Naruto's Change Chapter 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Author's Notes: Alright so from here on out I'll be adding new parts to the ones I've previously written. Of course my style of writing has changed some but I've tried to match it as much as possible just for continuity's sake. If you notice any glaring disruptions or breaks in style please let me know as I know this can mess with the enjoyment of a story. Without further ado…Chapter 3.
~Luna
Naruto braced himself for impact as he was pulled through the open window. He squeezed his eyes closed and let the force of the swing carry him up and over the desk directly in front of him. He managed an inelegant landing on his rump on the other side and slide to a thwacking halt against the wall opposite the door side of the desk.
"Alright Naruto, you will tell me what is going on. I am not giving you any further missions until you explain yourself." Tsunade's voice was hard a granite and sharp, cutting into him worse than a weapon. He grimaced as he gained his feet then frowning at her, shook his head. "I have no idea what you are talking about Baa-chan". "Wrong answer, get out" Tsunade said simply in response and resuming her seat at the desk began to work. Naruto grit his teeth, stepping forward he moved until he stood directly in front of her. "I really need a mission, please" he grit out and when she ignored him he clenched his hands into fists. "I can't explain what I don't understand" Naruto finally said. She looked up and watched him in silence for a moment. "Explain what you do know. Give me the facts and we will figure it out together, but you are not getting another mission until you explain as least that much. I want to know why you are avoiding your friends, why I am the only person you speak to when you come home." Naruto winced and heaving a sigh moved over to the sofa against the wall of the office. Sinking into it he let his head rest in his hands and his shoulders bunch up to his ears.
"It started about a year ago, but got really bad about nine months back" he started, his voice muffled by his hands. Tsunade remained silent and waited for him to continue. "I was having nightmares, nothing to terrible or out of the ordinary. Then one night I was me but not and I was racing through the village killing anyone I could find. The feelings that came with that…well let's just say I woke up sweaty and sick to my stomach" Naruto paused again and heaved a full lungful of air. Seeming to force the rest of the words out, they spilled in a rush. Naruto's voice continued picking up speed and was laced with fear. Tsunade felt a shiver slide up her spine, chilled as Naruto continued to tell her of the deepening connection to the Kyuubi. He described more dreams, bouts of rage and the loss of control over his own chakra. His face remained pressed into his hands as he described the increase in his senses, the pressure inside his skull and chest. The burning pain in his stomach at the point of the seal that had now started to wake him at night.
At that point Tsunade rose and went to sit next to him. Reaching out and touching his shoulder she let him continue speaking. She merely wished to ground him in the present, struggling to not ask questions, to wait until he was finished. He finally seemed to reach the end with, "And he's there now, whispering to me. I can hear him and I know that when I look in the mirror my marks will be deeper, my eyes tinted red and my teeth sharper. Baa-chan, I don't know what to do". As he took a ragged breath, his whole body shuddering, he finally pulled his face from his hands, raised his head and turned to face her.
Tsunade jerked back just slightly when she realized he was right, his marks were more prominent and his blue eyes were just ringed with red. Naruto winced at her movement and pulled back a bit to give her more space but she was already moving toward him. "Have you really been experimenting with the seal as you said earlier?" she asked quietly, and when he shook his head in a negative her frown deepened. "You should have told me sooner. I'll need to examine the seal and have Kakashi take a look at it as well. He would have had some experience with the Fourth's work, he might be able to help" she finished, her voice taking on the scolding tone she so often used with him. Strangely it was the tone that allowed Naruto to relax just slightly into the cushions of the sofa. He nodded and taking a deep breath he closed his eyes and concentrated on suppressing the fox. She watched and waited quietly as the evidence of the fox's influence lessened and he returned to normal. Then standing she moved to the window and with a slight movement of her hand she summoned one of her Anbu guards. The masked shinobi landed silently on the windowsill and bowed his head, "You need me Hokage-sama?". "Find me Hatake Kakashi and bring him here now" she said firmly and the masked man nodded and disappeared as quietly as he'd appeared. That set in motion she turned back to the man still sitting on the sofa behind her. "Come with me" Tsunade led the way to the door of the office and waiting only a second to make sure he was following behind her, down the hall to her personal examination room.
