Chapter 1: Yin and Yang

Blue eyes opened in shock, glancing around the encompassing blackness. There was a faint burning in his gut but nothing else. Naruto had always thought that the extraction process of the Kyuubi would have hurt more. But then again, was he dead? Or was the process still going on?

Blue eyes squinted into the surrounding darkness. He couldn't see anything. Was this what death was supposed to be like? The young man pushed himself up onto trembling legs and began to wander. If this was the afterlife it was a hell of a lot more boring than he had envisioned. Where were the giant bowls of ramen? Where were the dancing ramen drenched girls? Where was Ero-Sennin?

Naruto stumbled slightly when something embarrassingly light whacked against his head. Turning his eyes to the flutter of movement at the edge of his vision revealed a faintly glowing butterfly fluttering past him. Another followed, and a moment later another. Naruto blushed, he had stumbled from a butterfly of all things running into him. Maybe it was a good thing Ero-Sennin wasn't here yet.

Watching the butterflies for a few minutes, Naruto blinked and glanced around again. Frowning, the blond scratched his head at the pattern he had finally noticed. The butterflies were all heading in the same direction as him. Oh well, at least he knew he was going somewhere, right? Naruto grinned his stupid grin and shouted out into the darkness, "TO SASUKE-TEME AND THE AKATSUKI!"

With that Naruto exploded into action, running in his almost animalistic manner past the butterflies. He was going to get out of here and defeat the bastards of Akatsuki, save Sasuke, and become the Shichidaime. That was after Obaa-chan woke up and gained back her place as Hokage from Danzo of course.

After some unknown length of time running, Naruto staggered to a stop and had to double over because of the sudden ripping feeling that the faint burning became in his gut. Something was being pulled out of him. Naruto groaned in agony as he struggled to stand back up. He wasn't going to let this stop him from saving Sasuke, from gaining his dream of Hokage!

Naruto looked up in pain and gapped in shock at the light that was surrounding him now. The light flickered around him, fluttering lazily forward, toward a distant warmth. Naruto staggered toward it as the warmth cooled the agony rippling over his body from his gut, from the seal. "No." Breathed the blond man as it finally came to him. He wasn't dead, not yet. Naruto dropped to his knees and sunk into himself, like when he collected sage chakra. After a few moments Naruto breathed out as he felt the draining of the Kyuubi out of him. He couldn't let that happen!

Blue eyes flickered opened and found a glowing butterfly resting on his nose. The source of all the light were butterflies. Naruto smiled softly as he looked over the hundreds of butterflies lazily fluttering around him. It was so peaceful, so warm. Naruto sighed, he could just lay down and sleep right here. Falling backwards Naruto smiled as the blackness underneath him cushioned his body.

Wait! Naruto forced his eyes open. He couldn't let them win. The blond teen closed his eyes and mentally reached out to the demonic chakra. With one last second hesitation, it was so peaceful here after all, Naruto grabbed on to it.

"I WILL NOT DIE!"

Naruto gasped as the Kyuubi's words boomed through his head and than suddenly Naruto felt himself being dragged. Blue orbs snapped open, revealing a chain that was connecting Naruto to the chakra manifestation of the Kyuubi. The fox was dragging them away from the butterflies, away from the way Naruto had come. They were going in a direction that held nothingness in Naruto's eyes. "NO! WE CAN'T GO THAT WAY!"

"FOOLISH CHILD." Sneered the Kyuubi but it continued to drag them from the warmth.

"WE HAVE TO GO BACK!" Cried Naruto as he staggered up and pulled back on the chain protruding from his stomach. The struggle of strength and wills continued for sometime with the Kyuubi pulling the unwilling blond farther into the darkness. "Where are we going?" Asked Naruto as he yanked on the chain futilely.

"Elsewhere." Naruto glared at the fox when it didn't elaborated past that. He couldn't let this continue. He HAD to get back! There was too much for him to do. So many promises he had to keep!

