This started out as a simple crack-idea that I put off writing, until I figured out it would serve as the perfect birthday present for my slightly-pokemon-and-Naruto obsessed friend, freewolf17. So, happy-slightly-late birthday! ^^

An Unexpected Connection

"Well, all that we know is that the Kyuubi was part of the Jyuubi," Tsunade explained patiently for the fifth time to the blond boy next to her who wasn't quite paying attention, preferring to survey the bushes in the hopes of finding something to catch his attention; or even better, an instant ramen stand. She suppressed a sigh. The brat had been the one to ask about the topic in the first place, the least he could do was listen.

"Oi," Jiraiya's hand came down heavy on Naruto's shoulder and the boy started slightly, craning his neck back and up to see the man's face. "You wanna know, you gotta listen. You can't take the furball's word for granted about everything."

"But he says –"

"You told us what he says," Jiraiya interrupted patiently. "I'm telling you, the Kyuubi is the only one of its kind. Yeah it's got brethren, but none of them look alike."

The boy nodded, blue eyes wandering back to the road, only to snap up to Tsunade's scowl as the woman let out a warning sound. "I'm listening, I'm listening!" His lower lip pushed out slightly as he crossed his arms over his neon jacket. "It's not like I believe him anyways, I was just telling you."

"Brat, it's dangerous enough you're listening to that thing, let alone telling us what it says." Jiraiya ruffled the spiky blond hair for a moment, then withdrew his hand before it could be slapped away. "At least we make sense and won't try to turn you evil to rampage on the world or anything."

"And what we know has been passed down through lore for generations," Tsunade interjected, eyes narrowing for a moment at the boy as he made a disbelieving noise. "So you'd better suck in whatever squirrel got into your blood today and pay attention."

"Do squirrels like ramen?"

"Oh for the love of…Jiraiya, give him his ramen already. He won't listen to a word otherwise."

"You're the one who said not to enable…"

"I know what I said; give it to him or you're the one who'll have to put up with the hallucinations and the crying later."

"H-Hey! No need for threats like that…" The white haired man trailed off to mutter under his breath about over-maintenanced little brats and how they should have to carry their own water and learn some katon jutsu if they wanted to survive another week…his fingers brushed against a plastic cup, making the noodles inside rattle, and immediately Naruto perked up, head snapping in the direction of the sound.

"Ramen!"

It was rather scary how quickly the boy was all over her teammate, Tsunade reflected, but that was why she had insisted Jiraiya carry the ramen on the trip. She watched as Naruto all but danced in circles – including almost getting his nose singed by moving too close to the small burst of flame Jiraiya let out of his mouth to heat a kettle of water – as he waited for what he termed 'the bestest most awesomest food ever to exist in the whole wide universe!' If the two Sannin had let the boy carry his own ramen, the supply would be gone in three hours. Tops.

It was a mystery how the boy had managed to survive as long as he had on his own without causing something to explode in his impatience for ramen.

When Naruto's attention was occupied by his favorite form of sustenance, Jiraiya sidled over to where Tsunade was staring into the trees. "Cup'a'ramen for your thoughts."

Her nose wrinkled and a hand shot out, slapping away the plastic container he extended towards her. "Don't give me that crap. If I never eat ramen again, it'll be too soon."

"Testy, testy." With a grin, Jiraiya bent down to pick up the slightly dented ramen cup. "More for Naruto then." At her sound of disapproval, his grin only widened. "Which would you rather have, the gaki pestering you every hour of the day, or your sanity?"

Her frown cracked under the analogy, and despite her efforts a wry smile shone through. "Touché. But if that boy starts hallucinating because you were too slow with that katon, you're the one who'll have to deal with it."

"Oh come on, it's not like ramen is a hallucinogen! As a doctor you should know that."

The blonde quirked an eyebrow at her former teammate. "And you say you spent a month traveling with him? Either you're oblivious or you got off easy. You ought to know by now the laws of rationality don't apply to that kid."

Jiraiya didn't deign to respond to that comment, choosing instead to turn his head back towards where the blond boy had finished his ramen cup and was kneeling on the ground…whistling to some bushes? "Oi, gaki, what're you doing?"

Naruto turned away from the shrubbery for a second – just long enough to hold a finger to his lips and shush the Sannin – then whistled again and held a hand out to the green leaves. "Come on out, I won't hurt you…" The soft words floated on the air to where Tsunade and Jiraiya stood, and the two looked at each other, one resigned and one quizzical.

"I told you it's all your fault."

"Hey! Just because he's talking to a plant, you can't blame it all on me."

"I'm not talking to the plant," Naruto interjected his voice into the two adults' banter, an irritated edge to his voice. "I'm talking to the thing in the bush."

"Oh, my mistake." Tsunade rolled her eyes. "It's such a difference when we can't see the thing."

A small red and black nose poked out of the bushes, nudging against Naruto's palm where he was resting it on the ground. It jabbed twice more at the boy's hand before withdrawing for a few seconds, followed by a mewling sound. "See?" A beaming victorious smile was turned on Tsunade. "There's a thing in the bush!"

