Disclaimer: Do not own, but the plot

Chapter one: Uzumaki Naruto

Uzumaki Naruto, a very unusual kid in many ways. Very unusual, but also very lonely. He lived with no one and he even had no friends. He hated every human being around him. Everyone either feared, or hated him. Cold or frightened eyes gave way to him. Why?

Loneliness, a feeling worse than death itself. It's surprising a kid as young as him could have ever experienced it. He was only 13! No parents to live with, no longer live relatives and hell would break loose before anyone would accept him. 13 years of rejection had made his heart harden. No longer would he get hurt. He had given up trying to make friends a long time ago. Why?

The world is very different place to what we have in mind. Humans, ninjas, and strange creatures lived on this land. Evil did not bode well with the good, it never did. The creatures that inhabit the land aren't all too friendly either. Children with sealed monsters within them were despised, or were sought after. The evil sought them for power or wanted them killed and villagers would think them as monstrous creatures. This is why.

It used to hurt him, you know. Tears never stopped falling. A wound most likely would never be healed in his heart. He was used to it now, the sorrow and the sadness. Though, it was not good to bury yourself in darkness and it wasn't good to be used to it either… Only if they knew… only if they knew the pain that was not visible as a scar on the body, would they treat him nicer?

Naruto yawned and rubbed his eyes wearily. The sun wasn't up yet, but he could tell it was either around four or five o'clock. He stretched. It was the only time he could train his muscles since no one in the village would really appreciate the fact he was training. He pulled the blankets off of himself and put on his training clothes.

He looked into the mirror, combing his blonde hair with his fingers. Despite the appearance of the spiky hair, it was actually very soft. How it held up was a mystery to everyone. He stared at the mirror; a twin figure of him stared back. Blue orbs stared at each other… no emotion showed… instead a cold hard ice wall. Truthfully said, he wasn't bad in appearance and if it weren't the thing living inside him or the influence the parents had on their children, girls might be even chasing him.

He sighed. That was the only good thing about his being. He didn't want rabid fan girls chasing him everywhere. That would be a nightmare. Thinking about it just sent him shivers down him back. He felt sorry for his rival…

Knock, knock, knock! Naruto froze. Who in hells name would visit him this early? The sun wasn't even up! Naruto stuffed his heads into his pockets as the person knocked again. They clearly weren't going to leave. No one ever visited him. So… why now? He grudgingly opened the door. No… no one was there. He growled and slammed the door shut. Who, in their right mind, would knock at this ungodly hour, on his door and prank him? Him? Naruto? The demon child? He was most feared and hated for the most stupid reasons.

He mumbled angrily under his breath as he went to get a jacket. This early in the morning… it was suicide not to bring a jacket when they went out. Naruto got his keys and walked out. The morning breeze flowed through the air with ease. He walked to what was known in the village as the training ground. There, he punched and kicked trunks of trees and practised techniques.

Two hours later the sun rose and Naruto wiped the sweat off his forehead and went back to his home and got ready for school. He took a quick shower and changed to his usual attire and with that he went to school early.

Seeing no one there yet he hopped on one of the trees next to the school and rested on the branch staring at the leaves overhead.

"Oy! Dobe!" Someone called for him. Naruto's face made it into a frown. "I know you're up there. Iruka Sensei wants to see you."

It was a bit early… okay, maybe not… but it was early for even his rival, who was under him, to be at school. Naruto put on a cold mask, an expressionless face. He jumped down and followed his rival quietly, watching his back with a glare.

"Stop trying to burn holes in my back. It's not going to work no matter how much you try," he said not turning around.

"Hn," Was all Naruto said as he looked away, hands in pockets. He followed in a comfortable silence, which lasted a minute.

"I don't why Iruka Sensei chose you," he said walking ahead. "You're an idiot that wants no and has no friends. Not that I care anyway. I have no interests with the soon to be idiots."

"Choose me for what?" Naruto said, glaring at him.

He glanced back as he still walked ahead and inside, "I thought you knew…"

"Knew what, teme?" Naruto asked gritting his teeth, getting extremely annoyed. What did the idiot know that he didn't…? Well, he didn't know a lot and his techniques weren't up to scratch, but still…

He was silent for a bit and then said as they were about to enter the classroom, "You're going to lead the new students around."

Naruto froze. "I am what?" he growled, "No way in the nine depths of hell will he even think about it. No. He should never think about it!"

"Who will think about what?" his rival asked his hand on the knob.

Naruto glared at his rival. "Iruka Sensei knows more than anything that I will not talk to people and he knows why. Why in kami's name would he even think of such a stupid thing?"

