Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto.
It all started one bright and shiny day. A little kid was walking through the park pondering all that was wrong in the world, and because he was a little kid, all that was wrong in his life. He knew he was a good kid. Maybe a prank here and maybe stealing something there, but overall he was a good kid. Then why under God's green earth was he so looked down on. Whenever he asked for something, the proprietor took a really long time to get his order and he was always served last. It just wasn't fair.
"Maybe I should just start pranking everyone. That would get their attention!" The wind listened intently because, well, the wind always listens, it has nothing better to do besides blow. The little kid shook his head, realizing that pranks were not the answer. Maybe the answer was to steal all kinds of stuff? The kid shrugged that idea off too. Then it struck him! The idea was like lightning striking the ground! It opened up a new world, a world of joys and sorrows. He would find a pet! A pet would never harm or ignore him.
After making up his mind, the young boy walked down a road that would lead him to a forest he had seen one time while wandering. After a 10 minute walk while enjoying the scenery, a certain blond kid found himself on the edge of a clearing. Across the clearing was the forest he had his mind on. The only problem was that the forest had a massive gate going as far as his eyes could follow around the forest.
"Crap! Now what? Where am I going to find me a pet?" After saying this, he decided to walk around the fence to see if he could get in at a different side. It appeared to be his lucky day because 17 gates down, he found an open gate. It seemed that Mitarashi Anko was in residence that day, though the kid didn't know that at the time.
So young Naruto, yes Naruto Uzumaki, walked into the Forest of Death unaware what he was getting into, for the Forest of Death was aptly named. As soon as Naruto walked in, the animals became aware. Poisonous bugs, giant tigers, and countless giant spiders were all near the entrance that Naruto entered. They all sensed that weak prey had entered their domain.
Naruto was unaware of all the attention he was getting. He might have even been proud that he was finally getting attention even though that attention was backed by an intent to devour. Naruto was too busy looking around for something to become his pet to notice the attention though. He saw a huge snake in a tree but decided that was not right. He then looked to the left and saw a toad, but he decided that was not right either. Walking through the trees where even the sun did not shine very brightly, Naruto finally found the pet he wanted. A beautiful eagle was perched in the trees just over his head. Even better news was that it was laying on a nest. Naruto knew that if he was lucky, he could conceivably get a baby to raise. Then he would have his first friend!
"Come here, little birdy. I am not going to hurt you. Will you please give me one of your chicks?" Naruto asked after a very strenuous climb. Having to haul one's self up a huge tree without chakra wass very dangerous... and stupid. Then the eagle turned in Naruto's direction. Thats when he started getting worried. Mrs. Eagle didn't look too happy to see him by her nest. Naruto decided the best idea would be to grab a baby bird and run. Suffice to say that he got pecked, scratched, and almost blinded the whole way down. The the attacks from the bird stopped. Thats when the attacks from the other wildlife began.
"YAH!" The scream was heard in a good portion of the forest. Its not everyday people hear a scream of that intensity. Anko found it to be like music and dango combined. She enjoyed it so much that she decided to go help out the person making someone scream. Naruto was thinking of none of this, however, as he was currently running for his life. Behind him came the reason for the scream. Giant spiders and tigers followed him, while poisonous bugs fell out of the trees to try to attach themselves to him. Naruto just cuddled his new baby eaglet to his chest and ran as fast as he could. Too bad his fastest was not enough to escape.
Suddenly, one of the tigers caught up to him. Just as Naruto dodged a bug by hiding behind a tree, a tiger jumped at him from the front. With its claws extended, Naruto knew that it would kill his new friend if he didn't do something. Naruto turned his back to the monster approaching him. Then he was skewered. The pain was like nothing the young 7 year old had ever experienced before. To make matters worse, the tiger then bit him in the shoulder trying to make a good meal of the poor blonde. Now Naruto's world became nothing but pain as the tiger tried to eat him alive.
Damn! I am going to die! Then the strangest thing happened. Naruto's eyes turned red, some red chakra was released, and killing intent saturated the part of the forest he was in. The killing intent succeeded in driving off all the predators that were currently trying to feast on young Naruto. Then the red chakra did something... strange. It overcame the young eaglet in Naruto's hands. Naruto himself didn't seem to notice this strange anomaly, but he really didn't notice anything at the moment because he had pretty much passed out.
The red chakra made its way into the young bird's body and... changed it. It opened its chakra pathways which would allow the young bird to utilize chakra. It also left a link in place that would allow the young bird and young Naruto to understand each other. After the red chakra receded, the bird and Naruto now had a relationship like the Inuzuka and their dogs.
"He he he! Now no one will be able to do to me what that damn Uchiha did! I will eventually use this body to overcome my last weakness, then I will kill that damned Uchiha myself!" The kyuubi chuckled this to himself after leaving one last gift for his 'host'. "Now no one will be able to stop me, for everyone knows that what comes in must come out! Ha ha ha ha!" After changing the life of a boy and his new friend, the great kyuubi went back to its most beloved state of sleeping.
