Tails of an Outcast

First Arc: Pain and Training

Chapter 1

AN: Hey there everyone, Ero-Kyuubi-Sama here with my second story. Technically, my first is down for Rewrite as I post this, but still this counts numerically, even if I haven't finished my other one yet. Now, please, if you've read my other story, don't freak! I'm not abandoning it, simply posting this (Which already has this chapter and half the next one done) while I work on it.

Oh and yes, the title is a clever pun, no, Naruto won't actually be growing tails.

As promised, full summary here: Upon returning from his successful mission to retrieve Sasuke, Naruto thinks things will finally settle down. But the very next day, he is summoned before the council. Danzo and the council go over Tsunade's head to the Daimyo, and have Naruto banished under pain of death, effective almost immediately. As he flees towards the Valley of the End, Naruto meets a certain red-haired menace and a lone sound Chunin. What will bloom from this chance meeting? Wait and see my friends, for it is something that will shake this world to its very core.

Tags: Strong!Naruto, Strong!Tayuya, NarutoxTayuya, NOT a Dark/Evil Naru fic, Smart!Naruto (Eventually)

Most Probable Pairings (Or 100% pairings): Naruto x Tayuya (100% certain) Shikamaru x Temari (90%) OC x Fu (50%, depends if I decide to include Fu in the story)

Few quick points. This first chapter is not technically a prologue, but it is an introduction of sorts. It sets up the basis for the two life-changing events for Naruto and Tayuya, it features their meeting and what comes of that, and it also features the beginning of their journey together, though they don't actually go anywhere yet, it's really just the set up for the next chapter, like I said.

Both Naruto and Tayuya will be strong in this fic, eventually. The first few chapters (3-5) will be their travels and training up to a certain point. I will show ample amounts of it, as well as the people they meet, but I won't bore you with it too much. The story will really pick up around chapter 4-5, where we will be into the Shippuden timeline.

Notice: There will be little to no character bashing, ironically. Except maybe Danzo…I hate that guy. And Orochimaru, but that won't be so much bashing, as it will be making fun of the fact that the dude's a total pedophile.

READ THIS IS NOTHING ELSE: For those that know that I hate Tobi/Madara, don't fret. I decided to include him in this story. However, I got a really neat idea inspired to moi, and I decided to use it. Tobi exists, but not in the way you think.

Also, (SPOLIER ALERT FOR MANGA FOLLOWING) was anyone else Mind-fucked when we find out in the manga that Tobi -ISN'T- actually Madara? I was like….wait….the fuck? (Spoiler over)

That is all, enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto, any of the characters (except my OC's), or the TV shows, or any related merchandise or the like relating to Naruto. I make no profit off of this.**

- Land of Fire: The Valley of the End – The day before "D-Day" -

The wind howled across the now barren, cratered landscape, battering against the walls of the valley, disturbing the water that covered the majority of the valley floor in this great scar of a battle ages past. It fluttered over the shatters valley walls and the cratered shores. However, this wind was not a natural wind. No, this wind was created by a single event that was occurring in the valley; an event so powerful, that the Jonin with one eye covered whom was currently rushing towards the scene stopped momentarily, his single eye widening at the power he felt.

'W-what….what is that? That can't be good, I have to hurry!' Thought one Kakashi Hatake milliseconds before he dashed off again, his speed doubling as he raced towards the source of the power.

As Kakashi raced towards the Valley of the End, the wind inside the valley picked up. By now, the whole valley was bathed in a pale grey light, making it seem almost ethereal. The source of this light, was none other than a huge ball of blackness in the middle. This ball of energy encased two figures, both of which were the source of the energy, the ball and the wind. In more correct terms, the attacks the two of them were hurling at each other were the source of the light. Sasuke Uchiha, his body transformed from his second level of the Curse Seal, threw is Chidori against the Rasengan of one Naruto Uzumaki, his body cloaked in the red demonic chakra of the Kyuubi no Kitsune.

"SASUKE!"

"NARUTO!"