Naruto finally stopped struggling and reluctantly followed the demon farther and farther into the blackness. He didn't have the strength to stop the fox. Naruto hated that fact. He couldn't go back because he was trapped with the thrice damned nine-tails fleeing away from everyone, fleeing to some place the Akatsuki couldn't get to. Naruto could tell that much since the agony of having the fox being ripped out of him had faded to nothing since they had begun this track through the blackness.

The blond boy angrily wiped away his tears as he realized that he couldn't fulfill all his promises. What was the point of promising things if you couldn't achieve them? If he ever got out of here he wasn't ever going to promise another thing, not until he full filled the promises he had already made. Empty promises are just un-fulfilling lies.

Stop it Naruto! You can get back! When have you ever given up? Naruto straightened his back and glared at the red fox ahead of him. He never gave up. Wouldn't give up now!

"Almost there." Breathed the Kyuubi.

Naruto glared, "Where?"

The fox glanced distantly back at the human he had been forced to drag along. "To the other world. Or perhaps it is simply the past of the one we had just left. It matters not to me. I will live."

Naruto frowned at that. What the hell was the fox talking about now? The blond shook his head. No matter, He was going to stop this. He was going to run back to the others and save them! Now he just had to figure out the way to cut the chain connecting them. Blue eyes blinked as a butterfly fluttered past.

"Ah, we have found the pathway." Naruto hesitantly looked up to find they were on another path lit by butterflies. It was nearly identical to the one they had fled but here the butterflies were multiple colors of reds, oranges, and golds where the one earlier was covered by butterflies glowing different shades of blue. It was amazing. Naruto smiled as he felt the warmth from before fall over them. A tug of the the chain reminded him of what he needed to do.

How was he supposed to break the chain? Naruto slid his hands over it down to the point it connected to his gut, exactly where the center of the seal would be. Blue eye widened. That was it! He just had to rip the seal off the cage! But that would free the Kyuubi! Naruto frowned at that. He would have to take the chance. "We're too close." Muttered the Kyuubi.

Naruto closed his eyes as he stood by the contemplating fox. A minute later Naruto opened his eyes to find the seal and cage before him. Naruto walked up and took the edge of the seal into his hands. "Sorry Chichi." With that Naruto ripped the seal off.

"WHAT DID YOU DO!" Naruto opened his eyes as a dull ache filled his entire being. Staring at him with wild eyes was the Kyuubi. "NO! YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT! NOT NOW!"

The blond man gapped at the panicked Kyuubi as the fox back away from him before turning and running towards the darkness of the new path they were on. The aching grew as the Kyuubi vanished, centered around his abdomen. Naruto looked down onto himself and stared in horror at the hole in his gut. What had he done?

Naruto looked up as warmth swept over him and stared at the strange strands of light uncoiling around him. The elegant action vanished as the light coils suddenly exploded out after the Kyuubi. Naruto twirled around to watch as the light pulled the Kyuubi back. What was going on?

Naruto stepped forward. The butterflies responded to his movement by swarming the blond, pushing Naruto into one of the coils of light. Naruto gasped at the contact before words spoke in his head. "Thank Thee for bringing he who has avoided we. A gift we give. A life you gain that gives life as life is the gift of all mortal kind." Naruto began to frown before he exploded into a million golden and blue butterflies.

AUAU

Naruto jerked up with a gasp. That had been a strange dream. The blond blinked around himself in confusion and growing horror. He wasn't anywhere that was familiar. It was a dark alleyway that was covered in blood and dead men. What- Naruto balked as he struggled up onto his feet to find that the ground didn't move as far away as it should. Looking down at his blood covered body revealed that he was tiny. Smaller than he had ever remembered being. What was going on?

"NARUTO!"

Blue eyes shot up to find a old man, that was long since dead, running down the alley with ANBU following. "Ojii?" Gasped Naruto. The Sandaime glanced at Naruto before kneeling besides a small body. A body with golden hair covered in blood.

"We were too late." Choked the Sandaime as Naruto hesitantly stepped forward. One of the ANBU picked Naruto up, revealing how small he was. Naruto leaned forward, after glaring at the ANBU who dared pick him up like he was some child, and saw that the body the Sandaime was holding was a miniature version of himself.

