Yo I'm back! Well I know what you're thinking...so many plot holes! I'm gonna throw up and oh god don't get me started on the writting style! Well sorry but I'm trying. Anyway hope you enjoy this new chapter with a twist. Thank you for the reviews!

"Speech"

'Thought'

"Kyuubi"

(Standard Disclaimer)

Chapter 26: Thief

"Guys I'm back, hope you like rab...HOLY SHIT WHAT HAPPENED?"

Needless to say Naruto was angry when he had found out about the attack. He was angry at his team mate being injured, he was angry they attack for no reason, he was angry that he wasn't there. If he was there they would have been sent packing but he wasn't and it was all his fault.

"Damn it!" Naruto growled as he clenched his fist until it bled, "I'm gonna destroy those guys!" Zaiaku said nothing as he tended to Itami's shallow stomach wounds. He had fixed her minor injuries before and he would do it now but what worried him the most was Itami's eventual shock. The withdrawal would set in soon and they had to get Itami into the tower where another bottle was hopefully in waiting.

"Naruto, some things cannot be helped," Zaiaku said as he finished Itami's wrappings. "Yeah fox boy, I'll be fine," Itami said with an attempt at consoling in her voice. Naruto was still angered at himself but shook it off as he thought. He needed to find another team to get the Earth scroll from as fast as possible.

Naruto's eyes began to wander as he thought and eventually they landed on Zaiaku and his tattoo covered chest. This reminded him of his questions on his past, why he had a name like 'sin' when he wasn't a horrible menace. "Zaiaku," Naruto said as he turned to the coin Genin who had finished patching up their teammate. "Now is not the time to ask about myself Naruto," Zaiaku said as he cut Naruto off.

"I think it is," Itami muttered as she sat next to Zaiaku. Zaiaku turned to Itami with a glare but she continued under his fierce look with a confident, "Zaiaku, we have to know everything about each other to work as a team. We work well because we know each other better then anyone. Just tell him so we all can work together without any mysteries between us."

Zaiaku donned his look of thought then turned to Naruto and said, "he has to tell us his past first." Naruto sighed, he knew this was coming. He should hold a meeting or something if people are just gonna keep asking him. He took a deep breath and spilled his life story from the Kyuubi in his stomach to his tale as a Kitsune. When he was finished Itami sat wide eyed at him while Zaiaku stared at him with serious eyes.

"That's it, that's all I am," Naruto said with a confident air and crossed arms. Silence prevailed for several long minutes. In that time Itami's face went from shock to sadness and she turned her gaze to Zaiaku who still sat with the same serious gaze in his golden eyes.

"We are...similar," Zaiaku finally said with his cool and calm tone. Naruto held his position but asked, "why do you think that?"

"Being born only to have a massive demon sealed inside your body is a truly horrible burden. Then again so is being born as a child of sin," Zaiaku said as he began to unclasp the buckles on his shirt. "In my mothers religion a child born outside of marriage is a sin," Zaiaku said as he reached the final clasp of his shirt, "but a child born of rape is considered the most vile of offenses and must be punished."

Zaiaku shook off his scarf and shirt then turned revealing his tattooed back which was covered with scars. All of them deep and ragged suggesting they were made by a whip like object. "Whatever went wrong in my mothers religion the sin was blamed and I was punished so it might appease the great spirit that governs us all. I know this is nothing compared to your years of being the vessel for the demon Kyuubi but..." Zaiaku faded off as his eyes stared into the nothingness.

"Where as you and your demon are separate, I am a sin. Something to be hunted then destroyed," Zaiaku spoke as if his mind was in a different plane while Itami sat by, an unreadable look on her face. "Well that's bull shit," Naruto said with a less then serious face.

"You say you're a sin but everything you do proves you aren't. You fight for your village and friends something a sin wouldn't know let alone fight for. If anyone in this whole world is a sin it's Orochimaru, that fricking snake bastard," Naruto said with his patented hopeful energy.

Zaiaku felt this weird pulse beat through him. He had never had someone speak to him like that or take the fact that he was a child of sin with such light a heart. Many outside the religion gave him pity which made him cold to their attempt at comforting word. But with Naruto his joy felt infectious and this newfound pulse in his body made him feel...happy.

"I am a child born of sin..." Zaiaku stated trying to remind himself as much as Naruto but Naruto interrupted. "Don't ever say that or say that 'you are a sin that needs to die.' That is TOTAL bullshit because there are people who want you to live," Naruto said with a smirking side glance to Itami. Itami caught Naruto's glace then glared with a faint red tint to her cheeks.