The two screamed at each other just before impact, and the creation of the ball of energy. It pulsed and suddenly burst, loose chakra spraying off like tiny particles of water in the wind. Two forms fell to the ground with a thud. Naruto was bleeding from a wound on his shoulder, but the wound was not that deep, as he had been able to knock Sasuke's attack upwards as they broke the deadlock. Because the massive influx of Kyuubi's chakra had healed the first Chidori hole significantly, he knew that he was fine and would be even better once the Kyuubi worked its 'magic'. Sasuke likewise was not too damaged, but what remained of his shirt was trashed around his chest, and an angry red swirl-like scar patterned that lightly oozed blood lay in the chest of his chest. It was not enough to kill, but Sasuke was out cold. Naruto coughed and struggled up, praying that his decision not to pull his attack up paid off, but did not kill his friend.

"S-Sasuke…?" Naruto asked in a weak voice as he crawled over to his friend. A worried look colored his face, but he let out a sigh of relief when he heard a slightly strained breath from his friend and almost brother. Sasuke seemed to be unconscious, but he would be alright.

There was a soft thud next to him, and Naruto's hand flew to his kunai pouch as he turned, ready for one of the Sound Five members to be there. However luck seemed to truly be shining on him that day, it seemed, seeing as it was only Kakashi.

"Kakashi-sensei! Thank Kami, we need to get Sasuke help! He's unconscious, and took a Rasengan to the chest." Naruto exclaimed, struggling to stand up.

"Naruto, your shoulder! We need to get you help as well." The amazingly serious Jonin said, moving to help Naruto stand. To himself, Kakashi wondered in amazement at what looked like a healed hole straight through Naruto's body just below the still-bleeding wound. The young blond just waved him off though, motioning to his already visibly healing wound.

"I'm fine Kakashi-sensei, the Kyuubi, remember? C'mon, we have to get Sasuke back to Konoha. How are the others?" Naruto asked as Kakashi made a hand sign and muttered Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, a solid copy of the copy-nin appearing in a puff of smoke and picking up a slightly protesting Naruto as the real Kakashi picked up Sasuke.

"They're all fine Naruto, don't worry about it. The medic squad got to the already. Some of them are in critical condition, but with Tsunade-sama back in Konoha, I'm sure they'll be fine." Kakashi said, eye-smiling at Naruto. Inwardly though, Kakashi was thinking something entirely different. 'I hope those medics hurry. If they don't make it to Konoha fast enough, Choji and Neji may not make it in the end…'

Naruto smiled to himself and relaxed slightly as the Kakashi clone started jumping away after the original. 'We did it…. Everyone is gonna' be ok, and Sasuke is back. Now maybe things will go back to normal…' The young blonde Jinchuriki thought to himself.

"Brat… doesn't curse your luck…" The Kyuubi rumbled in Naruto's mind.

"Shut up ya' great big ball of fur!" Naruto shot back, only receiving an angry growl in response. 'Well, as normal as they could be, at least…' Naruto tacked on as an afterthought, smiling and closing his eyes for the trip back to Konoha.

'Hmph. I have a bad feeling about this…' Kyuubi thought to himself within the seal, but he shrugged his massive shoulders and resigned himself to lie down and see what happens.

- Hidden Leaf Village – Night before "D-Day" -

Naruto Uzumaki was currently resting rather happily, for once, in his hospital bed at the Konoha General Hospital. While he wasn't in that bad of shape anymore, thanks to the Kyuubi, he was still checked in as a formality. Well, that and the fact that Tsunade was worried sick about the signs that Naruto had had a Chidori shoved through his body. Both Neji and Choji had been stabilized for now, but still required major surgery, with Kiba and Shikamaru just being kept as a formality at this point as well.

Tsunade had been in earlier to see Naruto, congratulating him and giving him an update on Sasuke's status. Apparently the Last Uchiha had been healed up and stabilized but was still unconscious, though he was not in a coma. Tsunade mentioned that she would be tied up for the next day or two performing the surgeries required to help Choji and Neji fully recover.

