Three year old Naruto looked up at the shadow above him. It must be Inu, as the villagers have finished beating him. He was dirty and bloody, but Inu picked him up without hesitation. Already his cuts, burns, and bruises were healing. Naruto closed his eyes and propped his head on Inu's chest.

Inu was one of the two people that Naruto really trusted. The other was Ojiji, or the Hokage. When the wind from Inu's running stopped, Naruto opened his eyes. He immediately tensed up when he saw he wasn't in his apartment. He pushed against Inu, and the Anbu let him down.

Using this chance, Naruto ran around the room wildly, trying to find an exit. But there were no windows, and Inu was blocking the only exit door. The other led to a bathroom, which also had no windows. When Naruto saw how relaxed Inu was, he stopped and actually looked around.

The room wasn't anything special, light colored walls and floor, one bed, a five drawer dresser, and the built in bathroom. Naruto sighed and slumped to the floor. He heard and noise and looked up. Inu was laughing at him.

Understanding he must have looked silly in the past few minutes, Naruto pouted a little then got back up and walked over to his protector. He looked up expectantly, and Inu nods. Grinning, Naruto took Inu's hand and let the late teen lead him through the new building they were in.

At first Naruto saw nothing interesting, just a bunch of doors in a very long hall, but when Inu led him through one, his eyes brightened up. He let go of Inu's hand and walked around the room. It seemed to be an extremely large kitchen.

It had a lot of cabinets, a bar, a sink, an oven, a refridgerator, and more than one table with four chairs each. He walked around a little more, and noted a few minor details. Inside the cabinets sitting on the floor were pots and pans, and after Inu opened a top cabinet, saw those had cups, plates, and bowls inside.

The little blonde opened a drawer he had overlooked and saw silverware. Forks, knives, spoons, the like. Inu stood back and let Naruto finish his inspection. After a few minutes of speculation, Naruto felt a second presence behind him. Without a glance behind him, he ran to Inu and stood behind his legs. He would have jumped up in his arms, but if the newcomer wanted to hurt the boy, Inu would need his hands.

Naruto peeked out from behind Inu's legs and looked at the person that had walked into the room with them. A Tora tilted his head at Naruto curiously. Inu chuckled and put his hand on Naruto's head. "It's alright, he's a friend of mine."

Naruto looked up at Inu then walked over to the man and looked him over. He wore the same clothes Inu did; black pants, a black tanktop, metal armor over the tanktop, arm and shin armor plates, and black ninja sandals. More than likely the Anbu uniform. He was taller than Inu, but Inu's wild hair could easily make up for that.

Tora bent down to Naruto, and the boy tensed, but he seemed just as interested in Naruto as Naruto was in him. He reached up and lifted Naruto's top lip, no doubt looking at his over sized canines. Annoyed, Naruto swatted Tora's hand away and stalked back to Inu.

Both Anbu laugh at him and Naruto crosses his arms and taps his foot. The two manage to calm themselves just as Tora was bowled over by another Anbu, this one a woman, with noticable long brown hair, wearing a deer mask. Naruto was too annoyed at Inu and Tora to be worried about Deer.

However, that soon changed when the woman scooped him up in her arms. "Whoa!" Naruto said. He was taken by surprise so quickly he froze. Deer looked down at him, making noises at him that Naruto had seen other women do to their kids. This surprised him further and he stayed frozen.

"Deer, you shouldn't be so quick about things. He still doesn't trust strangers all that much. You should have seen him when Tora walked in." Inu said.

"Well, since he's staying here now, I won't be a stranger for long. But look at him Kakashi! He's filthy. Don't worry Naruto honey, I'll have you cleaned up in no time." Deer said.

The gears in Naruto's head started up again as Deer started walking out the door. "Inu! Help!" the boy shouted. Inu followed behind Deer, holding Naruto's hand so he wouldn't worry.