"Nani." Breathed Naruto in shock. He was alive. He was right here!

"Hokage-sama." The ANBU holding Naruto spoke up.

"Find out who the bodies are and return them to their families." The Sandaime stood, cradling the dead body that couldn't possibly exist.

"Ojii." Whispered Naruto in a mixture of confusion, hope, and fear.

The Hokage looked down at him. "Have the little girl looked over at the hospital and than have T&I send one of its subordinates over that can talk to a child without scaring them. She might know what happened here."

"Hai."

Naruto gapped at the Hokage and then the blurring world as the ANBU jumped up on the roof and ran off towards the hospital. He was most definitely not a girl. Girls had cooties! Blue eyes blinked, where had that thought come from?

The now tiny blond buried his head into the ANBU's chest as bright, fake light hit his sensitive eyes. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening! Damn that fox! It was all his fault. Naruto just knew it was. When he had a chance he was going to go and find out what that demon had done this time!

The Jinchuuriki ignored the nurses and doctors that looked over him. It was a simple physical, though his blood was drawn at some point. Naruto didn't really notice, everything was a blur and he couldn't focus very well nor did he care. He needed to figure out what was going on.

"Little one, I need to ask you some questions. Is that alright sweetie?" Smiled a nurse as she tilted Naruto's head up to face her. Naruto blinked with a frown. "See sweetie, the questions will help us keep you awake since you have a concussion. They'll help us with figuring out how bad you were hit too."

Naruto frowned and glanced over at the ANBU who had brought him here. "Alright." He'd have to answer them sooner or later after all, right?

"Thats great sweetie. Now whats your name?" Smiled the kindly nurse. Nurses had never been kind to Naruto before Baa-chan had come. It was strange.

"Naruto." Naruto answered honestly before pausing as he realized something important, his voice was that of a child. Crap, what the hell had the Kyuubi done? Was he really a little kid again? Was the Sandaime really alive? No this had to be a genjutsu! Naruto looked back up at the nurse, now determined to answer everything quickly. The sooner he got this over with the sooner he could find out if he was really in the past or if it was a genjutsu of some type. Blue eyes watched as the woman's smile vanished from her face.

"Your last name sweetie?"

"Uzumaki." Naruto blinked as the woman immediately left the room. Looking over at the monkey ANBU, as he had finally noticed what the mask was, Naruto asked. "Can I see Oj- the Hokage?"

Saru regarded Naruto. "The Hokage will come visit later. Do you know your name or are you just playing with the staff? They're trying to find your parents kid. You do want to get home, right?"

Naruto frowned at the ANBU as the nurse returned with a doctor. "My parents are dead."

"Oh sweetie." Gasped the nurse as she rushed over and gave Naruto a hug. Naruto blinked at the reaction. What the hell was wrong with this lady?

"Ume-san, please place the patient down." Sighed the doctor. The nurse blushed before doing as asked. After that the questions began again, all of which Naruto answered honestly.

"What's your name?"

"Uzumaki Naruto."

"What is your name?"

"I said Uzumaki Naruto."

Sigh. "What is your age?"

"I'm 18."

"Right. How old are you?"

Naruto felt his eye twitch. "I'm 18."

Silence. "What are your parents names?"

Naruto paused at that. He was pretty sure that it was some huge secret who his parents were so he'd have to lie about that. "Don't know."

"What was the last thing you remember before the Hokage and ANBU showed up in the alleyway?"

Naruto blinked at the question before frowning as he thought back. What was the last thing he remembered? There was Madara and the Akatsuki but no, there had been something after that. Something about a weird dream and butterflies. "Butterflies.. They were glowing." Muttered Naruto in thought. After a while the doctor left with the nurse, telling the ANBU to make sure the "little girl" didn't fall asleep, and didn't come back. Naruto was still rather miffed about everyone calling him a girl. He had never looked like a girl! Haku looked hell of a lot more girlie than he had ever looked! Neji could pass as a girl easier than himself, even.

After a while Naruto glanced up at Saru. He needed to pee really badly. "What?" Asked the ANBU gruffly.

