Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Looking beneath the beneath

Chapter 1:

Naruto looked up from his training to watch the sun rise. He had on black cargo pants but no shirt. He had an eight pack and the gravity seals on his wrists were clearly visible, holding his katana. The blade had a crimson hue to the edge and the hilt was black with intricate designs in crimson. The katana faintly hummed with energy.

"Hey Kit!" A voice called to him from a nearby by boulder. "If you don't hurry you'll be late" a small fox with nine tails told him.

Naruto sighed "yeah, you're right"

He then grabbed a scroll he had in one of his pockets and placed the katana in it. Then he put a henge over himself. Instead of a 5' 9" male with long blonde hair that was in a ponytail, blue eyes ringed red, heavily muscled and an all black ensemble; there now stood a 4' 5" young/naïve looking boy with short spiky hair held in place by a leaf headband, pure cerulean eyes, and a bright orange jumpsuit that all but screamed 'here I am, come kill me'.

Naruto grabbed his backpack from where it rested against a tree and slung it onto his back. The fox jumped onto Naruto's shoulders. He then took off through the forest and headed back to meet his genin team for their first 'C' ranked mission. As he ran, he thought about all he knew and could do. After a particularly brutal beating had sent him to Kyuubi, the two had become close fast. Kyuubi had explained that Orochimaru had tricked him into believing it was Konoha who had killed his younger sister, which had sent him into on a deadly rampage, making him attack Konoha. Naruto had never blamed Kyuubi for the way the villagers treated him. All he had asked is that Kyuubi train him. Kyuubi had agreed and over the next few years trained Naruto in many subjects. Naruto mastered the Chakra control exercise (however, he had to practice them every now and then as his chakra reserves were still growing); He had then moved on to chakra manipulation and had managed to incorporate wind element chakra into his kenjutsu style. He had taken the basics of several kenjutsu styles Kyuubi had picked up over the years to create his own style. He was close to finishing the style and is trying to find a name for it, it utilized speed and every hit counted even if it was just a scratch. He had done much the same with his taijutsu style. Both Kenjutsu and Taijutsu were low-to-mid Jounin level. Naruto had managed to learn a few low level medical jutsu, including Chakra Scalpels. He had an intimate knowledge of poisons; he could identify them with ease and their antidotes with very little info. He could also use poisons to kill, maim, and use in interrogation. He also had an extensive knowledge of human anatomy and an excellent grasp of human psychology. Kyuubi had taught him one handed seals which he could do for any jutsu he knew up to C class. He knew the shadow Clone jutsu and put it to its fullest use (as much as he could without frying his brain anyway). He, if tested, would be considered a master strategist. He had achieved Journeyman level sealing abilities recently. His ninjutsu was not as large as he would like. Kyuubi had never need to use jutsu. The only reason he could teach one-handed seal to Naruto is because he had watched a shinobi for a few years learn them once. He knew he had fuuton and Raiton as his major affinities with Suiton as a minor affinity, but he hadn't been able to do much with the Raiton or Suiton. He knew the academy three justu, the shadow clone, the variations of the shadow clone technique, the shunshin, Fuuton: Daitoppa, and Kaze no Yaiba. So his Ninjutsu was around mid-to high chunin level. The only thing he was not able to do is genjutsu. Both he and Kyuubi had quickly learned anything above the level of henge just blew up in his face. So he worked on dispelling genjutsu. He now could see through and escape any genjutsu low B rank and below. Putting him at about mid-high chunin level in genjutsu. His accuracy was as good as any weapon master/mistress. Naruto figured himself at about low jounin rank and skill when you put all of his skills together. He just knew he needed experience to help him improve. Thus for the last year or so Naruto had been sneaking out of Konoha to take on bandits and low level missing nins (C rank and below) for the bounties he could get off of him. He used a henge and a fake name to buy a house on the outskirts of Konoha; there he kept a garden with various herbs and poisonous plants. He had even found himself in the bingo book. In the C class section. It just listed him as shadow and all the people he had killed. Kyuubi called that a good start.