Soon, Naruto was placed in a warm bathtub. Inu stood in the door of the bathroom so Naruto knew he'd be alright. Still, when Deer grabbed a bar of soap and fiercely started scrubbing him down, he couldn't help but wonder if she was a bad person like the villagers. The woman at the orphanage had never given him a bath, so he had to wash off in a creek not to far away. It was cold, but at least he was able to get blood and dirt off of him.

Naruto stayed tensed up the entire time of his bath, his eyes locked on Inu. "Kakashi, bring me the bag that's on my bed." Deer said, massaging shampoo into his hair. Inu hesitated then said, "I'll be right back Naruto." Then he left to get the bag Deer mentioned.

Naruto remembered something. Something he didn't like.

Flashback

Naruto walked into a store. He looked up at the man at the counter, fully expecting him to throw him out. But the man smiled, confusing Naruto. He let Naruto wander the store, though Naruto never touched anything, and soon Naruto sat down in the floor in front of the man's counter.

Naruto was dozing off when the man shifted. His big blue eyes shot open and Naruto looked up at the man. "I'll be right back Naruto." he said. Naruto fearfully stared after the man. Soon, the man came back and Naruto smiled at him.

But it quickly faded as another man followed him in. The man grabbed Naruto and drug him to the back of the store, where he started beating him. When the man was through, the store owner kicked Naruto out into the street.

End Flashback

Deer saw tears running down Naruto's face and was instantly worried. Kakashi returned with the bag and asked, "What happened?" Deer started drying Naruto off and said, "I don't know. When you left he just started crying."

She snatched the bag from Kakashi's grasp and pulled out clothes. She quickly dressed Naruto in a rust orange shirt and black shorts and Kakashi picked him up and started whispering to him and rubbed his back. Soon, Naruto stopped crying and put his head on Kakashi's shoulder, falling asleep quickly.

"I think I should get him to bed." the copy cat nin said. Deer nods and Kakashi returns to his room, laying Naruto down on his bed then carefully laid down beside him.

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Three years later

Naruto stood panting in front of Kakashi. They were training. Naruto was covered in sweat, breathing hard, and nearly exhausted. Kakashi, Naruto happily noted, wasn't in a better shape than he was. Naruto ran at Kakashi, kunai appearing in his hands as if from nowhere.

Kakashi wouldn't have seen this danger if he didn't have his Sharingan showing. He pulled out kunai of his own and blocked Naruto's slice to his stomach, then to the throat. Kakashi pushed the blond away and started doing hand signs. Naruto was countering with his own hand signs before he was even finished.

"Fire Style! Fireball Jutsu!" Kakashi shouts, expelling a flame from his mouth. Naruto finished his signs and shouts, "Hidden Technique: Earth!"

After that, he sunk into the ground. Kakashi let the fire die down and swiftly pulled his mask back up. He jumped up into a tree, and watched the ground below him carefully. Naruto had come up with many jutsu, and his Hidden Techniques were among his favorite. Kakashi also had to consider Naruto was going to use something new today.

The wind blew, and Kakashi could smell upturned dirt. He looks around and sees a kunai come at him, which he dodged easily. "What is the kid up to?" Kakashi wondered. Naruto hadn't really fought him all out, simply hanging back and attacking every now and then. Yes, he had gotten hit a few times by Kakashi, and had been bleeding from several cuts, but those were ignored by the six year old.

Kakashi charged the bush where the kunai came from and Naruto jumped out of it and landed in the branches of a tree, where he couldn't be seen. Kakashi was about to jump up after him when he heard a whistling sound coming from behind him. He quickly ducked to the left as a kunai flew by.

Kakashi jumped up and spun around. Naruto was on the other side of the training field. Something registered in his mind that that couldn't be because he hadn't seen the kid jump out of the tree behind him. Nonetheless, Kakashi charged. Naruto grinned and rolled into a bush, away from sight.

