...and I wanted to see how he was doing after what my mother did. Also, I wanted to give him these." she finishes, scoffing as she says 'mother', and thrusting the flowers out to Haku.


Naruto hics and sobs into Haku's kimono, his little whimpers not making much sense as he just shakes his head violently.


Haku runs his hands through the frightened boy's hair, murmuring soothing words.


"Shh...no one's going to take you anywhere. Except to bed. Come on now, shh..." he states, motioning Sakura to sit on the couch as he leads Naruto down the hall to his room.


She does so, waiting for the black-haired boy to return so that they can talk, and takes a good look around the room, setting her flowers on the table. Intricate drawings and paintings litter the walls, no wall was left bare, but if one looked hard enough you could still see the faint words written in red paint that the quartet hadn't completely gotten cleaned. She gets up, going over to a painting of a roosting phoenix with a flame haired man lounging below under a tree, trying to find any signature around the bottom. Finally finding it, she gasps in wonder.


'Fenikusu Soriyu. By: Sanziya Amari Uzumaki-Kazama.'


"I had no idea she could paint...this is beautiful..." the girl breathes out, still in awe as she looks over to a painting of Kyuubi in the same style, except the woman was sitting and doing calligraphy. "Amari...Kazama...where have I heard those names before?"


Creak.


Her head snaps around at the sound of the front door opening, only to see Zabuza and Sanziya stepping in, laden with groceries. She goes to help, and Sanziya eyes her silently, confused.


"Why're you here?" she asks, raising an eyebrow as she sets a bag of groceries on the table. There was no malice in her tone, it was just a simple question really. The woman begins unpacking the paper bags, earning an odd look from Sakura as she nuzzles a package of cup Ramen lovingly.


Hell, what could she say, who 'didn't' want to nuzzle the Food of the Gods?


"Yeah, why the hell 'are' you here? And where's Naruto?" Zabuza chimes in, putting things into the fridge and cupboards, but glaring at her all the same. His voice however, had no love lost for the remaining Haruno.


Sakura sets what bags she helped with down, wincing at Zabuza's tone, and turning to answer when Haku enters the kitchen.


"Shhh, whisper, Naru-chan's sleeping." the two elder jounin nod, looking at the boy expectantly; waiting for an answer to the hanging 'why?' Haku nods, continuing. "He freaked out when Sakura-san showed up at the door. She must look a lot like her mother or something, but I gave him his medication and put him down for a nap. He'll be fine, so we all need to talk. There are issues to work out."


That said, he goes over to the counter to start tea. Sanziya looks around the kitchen at everyone, shrugging, and finishing putting up the groceries. Zabuza growls, doing the same as Sakura is shooed into the living room with a vase of ice-cold water by Haku. The boy saying that the atmosphere was very tense in the kitchen at the moment.


She retrieves her flowers from the table, unwrapping the green paper from around them, and setting them carefully into the vase. A few moments later Haku and the others exit the kitchen, coming to sit down as well, Haku setting down a kettle near the vase and handing out cups full of the green liquid before he takes a seat. Sanziya setting down little saucers of tea cakes for everyone as well before taking a seat herself. Zabuza sips at his tea carefully, so as not to burn his tongue.


All eyes are on a slowly blushing Sakura.


"Well?" he prompts, placing his half-empty cup on the table, only to pick up a cake.


Sakura stares into her teacup, sighing as she explains everything from beginning to end. Why she was so mean, why she suddenly turned over a new leaf, what her mother did, how she didn't figure it out until it was too late, and why she desperately wanted to apologize to Naruto for it all.


Zabuza snorts, biting down into yet another small cake, Sanziya contemplates things as she sips her tea, and Haku leans back in his chair, eyes closed. A haze of distortion later and Soriyu is laying across the back of the couch, startling Sakura.


"Who're you?!" she asks, bewildered as the Phoenix yawns and stretches, waving a hand carelessly at her.


"I'm Soriyu, little chick. Calm down, it's so annoying when you yell." he states, yawning


The others snicker despite themselves, watching Sakura interact with the flame-haired man.


"You're that Phoenix on the wall?!!!" she screeches, ignoring his earlier warning. Haku shushes her, reminding her of Naruto's sleeping state.


"Yes... and you can apologize later. He's too unstable as of now. Fix your hair a different way, get a different outfit maybe, and then try during the finals, alright?" The yawning man replies, suddenly falling off the back of the couch. He glares up at it. "Damn fluffy bastard, taunting me...I 'will' master the art of laying on you one day..." (Heh. That sounded so wrong...)


"Dumbass." Kyuubi states, appearing behind the man and helping him up. "But he has a point, so good luck, kit."


Sakura's jaw drops, looking over to another picture.


*Holy shit! It's Kyuubi!* she thinks, fainting dead away.


Grumbling, he fades out, back into the seal. Kyuubi does as well and Sakura is placed on the couch once more as the atmosphere instantly becomes less tense. If that constantly normally untrustful bird, and Kyuubi as well, could accept her, so would they.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


{1} Sixteen years 'cause I dunno 'when' Orochimaru left.


Anaki: So much for a 'short' filler.


RC16: -.- You are one sick motherfucker.


Anaki: ^.^ I know.


RC16: How the hell can you even write that? How do you sleep at night?!


Anaki: With a fluffy pillow and a warm blanket. I shut my eyes, plug my ears, and tune out the world. Then I dream up new ways to fuck with the minds of my characters and a few queasy readers. That answer your question?


RC16: 0.o You are one sick fuck. I can't see 'any' chick wanting to go out with you.


Anaki: Now that's not nice, I'll have you know I'm very attractive. And not 'that' sadistic.



RC16: Ew...-shudders-


RC17: -retches in a nearby toilet- Ugh...so much blood sport...


RC16: Since sis is indisposed right now, I'll say it...review...even though this is nasty as hell.