Alright this is a bit different but I wanted to try it, I have a new partner for this as well. Stormflight19 started reading Lapin and I've been chatting with her since she reviewed. She's still fairly new to this series and this is my first time writing for it as well, so we might be a bit ooc. Set back in the genin days before the chunin exam.
It was a normal enough day for team 7. Sasuke and Sakura wait at the bridge for their teacher. No sign of Naruto yet though.
"Kakashi-sensei is late again..." Sakura complains. "And where's Naruto? He's usually the first one here, always ready to start..."
They waited as usual. Until the jonin finally showed. "Sorry I'm late. I had to help this old woman across the street."
"Isn't the same old excuse you use every time?" Sakura sighed with a hint of anger.
He paused looking up. ".. Where's Naruto?"
'Don't ignore me!' Sakura's inner voice cried.
"I haven't seen Naruto all day," Sasuke told his teacher. "He didn't show up here."
His one eye widened slightly. Naruto always showed up, and because of his powers he rarely got sick. Unless... "What's the date?!"
Sakura glanced a Sasuke to see if he was watching her. "The 11th of October, why?"
"Damn.. Training is off for today." With that he takes off heading in the direction of town.
"Wait, Kakashi-sensei! What does that mean?" the pink haired ninja ran after him.
He didn't stop, running directly to the poor side of town and up to the top floor of an apartment complex. Kakashi's two trainees followed him the whole way there. Of course, Sakura only went because she was trying to get an answer from Kakashi, and because Sasuke was going.
He stopped in front of a door with the red swirl you see on chunnin vests painted on it. It was busted in. Kakashi growls going inside and searching the trashed rooms. The windows and furniture were smashed as well.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura cried when she saw the room. "Can you please explain what's going on?"
Sasuke walked into the room after Kakashi. Whatever happened to Naruto, it was probably good for the two male genin's rivalry, but Sasuke didn't like seeing a teammate getting hurt. Sasuke would fight by Kakashi's side no matter what.
"It's not for me to say.." Only the Hokage or Naruto himself were allowed to tell them. Speaking of which that's the next place he headed off to look.
"But sensei-" Sakura started, but was cut off with a glare from her crush. He knew it was best not to pressure to older ninja. So instead, the two followed their teacher.
They headed off to Hokage tower. Kakashi entered his office hurriedly. "Hokage-sama have-" he was cut off by a wave of Sarutobi's hand. The Hokage waved him over to the desk, moving to the side. As Kakashi came around behind it he sighs.
Sasuke rushes in after, Sakura was behind him, slightly out of breath. "W-why did we have to run all the way here...?" Sakura puffed. "It's just Naruto..."
Kakashi kneels behind the desk, reaching for something under it.
Sasuke walks over to see what was behind the desk.
It was a sleeping Naruto. Kakashi sits running his fingers through the blond locks. The poor boy was heavily bandaged..
"What happened to him, sensei?" Sasuke finally spoke. He wished his teammate hadn't done this... It cut back on training time.
The Hokage sighs. "He got caught up in a fight."
"With who?"
He was reluctant to answer. It was hard to know anyway..
"Well? If we're not going to have training today, then we have to know why!" Sasuke exclaimed.
"Sasuke-kun is right!" Sakura cut in. Just like her to defend the black-haired genin.
The Hokage spoke up. "Actually I have a mission for you three."
Sasuke looked up from his wounded ally. "What is it?"
"You are to take Naruto to a safe house on the outskirts of the forest. The fight did serious damage and he needs to recover. You three are to watch over and protect him as well as bring his mind out of its current state."
"How are we supposed to do that if we don't understand why?" Sakura protested. Sasuke just nodded.
The Hokage looks at Kakashi, who looked back at him. Sarutobi sighs. "Kakashi will give you details when you get there." He hands over a sealed scroll with instructions to the house among a few other notes.