'Ahh, I may hate hospitals, but it looks like everything is gonna' turn out ok…' Naruto thought to himself, grinning his famous foxy grin and leaning back against his pillow, his hands behind his head as he slowly fell to sleep.

- Land of Fire: Destroyed Forest – Night before "D-Day" -

What had once been a beautiful, lush forest in the Land of Fire was currently a trashed wasteland in multiple areas. The fights against the Sound Five had left the land scared, from the bone columns closest to the Valley of the End, to the leveled forest where Shikamaru fought the Sound Nin known as Tayuya, and bested her with the help of Temari.

Speaking of which, said Sound Nin was currently stuck between a tree and a hard place, literally. When Temari had used her jutsu to level the forest, Tayuya had been cut up and trapped between two fallen trees. Had there been medic Nin from her village around, she would have been counting her blessings that only her legs her trapped and, while obviously broken, she would have been able to be rescued and healed. That is….'If they actually gave a fucking shit about my stupid ass….' Tayuya thought bitterly to herself as she lay there. Her light red hair splayed out around her head, her arms having fallen to either side of the larger log she lay on top of. She could have moved them, at least a bit, but she was currently too worn out and battered to even think about doing something like that. She had heard the Konoha nin come through earlier in the day, and heard them talking. At that point she had just woken up, but that was a good thing. Apparently shortly before the Suna bitch had come over to inspect her, to make sure she was dead. Apparently she had passed for dead, that or the Suna bitch was just distracted. Either way, she heard the Konoha Nin talking about "other genin" and "needing help" or something.

'Fuck Damnit…fucking piece of shit Konoha shinobi….just had to…..beat my sorry ass…and they were….only Genin? Fuck me sideways….' She mused, cracking an eye open and lifting her head just a few inches to peer again at the log….no, the tree, that pinned her legs. Tayuya was a brash, vulgar, in-your-face girl and she knew it. It was her protection, her way of showing that she wasn't some weakling, showing that she meant something. But now, she was experiencing something that she rarely ever had. She felt…'Scared…fuck it, I'm scared…scared and alone, just like when Orochi-cocker found me…..Kami fucking Damnit…' She cursed to herself, leaning back against her log-bed and gazing up at the stars, a single tear sliding down her cheek. 'At least the stars are pretty tonight…' Was one of the last thoughts across her mind before she slipped into something that was a cross between sleep and unconsciousness.

- Hidden Leaf Village: Location Unknown – Night before "D-Day" -

The voice of an older man, but one that was in command and he knew it, rang out through the shadowed chamber. "So, the Kyuubi Jinchuriki used the Fox's chakra…and the Akatsuki are going to begin moving soon. That means Itachi….You there, send this message to the Fire Daimyo, right away!" The man mused to himself before calling out to one of his ROOT shinobi, handing the Nin a sealed scroll.

"Yes, I think this will work out perfectly… Banish the boy…alert Orochimaru, so he can have another play thing, and divert the Akatsuki away from Konoha." The man grinned, tilting his head up and revealing the 'X' shaped scar on his chin to the world.

"This will work perfectly…" He said before grabbing his cane and heading to rest. 'Tomorrow is a big day, I finally set all my plans in motion…'

- Hidden Leaf Village: Hospital – Morning of "D-Day" -

Naruto awoke with a yawn and a stretch, wincing slightly at his still-sore injuries and the general exhaustion that still gripped his system. His happy smile grew wider once he remembered what had happened. They had done it, Sasuke was back. And everyone had survived too.

"Naruto-san? Breakfast." A nurse said, wheeling in a tray of hospital food. Naruto grinned, happy that he had gotten one of the nurses that actually treated him decently for once.

"Alright! Time to eat, then I can get out of here!" He shouted happily before digging into the meal, despite the fact that it wasn't the best, it was still pretty good for hospital food.

As soon as he finished, he asked the nurse when he could leave.

"Ah, as soon as Tsunade-sama clears you, Naruto-san. She's in surgery for another hour or so, but she should be around no later than noon to check you out." The nurse responded with a small smile.