Sasuke, his rival, sighed and opened the door. Iruka looked up from his desk and smiled, but it faltered when he saw Naruto's deadly glare. Sasuke must have told him…

"Naruto, finally you come…" Iruka Sensei said, "I would like to—"

"No." Naruto said plainly, "No way in hell."

"Well, let me introduce them first at least." Iruka Sensei said as he signalled Sasuke to close the door. Sasuke sighed and shut the door. He wondered why his Sensei would even try.

Naruto shrugged, "Fine, but I'm not showing them around. I don't have time to waste in showing others around."

Four people came down from the desks to the front as Iruka beckoned them over. Naruto looked at them. One had red long hair, pale skin, bright green emerald eyes and wore foreign clothing. Actually, looking at all of them, they all wore foreign clothing.

The other had a kind of punk look. He had black hair, tinged green because of the gel and he had chocolate brown eyes. He looked like a troublemaker.

The other one had spiky black hair. He had sharp crimson eyes, which kind of surprised Naruto and he had pale skin… not to mention short.

The last one had orange hair and blue eyes. He looked kind and not kind at the same time, get my drift. Anyway, he seemed to also have a muscle-built body.

Iruka sighed, "Well, everyone, this is Uzumaki Naruto. He may be leading you around, according to his decision. Naruto," he said ignoring Naruto's glare, "This is Minamino Shuichi," he said pointing to the red-head, as he gave a polite gesture, "Urameshi Yusuke," the raven haired, punk guy grinned at him, "Jaganshi Hiei," the short guy just looked away, ignoring him altogether, "And Kazuma Kuwabara." He nodded towards them.

"I'm not leading anyone around Sensei. There are a whole lot of people who would jump up and volunteer, especially girls, since they are guys," Naruto said in a monotone, "I wish not to make accomplices or friends."

"Who said you were," Iruka said, as the group of four stared at them. He didn't want friends? "I just said that you'd lead them around."

"Therefore, I talk and chat with them," Naruto said, "I'm not that stupid Sensei."

"I'll treat you to ramen," Iruka said and the four thought what the hell would noodles do? "You can have as many as you want."

Naruto stopped, seemed to struggle for an answer. To the four's surprise, and Sasuke's surprise he nodded. "Fine, but you promised. I'll lead them around."

Iruka smiled, "Well, take your seats."

-U.N-

The group of four was seated next to and behind Naruto. Hiei, Kuwabara and Kurama sat behind and Yusuke sat next to him. When the class had come in, they were immediately popular because of their looks… well some of them were immediately popular…

Naruto looked out the window, uncaring of what they were up to. "Hey," Yusuke said and Naruto looked at him with a dull expression, "Why do you not want to make friends?"

"Because he's an idiot," someone else answered.

Yusuke glared at them and they seemed taken aback, which included Naruto, "I was asking Naruto not you. Do you always answer questions that aren't for you?" The kid stared at him wide-eyed. "Speechless I see?" Yusuke said lazily, "Okay then, if you're not going to talk, you can leave me alone..." Yusuke turned away from him and then smiled at Naruto, "Do they always talk for you?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow at his behaviour. "And if they do? I don't care if they do. They've always felt as if they can talk for me. It's not like I can stop their mouths."

"Hnmm? Really? That's funny. You seem the type who'd talk for yourself, or rather, who doesn't talk at all, much like Hiei behind me," Yusuke said leaning back pointing to Hiei. Much like his words, Hiei just sat there glaring, saying 'hn' a few times to people's questions.

"I gave up trying to prove myself long ago." Naruto said standing up, "Well, I'm going home."

"Nuh uh," Yusuke said standing in front of him, "You're showing us around remember. We're new here. You can't be so mean as to leave us on our own, can you?"

"Apparently I can," Naruto said glaring, trying to cross him.

"Really? But what about the ramen?" Yusuke asked, pretending to be innocent, "Would Iruka Sensei really give you ramen if you leave us alone?"

Naruto's eye twitched. He loved ramen… damn him… "Fine, you can follow if you want. If you don't know what the place is, just ask."

"Yo, Hiei, Kurama, dimwit," Yusuke said, "Let's go. Uzumaki-kun going to show us 'round now."

Naruto's eye twitched again. "They would've been fine just sitting there."

"Yeah, but then they'd get lost."

Naruto stuffed his hands in his pockets. He glared at Yusuke and then he moved away, and Yusuke and the others followed him. When they were out of the school they began talking to each other in a different language, unknown to them that Naruto understood them easily.

"Tch, how did we end up in a place like this?" Yusuke said grudgingly, "It's nice and all, but I don't like how they treat Uzumaki-kun. They act like he's an outsider when we're outsiders ourselves and we don't even get the same treatment."