Zaiaku said nothing but Naruto closed the subject with, "the first day I got here and for a few weeks I was just your team mate but now, I'd like to say I'm your friend." Zaiaku turned around and was greeted by the sight of Naruto who was holding his hand out for a handshake. Zaiaku smirked slightly and reached out, shaking Naruto's hand. "Ok Naruto, we are officially friends," Zaiaku said with a slight smirk turned smile.

"What the hell about me?" Itami grumbled as he crossed her arms with a glare at the two boys. "Eh, sorry about that Itami. Friends?" Naruto asked as he held out his hand which Itami begrudgingly took and shook hands with, "Yeah you dumb Kitsune, friends." Zaiaku nearly laughed, he hadn't felt like this for a long time.

Zaiaku's eyes snapped open, ohdamn ittime! "Naruto, we have to find the Earth scroll fast," Zaiaku said as he put his shirt and scarf back on. "Ohshit you're right," Naruto said as he jumped up and began to sniff the air checking for a scent.

Itami began to get up but was quickly stopped by Zaiaku. "You have to stay here," he said with his same cool and calm tone. "Yeah right, if you expect me to stay here then you have another thing coming," Itami said as she stood up with a glare to Zaiaku. Zaiaku, for the first time since she blew up at him when there were first put on a team, glared her down.

"You have no Tokkuri, no weapons, and the more you move the quicker the Sake with be depleted in your system. You are staying here no arguing," Zaiaku said with such a tone of voice that Itami gulped. She still held her ground though and said, "what if those Snow bastards come back?"

Zaiaku twitched, she had a point. "You injured that girl enough to make them retreat for a while and if they do return produce a Genjutsu like on your Tokkuri," Zaiaku said stubbornly. "Oh hell no!" Itami said quickly losing her temper. "Hey love birds I don't mean to interrupt but there's a team not to far away, southeast I think," Naruto said unintentionally causing a twitching fit from the two.

"I DO NOT love her," Zaiaku said with crossed arms and a dark glare. "Love coin boy? You wish," Itami growled out angrily. "Whatever, Itami you stay here this won't take long..." Naruto said with an insane grin as he disappeared in a golden blur. Zaiaku smirked, score for him. "You heard him, we'll be back soon Itami," Zaiaku said as he leapt after Naruto.

Itami was about to give chase but then her head suddenly felt like it was going to split in half, 'damn it...it's starting!' Itami screamed in her head as she began to rub her temples hoping to get rid of the slowly intensifying pain.

Naruto rushed with such a speed that Zaiaku found it was getting hard to keep up with him, "Naruto, why in such a rush?" Naruto laughed quietly to himself and said, "there is someone in the group I'd like to have a little chat with..."

Deep in the forest of death a new team was slowly making it's way into the trap of a Kitsune and renounced sin. Their village markings declaring them from the village of the Mist which had many confused. Why would the Mist be sending its Genin for an average Chuunin Exam? The answer was simple, to become reintegrated into the Ninja society.

They had been known as the 'Bloody Mist' for to long. They were beginning to lose resources due to their reputation. In a last ditch effort to raise their funding and their reputation they sent their best Genin for the Chuunin Exams. What harm could it do?

"Shinto, why can't we just kill everyone then be done with it?" grumbled the large Zabuza wielding Genin. The only reply he gained was a ice cold stare from his team mate, or at least that is what he guessed was behind that mask. He always thought his team mate was odd because he always wore that mask that resembled something the assassin squad of the Mist would wear.

His team mate, aptly named Shinto, was dressed in robes, much like those of the blood line user known as Haku. His robes however were of a faded grey with large black hazed lines strewn about. Under his robes he wore pale pants and light colored sandals much like Haku's sandals. His left arm sleeve was pulled up and secured with bandages just above his elbow while his right sleeve hung down completely covering his arm. Around his waist on an angle was a long rope like belt which held several Kunai by the holes in the handles.

Under this loose rope belt was a tighter belt made of pure white bandage and secured by this bandage was a straight ninja katana. His snow white hair was pulled back except for a few clumps of hair that hung down the sides of his mask. "Iryoku,"came a threatening voice from next to the masked boy. Iryoku growled angrily and said, "what is it Ran? Gonna bitch to me about how I should shut up and concentrate on finding another team? Is that it?"

Next to Shinto stood a girl, a very angry look on her face. Her dark black hair pulled up in two buns held in place by two cloth covers. She wore a traditional Chinese sleeveless shirt with her Mist forehead protector around her neck. On her forearms she wore fishnet along with metal plate gloves.