"Alright! Thanks, lady! Have a good day and all that!" The hyper blonde answered back, overjoyed to be getting out. It seemed that nothing could go wrong for Naruto right now. If only he knew how wrong that was though…

A sudden knock at the door brought him out of his random train of thoughts. Blinking, he glanced at the clock and blanched. He had been lost in thought for almost an hour.

"Oh… you were awake, huh? Good, the council summoned you, Naruto, and Shizune said you could go if they needed you." The lazy voice of Kakashi Hatake said from the doorway.

"Nani? What could the council want…" Naruto wondered as he got dressed. Confused or not, he certainly wasn't going to spend any extra time in the hospital if he could help it.

The lazy Jonin just shrugged, having already pulled out his Icha Icha book. "Not sure Naruto, but who knows, maybe they're going to promote you to Chunin. We all know you did well enough in the exams to be one, and now that you brought back Sasuke."

At this, Naruto immediately perked up and gave a victory sign to no one in particular. "Alright! Finally, let's get going Kakashi-sensei!" The literally bouncing blonde shouted.

"Eh, Naruto, the summon was only for you. I'll catch you later though." Kakashi said, disappearing in a swirl of leaves and leaving our favorite blonde ninja only able to shrug and head off towards the council chambers near the Hokage tower.

- Hidden Leaf Village: Council Chambers – "D-Day" -

Naruto Uzumaki stood before the entire assembled council, extremely confused. An ANBU stood nearby after escorting him in, but the masked man was not tense or threatening. Glancing around, Naruto took notice of the fact that the majority of the ninja council wasn't there.

'That makes sense, I suppose. Shikamaru and Choji's dads are probably at the hospital, and Kiba's mom too. Hm…that Hyuga guy is here though…and Mr. Yamanaka is missing, but he's probably with those other guys. What did Iruka-sensei used to call them? The…Inu-shakey-choo trio? Something like that…' Naruto mused to himself as he stood, waiting for the elders to arrive.

"Ino-Shika-Cho, gaki."A deep voice rumbled in his head. "Apparently they're rather famous, as far as you flesh monkeys go at least…"

"Oi! Shut it, Fuzz-butt. I know you're being nicer lately, which is weird, but I'm trying to figure out what they want with me here…" Naruto shot back.

The fox grunted in response, still having an uneasy feeling about all of this. "Just be careful gaki…. I have a bad feeling about all of this. And as far as being 'nice', I told you, I'll explain it all soon…" The Demon Lord answered before falling silent.

"Yeah, that's what you keep saying…" Naruto shot back, but was met with only silence.

Finally the room quieted down as the doors in the rear opened, the three elders walking in with two ANBU moving to stand on either side of the door. The three took their seats in the middle of the 'U' shaped council table, glancing at the empty spots where ninja clan heads that were busy normally sat. Naruto could have sworn he saw the bandage-faced guy smirk at this, but he wrote it off as a trick of the light.

"Uzumaki Naruto, Genin of Konohagakure no Sato. Do you know why you have been called here today?" Bandage-face said as he took the place directly next to where the Hokage usually sat, though he remained standing while the other elders sat down.

"Eh…No, not really, Bandage-sama." Naruto said with a foxy grin, earning a slight chuckle from the ANBU commander in his seat, but scoff and scowls from the entire civilian council.

"That's Danzo-sama to you, Uzumaki. And very well, seeing as we all have better things to do, I will make this brief. The other elders and I have been watching you, Uzumaki. We have watched your progress ever since you were a Genin. Recently, some….events, have brought certain matters to mind for us that we feel need to be…addressed." Danzo said, pausing for breath before continuing. "After reviewing all of the recent reports that we have seen, showing them to the other esteemed council members and even consulting the Daimyo himself, it is the decree of the council that you, Uzumaki Naruto…"

'This is it! I'm going to be promoted to Chunin, and I'll be one step closer to Hokage!' The blonde shouted in his mind, barely restraining himself from bouncing in the physical world. The Kyuubi, however, stayed deathly quiet. He had a very, very bad feeling about this.