"Perhaps it's the demon I can sense in him," Naruto's eyes widened as he heard Kurama say that, "I can feel it. It's a kitsune spirit."

"Hn, so, he's no different to us?" Yusuke asked. No different? Naruto was about to ask what he meant, but that'd just give him away, now wouldn't it?

"Idiot, that's what he said," Hiei said, jumping from roof to roof since there weren't any trees.

Yusuke shrugged. "Then, is it they treat him like an outsider slash monster because he has a demon in him? I mean, that's bull."

Kurama sighed and Kuwabara looked at him, "But think about it Urameshi, what is the first thing that comes to your mind when someone says demons?"

"Uh, Hiei over there," Yusuke said pointing at Hiei on the rooftops. Naruto raised an eyebrow. Hiei?

Kuwabara rolled his eyes. "And before that?"

"Uhm, blood thirsty monsters?" Yusuke answered unsurely, "Oh, I don't know! I mean c'mon, I even forgot what I used to think the old grim reaper looked like; instead Botan comes into my mind when 'grim reaper' is said."

Kurama sighed, "Well, until we can figure out where the demon had brought us, I guess we'll be staying."

"Tch, and we can finally kill the demon on ningenkai…"

Yusuke looked at Naruto ahead of him. "Yo, Uzumaki-kun!" he called out, making Naruto look back suspicious. "Hey, don't give me that look. I was just going to ask, where do you train around here, seeing that you're all shinobi's?"

Naruto nodded, "I'll show you the way."

Talk and laughter was heard around them as they fell into silence. Some people, Yusuke noticed, were glaring at Naruto as they passed by, all filled with hatred and or disgust. The little kids confused as of why their parents were ushering them away from the teen.

"Hey, Uzumaki-kun, you want to train with us when we reach there?" Yusuke asked, ignoring the villagers, "I want to know how skilled some people are here, since we are new and all."

Naruto stayed quiet for a minute, "You know, you don't have to call me Uzumaki-kun. Everyone else, if it's not an insult, calls me Naruto. You might as well do that as well." He said avoiding the question.

"Ah, okay, but training with us?" Yusuke said, knowing very well that he just wanted to avoid the question.

Naruto stayed silent, leading them towards the training ground. Yusuke sighed and the other three looked at Yusuke wondering why he was trying to make a conversation with Naruto. Naruto clearly didn't want to talk.

"Leave him alone, baka," Hiei said, "He clearly doesn't want to talk."

Naruto glanced back at them. "Actually," Naruto said, "I have a question for you all."

"Shoot," Yusuke said, "What's up?"

"What village were you in before you had come here?" Naruto said looking back. They had reached the training grounds and he sat on a log, "I mean, you wouldn't have come to school in your age now?"

Kurama sighed. "We don't know," Kurama said, sounding grave, "We lost our memories. We don't even know who our parents are. We all just woke around the same place, it a dense forest, until shinobi from this village found us."

"Yeah, and they brought us back here and began interrogating us," Kuwabara said, "Hell, like we know what this place is full of, or that there were villages with shinobi in them."

Naruto sighed. So this was their cover story? "Well, this is the training ground. Do whatever. I'll just sit here until you finish up since I am meant to show you all 'round." Truth be told, he just wanted to see how strong they actually were.

"Oh c'mon, show us what you're made of," Yusuke said, already warming up, "You can challenge me if you want."

Naruto looked away, blonde hair shadowing his eyes. "The villagers hate when I train," he said, "So I'd rather not."

"Hate it when you train," Yusuke said frowning, "Why is that? It's not like they have full control of your life anyway. C'mon, just train with us for fun and forget those mean villagers."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at Yusuke. They knew he had a demon in him so why are they still trying to get in his good books? They probably held pure hatred inside of them and is good at hiding it. From what he gathered (and ignoring the rest of the secret conversation) they killed demons. They were probably just waiting for the right time to kill him.

Kurama sighed as he saw Naruto's look and decided to help Yusuke, seeing as he wondered what the demon vessel could do as well. "It won't hurt to have a small spar Naruto-kun. While you're at it you could always test our abilities."

Naruto looked at the four beings in front of him, deciding whether or not he should spar. In the academy he always held back, knowing the villagers would try even more assassination attempts. 9 assassination attempts so far. He was sure as hell that he didn't want ten.

Naruto sighed after a while. Silence had covered all five of them. "How…" he said breaking the silence as they waited for an answer… well Yusuke and Kurama did, Hiei was sitting on a rock nearby and Kuwabara was inspecting the place, "How do I know you won't try to kill me?" He asked, eyes looking at them sternly.