However, no one knew this but Naruto and Kyuubi. Not even the Hokage. Naruto had found ways to avoid being spied on by the crystal ball. All anyone saw was a hyper-active, idiotic, shinobi-wannabe.

Naruto was knocked out of his musings when he arrived at the edge of the forest just a few feet away from his team. However, they didn't notice him as he had masked his chakra to blend into the surroundings and, when he wanted, he could be absolutely silent. Naruto petted Kyuubi absent-mindedly as he thought about when he had first found out who was on his team. Before finding out he'd be with Sasuke and Sakura, he'd thought he'd show what he was capable of to his team. That idea had crashed and burned, then been stomped to little pieces and scattered on the winds when he'd been put with the emo king and his pink-haired banshee cheerleader. Naruto sighed once more before setting a wide grin on his face and caused a racket as he exited the last few feet of forest. Sasuke was brooding and Sakura was fawning over Sasuke. When Sakura looked at Naruto she saw the fox on his shoulders and screeched "WHAT IS THAT ANIMAL DOING ON YOUR SHOULDERS?!!"

Inwardly, Naruto and Kyuubi were bashing their heads against mental walls and holding their ears in pain over the shriek. Outwardly, however, Naruto just kept smiling, and said (loudly and cheerfully (not as loudly as Sakura)) "This is my pet Kyu! Will you go out with me?"

"You baka!" Sakura yelled at Naruto "I don't want to go on a date with you!"

"Awww…" Naruto said, looking disappointed.

Internally both Naruto and Kyuubi thanked kami that she hadn't accepted, and congratulated each other. Kyuubi saying that Naruto should get an award for his acting.

Then, before Sakura could start yelling again, Kakashi poofed right in front of them. Sakura and Naruto both yelled at him that he was late and Naruto was rolling mental eyes at how easy it was to read Sakura. Kakashi noticed the fox sitting on Naruto's shoulders. "Hey Naruto, who's your friend?"

"That's Naruto's pet fox and his name is Kyu." Answered Sakura, trying to sound smart, and just coming across as stuck-up.

Kakashi just 'hmmm'ed and they all left the village, escorting their client, Tazuna, back to wave. The name Kyu and its relation to Kyuubi had not escaped Kakashi, or the multiple tails the fox seemed to have. "Hey Naruto, how long have you had Kyu?" Kakashi asked him, fishing for details.

Naruto looked at him before answering. He figured he'd give hints to his sensei. He might not like his teammates, (read: can't stand them), but his sensei might not be so bad. Time would tell. So, making sure no one else was paying attention to him, he looked at Kakashi and allowed a smirk to show through his 'mask'. "I've had him since the day I was born" Naruto told him.

The, just like that, the smirk was gone and all Kakashi could see was the Naruto everyone else saw. "Is that so…" Kakashi murmured to himself.

Kakashi was snapped out of his musings when he sensed two chakra signatures coming from a puddle. Kakashi kept his expression unchanged, though he notice that instead of walking over the puddle like everyone else, Naruto walked around it, almost as if he could sense the two ninja hidden within it.

Meanwhile, Naruto was mentally scoffing at the skill level of the two. He recognized them, he'd seen them on one of his forays out of Konoha. He hadn't bothered with them because they weren't very skilled and the Mizukage had a habit of refusing to pay the bounty placed on kiri missing Nins. Now, Naruto was glad he hadn't bothered with the 'demon brothers' as they were called. (Honestly, the only reason they were dangerous was because the two worked together, other wise a low level chunin could pick them off). He could hardly believe their stupidity. The lad was in the middle of a small drought and they pick a puddle, of all things. It hadn't rained in days. Naruto just sighed, Sasuke and Sakura were both oblivious and Kakashi knew, but then, he is a former Anbu captain.

The demon brothers burst out behind the group after they'd gone a few feet past the puddle. They wrapped a chain around Kakashi and shredded him to pieces. Sakura panicked and Sasuke attacked. Naruto could feel Kakashi just inside the forest and knew it had only been a clone that was destroyed. Since he knew there was no real danger, he suppressed the instinct to attack and froze himself into place when one of the two sent an attack his way. He was forced to allow Sasuke to 'save' him, which caused Naruto much mental trauma.