Around her waist was a warrior skirt and under that she wore black ninja pants. She wore light colored high topped sandals over the pants and around her ankles over the shins of her sandals were thick metal plates. "You want you precious stolen sword to be broken?" Ran said threateningly. Iryoku promptly shut his trap and walked with his arm crossed over his chest.

Naruto ran with a vicious intent, his mind set on only one thing. That one thing was taking revenge on that grave robber! As he made his way closer and closer to the three Mist nin his smirk got wider and more wild as it showed his sharpened fangs. "I'm gonna take him down and out," Naruto whispered to himself just before he was soundly stopped by Zaiaku with a glare paintedon his face.

"Naruto, it is not smart no matter how strong you are to just charge at three ninja without a plan," Zaiaku said as he stared at Naruto, his eyes speaking volumes. Naruto was just about to argue until he felt a tug at the back of his head and he suddenly found himself in the world of the seal.

"Wha...what the hell!" Naruto asked with a snarl. "Kid, do you know how honorable revenge is?" came the familiar growl of Kyuubi. "Pretty damn honorable if it's for a dead friend!" Naruto snapped just before he realized his place then made a swift bow. "I'm sorry Kyuubi-sensei," Naruto muttered as he righted himself to face Kyuubi's glowing red eyes.

"I understand what revenge means kid. It is honorable for certain reasons but selfish for others..." Kyuubi said with glinting eyes. "So...I shouldn't fight?" Naruto asked in confusion. Sure his teacher was eons old and wise at times but now he was just plain confusing. "NO!" Kyuubi growled, "You need a good plan to attack with or you'll get killed moron." Naruto scratched the back of his head, sometimes his teacher was just a LITTLE bit odd. Naruto could swear he was bipolar at times. Kyuubi cleard his throat and said,"This might work..."

"Naruto...Naruto wake up," Zaiaku said as he shook the glossy eyed Kitsune from his mental slumber. Naruto blinked and shook his head his eyes returning to their natural cheerful gleam. "Zaiaku, I have a plan..." Naruto said with an insane smirk.

The Mist team walked in peace right until Shinto placed his right sleeved arm upon his sword and casually flicked his thumb upward, releasing the blade from the sheathe. Iryoku and Ran both noticed this and their walking froze as they slowly took attack positions flanking the masked Genin. From the brush to their right flew a form of a golden robed person.

"Who the hell are you?" asked Iryoku as his right hand lay on the handle of the head cleaving Zabuza sword. The golden robe slowly separated into five luscious golden tails to reveal a beautiful golden haired and blue eyed woman within, mere clouds covering only the most necessary areas. Iryoku dropped his hand and stared, his eyes nearly popping out of his sockets as a nose bleed threatened his blood supply. Ran wasn't much better as she blushed and blinked at the mysterious woman. Even the masked Shinto went close to releasing his sword only to grip it tightly again just as a puff of smoke surrounded to girl.

The smoke cleared to reveal a grinning Naruto, his hands in a familiar cross shaped seal. "Hey, remember me?" he asked just as out of nothingness came several dozen Kage Bunshin. "Let's go," all the Naruto clones said in tandem as they rushed in, circling the Mist team then producing attack after attack in a Kitsune rage.

Shinto was fairing the best of the three, only getting minor hits while fending the rest off then retaliating with swift strokes of his katana. The clones were really just playing with him, attacking just to measure his abilities as they were with his team.

Ran took the defensive approach but when she got a single side kick into one Naruto clone he sped into several others knocking them out of existence along with himself. This made the existing clones become far more careful of the girls powerful kicks.

Iryoku on the other hand was the worst. His punishment seemed to be several times worse then the other two, he even had twice as many clones to deal with. Sure the Zabuza sword could easily take care of several clones but that was nothing compared to the almost limitless supply that were constantly being made by Naruto.

After several minutes of this insane attack all the clones poofed out of existence and the true Naruto took off in a golden blur. Iryoku growled, even in his weakened condition his blood boiled. How DARE that fox make a fool of him! Before he could pursue the golden Kitsune he was passed by a blur of grey passed by his side without so much as a whisper.

"I CALL THE FOX!" Iryoku growled as he took off after Shinto and the golden Kitsune leaving Ran to lag behind with a scowl. 'They forgot me, how could they forget me!' she muttered inside her head as she rushed after the boys.