Naruto sighed and hopped off the examination table, grabbing said table to steady himself as the world jerked around for a second. When it was back in focus, the ANBU was kneeling in front of him. "You alright kid?"

Naruto nodded slowly with a frown. Why wasn't the Kyuubi healing his head already? "I need to go pee." Blurted out Naruto as the silence between them stretched out too long.

The ANBU stood up and nervously rubbed his masked cheek. "Uh.. right. Its over here." Saru lead Naruto over to the one door no one had gone through yet.

Blue eyes narrowed at the ANBU as the man tried to follow him in. "I can pee by myself, dude!" With that the door was slammed shut by the oddly small form of Naruto. The young man ignored the faint mutter of "dude?" the ANBU gave behind the door as he rushed over to the toilet. He really needed to pee. With a yank, his pants fell and Naruto moved to aim for the toilet when he came to a rather problematic issue. Glancing down with a frown the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki stifled a scream of horror. His-his man bits, his penis, everything that should had been was gone!

Staggering back from the toilet, stumbling out of his pants in the process, Naruto fell to the ground with a slight thud. He-he was a-a girl!

A GIRL!

The next instance had Naruto standing on his tip-toes to see over the sink into the mirror. There Naruto found himself staring into familiar blue eyes but that was the only thing that was similar. His hair was white if you ignored the dried blood in it. WHITE! His face was the round pudgy face of a toddler. His nose was button like. His lips pinker and fuller than they had ever been. His skin was a softer pink, peach tone and his cheeks! Naruto slid his hand -his too tiny, too delicate hand- across his bare cheeks. The whisker marks were gone.

This couldn't be real. This had to be a genjutsu! What had Ero-Sennin said about genjutsu before? Moving your chakra or a good bit of physical pain will help displace a genjutsu. Naruto glanced around for a second before, finding nothing usable, he closed his eyes and bit hard onto his bottom lip. As he licked the blood off he opened his eyes to find himself in the same place and predicament as before.

This wasn't a genjutsu? It HAD to be! Naruto pulled his shirt up and drew a little chakra to make the seal visible. This couldn't be real! He had to be in a damn genjutsu!The seal became visible and Naruto gasped in horror. It was broken, shattered into too many pieces to count. His hand trembled as he traced one of the larger shattered pieces of the seal. A flash of memory came of a chain being tugged, his voice asking for forgiveness, and then aching.

Naruto pulled his hand away. No! This couldn't be! Naruto went to the toilet, as he really couldn't hold it anymore and carefully sank into himself in search of the Kyuubi's cage. Opening his eyes Naruto looked around the sewer that was his stomach, the sound of water dripping into puddles was the only noise he could hear. He wasn't anywhere near the Kyuubi's cage. Scowling Naruto began heading in the direction.

He paused as he noticed a fog rolling over the area he was heading into. It wasn't a white fog. It was black. Perhaps it would have been better to call it smog but the blackness was light in appearance, puffy like clouds. Naruto scratched his head in confusions as he walked into it. A few minutes later he finally came to the cage. He could barely see it even as he stood right next to it.

"KYUUBI SHOW YOURSELF!" Shouted Naruto. It echoed through the place. Naruto scowled at the silence and reached out to the cage. Grabbing onto one of the bars, the boy gasped as his hand closed into a fist. The bar dissolved into fog. "No, Nooooo." Choked Naruto as he staggered back and fled. This couldn't be real! This couldn't be happening!

Naruto fell into one of the puddles as he left the fog. The water calmed as Naruto knelt, gasping for air. Blue eyes stared down in horror at the reflection of a little girl staring back at him with similar horror. "Its not a genjutsu. I'm really a girl. Its really the past. Kami." moaned Naruto as he finally understood his situation. "I freed the Kyuubi."

"Kid you alright in there?"

Naruto jerked his head up as he came back into the real world. Naruto wiped the tears off his face fiercely as he got off the toilet and pulled his pants back on. He was in the past stuck in a little girls body but he wasn't going to break down. Only weaklings and little girls cried. Naruto slid down to the floor as hysteria began to bubble up. He was a little girl and this was just too much. Naruto vaguely noticed the ANBU scoop him up as he stopped fighting his new body's demand for a physical outlet for the overwhelming sense of hopelessness that filled him.