Jiraiya rolled his eyes as well, copying his teammate, in exasperation at the boy's classification. "It's not a 'thing' gaki, it looked like a fox snout."

"It's not a fox!" Horrified, Naruto turned fully from the bush even as his hand remained steady. "It's a…" he trailed off as the animal came fully out of its hiding place, revealing soft dusty orange fur with a white underbelly, pudgy legs with brown socks, large pointed ears, and a fanned out tail with six vibrant orange curls, accompanied by a similar style of three curls on the top of the head, "…fox…" the boy finished lamely, avoiding meeting Jiraiya's eyes and flinching slightly at the booming laugh that issued from the man's mouth.

"Gaki, if that ain't a fox, I'd hate to hear your description of the furball inside you." At the mention of his 'passenger', Naruto's eyes went blank for a second then refocused.

"He's laughing. Why is he laughing? Ow!"

"We told you, stop listening to the Kyuubi." Tsunade stood behind the boy, looking down at the small fox that had retreated into the bushes until only two large brown eyes and a black nose poked out. Her voice gentled as she held her own larger hand out to the creature. "C'mon out, we won't hurt you."

"Yeah right," Naruto mumbled under his breath, rubbing at his head.

"Shut up, you." One hit later, Tsunade reached out to the bushes and carefully brought her hands under the fox so they wrapped around its stomach. Just as gently, she brought it closer until she could hold the fox against her chest – after checking its paws for any claws and not finding any. "What are you, hm? I haven't seen anything like you before," she cooed to it, completely ignoring the two males who were staring at her, dumbstruck.

"Vulpix! Vul~pix!" the creature chirped, blinking up at the blonde with liquid brown eyes.

Tsunade's own eyes widened until she thought they would pop out of her head. "You can't…you're not a summons are you?" She flipped the fox over as if checking its underbelly would tell her, but the Sannin had never heard of a fox contract summons with six tails. Or in fact, anything that looked remotely like the one she was holding. "That kid always does have a knack for bending reality…" Tsunade muttered, exasperated. "Jiraiya!" The white haired man barely had time to respond before the fox – Vulpix – was thrust at him. "Hold it."

"Hey, why me!" Jiraiya held the fox at arm's length, looking at the small creature that looked placidly right back at him before opening its mouth and letting out the same cry again. "Vul-Vul-pixxxx!"

"Tsunade, it's making sounds!"

Naruto snatched the Vulpix from his mentor with a scowl, cuddling the fox close. "It's not an it! It's a he!"

"Oh yeah, how do you know, gaki?"

"Kyuubi told me."

"And Kyuubi would know this how?" Jiraiya sent a skeptical glance at his pupil.

"Well, Kyuubi is a fox, so he might be able to communicate with the…Vulpix," Tsunade inserted, approaching Naruto and his find with both hands held out and glowing green. "I've never seen the like. I'm sure it's not a summons, as I feel no chakra. But neither should a normal animal be able to talk, even if it's only one word…"

Naruto stiffened slightly even as he held the fox out for her inspection. "Kyuubi is laughing again. He's not stopping this time!"

"Kid, just ignore it!"

"But it's really loud! And he keeps saying 'you'll see, you'll see'…"

"You'll see." For a moment Naruto's eyes flashed red and whiskers darkened, and the demonic voice issued from his mouth, before both faded and he was left staring up at the two Sannin who stared back at him, startled.

"Did he…"

Before Tsunade could continue that sentence – she had no idea what she was trying to say anyways – there was a crashing sound from the bushes and all three shinobi had to rub their eyes, not believing what they were seeing. The newly freed Vulpix let out another mewling "Vulpix!" and beelined for the intruder.

"I don't believe it, it's impossible." Tsunade didn't quite gasp the words, but she didn't have all her breath either.

"But it's white." Jiraiya was just as stunned, his eyes wide enough to see the white all around as he stared. "Kyuubi can't be white."

"That can't be Kyuubi," Tsunade corrected absently, not looking away from the figure.

The huge white fox – with nine waving tails whipping behind its head – glared down at the three humans standing in front of it and opened its muzzle. "Ninetails!" The cry resounded throughout the forest, setting birds aflight and small animals running in the opposite direction, even as the Vulpix rubbed itself against one of the large white paws.

"B-But…" Both adults stared at the scene, eyes wide, as the self-proclaimed 'Ninetails' bent down to lick the much smaller orange fox. "It doesn't exist. It shouldn't exist. It doesn't exist." Those piercing red eyes fixated on the two Sannin, shutting both up, before moving to stare at Naruto for a second. The large eyelid dropped lazily closed for a moment before the Ninetails turned languidly around, shepherding the Vulpix in front of it, and meandered off into the forest, vanishing quickly into the leaves.

Jiraiya and Tsunade didn't make a single sound as they stared after its trail.

"Kyuubi says he told you so." Naruto looked smug as he folded his arms across his orange jacket covered chest. "He's not the only one."