'That's right! Way to go, Sakura!' Sakura's inner self cried. She looked over at Sasuke, expecting a look of approval. Instead, he was looking worriedly at Naruto.
'But why is he worried about Naruto?' She thought. 'Sasuke never worries about him...'
Kakashi takes the scroll and bows to the Hokage. "I'll go on ahead, you two pack up and meet me there in half an hour." He gently picks up the small boy and takes off out the window.
"How are we supposed to find that place?" Sakura complained to Sasuke. He ignored the complaint and headed out. "Wait, Sasuke!" The female genin rushed after Sasuke.
In the end Kakashi sent Pakkun to lead them back. The pug brought them to a house far out in the forest surrounding the village. Naruto was placed curled up under a tree, a few of the other dogs keeping an eye on him.
The two young members of group seven had brought only their ninja gear, the only things they had deemed necessary fetch.
"So, Kakashi-sensei, you said you would explain," Sakura pressured.
The one eyed man sighs. "Now what I'm about to tell you is an S-rank secret, you are not allowed to tell anyone about this, let alone talk about it in public."
"Yes sensei," the two chorused.
"You know the story about the nine-tailed fox right?"
"Yah," Sakura said. She was the one who knew everything. "It attacked the village, right?"
"Right, but do you know how it was defeated?"
"No... No teacher or adult would ever tell us..."
"When it attacked the Fourth Hokage went up against him. He ended up giving up his life to seal the nine-tails away."
"So what does that have to do with all this?"
"Where do you think the monster went?" Came a gravely voice from behind them.
"I-I don't know..." Sakura and Sakura turned around to see the newcomer.
It was Naruto, but then again it wasn't. His eyes were a blood red with slitted pupils, his whiskers were darker and nails lengthened into claws. Long sharp canines protruded from his mouth.
"I didn't expect to see you in person Kyuubi." Kakashi spoke.
"Wh-what is that?" Sakura asked fearfully.
"I was getting to that part.. Naruto is what is known as a jinchūriki. A human container for a Tailed beast to be sealed into. The night Kyuubi here attacked the village, he was sealed into Naruto soon after he was born."
"So... He's the nine-tailed fox?" Sakura questioned. Sasuke studied the fox-like Naruto. He didn't like this new turn of events...
"Kyuubi yes. But Naruto is still Naruto. Naruto is supposed to contain Kyuubi and keep him in check." The fox boy growls slightly at that.
"With Naruto like this, is it our job to keep Kyuubi in check now?" Sasuke asked.
"Wrong." The fox growled. Stupid Uchias.. "The brat doesn't control me he contains me. Unfortunately for you his concussion has put him into shock. I'm only out cause he's still asleep."
"Then what's our job?" Sakura cut in, hopefully to stop a fight. Sasuke glared at the fox.
He ignores the girl turning to Kakashi. "He'll wake up soon but he's stuck in an instinctual mind frame. The villagers ended up making him snap this time. I can only do so much, it's up to you to pull him out of it." Soon after that the red leached from his eyes, slowly going back to blue. The body goes limp dropping towards the ground.
"Naruto, you idiot," Sasuke sighed, catching the falling boy.
'Why is everyone ignoring me?' Sakura thought. 'It's like I'm not actually there...'
Kakashi sighs. Deciding to continue. "The fourth wanted him to be known as a hero because the attack stopped thanks to Naruto. Unfortunately instead of a boy, all the villagers see us the fox.."
Sasuke looked down at the blonde in his arms. The reason why he acted like he did was suddenly clear. He just wanted to have friends, someone who wouldn't look at him with fear or anger.
"Well then, what are we to do with Naruto now?" he asked, looking at Kakashi.
"Keep an eye on him. You've noticed he acts weird sometimes right? That's because the influence of containing Kyuubi gives him a few fox-like traits. If Kyuubi says he's locked in his instincts that means he's feral right now."
"Where should I put Naruto?"
"Just leave him here. We need to make sure he recognizes us at least."