AUAU

Naruto woke up to quiet murmurings. Slowly sitting up the child found himself, or more accurately herself, under the scrutiny of a younger Sandaime, Saru, a number of other ANBU, and some unknown woman.

The woman leaned toward Naruto with a kindly smile. "Hello cutie, I'm Morie Kyoko."

Naruto blushed as the woman unknowingly showed off her assets to the 18 year old trapped in a little girls body. "N-Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto."

"Is it now?" Kyoko's smile widened. "How old are you sweetie?"

What was up with everyone calling him sweetie? Naruto sighed, "18."

"Do you know what happened in the alleyway?" Kyoko continued the questions as she sat back up straight.

Blue eyes dulled, "No, people died." Naruto never liked having to see death, and the alleyway scene was particularly horrible.

"Do you know your parents names?"

"I don't" Naruto replied quickly. Blue eyes blinked as the people present shifted at his answer.

"You're lying sweetie." Frowned Kyoko. "You'll have to tell us. We'll learn who they are when your blood test returns even if you don't."

Naruto stilled at that. That was why they had taken his blood! What was he going to do? Naruto could honestly say he understood the reasons behind the secrecy of his parentage and he was a child again. He wouldn't be able to protect himself from everyone. Danzo, Iwa, and who knew who else would be after him if they knew! But they were going to find out because of the blood test.

"You'll not be hurt for who your parents are." Added the Hokage kindly. "We have to know though."

Naruto stared up at his Ojii. He was going to have to tell them. Naruto was fine telling his Ojii but the others... He had no clue who most of them were.

"Maha, Naoko-chan we can keep a secret you know?" Whispered Kyoko as she leaned forward again.

Blue eyes widened at the name. Naruto's face flushed in outrage at the implications. "I'm not Naoko! I'm telling the truth, don't tease me like that!"

Sarutobi chuckled as he remarked. "Now Naoko-chan, Kyoko-san isn't teasing you. You are a very honest child for none of us to be able to tell you're lying except on knowing who you parents are. Anyways, you are rather fond of Naruto for a name even though it's a boys and Naoko is rather similar. It is a good name, yes?"

Naruto took on a rather glum expression as Buta casually pulled out his medical charts and clearly wrote down his new first name. He couldn't very well complain to the Hokage about a name the Hokage likes for you, even if it meant honest child and was given in jest by a interrogation specialist that was interrogating you.

Naruto pouted at them and folded his arms, "Not telling, you won't believe me!" Naruto flushed pink again as the adults sighed, he was acting like such a child. What was the matter with him?

The Sandaime shook his head in exasperation, "Alright Naoko-chan we'll do it this way and wait for the blood test." The old man rose and nodded to Saru before smiling at Naruto, "I'll be back later this evening when the tests are done Naoko-chan. You can play some board games or something with Saru and Buta as they will be staying here with you for the day, alright?" Naruto nodded reluctantly, he didn't want to stay here all day. "Well than I will see you tonight. I'll even bring dinner, anything you would like?"

"Ramen!" Shouted Naruto almost automatically before he remembered where he was and what situation he was in. Naruto watched as the Hokage gave her a rather odd look before nodding and leaving with his entourage. Naruto, now named Naoko, turned to regard the pig and monkey masked ANBU. He didn't really want to play with anything but he was stuck in the room for the rest of the day.

Naruto sighed as he decided to ignore the ANBU guards and turned to look out the window. He was a girl stuck in the past where somehow his male self had been killed. How was he going to fix this? What was he going to do? He had even freed the Kyuubi! Did that mean the Kyuubi would come attack the village again?

Naruto became lost in his thoughts of everything that had happened, from the Akatsuki and the Great Fourth Ninja War they had begun to the dream he couldn't remember. The two ANBU settled down with a Shogi-ban at Naruto's side when it became clear the child didn't want anything to do with them.