"…be banished for life, on pain of death, from Konohagakure no Sato." Danzo finished. Naruto was about to yell and give a victory sign, when the words struck home. His whole body tensed up, his face a blank mask of horror.

"W-what….What do you mean?" He stuttered out after a few seconds.

"I mean exactly what I said, Uzumaki. Due to your obvious instability and reckless use of the chakra of your prisoner, Kyuubi no Kitsune, you are hereby banished from Konoha for life, for the safety of the village. The council has already voted earlier this morning, and seeing as the Hokage and some members felt it ok to forgo the summons to a council vote overseen by the Daimyo himself, their votes are no longer valid. Please proceed with the ANBU for the sealing of your chakra and decommissioning of your shinobi weapons and gear." The bandaged old war-hawk said with a victorious grin on his face, the same looked matched by both elders and the majority of the civilian council, though some were more restrained about it.

Naruto couldn't move. 'B-banished…? H-how could they…..HOW COULD THEY!' He screamed inside, tears leaking freely from his eyes in the physical world.

"Kid, we have to move fast. If they seal your chakra, it's game over. We can still make it out of this, you still have that basic ninja gear on you. Smoke bomb, left pouch. Grab it, throw it, make as many Kage Bunshin as you can and run for it." The Demon Fox said frantically, not wanting to have his host crippled for life. It was a matter of pride for him, he couldn't have a weak host. That…and he was actually fond of the gaki.

'H-how could they….after everything I've done…' Was all that Naruto could think of. He heard the Kyuubi, but he was too shocked to move.

"KID! That ANBU is gonna' grab you, we've got to move!" The Kyuubi shouted in desperation.

'T-thy banished me…..move….banished….ANBU….why did they banish me…' The blonde's thoughts were slightly move coherent now, but not enough.

"KID! MOVE YOUR ASS NOW OR YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ANY OF YOUR DREAMS!" The Kyuubi roared, finally shaking Naruto to his senses. The civilian council was chuckling, some congratulating each other, as the ANBU that had escorted him in approached Naruto. 'Smoke bomb…throw…Kage Bunshin….run for it…got it. I won't let them win!' The blonde yelled to himself, his hand flashing into his belt pouch and grabbing a smoke bomb. He flicked it at the ANBU, who had been completely unsuspecting this Genin to resist in a room full of council members and ANBU guards.

The whole council stopped and gasped as a cloud of smoke poof'ed up in the middle of the room, many crying out in surprise or fear. The ANBU made a dash for where the boy had been, only to be hit square in the chest with a powerful kick. Moments later, as the ANBU flew out of the cloud of smoke, there was a loud yell from the center of it.

"KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"

And then all hell broke loose. Thirty copies of Naruto shot off in random direction. Ten or so went straight for the council members, starting to beat the civilian ones up. The other twenty slammed into, and Through, the door and ran out of the building. The ANBU picked off a few, and quickly terminated the ones left behind to distract the council, but by this time there were eight, solid, identical copies of Naruto running in eight different directions.

Naruto ran and ran as fast as he could, grinning wildly to himself. He had done it, though he still had to get out of the village. Suddenly a shadow dropped in front of him, and he skidded to a halt. A tiger-masked ANBU captain stood in front of him, Tanto already drawn.

'Shit! Why did he have to show up, why! I was so close too!' Naruto thought, getting ready to fight with everything he had. It wasn't required though, as the ANBU was suddenly plowed into the ground by a red and white blur. Blinking, Naruto stood up out of his Taijutsu stance and found himself looking at the angry form of Jiraiya of the Sannin standing over an now-unconscious ANBU.

Jiraiya turned to Naruto and his gaze softened. Naruto opened his mouth to ask what he was doing, but the Gama-sennin held up a hand to halt him. His other hand reached behind his back and pulled a scroll about half the size of his normal one form just above it.