Kakashi slowed when Naruto's orange shirt appeared to his right. Instinctively he threw a kunai, which cancelled out Naruto's own. He watched as Naruto walked behind a tree trunk and disappeared. Expecting the boy to be simply resting, Kakashi waited. Unfortunately for the now Jonin, he never did notice Naruto stealthily running up behind him.

Before the copy nin even knew he was under attack, Naruto had kicked his knee from the back and grabbed his mouth. The kick caused Kakashi's knee to buckle and he fell backwards, and with his mouth blocked Kakashi never made a sound. As Naruto pulled Kakashi back to where he was parallel with the ground, Naruto made a stabbing motion to his heart with a kunai.

"Dead." the blond stated. Kakashi nods, and Naruto let him go. They stood there, catching their breath. Then Kakashi asked, "Was that an illusion?"

Naruto grins widely. "No. You know how I can't do bunshin because I use way too much chakra? Well, I skipped the easy one and learned kage bunshin." As if on cue, several Naruto's stepped out of the places where Kakashi had seen them disappear. Naruto released them one by one then grinned even wider. "And you fell for it."

"You are a devious little thing aren't you?" Kakashi asks as he affectionatly ruffles Naruto's hair. Naruto nods. "Now, let's get cleaned up and see what the mess hall offers." Kakashi suggested. Naruto's rumbling stomach quickly answered for him.

After they showered and cleaned up, they answered the calling mess hall. Kakashi fixed them dinner and just as they sat down to eat, Tora walked in followed by Deer and Hebi.

"Hey, Tora. Guess what Naruto did in training today." Kakashi says, looking up at Tora, who slid his mask up to the top of his head.

"Hmm. Knowing Naruto he probably tried to blow you to pieces, used a new jutsu that you wouldn't think a six year old could do, or used the Oiroke no Jutsu on you again, only this time he looked like the leading female in one of your Icha Icha books."

Deer and Hebi snickered then took off their masks, revealing Nara Shirani and Mitarashi Anko. Kakashi's one visible eye narrowed dangerously at Tora then shot an accusing glare towards Naruto, who shrugged while futilely fighting back a grin.

"Well, he did use a new jutsu. The kage bunshin in fact. Now I wonder where he learned that? I didn't teach it to him." Kakashi said, watching each one closely. Tora shrugged and Shirani sat down and propped her feet up on another chair. Anko poured a cup of coffee.

She turned around and put the cup to her lips, but Kakashi saw the red creeping into her cheeks. He propped his elbow up on the table, put his chin in his hand, and stared at her. She played like she didn't see this, but her cheeks got redder.

"Anko you've been caught." Kakashi says. Anko downed the rest of her coffee then puts her cup down on the table. "Yes, I taught him the kage bunshin. And judging by the way you introduced it, I'd bet he kicked your ass with it." the purple haired kunoichi said, grinning widely.

Kakashi pursed his lips, though it couldn't be seen, but his silence was as good as an answer. Anko's grin got sadistic, then returned to normal. "So how'd he do it?" she asks.

At this Kakashi turns to Naruto, who was pestering Tora to cook some more food, and replied, "He did good, I'll give him that. You all know how he's not the best at Genjutsu and illusions?"

Naruto's keen hearing picked up that and he whipped his head around and narrowed his eyes. "Inu-nii-san, you know as well as anybody else that my Genjutsu is getting better. If I remember correctly, you fell for my Distortion Genjutsu and didn't know it for ten minutes. Do you know how many kill situations I thought of while you were in La La Land?" The blond knew Kakashi's name but prefered to say Inu, as with the rest of their little family.

Naruto, with Anko as his teacher and Tora as his guinea pig, had created a new Genjutsu. And as the name implies, it distorted whatever Naruto wanted. Depending on how much chakra was used, Naruto could distort a persons sight, smell, sound, and even an enemy's mind in that order. Naruto had taken to teaching his four friends the jutsu, but they just didn't have the chakra for it.