When Anko arrived at the scene, slightly freaked out from the chakra she had just felt, she noticed that their was no sound at all coming from this part of the forest. Thats not right. She scanned the clearing ahead of her for any signs of something out of the ordinary. She found it in a young kid laying against a tree with what appeared to be a crimson shirt on. Thats when she realized that his shirt wasn't crimson, it was his blood. Wondering why she found a dead kid in his forest, Anko went to investigate. To her surprise, the kid seemed to be still alive! He also seemed to be covering something protectively in his pocket. Why can't my days ever be normal? She asked herself as she picked up the kid to take him to the hospital.
5 hours later
Naruto woke up with an aching body. He looked around the room and tried to get an idea on where he was. He found out that wherever he was, it had a lot of white. White floors, doors, clothes, and sheets surrounded the poor boy. How can anyone stay here without going mad? Then the Hokage came in through the door, followed by a pretty young woman.
"Whatcha doing here, Jiji and pretty lady?" At this both adults slightly sweat-dropped.
"Well, gaki, considering I found you almost dead in a place that you shouldn't have been in in the first place, I was actually curious to see how you were." The pretty lady said with such an innocent smile on her face. Now if Naruto knew the lady he was talking to, an innocent smile would have sent him running, but alas Naruto knew nothing of this. "My name is Anko by the way, Mitarashi Anko." Then out came the cute, little girl smile again.
The young lady, Anko, walked up and looked down on Naruto. She kept up her smile the whole way. Even Naruto was starting to get a little freaked out. He didn't know anyone who could have a smile like that at all times. Then he realized why she was smiling; she just wanted to hurt him! First with the slaps to the head the started the cuts with a kunai, Anko administered it all with that same smile on her face. Then the Hokage stopped her.
"Now, Anko-chan, he is still in the hospital you know. I think you should hold off your punishment of him at least for a little longer." Naruto got a little more scared when Jiji said to hold it off for a little longer. Did that mean she would punish him later, wait why was he being punished in the first place? Oh crap! What happened to my new friend? Naruto looked around wildly until he felt his newest friend still lying in his pocket. Naruto let out a sigh of relief.
"Now, Naruto-kun, care to tell me why you entered a place that was obviously off-limits?" At this Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Naruto his most serious stare. Of course the stare went way over Naruto's head because he thought Sarutobi was just a kind old man and not a person who had killed thousands by his hand or order.
"Well... I really wanted a pet, and I had noticed that forest when I was wandering around Konoha one day. So I decided to go exploring there to find me a new friend. Most of the gates were locked, but I did find one open so I went in. Did I do something bad, Jiji?" Naruto asked this all with his most innocent puppy eyes expression. It worked like a charm. Gotcha.
The man known as Jiji went on to explain why the forest was off limits and why Naruto was in the hospital. After hearing all that, Naruto was actually very freaked. He hadn't realized that he was so close to death. "Well, gaki, time for your punishment for trespassing in my forest!" Anko declared happily.
"Well, Anko-chan, I am afraid thats not going to be possible. You see, it is partially your fault that Naruto was able to enter the forest. You left the gate open." Now the Hokage gave Anko his very serious stare. Unlike Naruto though, it actually had a big effect because she knew just who the Third Hokage was.
"Uh... oops?" She asked with her sweet girl smile. Sarutobi was having none of it. He went into thought for a moment on the best way to punish her would be. Then he smiled, and Anko started crying.
"Your punishment is to spend at least 20 hours with Naruto a week. This will last for 6 months. Whenever it is a meal time when you are with him, you will have to feed him. This should show you some responsibility and hopefully you will learn not to forget something simple like closing a gate." The Hokage left the hospital feeling very satisfied. I need to do that more often.
Anko was going through a case of serious denial. She couldn't believe that the Old Man had just put her on babysitting duty. She looked at her new... assignment. There he sat, looking all happy, just petting his little bird. Wait, where did that baby bird come from? Did he have it with him the whole time?
Naruto was in a surprisingly good mood. So what if a crazy woman had to spend time with him. She would be feeding him. He also had a new friend. Now he just need to think of a name.
"What shall I call you? How about Chika or Birdy?" The bird looked slightly offended at those names. Anko almost couldn't help herself. If the gaki mentions another name like that I would be offended too. Anko then heard the bird start chirping. She didn't think much of it until she saw the look on Naruto's face. She wished she had a camera. It was a look of pure, utter astonishment.
Naruto couldn't believe it. Somehow he could understand the bird! Then after listening to it for a bit, he almost wished he couldn't understand it. He was getting chewed out!
"Are you stupid? What kind of names are those? Did you even think about asking me what my name is instead of thinking up stupid ones on your own?" All this delivered in a scathing tone. Naruto really got depressed after all that. His new best friend already seemed to hate him. After the young eaglet saw this though, it said, "Sorry, that might have come off too harsh. My name is... Gale by the way."