"There's no time Naruto. Please, hear me out. I caught wind of what Danzo was doing earlier today, and I've been preparing ever since. Please know that neither Tsunade nor I support this, Naruto. Danzo went over both of our heads, to the Fire Daimyo himself. Trust me, I'll get the bastard though. Take this scroll, I packed two months worth of preserved supplies in it, along with some gear for you, and camping supplies. Listen closely, ok? Go to Wave country, to your old friend Tazuna's house. Stay there for a month, and then either Kakashi or I will show up, got it?" Jiraiya said, maintaining the serious vibe the entire time.

"H-hai….Jiraiya-sensei…" Naruto said, dashing forward and giving Jiraiya a quick hug before slinging the scroll over his shoulder and dashing away. Jiraiya smiled after his godson as he watched him leap the walls. Luckily, Jiraiya had thought ahead and knocked the guard out. He was going to lead Naruto to this part of the wall anyways, but it was apparently just luck that he got the real one and didn't have to.

Turning back towards the center of the village, Jiraiya cracked his knuckles. He had a one-eyed old coot to kill.

- Land of Fire: Flattened Forest – "D-Day" -

Tayuya lay there, still squished between the two trees, thinking gloomily to herself. With nothing left to do but think until she starved to death, or more likely died of thirst, she had been doing a lot of thinking lately. She had thought about Otogakure, and why she was even a part of it in the first place. 'Oh yeah, because Orochi-cocker grabbed me and gave me 'A place to call home' and all that fucking shit. Bah, fucking snake, we were just pawns, weren't we…'

She had thought long and hard about her team, the idiots she had been forced to server with. Sure, she hated their guts, but there was the tiniest feeling of some strange bond. 'Bunch of fuck heads. Couldn't even kill a couple Genin, but we're supposed to be the elite of Oto. Gah, I hope they all fucking rot in hell…especially fatass.'

And finally, she had thought about herself. She had thought long and hard about the mask she always wore. She had worn it for so long, it had become part of her strange in a way. She knew that even if she completely opened up and let it down, she would still cuss and be 'bitchy', simply from force of habit. 'It's all Orochi-cocker's fault. Damn snake….had to make me like this. Well…at least, when I die, this damn Curse Seal will go away….I hate…Orochimaru…'

At this point Tayuya was ready to pass out again, when she heard footsteps approached. Her eyes shot wide and she glanced to her left in hope, only for that hope to be crushed. Walking towards here was a lone Otogakure Chunin, a scout by the looks of it.

"My, my, what do we have here…" He murmured, a kunai twitching in his hand. " Tayuya of the Sound Five. Well….I'm sorry to say, Tayuya-Sama, but I have to kill you now." He said with a sadistic grin.

"W-.." Tayuya started, but coughed as he slammed a fist into her chest. "B-bastard….w-why…" She choked out as the grey-clad Chunin grinned down at her.

"Because…you didn't know? Orochimaru-sama no long requires your services. Apparently, you fucked up so bad that he's deciding to throw you away. After all, dull tools are useless to a man such as Orochimaru-sama. Now, goodbye, Tayuya."

And with that, the Chunin plunged the kunai into Tayuya's chest, causing the girl to scream out in pain. As she started to black out, she heard more footsteps approaching at a rapid pace. 'Heh…more for….the…party…' She thought as she slipped into unconsciousness and shortly after that, her heart stopped beating. As she died, the Cursed Seal of Heaven upon her skin sizzled and seemed to evaporate into the air like purple smoke, leaving her skin in that area flawless again. As this was happening however, Tayuya, being dead, missed the orange blur shoving a rotating blue attack into the Oto Chunin's stomach. If only she knew, then her hope wouldn't have died so easily.

- Land of Fire: Flattened Forest – "D-Day" -

On his way to Wave country with the large scroll on his back, Uzumaki Naruto had taken the route towards the Valley of the End, hoping to throw any pursuers off as his scent was already there from recent days. His plan was to then cut back and head towards Wave. However, he hadn't expected to come across a flattened forest, the trees sliced into pieces by some unknown attack, and a lone Oto Chunin standing over a pinned girl.

Unfortunately for the Oto Chunin, Naruto had heard the whole conversation, and frankly it pissed him off.