Kakashi rolled his eye and continued, "Well, he used a few clones and made it look like he was moving really fast. One clone jumped in a tree, and while I was focused on that one another one threw a kunai behind me. When I turned around, it seemed like Naruto had just appeared at the other end of the training field."

Tora patted Naruto on the back, Shirani smiled at Naruto before planting a kiss on his cheek, and Anko muttered something about Ibiki oweing her money before tossing a chocolate bar at Naruto, effectively smacking him in the face with it. Kakashi sighed, and the others looked at him.

Naruto missed nothing. "So what's going on now?" he asks. Tora and Anko sat down and Shirani held her hands out for Naruto to climb in her lap, which he did and then waited.

Shirani wasn't your normal Nara, but she did have the genetic genious streak. She wasn't lazy, in fact she could keep up with Naruto three hours longer than anyone else, she didn't like shogi, as she almost always lost, and before Naruto came around she could never slow down and look at clouds for longer than five minutes.

"We think it's time you led a mission. That means you'll be in a fight and you'll probably have to kill someone." Kakashi sighed. Naruto frowned lightly. Yes, he was as strong as any Jonin, and could give many of the Anbu a run for their money, but he was still six. He also knew how fresh Anbu sometimes broke down for a while before they adjusted to all the killing they do.

"If you think it'll help me get stronger then I'll do it." he finally said, eyes full of a firey determination. Anko smiled slightly at his words, and Shirani ran her fingers through his now shoulder length hair. Kakashi and Tora nod.

"We already have a mission picked out. But since you're leading it, you'll be making the strategy." Tora said. Naruto nodded again, slipping into his combat ready state. "Information." he said.

Anko unrolled a map on the table and pointed to a spot near a road. "A large gang of bandits have been attacking our supply caravans. There are about a hundred or so with maybe some Genin level ninja thrown in. We need their leader for interrogation. You'll also be heading that, with Ibiki and the rest of us with you."

Naruto hopped out of Shirani's lap and looked over the map carefully. The four Anbu smile. Naruto was usually just any other kid, but give him a mission and he was like a vetran with his strategies. On more than one occasion had he thought his way to a victory in his training. Sometimes against all four of his friends.

"Alright, here's the road the supply caravans take. I've been through that area before and I know there's a large grass filled area about a mile southeast of there. If the bandits are there, then they'll have room to spread out. We can't let them do that. We want them packed together so we can take out most of them without much trouble." Naruto started explaining the plan, and the Anbu's hearts fill with pride at his thinking.

"First, I want Inu-nii-san and Hebi-nee-chan to flank the enemy on their right. When they have the group roused and distracted, Tora-nii-san and Deer-nee-chan will come around the left to the back and take them by surprise. Deer, take out as many as you can with your shadow strangle and Tora you will cover her. I'll come straight up the middle. Deer, make anybody caught in your shadow fall to their knees so no one accedentally attacks them. I don't want you hurt."

Deer nods, knowing she was his favorite because she was more motherly than the others, and he continues, "When I come straight up the middle, I'll take out as many as I can, but I'll be headed toward the primary target and I'll knock him out. That's it, when do we leave?"

Tora chuckles and pulls his mask down. "We leave now."

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Five shadows ran through the treetops. Naruto led the four Anbu, hitting the branches on all fours. The trip was a quiet one, and Naruto's face was deathly serious. He was focused, but his heart beat rapidly in his chest. If all went well, he would have his first kill soon. That was something he didn't look forward to.

He held up his hand, signalling his team to stop. He waved Inu and Hebi off to the right, and Tora and Deer to the left, then continued the trail he was on. He saw the break in the trees, and stopped in a tree on the very edge, the bandits lolling around below him and everywhere else in the field.

Naruto frowned. He hadn't expected the mission to be this easy. Most of these guys didn't even have decent weapons. Just some rudimentary clubs made from rotten wood. Six out of the one hundred fifteen had shuriken holsters, but they were formless wannabes.