Yusuke, was to say to the least, was taken aback. "Why would you think that?" He asked wide-eyed, "I only asked for a friendly spar."

Kurama narrowed his eyes at Naruto being the sharper one, "Don't tell me people have tried to kill you."

Naruto looked away, not answering the question. "So how good are your skills exactly?" he said trying to move the subject away from killing.

Yusuke and Kurama frowned not moving. What was he hiding? And did the village hate him enough to try killing him? They studied the boy, who was self conscious underneath their stares.

Yusuke sighed, deciding to move away from the topic like he wanted and smirked, trying to get him to warm up to them. "You'll see when I actually beat you!"

Naruto looked at them. Why didn't they press the subject like what most people would have done? He let a faint smile fall on his lips. "Well see," he said calmly, accepting the small invite to a spar.

-U.N-

Punches were exchanged and sounds echoed throughout the training grounds and there stood Naruto and Yusuke, puffed and half beaten. This so-called friendly spar had been going on for ages and none of the two wanted to call it quits. Kurama, who stood in the sidelines, watched fascinated with the power shinobi's held. He had never seen such strange powers before and their way in using spirit energy. If he remembered correctly, they called it chakra. Strange indeed.

"Enough," Kurama said, seeing that the sun was going down, "You both wasted far too much energy right now. Just call it a draw for now and finish it some other time. Hiei, Kuwabara and Yusuke, we're a little late with our meeting with the Hokage."

Nodding, they bid Naruto bye. Yusuke was the last to leave, giving him a half grin. "Hey, will you be alright, walking home on your own in that state?"

Surprised at the question given to him, Naruto merely nodded and gave a soft smile. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said and sighed, "I have an unnatural ability to heal fast anyway. I'll be back home before you know it."

Yusuke nodded. "Well see you then." And with that, Yusuke went after the others to the Hokage's office, while he sat there, regaining his energy. After an hour, he stood up and stretched his muscles and went to the dreaded pathway towards his home.

He sighed as he passed some more glares and whispering as he tried to act like the words being said weren't affecting him. It hurt. It hurt that people saw him nothing but a demon. Yes, he knew he was a vessel. A container holding something very dangerous if let out. People saw him as a dangerous item and not the holder.

How did he find out? There were some people in this village that did not talk as quietly as others and heard the whole story. Oh, he wasn't stupid. It was quite obvious that they hated him. It was quite obvious that they kept it a secret from all the children in Konoha. He was at least happy for that.

But…

He was alone. Sure they didn't know and sometimes hung around with him, but the child's parents would always drag them away and soon the influence of the adults adorned on the child and they, too, called him a demon and monster, even though they didn't know the reason. He was very alone. People would glance, people would pass him by without looking back and people would stay away.

He shook his head, getting rid of depressing thoughts. It was no time to get emotional. He had to be strong in order to survive… for if he were weak, he would surely be assassinated.

He turned the knob of his apartment and frowned slightly. But what was his reason for living? What choice did he have in the future? As a shinobi people would see him nothing but a demon and try to harm him. If he were to live and run a shop, no one would enter it. If he became a Hokage, no one would listen. If he got a job he would be fired.

He sighed and closed the door and went over to the couch and buried his face in his hands. Why was it him that had to suffer the hurt and pain? Why did he have to be the vessel? Why him? He suppressed his emotions, not once tears came down, but sadness grew in his chest, sadness that turned into anger.

He brought down his fist angrily, only ending with a light thud since the cushions on his couch cushioned it. "Why me damn it!" He yelled to no one in particular. He let out a slow long breath, trying to calm himself. Suddenly a soft sound reached his ears as he looked at the door.

Someone was knocking on the door. He looked at the door as if it was crazy. 'Who in God's name would knock on my door?' He thought to himself incredulously, forgetting that someone had done that in the morning. He got up from the couch, slightly cautious and wary of the person who may be behind it.

He opened it slowly to peek at who was outside before giving a look of surprise and fully opening it. "Yusuke," he said, "What do you want?"

Yusuke rolled his eyes and pushed himself in and made his way to the couch. Naruto mentally sighed at Yusuke's behaviour and shut the door, still wary of another presence in his small apartment. He was always alone and suddenly a group of people come out of nowhere and try to befriend him, not to mention one right in his home right now.

"You place is plain," Yusuke drawled out in a lazy fashion, "Anyways, Hokage-sama has appointed me to live with you, since there was no other shinobi that could take me, since the others already got one."

Naruto blinked before what Yusuke had said caught up with him. "What?" He couldn't believe it. Had old man Hokage decided to just dump a person on him? Oh hell no!

Yusuke turned to look at him with a lazy smirk in place, "Looks like I'm living with you then."