'She's just like me now….abandoned and thrown to the wolves…I have to save her!' He thought, charging forward and gathering a Rasengan on one hand. Though it was much more unstable than usual, it held together long enough.

"RASENGAN!" He shouted, thrusting the attacked forward into the unsuspecting Chunin's chest. The man made a 'gack' sound and flew back, slamming hard into a nearby tree and slumping to the ground, unconscious. Naruto quickly made his way over to the girl and, using shadow clones, lifted the log off over her legs. He grimaced at the black and blue sight of her legs, and went to check for a pulse.

"Shit! No, don't be dead! I know you're a Oto Nin, but please don't be dead!" Naruto shouted, gingerly lifting the slightly older looking girl to the ground. He pulled the kunai out and began doing CPR and, a bit reluctantly, mouth-to-mouth. Sadly though, nothing seemed to be working.

"DAMNIT!" He shouted, slamming a fist into her chest, right above her heart.

"Kid….I have an idea. But it will require two things. The first, is that that other shinobi will die. The second, is that I will need to be in control for a short period of time." The Kyuubi's voice rumbled through Naruto's anger.

"What, you think I'm stupid fox? I'm not giving you control!" Naruto answered aloud, forgetting himself in the current situation.

"Brat, shut up and do as I say if you want the girl to live. I won't do anything, you have my word. Dragging that other shinobi over here, and take off that gay scarf. Once that's done, I want you to place your palm on the girl's neck, and the other palm on his." The Kyuubi instructed, and Naruto reluctant complied.

"Good, now, call upon my chakra and close your eyes. When you feel me acting and pushing at the chakra, will me to be able to. Trust me kid, this will work.." The Biju said, and once again Naruto complied. He scrunched up his face and forcefully pulled out the Kyuubi's chakra. As soon as he did, he literally felt the fox trying to push the chakra one way, but pull it up from another. It was a weird feeling, until Naruto realized the pushing was going down into this 'Tayuya', and the pulled was coming from side that the unconscious Oto Nin was on. Not really caring at the moment, Naruto willed the pushing and pulled to work. Suddenly the force increased, and Naruto heard the Kyuubi muttered a few short words before there was a flash of very, very strange feeling power that passed through Naruto and into the red haired girl.

"Akuma no Geijutsu: Inochiryoku no Dentatsu" (*)

Blinking, Naruto looked around. Glancing down, he saw he was still in the same positon as before. However the Kyuubi's chakra had receded and the Oto Chunin was now deathly pale. Naruto's eyes snapped over to the red-haired girl and he breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the kunai wound had closed, and her chest was slowly rising and falling.

"G-Good job…kid. Now….make some splints….and put them on her legs. You'll have to c-carry her…to Wave. It's not that f-far…if you go all out." The Kyuubi rumbled softly, sounding unbelievable tired.

"Hey Kyuubi? You ok?" Naruto asked mentally, a bit worried for his tenant as he began to search for suitable splint-making wood.

"Yeah, that technique just took a lot out of me. I'll be fine." The Biju mumbled, causing Naruto to simply shrug and go back to work. He'd ask his tenant about it later, as right now he a fellow abandonee to save. He only hoped Tazuna would take him in, otherwise he was royally screwed.

- Land of Waves: Tazuna's House – "D-Day" -

Naruto panted heavily, having used all of his own chakra and a fair portion of the Kyuubi's in order to reach Wave before nightfall. As it was, the sun was about half an hour away from setting, and Naruto was amazed he had made such good time.

He rapped loudly on the door of the home he distinctly remembered to be Tazuna's, and was greeted by a yell of 'Just a minute'.

'Thank Kami, it's Tsunami-chan. She'll be the easiest to convince to help me…'

The door swung open to reveal Tsunami, looking pretty much the same as she had during the wave arc.

"O-Oh my! Naruto-kun, back so soon! Oh do come in, I was j-.." She cut herself off and her eyes widened at the sight of the battered girl in his arms.

"Tsunami-chan, please, she needs help." Naruto begged, stepping inside.

