NOTE: I do NOT own Naruto or its characters. I ONLY own the plot to this story.

Naruto groaned as they opened their eyes, noticing that it was damp, cold and dark. Where were they? Had that other Ninja actually managed to kill them? Struggling to their feet, the blonde noticed that their clothing was slightly soaked. A closer inspection alerted the genin to the fact they were in a damp sewer.

"Hello?" They called, secretly glad, that their seal was holding up.

"So, you've finally decided to grace me with your presence. What a very kind jailer." A dark, sarcastic voice snarled from the darkness.

"Um, I'm sorry, i don't know what you mean. I just woke up and have no idea how i ended up here. Can you just point or tell me how to get out, my team will be very worried about me." The blonde rambled, an uneasy feeling jolting down their spine.

"You've got to be kidding." The voice hissed.

Narumi gasped, noticing large golden gates to their Left. "I'm sorry? I'll help anyway i can."

"Honestly. I always get the stupid ones. First, would you mind changing the mindscape we are in? My fur will never get dry if i stay in this disgusting sewer any longer."

Narumi stared at the bars, pretty sure that the deep voice had come from there. What was he talking about? What was a mindscape? When they tried to think of some place relaxing, the blondes mind conjured up a replica of the Lavender fields that they'd once visited with Jiraiya-Ojiisan. Suddenly the suffocating feeling of hate and discontent disappeared.

"Wow! How did this happen? I've never done this before. Is this better, voice-san?"

Suddenly the large field was filled with boisterous laughter. It was loud and brash, and when Narumi found the source of the laughter, they nearly fainted in shock. Standing not ten feet from them was a large fox, easily the size of an ancient tree. All the small blonde wanted was to cuddle the large furry beast, until it submitted to their every whim.

"You can call me Kurama, can i ask your name?" Kurama chuckled.

Narumi shrieked in joy, pouncing on the fox unexpectedly. "I'm Narumi-chan! Oh Kami, i love you! Your so Kawaii! Can i keep you? Please? I promise to take very good care of you!"

The fox just stared at the blonde girl as they rambled, "First, slow down and get off me. Second shut up."

Pouting, the blonde sat in front of the large fox, who laid out in front of them. "Now, Now, you can't keep and take me home. However i will always be with you, like this. I am stuck inside of you, Naru-chan. Do you understand?"

A thoughtful look passed over the Blonde, before they jolted up. "Your the Kyuubi? Everyone said you were some huge mean, and sadistic demon. But how could you be, your soooo cute. When can i see you again Kura-kun?"

"Come back anytime Kunoichi, we have much to talk about." The fox grunted, before laying down and ignoring the girl.
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Narumi shrieked as they sat up quickly, suddenly throwing their bed off balance and crashing to the floor. "Ugh, that hurt. What happened? Where are we? What happened to Zabuza-san?"

Several voices chuckled, but one caught their attention. "Damn dobe, can you get off me already?"

The blonde glanced down and flushed a bright red, hoping off of Sasuke's chest. That was the second most embarrassing thing they'd done around an Uchiha. "I am so sorry Sasuke, how'd you get down there?"

Everyone just sighed at their oblivious nature.

"Naru-chan, Sasuke-kun was carrying you, because of your injury. Are you alright, should you be standing right now?" Sakura worried.

The blonde groaned and yawned, moving their shoulder softly, before grinning. "Yep, i'm alright. Thank you for worrying about me, Sakura-chan. Also, i'm very sorry i made us fall, Sasuke-kun. Where are we anyway?"

Kakashi cut in. "We are almost to Tazuna's house, about fifteen minutes. You've been out of it for about an hour or so. And Zabuza was taken away by a hunter-nin. Let's keep moving, Narumi i want to check your wound."

The blonde shrugged, knocked shoulder with Sasuke and followed the two adults. Quietly unraveling their bandage. They certainly didn't need it anymore, the blonde was sure it was Kurama's doing that they never had any scars. Something thing the small blonde was very thankful for. During their silent musing, they must have arrived, because the blonde proceeded to walk into the door frame.

'Ugh, my face. Why didn't anyone tell me that was there?" Narumi turned to look at the team, only to find them about twenty feet behind them. Some how they'd sped walked to Tazuna's house.

A young lady answered the door, "Can i help you?"

Tazuna started laughing. "I'm back, these are the Ninja that will be helping me with the bridge."

The young lady just smiled at everyone, ushering the 4 leaf ninja into the house, "Are you all hungry? I can make lunch."