Less than two hours later Naruto slipped past the walls surrounding the village and was gone.
Sakura vowed that the next time Naruto was in the village she would cage him. Determined to find out what was happening to one of her dearest friends she set about laying a trap. She managed to get the information she needed from Shizune. Enlisted the help of a couple of other friends and once everyone knew their roles it was time to lay in wait.
Three months to the day that he'd left Naruto returned. He made it to his door, released the wards and stepped in before he realized something was off. He was exhausted, dirty, hungry and his nerves were shot. Not in the mood for any more trouble he lashed out with force at the individual who followed him through his door and attempted to get a grip on him. Chakra suppressed to the point of invisibility, the individual was impossible to identify without sight and Naruto didn't bother to turn. He kicked straight back expecting to catch his attacker by surprise. There was a startled yelp but Naruto didn't connect. He followed immediately with his elbow, dropping slightly and then straightening to ram it under his attacker's chin or into their chest. He hit empty space but whoever it was had moved to Naruto's front. He did not wait for his brain to recognize who it was before throwing a punch. This one was caught in the fist of the other man before him.
Lee blinked quickly and gave Naruto a Good Guy Pose with his empty hand extended in a thumbs up. "Quite Youthful Naruto-kun! A wonderful response to a sneak attack from behind. If you were a little quicker it might have connected. You've gotten faster since the last time we sparred, we should have another bout!" Lee was practically bouncing on his feet. Smiling widely and not at all upset that Naruto had tried in different ways, to make him a woman, crush his windpipe, and break his jaw. Naruto on the other hand was not smiling. In the shifting shadows in his apartment he scowled at Lee and tried to pull his fist free. When Lee refused to release it, he growled out, "Lee, let go of me". Lee dropped the Good Guy Pose and shook his head, "Alas, I cannot do that Naruto-Kun. Sakura-san has requested help in keeping you in one location for the time it will take her to get here. She will have been alerted to your return by now and will be on her way. She would be most cross with me if you escaped on my shift". Naruto's mind did a quick spin and then grasped at the words Lee had finished with, "What the hell do you mean, your shift?!" he snarled at the taller man before him giving his fist another yank. It did not so much as loosen Lee's hold and when Lee shrugged and answered "The others were busy tonight so I was assigned to watch for you." Naruto tensed, "The others?". Lee nodded easily and Naruto felt a muscle under his left eye twitch. Then he heard the skidding steps of someone running below. The flare of chakra Sakura used to keep from falling as she changed directions and headed up his stairs had him tensing.
Sakura moved through the door way at break neck speed and threw herself at her teammate. Hitting him with enough force to throw him forward into Lee she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and waited to see if smoke replaced him. When it did not and the men had recovered from her hit she peaked over Naruto's shoulder to see Lee still gripping Naruto's fist. She gave him a bright smile and said "You can let go now Lee, thanks for your help". He smiled back as he dropped Naruto's hand and moved to leave. "You are welcome Sakura-san. I will be off now, I need to let the others now that Naruto-kun is back. Naruto-kun, we should spare when you are rested from your mission. I will be at Training Ground Four for the next three days. Find me when you are ready." And with a cheerful wave Lee was out the door, shutting it quietly behind him.
Sakura turned her full attention back to the man she was still held. Naruto was tense and hadn't turned to look at her yet but she refused to let hurt replace her anger and frustration. Letting her head drop to his shoulder she sighed. "Do Not run away this time, or I will have to resort to extreme measures", she said against his jacket. There was a tense moment of silence and then a huff of a laugh from Naruto. "If sicking Lee on me is not extreme, I do not want to know what you think is" he chuckled as his hands came to rest over her's at his front. She relaxed only a little but gripped his right hand tightly as she unwound her arms and stepped around to face him. "Now tell me what the hell is going on". Pulling her to sit on the couch to their left, he did.
