This is my first fanfic, and I am going to put as much effort into it as I can. I will try to have an update every two weeks, but I will wait to see how long it takes to get the second chapter up before I set a schedule. I hope you all enjoy it!

"Speech"

Thought

"Mindscape speech"

"Kyuubi"

Beyond All Reason

Chapter One: the Dread Return

A familiar scene was being played out in Konohagakure no Sato, the village hidden in the leaves. It was autumn, and the village was living up to its name. Children ran around, laughing and playing. Adults went about their work, smiling as the children passed by. Life sprung up everywhere, and people felt warm and content despite the chill. All, that is, except for one certain blue-haired, white-eyed kunoichi.

She had grown over the last five years; her hair was now hanging down to her mid-back, and her face was framed by two long bangs. She now stood at around 5'11, with a body that drew many double-takes and long stares, but she was oblivious to them all. She had eyes for one person only, and that person was supposed to be returning today after his extended training trip. She sighed inwardly, thinking back to the day he left. She wondered if, after all these years, he would finally notice the way she felt.

"Naruto……."

Jiraiya sighed exasperatedly. The boy was quiet, and had not responded to his proddings for the last several minutes. He glanced upward, but the clouds still hid the light of the sun. They had been walking for hours, and were finally nearing their destination. The boy had been quiet and pensive ever since Jiraiya had told him about his lineage. But he had responded to questions, though he hadn't asked any. Now he was simply silent, and the old man was concerned. He resolved to let his apprentice take his time, and to tell Tsunade not to bother him until he decided to start talking again.

It will be hard to keep Tsunade away from him once I have to deliver our report, including the 'changes' he has gone through. I hope that he'll be okay.

Naruto was deep in thought, pondering the changes that had taken place in both his body and mind. He now stood about 6'3, and his blond, unruly hair was almost shoulder length. He wore a black trench coat with a large hood, which he wore up. He had on a gray shirt with a high collar, hiding his mouth. He wore deep red flared pants, with his kunai and shuriken holder strapped to his right thigh. His hands were covered in black bandages, and his leaf headband was displayed proudly on his forehead, barely keeping his long bangs out of his eyes, which, if he allowed anyone close enough to see, had slitted pupils. His boots were steel-toed, and had faint traces of red in the fabric. On his back was strapped a large sword that looked like a giant butcher's machete more than anything else, and a simple, undecorated katana hung by his left side. Though his eyes didn't move, he was scanning the area, looking for unfamiliar chakra signatures. He didn't find any, and sighed inwardly, thinking about what he had recently heard from his sensei. He was Naruto Namikaze, son of the Yondaime. His mother was Kushina Uzumaki, and his father had sealed the Kyuubi inside of him as an infant. It all seemed too much to take in.

"You there?" he thought.

A rumbling laugh rolled through the mindscape. "I am always here, kit. What do you need?"

"What should I do when the others find out? They will hate me, and it will be made even worse considering my…… other changes."

"Do not worry, kit. There will always be at least four there for you."

"Yeah, I guess so, but still I… wait, four? I know Iruka, Jiraiya and Tsunade, but how can you be sure of anyone else? I still haven't told Sakura or Kakashi-sensei, or anyone else for that matter."

Kyuubi chuckled, slightly irritating Naruto. "And what about her?"

Naruto stiffened. "I have realized why she acted the way she did, and I have grown to realize my own feelings for her, but how does she feel now? What will she think when she knows?"

"You might be surprised."

Naruto stopped and realized that they were at the gates to the village. He took a breath and steadied himself. He and Jiraiya walked in, and he turned to his sensei.

"Go ahead, I'll check in with Tsunade." said Jiraiya.

Naruto nodded, and in a flash of light, was gone.

The toad sage sighed. I'll never understand how he mastered that in such a short time.

He sighed again, and walked up to the guard booth.

"Training team 274, reporting in."

The guards started, and slowly looked up. He smiled at them.

"Jiraiya?" one of them asked.

He just smiled even wider.

The guards broke into smiles, but their faces fell when they saw, or rather didn't see, the orange-clad, blond-haired, hyperactive ninja next to him.

"Where's Naruto?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "He has moved on…."

They stared at him in shock.

"…. to his apartment."

He fell backwards, and started rolling on the ground, roaring with laughter.

The guards scowled, then broke out in relieved chuckling.