The old bridge builder chuckled. "Sure Tsunami, that would be great. We will rest for a little while, then i'll take you to the bridge."

While Tazuna shows and explains everything to the group, Narumi sits at the edge of the bridge against a pillar. their mind already drifting to join the Kyuubi. The teen also wanted to know if the demon could see through seals.

"Kyu-kun? Are you awake?" Narumi entered the golden cage, only to nearly faint.

The great Kyuubi no Kitsune was rolling around in the lavender while purring. "Come on."

"Kawaii!" before the large breast had an opportunity to react to the shriek, he was tackled and something was squeezing him.

"Get off me." he grumbled embarrassed.

Narumi giggled and sat beside the large fox. "Do you need help? I could scratch your back for you."

The kyuubi grunted. "Sure-"

Narumi wasted no time in climbing up the large fox and settling in his back. "By the way, what are you?"

The kyuubi just chuckled. "I thought that was obvious. I'm a nine tailed chakra beast."

Narumi sighed as they started to scratch the Kyuubi's back. "I meant are you a boy or girl?"

"I suppose you could say both. Since gender doesn't matter to Demons. However I've been told in my human shift, that I look like a male of your species."

The blonde just giggled. "That's cool. Almost like me. Anyway, do you have special powers that allow you to see through seals, henges or stuff like that?"

The kyuubi nearly rolled over onto the teen as Narumi hit a sweet spot that had the Fox in a large heap of purring happiness.

"Nope, just massive stores of chakra." The kyuubi purred for another five minutes before he shook the blonde off.

"Hey!" They shrieked indignantly as they lands on the foxes tails.

"You need to go now. Your team is trying to get your attention."

Narumi sighed before shethey hugged the fox and returned to consciousness. Noticing that everyone was looking at them worriedly.

"Are you alright Narumi?" Kakashi voiced his concern.

The blonde nodded. "Sure am. I've got the most adorable fox! He's super cute and fluffy."

The Kyuubi barked in embarrassment inside their mind, causing them to snicker. Sasuke pulled them into a standing position.

"You had a far off look on your face, are you sure your okay?"

Narumi glanced at Tazuna before suddenly summoning a dozen clones. "Please watch over Tazuna-san and his crew! One of you will dispel every hour to inform me of what's happened, okay?"

They each nodded and claimed a position on the bridge. Narumi glanced at their team before Kakashi lead them into the forest, leaving a clone of his own behind.

"Today we are going to learn how to climb trees."

Narumi rolled their eyes. "Kyu-kun says that's old and boring. You should teach us something cool!"

Kakashi sighed, before staring at the blonde genin. "Naru-chan, who is Kyu-kun?"

With a roll of their eyes, the teen sits on the ground. "He's the great - oh would you relax fur-ball? I trust them, they're my team.- team anyway, he's the great Kyuubi no Kitsune. The nine-tailed fox demon."

Everyone just stared at them. Sakura sighed. "okay. How do you know about him?"

Narumi sighed, playing with their hair. "He's sealed inside of me. And I know that my family died in the Kyuubi attack. Plus its not like it's hard to notice the seal on my skin."

Kakashi sighed. "I saw your stomach earlier, there was no seal."

The blonde just chuckled. "i can make it vanish. Watch"

Sure enough, a few moments later a good size seal appears around Narumi's belly button, spanning their entire stomach and navel.

Everyone just gaped as the seal also slowly disappeared into their skin.

Kakashi chuckled. "Alright. Let's learn tree climbing, then I'll teach you water walking. However, you can't use your hands to climb the tree. We will be using chakra! Much like Naru-chan did earlier."

"But, Kashi-sensei, I didn't use chakra on the water. I am a Seals prodigy. So I used seals on my sandals."

Everyone just stared at the blonde, completely shocked by that statement. "but you did so well with you clones."

Narumi shook their head. "Those were shadow clones, Pervy Sage says I have way to much chakra, that's why my chakra control is so bad. So I really only use my chakra if I need it."

Sasuke stared at the blonde. "How did you even graduate?"

"I told you, Shadow Clones. They really helped me out with learning the jutsu and I know most b level jutsu from the library."

Kakashi turned towards a tree. "Okay so, to learn Tree walking, you have to apply chakra to your feet. Too much and you damage the tree. Too little and you slip off and fall."

Sakura sighed. "What should we do if we get it?"