"Wait! You just thought up that name just then didn't you?" Naruto was indignant. He gets chewed out for thinking up names, but then the bird does the exact same thing. The little eaglet looked guilty for a second, but replied with a shake of his head. "Why do you want your name to be related to wind, anyway?" Naruto asked.
"Are you kidding? Gale is such a cool name, and one day I will be able to ride the wind throughout the world!" Naruto looked at his new friend strangely for a second. Then he got a huge smile. He gave Gale a big hug, or small considering how tiny the little bird was.
"Well, I will help you. I mean we are friends right?" Naruto looked at Gale hopefully. Gale looked to be deep in thought. Then it nodded his head. "Yatta, my first friend!" All this time, Anko had been getting more confused by the second because apparently Naruto was crazy, but when he said the bird was his first friend, it filled her with sadness that a little boy had to go through with that.
"Hey, gaki, can you understand this little critter?" Anko was puzzled. She had never heard of anyone using any kind of bird as a ninja animal. Of course people used cats and dogs but birds? What the hell is going on! Didn't he find that bird in the forest? There is no way a bird that talks would be in the forest. I mean if it talks then it should have access to chakra as well. That would make it a certified ninja animal!
"Of course I can." Naruto answered with a grin. Then he frowned after he got what the lady was saying. "Are you saying that you can't understand him?" Now if this was true then would that mean he was special? Naruto Uzumaki, special ninja. I can get used to that. Naruto thought with a smile.
"No, no I can't. I don't know how you did it, gaki, but it seems that your bird is a ninja animal. That means that it will be able to use chakra if you teach it stuff. Also if your relationship is anything like the Inuzuka's with their dogs then you should be able to gain some traits from your bird." Naruto's eyes were wide. That would mean that his new friend could practically be a ninja with him.
"Yatta! Thats so cool, crazy lady!" Even Gale seemed to be pleased with that information. Though Anko had developed an eye-twitch from being called crazy, but through extreme discipline she was able to calm herself.
"Well, what do you think we should do when I have to spend time with you, gaki?" Anko was curious to see what his answer would be because, literally, it would define her time for the next couple of months.
"Training, please! Oh, and I want Gale to learn awesome jutsus as well." Naruto added with great zeal. Anko was impressed that the kid was able to recognize that his bird would be a great asset to his ninja career.
"I mean, how awesome would it be to see a little bird blowing fire or spitting lightning!" Anko face-faulted at the kid's simple thinking. Well, maybe the kid will learn to actually think later. I bet I could even teach him something.
Next Day
"You ready to start learning how to be a ninja?" Gale asked. He was riding on Naruto's shoulder as they walked to the place Anko had instructed them to go to.
"Of course! I mean we will be going to the Academy in a year, and you and I have to be the best. I mean we are going to be special. Believe it!" Gale and Naruto walked into the training area with smiles on their faces, or what could be considered a smile on Gale's face.
"Finally, gaki! Took you long enough! Now get your butt over here and lets have you and your little friend learn how to use chakra. Chakra is what ninjas use to perform jutsus, move faster, and become stronger. Now that the lecture is out of the way, let's do this." Anko then walked over to the duo looking at her.
"I want you both to concentrate and look deep within yourselves. I want you to feel the energy moving within yourselves. This energy is known as chakra. Close your eyes and feel." Anko whispered the last words to help put the two in the right mood. Naruto and Gale were both looking into themselves trying to find their chakra.
Gale found his first as energy rushed throughout his body. This is incredible. With this I can be as fast as I want. Naruto accessed his a few minutes after his friend. His thoughts were a lot like his friends except his thoughts were more along the lines of using this power to be special. Something happened that went unnoticed by Naruto and Anko when he tapped into his chakra though. Only Gale noticed that Naruto's eyes turned red for a fraction of a second right when he first accessed his chakra.
"Ok, now that you both are able to use chakra, lets learn how to control it!" Anko yelled out. Gale did a great impression of a sweat-drop even though birds really don't sweat. Naruto was just ready to finally learn how to be a ninja.
Anko started them on learning how to control their chakra by using the leaf method. That meant they had to make a leaf stick to them using chakra. The funny thing was that the leaf was bigger than Gale.
As the two progressed in controlling their chakra, Anko taught them how to use their chakra to enhance their bodies. She also taught Naruto how to throw shuriken and kunai. She had a blacksmith create a small kunai that would fit into Gale's claws were he could learn how to stab with a kunai if he ever needed it. She even taught Gale how to use his claws to attack.
While she taught Naruto how to use the basic three, she focused on teaching Gale how to increase his speed with chakra were he could dodge attacks. Though she could only teach him how to do it after he learned to fly which took a long time in itself. Naruto had to catch the little bird many times as he continued to fall every time he took off. But eventually, Gale did indeed learn how to fly, and Anko taught him how to fly at great speeds.
After four months of spending time with Anko and learning to be ninjas, Naruto and Gale had to start the Academy. With the Henge and Kawarimi under his belt and Gale on his shoulder, Naruto walked into the Academy to increase his knowledge of the ninja arts. Little did he know that the biggest change in his life would happen within those halls.