Zetsu slithered away from the carnage he'd left behind. 'An unceremonious defeat for the snake, but it is more than what he deserves. Now I must wait for the troops from Otogakure and Suna. But before that, I suppose I could relax and watch over Naruto.'


"*Sigh* Man, how long 'til we get there?", Naruto complained under the hot sun of that day. They had been traveling for a few hours now.

"Judging by the fact that Anko gave us three days to get there, I'd say we have a long journey ahead of us", Sasuke replied, smirking at Naruto's crestfallen expression.

"Naruto, be a dear and stop complaining, please. I don't need you rubbing your mood on Sasuke-kun and I", Sakura said, using a sweet, motherly tone (even though her inner really wants her to take a break).

The three continue on their journey, scorning Anko's name for banning all ninjutsu, which movement techniques just happen to be included under.

Unbeknownst to the three, Zetsu watches them from the trees. 'Mayfly is such a convenient ability. No legs doesn't mean I don't get tired moving', he thought, not envying the fatigue the three Genin are openly showing, 'At least this way they can increase their physical endurance.'

Zetsu 'hops' from tree to tree, careful not to outrun them. After another hour of walking, the children stop.

"I think...it's time for a break", Sasuke says.

Naruto falls face-first to the ground, "Fucking finally."

"LANGUAGE, NARUTO!", Sakura berates.

"Hn."

"...There's only enough room for one Uchiha in this team, Naruto", Sasuke tells Naruto, glancing down at his teammate and friend.

"Hn."

Sasuke sighs, "Well since you seem to enjoy sleeping on the ground this much, I guess you won't mind if we use the sleeping bags you brought?"

"Hn."

"You'll get dirty."

"Hn."

"Bugs will crawl up your nose."

"Hn."

"Is that a flying pig?"

"Hn.

"Yep, there's a flying pig."

"Hn."

"I'm gay."

"Hn."

"...You're not listening to a single thing I'm saying, are you?"

"...zzz"

"And you're asleep", Sasuke sighs to himself.

"Sasuke-kun, you gonna help me set up camp or what?", Sakura calls over.

"Fine. You set up the sleeping bags and I'll find us dinner. Make sure Naruto gets in his sleeping bag, too."

"Hai, Sasuke-kun."


As Zetsu watches from his perch, he feels a presence far away within a cave. 'In all my years of living, never have I felt a thing such as this. I'll have to make sure they don't stray near that cave. Whatever resides within it does not feel...correct.'


A half-hour later, Sasuke returns to the camp with two dead rabbits in tow. He sees Naruto asleep, curled up in his blanket, and Sakura sitting by a pile of burning sticks. She looks up and greets him quietly, mindful of the sleeping blond.

"I brought dinner", Sasuke announced. Though not an expert cook, Sasuke at least knows the basics of preparing a fresh meal. After preparing and cooking the rabbits, he hands Sakura a piece.

The two enjoy their dinner quietly and briefly wake Naruto up so that he could have some food (the two were mildly surprised - and relieved - to see Naruto consume anything other than ramen these days).

Before long, Naruto resumes his rest, the other two joining him after putting out the small fire Sasuke used for cooking.


Naruto knows something is strange when he doesn't wake up in a forest, instead finding himself in something akin to a sewer. Confused, he gets up to check his surroundings, eventually spotting a gate in the distance.

Upon reaching the gate, Naruto peeks through the bars to see if anything lay behind them. Not seeing anything noteworthy, he tries opening the gate only for a seal to pop up and push him back.

He tries again to no avail.

"It is useless to try opening that gate, boy", a booming voice says.

Naruto, surprised, falls onto his butt. "W-who's there?", he asks warily.

"Look forward, Naruto", the voice commands, and Naruto does so, keeping his gaze on the space behind the gate.

Suddenly, he sees the water ripple, and a large, red, fuzzy hand emerges, followed by another. The hands push upwards, revealing a large fox-like beast.