"If you reach the first set of branches, you can join me on the bridge. Now get going!" Their sensei disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

"I really hate the shun-shin sometimes." Narumi muttered. "There's no way I'll get to the branches by nightfall though, so I better get started."

The three Genin each chose a tree and tried to climb it several times, each falling multiple times. After two hours, Sakura shrieked in victory. Wishing her teammates well, she ran to the bridge.

Narumi groaned as Kakashi dispelled some of their clones. "That jerk. But he missed one."

The remaining two kept going, it took five more hours for Sasuke to manage the first branch. And Narumi was still behind, but only slightly.

"Do you want some help?" He sighed, watching the blonde jump off the tree for the hundredth time.

Landing heavily, the blonde panted. "No, I need to do this on my own. Thanks though Sasuke. You can go join the others. I'll be fine."

Sasuke stared at them for a few moments, before nodding and limping off towards Tazuna's house. Narumi glared at the slowly rising moon, before turning their attention to the tree and starting again.

An Hour later, Narumi stumbled into the house. Startling everyone who was in the front room. Sakura hurried over to them, looking worried. "Are you alright Narumi-chan? You look horrible."

Narumi shrugged, before whining in pain. "Gomen, Gomen Sakura-chan. I think I used to much chakra."

The two girls stumbled their way to the kitchen table, where Sasuke helped the blonde sit. Tsunami served dinner and the three Genin hurriedly dug in. Kakashi was quietly conversing with Tazuna, while Sasuke and Sakura were keeping an eye on their disheveled teammate.

"Why do you even bother fighting?" A small voice yelled into the room.

Everyone turned to face the small boy, except Narumi, who was eating their fill.

Tsunami stood, "Inari, be nice. They are watching over your grandfather!"

"They should just go home. The only thing that's gonna happen is they are going to die!" he yelled.

"Inari!"

But the boy continued, finally drawing Narumi's attention. "None of you know what it's like to live in fear. To have family member and friends die, because of someone like Gato. You ninja are all pampered brats! You'll never understand, so you should just go home. Before you all die!"

Narumi set their bowl down, before turning to Inari. "What are you yelling for kid? You shouldn't judge someone else. What do you know about true suffering?"

Inari glared at the girl, "I know more than you! Pampered Ninja who know nothing about cruel people like Gato!"

Narumi laughed. "It's you who knows nothing of true suffering. Your loved by everyone in your village aren't you?"

Inari nodded. "yes, all the kids are."

Everyone watched the two closely. "Where I come from. Not everyone is loved, or even tolerated. Don't you dare say I don't know what true suffering is! At least you have family! And your village loves you!"

"Narumi!" Kakashi grunted.

Narumi glared at Inari. "At least your village never tried to kill you, simply for being alive. At least your village never beat you nearly to death or tried to rape you for undeserved revenge! Your a sheltered little kid who knows nothing about other people and the suffering of others."

"Narumi!" Kakashi shouted this time.

The blonde just glared at everyone. "Grow the hell up!"

With their final words, Narumi sprinted from the house with tears tracking down their face. Narumi hadn't meant to say any of that, but the kid just had to push it.

The teen kept running until they collapsed in a meadow. Wrapping themselves in the Kimono jacket they wore, the blonde passed out. Not five minutes later, a medium sized fox materializes beside her.

"What have you been through, my small cage?" the kyuubi sighed, before laying down and pulling the blonde close. He would watch over her, until morning.
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Groaning the blonde Kunoichi sat up. Their back was killing them, and it didn't help that their chakra hadn't seemed to replenish like usual.

"It's very dangerous to sleep out here alone. Especially a girl." A gentle voice spoke.

Narumi nearly shrieked in surprise before they got a hold on their pride. "I guess i fell asleep training."

The figure stared at the blonde in interest. "Training? What do you train in?"

Narumi turned to face the person, only to gasp. The person was just like them. The boy could almost sense it pouring off the younger male. Narumi smiled gently, "Your like me,"

The voice cocked their head to the side. "How am i like you, sleepy-chan?"

Narumi blushed at the nickname, "We've both suffered abuse, and neither of us are showing our true selves."

"What are you doing out here anyway? Without protection?" The voice sighed.

Shrugging, Narumi stood shakily. "It's okay Haku-kun, I understand you and Zabuza-san. I'll talk to you a little later!"

Haku just stared after the blonde girl as she limped off into the forest. How had the girl known his name? How did she know Haku was linked to Zabuza? How was the girl going to get in touch with them, and why?

Haku shrugged and went back to gathering the Herbs he needed for Zabuza.