Naruto sighs and whispers into his radio, "Hebi, Inu, go." He got a 'hai' from Kakashi and a 'mmm' from Anko. "Don't overdo it Hebi. Remember it was one quarter your idea that I lead this mission." He nods to himself when Anko grumbles that she'll be half as good as she usually is. That wasn't a good sign, but she'd take it easy.

Soon several explosions were heard and a tent burst into flames. All the bandits jump up and run in that direction. Kakashi and Anko had their katana out and were slicing away rather boredly.

"Deer, Tora, go." This time he got two 'hai's and he watched avidly as about twenty bandits froze before they hit their knees. Anko and Kakashi stay away from these. Tora fought off anyone that even tried to get close to her, knowing if Shirani got so much as a scratch Naruto would chew him out then use him for target practice. For a month.

"Coming in." Naruto said in his mike. He drew two kunai and readied himself, physically and mentally. Then, he disappeared from the tree branch. He shot through the enemy line, slicing throats as he went and forcing himself to not think about it and move on. He went straight for the leader, which had been described for him earlier, and he could smell his targets rising fear.

Kyuubi stirred, but Naruto forced the fox to stay down, reminding him that it was Naruto's mission. Yes, Naruto knew about Kyuubi. He also knew how bad it was to let Kyuubi gain control over his body for even a second. The claw scars on Tora's leg could attest to that. That attack was the reason Kakashi and the others told him about the furball.

Not long after Naruto had learned about Kyuubi than he met the beast himself. It wasn't pretty. Kyuubi had tried to take a bite out of Naruto and in turn Naruto had used a wind chakra blast on his tenants nose. Kyuubi had howled and cursed for five minutes before he simmered down and they talked a while. Of course Kyuubi didn't miss a chance to slip in a death threat, but he was alright.

Naruto flipped his kunai around in his hand, handle first, then slammed said handle into the pressure point on the man's shoulder. His target fell and Naruto looked around. His team were finishing off anyone left. Kyuubi looked on through the blonds eyes and mumbled something about 'puny ningen are pretty good'.

Naruto watched closely, seeing how quick and effective each kill was. Then he saw something else the others didn't. A bandit with a wicked blade was sneaking up behind Shirani. Tora was fighting a small group that had ganged up on him. No one else was close enough. Naruto was running before he knew it.

The air became thick as Kyuubi's chakra transformed Naruto into his demon form. Claws, fangs, pointed ears, wilder red tinted hair, and blood red eyes. Everyone except the bandit behind Shirani looked at him in fear or awe, but Naruto paid them no mind. He was focused on the danger to his family, and he didn't have the time to be distracted.

As he got close to the rouge bandit, he drew his clawed hand back. Shirani looked over her shoulder as blood splattered the ground. Naruto's hand had gone all the way through the bandit, who held the blade above his head before slumping around Naruto's arm. Bracing his free arm on the man's chest, Naruto yanked his now bloody arm free and Kyuubi let his chakra die down so Naruto could return to normal.

Naruto kneeled down to Shirani and asked, "Are you alright nee-chan?" The Deer mask bobbed up and down and Naruto stood up, giving a hard glare to anyone left. The leftover bandit's dropped their weapons and held their hands up. They were quickly bound.

Kakashi came up and put his hand on Naruto's head. "You did good Naruto. But remember, this is only half of the mission. You still have to interrogate the leader."

Naruto nods and sighs. The Anbu watching him all though at the same time 'He's just like the Fourth.' "Let's get them to a prison then we'll finish this." Naruto said, once again taking charge. His team nods and Anko lines up those that surrendered, having an awful lot of fun doing so, and Kakashi and Tora picked up the leader.

Shirani lifted her mask halfway then kissed Naruto on the cheek and whispered, "Thanks." Naruto nods and they head back to the village.

