Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognise as belonging elsewhere.
Itachi is still a psycopath in this and did indeed kill his clan. 'Ryuu-san' is actually his ANBU codename, so his real name will be revealed next chapter.
Sorry this chapter's so short. I intend to make the next chapter longer as there will be alot happening in it.
Maybe he had over reacted, Naruto acknowledged, curled up in an abandoned foxhole beneath a civilian cemetery, filthy, smelly, hungry and weak.
Ya think? The Kyuubi put forward snidely. Some things are different in this world. I've been going through the boy's memories and, it seems, Orochimaru is his Godfather.
Naruto choked on his own saliva, thoroughly horrified at that particular concept.
However, The fox continued, ignoring his host's reation, Your reaction to him can be explained away by the fact that no one was around when the kid was kidnapped and you could say that the enemy ninja trapped you in a Genjutsu which made you believe he was the Snake Sannin.
Okay. Sounds good. Naruto murmured, drifting off to sleep, even with the adrenaline in his body. But I don't think I'll be able to get out of here anytime soon, even if I used your chakra. My muscles wouldn't be able to tolerate it in the state they're in.
I know. Go to sleep and I'll work on your muscles a bit more.
The small blonde made an affirmative noise as he drifted off to sleep, not noticing the pale glowing form that regarded him curiously from the den's tunnel.
When Naruto woke, his first thought was, 'Why am I awake?'
He could see a soft white glow from behind his closed eyes, there was a soft, feathery warmth against his stomach and on his shoulder and he could hear muffled voices somewhere above him.
Momentarily confused, he decided it was the noises above him that had drawn him from his sleep.
What time is it? He inquired drowsily of his tenant.
There was a moment of silence before the fox answered. A little past dusk. You've been asleep two and a half days.
Mmm. Pause. I'm thirsty.
He felt the other smile. I should expect so. But that can wait. Aside from the ninja searching above us for you, we have a guest down here. She says her name is Yue.
Hmm? Naruto opened his eyes to find himself looking at three translucent, opalescent white tails. Moving slightly to look around, the feathery feeling moved from his shoulder to reveal the head of a slender glowing vixen with wise golden eyes.
"Good evening, kit." Rang a beautiful, throaty voice in his head.
"Good evening, Kiko-san." Naruto replied, voice husky since he usually only made noises.
"Kitari tells me he wants you to sign the Fox Contract." She murmured, rubbing her head along his shoulder like an affectionate cat as the sounds of voices got nearer, accompanied by the sounds of spades shifting dirt.
'Kitari?' Naruto inquired of his tenant, mentally smirking.
The blonde got the impression that the red Tenko was offended and very defensive. 'I'll have you know it is a very respectable name for a fox.'
Naruto mentally smirked as if to say 'riiight, I believe you'.
Yue chuckled lightly, apparently having heard their 'conversation', before becoming serious. "If you wish to claim the Fox Contract, you must come to the Fox Shrine beyond the red Torii when the Blue Moon rises and pass the tests put before you by the Lady before the Blue Moon sets. The next Blue Moon is not for some months yet, so you will have time to prepare."
The blonde frowned. "But when will I know when to go? And how will I get there?"
The pale luminous vixen stood and stretched. "I will come for you a week before the test and lead you to the place you must go." She flicked her ears. "For now, I must go. The humans are close. Sleep now, kit."
Before he could comprehend what was happening, Yue ran her tongue up the side of his face before bounding through the wall of the den.
In his surprise, he didn't notice until it was too late that she had done something that made his unbearably tired.
The last things he was aware of before he dropped out of all consciousness were the den ceiling caving to reveal late-afternoon light, the Yondaime's face haloed by the orange light, and the vague thought of 'Why am I always falling asleep at crucial moments…?"
Pleez review.