Instead of the shocked or hesitant reaction Naruto had expected, Tsunami's face set itself in a look of determination and she nodded. "Right, this way." The black-haired woman muttered, leading him through the house, which Naruto noticed had been renovated and enlarged since he had last been there.

"Ever since you left, I've been studying up more on medicine. I may not be a medical ninja, or whatever you call them, but I'm rather good at it. I can at least bandage her up and make sure her legs set right, because I can tell they're broken." Tsunami murmured as they walked.

Naruto nodded, following along as she spoke. While he was surprised, he didn't have time to show it. He felt oddly protective of this girl, probably because he witnessed her go through the same betrayal he had, only she had been powerless to stop it.

"Set her down here, Naruto-kun. I know you may not want to, but I need you to leave the room. This is involve undressing her a bit, and you can't see that." Tsunami said with a light smirk, causing Naruto to blush.

"Hai, Tsunami-chan. I'm…going for a walk. I take it the Old Man and Inari aren't home?" He asked.

"Hai, they're both in town, though they should be back later. Go on now, I'll have your friend patched up in no time, though I think I'll give her some sedative herbs when I set the bones, so she'll be out for a while."

Naruto simply nodded and left the room, sighing to himself. 'Well…I might as well go see the bridge and stuff…' He thought to himself, strolling back out the front door.

Man, what a day, and it wasn't even over yet.

- Land of Waves: Overlooking the Great Naruto Bridge – "D-Day" -

His walking had taken Naruto to a spot he never truly thought he would visit again, at least not for a while. The thirteen year old shinobi was exhausted beyond belief, but he had subconsciously made his way to this spot.

In front of him, with the setting sun behind it, was the grave of Zabuza and Haku. Zabuza's sword, Kubikiribocho, was still as shiny as it was the day it was plunged into the earth.

'Huh…. Zabuza had a dream too. I remember Haku saying something about Zabuza's dream to become Mizukage… looks like his dream was stolen from him too…' Naruto thought.

They were one and the same now, two lost souls who's dreams had been taken from them by an outside force.

"It's ironic…that my first real mission as a ninja….is the one that I end up coming back to at the end of my ninja career…" The blonde muttered sadly to himself. A changing in the lighting made Naruto look up from his feet, and he watched as the sun sank lower and lower.

Suddenly though, grim determination crossed his face.

"…yeah…..Yeah! I'll show them. I'll show them, Zabuza, for both of us! I'll realize my dream, my new dream, and I'll do it for me and for you!" He said. Grinning, he strode forward and grasped the hilt of the massive blade. A tingle ran up his arm, and had he been more focused Naruto would have sworn as if he suddenly felt accepted. Yanking up and applying all his remaining chakra to his muscles, Naruto raised Kubikiribocho above his head so that the dying sunlight flashed off the silver part of the huge black blade.

"Look out world, Uzumaki Naruto is never gonna' die!" He shouted to the heavens, a determined look on his face the entire time.

AN: And, fin! Muwaha, how did you like it? I know, we didn't see much of Tayuya this chapter, but that will change in the coming chapters.

Please review, but be constructive. Don't be an idiot that says stupid or pointless things.

* Also, the Kyuubi's jutsu, Akuma no Geijutsu: Inochiryoku no Dentatsu, translates as literally Demonic Style: Life Force Transfer. It's my own invention, based off of the Jutsu that the old lady uses to save Gaara (Chiryo or w/e her name is) except it takes the life force of one OTHER living being to bring back a recently dead on. It's an AU story, so don't bitch about this please.

And no, Naruto isn't going to be swinging Zabuza's sword around until the Shippuden timeline arc. It takes training, skill and muscle, so he won't yet, he just picked it up in this chapter.

Review! :D And comment on any requests, I.E. for pairings or for places for Naruto and Tayuya to go on their travels.

Also, my OC will pop up either next chapter, or the one after that. I think you guys will like it.

Last thing: Please drop a review and point out any grammar errors, as my beta is busy at the moment (Or, he was, so I didn't ask him to beta this one yet xD)

Ja ne!