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A few hours later, in a regular room, Naruto sat in a chair across from the bandit leader. Ibiki stood directly behind him, Anko was to his left, and Shirani to his right. On the other side of the room behind the soon-to-be-interrogated, Tora stood on the right and Kakashi to the left.

The man opened his eyes and looked around. He took in his bearings then his eyes fell on Naruto. His eyes flickered to Naruto's arm, and no doubt saw the blood up to the elbow, though Naruto didn't have that arm on the table. Seeing the man stare at the blood on his arm, Naruto started thinking about it. The smell burned in his nose, and he felt dirty.

Deciding to get to the point, Naruto asks, "You got a name sir?" The man clears his throat and says, "Uh, Rei."

"Well, Rei, why were you attacking our supply caravans? Just for the hell of it? Or did you plan to be taken captive?" Naruto asks, his voice hard. Rei swallows.

"Those were the Konoha supply caravans? I didn't know." Naruto could tell he was lying, and rolled his eyes.

"Don't lie to me." Naruto ordered. Rei feigned surprise.

"Why would I lie to you? I would never lie to a child such as..."

He never got to finish his sentence because Naruto stood up and punched him in the face, hard. So hard Rei's chair fell over backwards. Kakashi and Tora sat him up as Naruto sat back down. Rei's face was already swelling and blood poured from his mouth.

"Let's try again. Don't lie to me this time." Naruto said. This time Rei remained quiet. Naruto didn't want to bruise his knuckles again, even if they'd heal in a few seconds.

"Kyuubi. I have an idea, but I'll need your help." Naruto thought. Kyuubi could see the plan in Naruto's mind and happily agreed. Naruto tilted his head to one side and asked, "So Rei, have you heard of the Kyuubi no Kitsune?"

Rei's eyes widened, he started shaking and sweating, and his heartrate picked up. "I-I wasn't here when the beast attacked, b-but I still saw him yes. And his chakra...I'll never forget that killer intent."

Naruto grinned mischeiviously then stood up and started doing hand signs. "Distortion Genjutsu!" he shouted, and put his palm on Rei's forehead. After a second, Rei started screaming. He screamed bloody murder nonstop. "Jeez kid, what'd you do? None of my toys do that." Anko says.

"I used my Genjutsu to introduce him to Kyuubi." Naruto stated. It was then that the adults in the room noticed the red chakra running down Naruto's arm and to Rei's head.

"Rei, I'll stop if you spill." Naruto said, an echo to his voice. Rei was in tears when he stopped screaming. He looked at Naruto with fear now.

"I sold everything I got from the caravans that I didn't need so I could hire a mercenary to kidnap a Hyuuga girl. I heard Iwa wanted the Byakuugan so I figured they'd pay big money for one." Rei said.

Naruto's eyes flashed red a moment and Rei cowered into his chair. "Just so you know, a friend of mine is a Hyuuga."

This scared Rei even more, Naruto might take revenge on him, so much more that he fainted in fright. Ibiki stepped up and said, "Good kid, real good. You're finished, he told us what we wanted to know." Naruto nodded and stood up then streched.

He and his Anbu family returned to the Anbu headquarters. After a shower, Naruto found a note on his bed. meet in the mess hall. Naruto was only in his boxers, so he pulled on a pair of black pants that were a little too big for him but were comfortable and a big rust orange shirt. When he walked into the mess hall, he stopped.

Inside every Anbu stood in their uniform and masks. Shirani bent down to him with something in her hands. "You're one of us now." Kakashi says. Shirani held out the thing in her hands, a mask.

"Welcome to the team...Kitsune."

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Well, there it is. A brand new story from me. And I feel good about it. Hope you guys like it.

Translations:

bunshin-clone

kage bunshin-shadow clone

Inu-dog

Tora-tiger

Deer-if anyone can give me the translation, it would be very much appreciated

Hebi-snake

Kitsune-fox

Ningen-human