"What are you?", Naruto asks, somewhat (incredibly) afraid of this massive beast, whose hand is bigger than his body and oh Kami it could crush him like a grape with just one finger.

"I am not surprised that you do not know of me, though I am surprised you haven't made the connection. Tell me, boy, what is that I look like?", the beast asks.

"You look like a fox with...nine...tails…..YOU-YOU'RE THE KYUUBI!", Naruto exclaims surprised and even more afraid.

"Hmph, so you have a brain after all."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean!?", Naruto asks.

"I'm just saying that even though you've been taught many things by that sensei of yours, you still act like a child."

"But I am a child!"

"Oh? I thought you were a shinobi."

"You're just messing with me, aren't you, dattebayo!"

"How it pains my heart to see you think so lowly of me. And using that ridiculous catchphrase, too!"

Naruto pouts.

"*Sigh* Yes, boy, I am just messing with you. However, surely you cannot blame an old fox for wanting some excitement in his life, especially being trapped in a place as droll as this."

"I guess you're right. Wait, how'd you know about Kakashi-sensei and what is this place exactly?"

"To answer your first question, I live inside you. For your second question, this is inside you."

"Is that why the villagers call me a demon? Because you live inside me?"

"Yes, though it is not exactly my fault; it is theirs for not having eyes opened enough to see the difference between a bottle and the water inside it."

"Ya know, for a humongous red nine-tailed fox with an incredibly fearsome reputation, you don't seem that bad of a guy, Kyuubi."

"Boy, if you could see what I could do, you'd be running for the hills. And I have a name, you know?"

"Oh. What is your name then?"

"And why, pray tell, should I tell you my name?"

"Uhm, uh…"

"Heh, I'm just messing with you again. My name is Kurama."

"Nice to meet you, Kurama! I know you already know my name, but I'm Naruto Uzumaki!"

"Nice to meet finally meet you, too. I know we haven't met for that long, but could you do me a favor, Naruto?"

"Sure, what is it Kurama?"

"You know that seal that pops up and stops you from opening the gate?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"May you please get rid of it and open the gate?"

"Sure! But how do I get rid of the seal?"

"It's like a band-aid, just rip it off."

"Are all seals this easy to get rid of?"

"If only."

Naruto approaches the gate and places his hand on it. The seal appears, and he grabs the edge of it ('It really is like a band-aid', Naruto thought), ripping it off in one clean pull.

The seal dissolves and Naruto opens the gate.

The Kyuubi steps forward and exits the gate. "Thank you, Naruto, for giving me this small amount of freedom. I admit that long ago, should you have done this, I would have taken this chance to rip you apart and escape completely. In recent times, however, I have come to grow a modicum of care for you and your well-being."

Naruto smiles and thanks the fox for his honesty, "Thanks for being honest, Kurama. I think this is the start of a great friendship."

"Greater than the friendship you share with that Uchiha you somehow convinced to become your friend?"

"Maybe, though I don't think anything will be as difficult as convincing Sasuke to give up on his revenge. I mean, I nearly died!"

"I suppose that's true. Well Naruto, it has been interesting to finally meet my host. Should you ever find yourself wanting my company, simply focus on my presence within you and you shall appear here. Or, if you so wish, I will manifest in the real world as a much, much smaller version of myself. And by the way, if you happen to see a red-head with a kanji on his forehead, do speak with him. I have a feeling he'd need a good talking to."

"Will do, Kurama! See you later, dattebayo!"

"You haven't said that catchphrase in years, why are you just saying it again now!?"

Naruto laughs as he disappears from the sewer.

'Dammit, I should have asked for a change of scenery as well', the Kyuubi laments, curling up and preparing to nap.


A/N: If you're wondering why the Kyuubi is kind and accepting to Naruto: Things happen in the background that I don't really explain. Besides, you try spending years being stuck with a ball of sunshine like Naruto. If you don't have at least a small bit of affection for that person, then come back and complain to me.