Kakashi appeared then and trapped the two. Before they could be interrogated, however, they swallowed the suicide pills, kept hidden in their mouths, so they wouldn't betray their employer. "Good job sasuke" Kakashi said, before looking at Naruto "I didn't expect you to freeze, Naruto"

Sasuke smirked "Are you alright, Scaredy-cat?"

Naruto 'glared at Sasuke when an idea for his mask came to him. Using his kunai, he stabbed his hand and said "I vow, I will never run away from or be scared of an opponent ever again!"

Kakashi sighed "That's all well and good Naruto, but now you're going to bleed to death"

Naruto made himself act panicked while Kakashi started bandaging it. He noticed it was already well on it's way to being healed. 'Must be the fox's influence' Kakashi thought.

Naruto noted Kakashi's thoughtful expression and realized his rapid healing rate could give away how much involvement Kyuubi had in his life. Hopefully, Kakashi would pass it off as just being part of a jinchuuriki. Naruto was still mentally cursing his own stupidity. He only meant to hint at something else. He hadn't had enough time to judge how Kakashi might take knowing, well not everything, but most things.

After that the group started walking again. They had decided to keep going since Wave was closer than Konoha from where they were. As they walked, Kakashi fell into thought. He was thinking about none other than Naruto. What he knew about the blonde and what he had seen so far didn't fit. For starters, there was his pet fox, Kyu. The name itself sounded like Kyuubi and he could swear he had caught glimpses of multiple tales. And that smirk. It disappeared far to expertly. Then, during the fight he'd still been watching Naruto and just before he froze it was as if his body wanted to counter-attack, but the muscles were purposely frozen in place.

Suddenly, Kakashi felt something coming at them and called for everyone to duck. A man appeared among the trees, and Kakashi called him Zabuza, which caught Naruto's attention. He also felt the presence of another, but as he/she was non-threatening, Naruto did nothing to give said person away.

(A/N: The fight and ensuing conversation goes the same way it does in the manga. I'm just way too lazy to type it all out)

Naruto shook his head; Kakashi must be really tired to have fallen for the hinter-nin act. As soon as he thought that, Kakashi collapsed. Naruto freaked out with Sakura while Kakashi tried to calm them down by telling them that he was all right, he just needed rest.

Naruto ended up being the one to carry Kakashi. So Kyuubi was forced to walk beside Naruto. He had kept quiet throughout the journey because he knew Naruto needed to concentrate. Meanwhile Naruto was deep within his mask thinking. He was considering showing/telling Kakashi what he could really do. Slowly if possible. Kakashi had not sneered at Naruto, offered barely concealed threats or insults, or seem to have any grudge against him. Kakashi treated him like he was anyone else. Naruto glanced at Kyuubi and raised a mental eyebrow in question. Kyuubi shot him a quick fox grin at getting caught listening in to Naruto's thoughts. 'I think he's a good person. He won't judge you. I sense something happened to him, something connected to how he got that sharingan eye.' Kyuubi sent to Naruto through their mental link.

Naruto sighed, his decision made. He would have to make clear in some way that he didn't want his teammates to know. Naruto glanced back at Kakashi before saying, "I thought hunter-nins didn't move the body" in a voice so quiet only Kakashi heard it.

Kakashi looked at Naruto's face and saw the intelligence in his eyes before stiffening slightly at Naruto's implication, "te senbon…" Kakashi murmured.

Naruto smirked slightly before saying "hit the nerves that cause a near-death trance."

"Meaning he's still alive" Kakashi groaned

"You don't need to worry; it'll take at least a week for Zabuza to recover. A lot can be done in a week." Naruto murmured to Kakashi reassuringly, "now, you need to rest."

Naruto then knocked Kakashi out by hitting a pressure point. The rest of the trip was uneventful. They arrived at Tazuna's house before the end of the day. Sakura and Sasuke shared a room with a sheet as a dividing barrier while Naruto roomed with Kakashi waiting for him to wake up.

A/N don't forget to review