"Okay..." Sasuke set Naruto back under the tree that he was lying under earlier. "Will we train in the meantime?"
"If you want." He stands up and starts a lesson.
"Yay!" Sakura cheered.
An hour passed before Naruto finally woke up. Kakashi looks over as the blond sits up.
"So he's awake..." Sasuke muttered. "Will he be friend or foe...?"
The blond looks around seeing them. Naruto jumps scrambling back behind the tree.
"What's wrong, Naruto?" Sakura asked.
Kakashi gets up walking over slowly. Sakura follows, whereas Sasuke stays behind.
Naruto crawls back on all fours growling lightly. His eyes were still slitted but remained sky blue. The claws and fangs had remained as well.
"Naruto, it's us, your teammates," Sakura says soothingly.
Kakashi quickly picks him up by his collar and brings him over to where they were. Naruto tries to wiggle out of his grip but couldn't due to the angle.
"So I guess he doesn't recognize us," Sakura sighed.
"You don't know much about canines do ya kid?" Pakkun asks. "We tell each other by scent." He looks up to Kakashi who was letting Naruto smell his hand. The kit sniffed the fingers all over before tackling his teacher.
"Can't he smell us from where he is?" Sakura asks.
Kakashi shrugs. "He was scared and wasn't paying attention. You have to remember he got beat up last night."
Sakura carefully walks up to the fox-boy. She held out her hand. "Hey, Naruto, do you remember me?"
He looks up at her curiously, tilting his head.
"I'm Sakura, remember?" the pinkett said softly.
He moves closer purring softly.
"That's it," Sakura said, keeping her hand out.
He smiles rubbing against it.
Sakura reaches out with her other hand to stroke Naruto's hair. 'Not as good as Sasuke, but this is only to get Naruto to trust me,' she thought.
He smiles purring.
'Okay... This is getting a little weird,' she continued. Sakura backed up a bit.
He looks up confused. Why did she stop?
"Sensei, is this supposed to happen?"
"Foxes are tameable sometimes. Apparently Naruto likes being petted."
"But why me?" Sakura cried.
"Because you just petted him. He thinks you'd do it again.."
"If that's what he wants, then Naruto can forget it! I was only doing it to get his trust!"
The fox yelps running behind Kakashi. The jonin sighs.
"What now?" Sakura sighed.
"You yelled at him.."
"Sakura, if you wanted him to trust you, then you shouldn't have yelled at him," Sasuke rebuked his teammate. He walked over to Naruto, and held out his hand to the fox.
Naruto looks up at him curiously for a moment before pouncing on him. Kakashi raised his brow in surprise.
"What are you doing to my Sasuke!?" Sakura shouted.
Naruto sits on top of Sasuke, staring him in the face and purring.
"Get off of my Sasuke!" Sakura shouted again. It wasn't supposed to be like this! First Naruto takes Sasuke's first kiss, now this?
Kakashi decides to step in before she snapped. "He wants him to play." Though he had a slightly different idea..
"But Naruto's sitting on him!" Sakura retorted. "If he wants Sasuke to play, then why is Naruto like that?"
Kakashi sighs face palming. Did she ever own a dog?
Sasuke sighs as well. "Naruto, can you get off me?"
The jonin picks him up again. "Why don't you go hang out with the pack? I'm sure they'd love to play with you." The blond glanced to Sasuke once more before going after Kakashi's hounds.
Sasuke picks himself up, brushing off his clothes. He watches as Naruto bounds of to play with the other dogs.
Kakashi watches Naruto for a moment studying him. He takes out the scroll the Hokage gave him going over the list of injuries, then back up. Naruto seemed to be ignoring any pain he had as usual, but with the long list it might take longer to heal than it normaly does.
"Sensei, how can we help?" Sakura asked.
"For now let's go inside and look over supplies, we might be out here for a while."
"Okay," Sakura followed Sasuke and Kakashi into the house. Sasuke took one final look at Naruto before entering the house.