They followed the messy trail the fox had lain for several minutes until Shinto slowed then stopped, his right hand lying on his sword sheathe. Iryoku landed beside him and said, "what the hell are you doing? We have to get going!" Shinto turned to Iryoku his left hand performing sign language in mid air.

Iryoku blinked as he read Shinto's hands, wait a minute where the hell was Ran? "Whatever, you go find the nut case I'm going after that jackass fox!" Iryoku growled as he headed back down the path the Kitsune had caused. Just as Shinto turned away from his teammate a large black metal object swung down from the trees and nailed Iryoku directly between the eyes knocking him onto the ground with a painful yowl. It quickly retreated back into the trees before the masked ninja could turn around.

Shinto turned, looking down at Iryoku with what only could be deciphered as a confused look. What the hell just happened? Before Shinto could contemplate why his team mate was now knocked out he saw a shadow pass over his mask. He could feel fingers reach the far corners of his face and in an instant the mask was gone.

"Well, well, well. So that's what's under the mask," came an energetic voice from in front of Shinto. Shinto attempted to cover his face but it was no use his mask was gone. He dropped his hand revealing his face. His right eye and throat were covered with a scar each, other then that his face was flawless. His eyes were a vibrant green that stared directly into the golden and cerulean eyes before him.

"Scroll if you don't mind?" Naruto said with a wild smile. Shinto knew how outclassed he was in this. If he were to attempt to fight this creature he was probably going to pay for it. He knew there were plenty of weaker teams out there. With a bit of narcissism he remembered he was from the Bloody Mist, this wouldn't be a problem for him or his two idiot comrades.

Minutes later Naruto was rushing away with Zaiaku and the earth scroll tucked under his arm. "That was easy," Naruto said with a laugh. "Incredibly," Zaiaku said with a smirk as he ran with the his large double bladed sword on it's holster and lounging on his right shoulder was the massive Zabuza sword. "Nice of that mute guy to give us Zabuza's sword," Naruto said with a bright smile.

"Why do you want this sword anyway?" Zaiaku asked with a brief shifting of the sword on his shoulder. "A favor for a friend," Naruto said with a light smile. After several minutes of silence Naruto's thoughts began acting up again. "Hey Zaiaku, have you ever noticed how people from the Mist are...you know...kinda..." Naruto said trying to gesture with his hands but his mind not knowing the gesture to give. Zaiaku blinked confused at Naruto, "kinda what?" "Well...you know...less like an arrow, more like a rainbow?" Naruto said obviously trying to get something across.

Naruto had noticed how that Mist girl was looking at his Kitsune Sexy no Jutsu and it kinda made him wonder. He had noticed the same thing with Zabuza and Haku but he never mentioned it to ANYONE. Zaiaku smirked knowing exactly what Naruto meant but this was just to much of an opportunity to waste. "Arrows don't necessarily fly straight Naruto," Zaiaku said with a grin. "YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!" Naruto said as he turned his head completely forgetting Ninja rule number 347, whenever jumping from tree to tree always keep your eyes set forward...

Zaiaku, with the Zabuza sword on his shoulder, trudged into the camp site noticing a shaking Itami huddled in the fetal position against a tree. "WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU GUYS!" Itami yelled as she stood quickly and fidgeted with her hands, her hair damp from the cold sweat she had broken into. Naruto followed Zaiaku into the clearing, a massive bump on his head and a scroll tucked under his arm. "Don't ask..." Naruto grumbled as he turned and headed for the tower not that far away. They had done it, they finished the second exam.

End Chapter

Well that sucked I know it...I tried sorry. Anyway Time for Q and A I guess,

Q: Zaiaku's name?

A: As you can see it has nothing to do with his 'blood line' but it is from the mere hate of his religion.

Q: What EXACTLY is his bloodline?

A: Anything I haven't told already is something for later chapters.

Q: Naruto gone so long?

A: He may have excellent senses and speed but have you ever tried to catch a rabbit with your bare hands?

Well that was short, time for a preview then I'm gone, later all.

She began her speech about how they were all excellent Genin and with this odd stroke of luck there were just enough to hold a tournament. Naruto however wasn't at all in the mood for celebration or for paying attention. Where the hell was Sasuke! As Tsunade closed her speech and dismissed all the Genin Naruto approached her with a demanding glare.

"Obaa-chan where the hell is Sasuke. I know he couldn't have been taken out by ANY of these Genin," Naruto said with a glare. Damn it he wanted some answers! Tsunade's face saddened but remembering her place of Hokage she drew a straight face and said, "Naruto, Sasuke has been disqualified."