How Fast Things Change

How Fast Things Change

A light wind blew threw Konoha; it was the winds of change. Something was going to happen, and most of the villagers could feel it. Many didn't notice or care where as a few went into their homes in fear of the unknown. There was one person who never even felt the wind of change and that person was the one and only Uzumaki Naruto. He currently was at the ramen shop, slouched over in a normal pair of clothes that didn't include bright orange, eating his heart out when a light breeze fluttered by, but he was too engrossed with his precious miso ramen to even notice. When he devoured ten bowls of ramen in thirty minutes, he decided it was enough. He laid down 2,800 yen (about 22 dollars) and left Ichiraku. His once flat stomach was enlarged making the young man appear pregnant "That was so good!" He said to himself as he started to make his way toward the forest in hopes of walking off the ten pounds of food he ate. Within a few short minutes Naruto stood at the start of the training ground forest.

With his hands in his pockets, a pose Sasuke would be proud of, he entered the training forest. Tall trees occupied most of the forest with a few bushes here and there, however the spring sun shinned through the leaves causing a greenish glow to be cast against the forest floor. Birds sang and flew above the treetops adding a more pleasant feel to the environment. All seemed calm and quiet, and Naruto let out a content sigh, however Naruto failed to notice a pair of dark eyes watching him as he made his way deeper into the forest.

Another sigh escaped Naruto's lips before he started to talk to himself, "I'm board. Why did I even come out here?" His blue eyes looked at his feet as he kicked a rock. 'I don't feel full any more; I should go back now. Plus, I'm kind a tired.' Naruto thought as he pivoted on the balls of his feet. The blonde took a step before a deep voice rang out through his head.

'No. Stay for awhile, Naruto.' Naruto froze in mid step before turning sharply around, looking for the antagonist.

"Who's there?" Naruto called out in a deep commanding voice. The figure that happened to be following Naruto froze in his spot in his tree. The thought: Did he see me? flooded through the stalker's mind. The figure just sat there hoping he couldn't see him.

'I'm here, kit.' The voice rang out again.

'Kyuubi? Is that you?'

'The one and only.'

Over the last few years, the Kyuubi didn't really talk to Naruto unless he was in danger and had no choice but to speak to the hyper young man. So when the Kyuubi started to talk to him he had no idea of what to expect. Not to mention, the blonde was wary.

Naruto's eyes shifted around until he spotted a large bolder sitting under a tree that happened to be close to his left side. With slow movements he took a seat on the dirty, over sized rock.

'What do you want, Kyuubi?!'

'I want to help you in a goal that you have.' The Kyuubi's voice was strangely sinister.

'What? What goal?' Naruto thought puzzled. What was that damn fox talking about? Or thinking…

'As of late, you have been thinking about a certain girl for awhile, am I right?'

A small 'shit' passed through Naruto's lips. How the hell did the damn fox know that he'd been thinking about his pink haired teammate more often? Damn demon.

'Yeah, I have been thinking about Sakura as of recently, but she's is my friend so what of it?'

A light chuckle came from the Kyuubi. 'That she may, but you more than a simple friendship. You want her as your mate, your lover, your wife.'

Naruto just sat there as he processed the fox's words. Deep down he knew the fox's words were right, he has had a thing for Sakura for awhile but he would never act on it for he knew Sakura could never see him for who he really was, who lay behind the mask of stupidity.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said out loud to himself.

'Yes you do. You are now 18 and you want to settle down. I know, your instincts tell me so…'

What was he to say to that? The kitsune basically just told him that he knew his carrier better than he knew himself. Oh, how screwed Naruto felt.

The onlooker just sat in he's tree watching the scene unfold. 'Is that idiot talking to the Kyuubi? That might not be good if he is.' The figure thought from the safety of the treetops.

'Fine! I do like Sakura! I might even love her but she hates me. How could she ever love someone like me; I'm a monster thanks to you.' Naruto confessed.

He was starting to hate this; telling the Kyuubi his feelings was not natural.

'And that's why I want to help you! Ha, ha, ha! Your too much, kit! So what if she doesn't love you, if you mark her as your mate, she will always be yours!'

Naruto had to ponder this idea. As much as he wanted Sakura, he loved her too much to do something so cruel.

'I would never force Sakura into something like that! I couldn't! I would never!'

'Well you don't have a choice, kit.' The Kyuubi responded in an eerie voice.

Before the blonde could respond, an intense pain erupted from his seal. It spread like a wild fire through his entire body. His whisker mark thickened, fangs grew in his mouth, his neat nails tuned to claws and his eyes became a demonic blood red. Naruto let lose a blood-curling scream as he fell to the forest floor. The pain was too unbearable for the young man, and he fell unconscious.

The figure looked down at Naruto with worry and horror; with a great leap he jump down from the treetop and grabbed the unconscious Naruto before running as fast as he could to Tsunade, the Hokage.

'Sorry kit, but I had to do it. I have been trapped too long and I need some entertainment. Don't worry; I'll make sure you have fun too.' The Kyuubi said to Naruto as he took rein of some of his emotions.

To be continued…

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Let me know if you catch any grammatical errors!

A.N: Revised 10/12/08

- Nami