"Just get your ass into Tsunade's office, Jiraiya." one of them said.

In a small apartment on the other side of town, a flash of light signaled Naruto's arrival. He looked around, taking in the familiar sights. Everything was where he had left it. Everything was covered in dust, however.

He pulled out his storage scrolls and unsealed them, and began to unpack. As he was stowing his sleeping bag, he knocked over a framed photo, but caught it before it hit the ground. He looked at it, realizing it was his photo of Team 7. He suddenly got a lump in his throat, and fought back tears. He got a hold of himself, and stared out the window, watching the sky.

Sasuke, why did you have to leave?

He sighed, and finished unpacking. His thoughts suddenly drifted to the one girl who had always been there for him, but he had never realized it until a while ago. He wondered where she was, and wondered if she would so readily accept him if she knew the truth. He hoped so, but he couldn't be sure.

"Hinata, will you still love me? Will you still stand by me, despite what I am?"

He was broken from his reverie by a sudden knock on his door.

"Get out here, gaki, Tsunade wants to see you immediately." Jiraiya's voice said.

"I'll meet you there!" he called out.

He sighed again, and in a flash of light, was gone.

Tsunade heard a knock on her door, and quickly hid the bottle of sake she had been drinking from, before calling out for the visitor to come in.

The door opened, and she narrowed her eyes in suspicion. A tall man wearing a full-length trench coat was standing in her office, and her eyes suddenly widened as she saw the blond hair and blue eyes.

"Na..Naruto?"

She rushed forward, and the air was suddenly squeezed out of Naruto's lungs as she grabbed him in a crushing bear hug.

"Baa-chan, I can't breathe….."

She pulled away, and took a good look at him. He was slightly taller than her, maybe an inch or two.

"What's with the outfit?" she asked.

He stiffened for a moment, then relaxed and looked her in the eyes.

"I suppose that means Jiraiya didn't include it in the report, then."

She became slightly worried. What was he talking about? "Include what in the report?"

He shook his head. "It's not something that I would like to discuss right now if you don't already know. If there is nothing else you need of me, I will go."

He turned to leave, but she wasn't done yet. She grabbed his coat, and pulled him towards her.

"Now wait just a……."

She had partially pulled off his coat, revealing his mane of blond hair. But that wasn't what she was interested in. sticking out of the top of his head were two blond-furred fox ears. He whirled around, and tried to cover them with his hands, a look of horror in his cerulean eyes.

She stared at him in confusion, her jaw going slack.

"Naruto?"

Naruto slowly backed away, not realizing that Tsunade still hadn't let go of his coat. He tripped, and the coat was pulled off of him as he fell to the floor, revealing nine long, blond fox tails sprouting from his lower back. He scurried backwards, his back hitting the door. He realized that he was trapped, and stared with fear into her eyes.

"Naruto?"

She took a tentative step towards him, and he panicked. His eyes darted around the room, and fixed on the open window. He bolted, grabbing his coat from her and pulling it on. He jumped out the window, and she was momentarily blinded by a flash of light. When she looked again, he was gone.

For a few seconds, she stood there frozen, then ran out into the hall, almost running over Shizune.

"Shizune! Find Naruto, and get him back here immediately!"

She nodded, and ran out of the building.

Tsunade sighed, and walked back into her office, grabbing the bottle of sake and taking a long swig.

He's going to need to do some explaining when he gets back here.

Hinata was slowly making her way down the street, headed towards the Hokage's office. Suddenly she was barreled over onto her back, and she heard a familiar voice, and a pair of cerulean eyes staring at her.

"Gomenasai, Hinata-chan."

Na..Naruto-kun?

Wait, did he just say –chan? thought Hinata.

Wait, did I just say _chan? thought Naruto.

"I, uh, I….." he started.

Blushing heavily after realizing he was still on top of her, he quickly stood and helped her to her feet. Hinata blushed from the contact, and averted her gaze. He looked away as well, his hands at his sides. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, he heard a voice call out his name, and turned to see Shizune running at him. Damn, he thought, and in a flash of light was gone.

Hinata stared for a moment, and Shizune came to a stop next to her.

"Damn it! Why is he running anyway?" she asked loudly to no one in particular. She ran off down the street, looking for him.

Hinata was still frozen, wondering what was going on. And his eyes. There was something different about them. Naruto-kun, what is happening? Will you be alright?

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