CHAPTER 1 OF: CERULEAN TEARS
His eyes opened slowly, allowing a dull orange light to caress his eyes. Opening them farther he began to take in his surroundings as he stood. He was now standing in ankle deep water in what seemed to be a large sewer. The grey walls were fractured and dented. Up above him was a pair of red and blue pipes that intertwined down the length of the passage. As he stared down the length of the corridor he felt a force drawing him forwards. The blonde's brilliant mind quickly deduced the best possible choice of action and he began to walk towards the origin of the force. It guided him down the hallway and through a door on his left.
"Well kit, you tried." Through the years Narutos bond with the fox had strengthened. "That Uchiha gaki doesn't deserve you."
"Thanks Kyuu, am I dead?" Questioned the blonde, strangely comfortable with thought.
"Almost, I'm doing all I can to keep you alive but your body is failing." Was the fox's solemn reply.
"I couldn't keep my promise to Sakura-chan . . . I can't die yet, I have to bring him back!" The blondes cerulean eyes burned with his resolve. "Besides, I haven't become hokage yet."
"There may be a way kit," Kyuubi was glad to see Naruto hadn't given up. "But you're going to have to listen to me very carefully."
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About thirty minutes later the fox finished its explanation. "Your time is almost up, we have to do it now."
"Ok, we'll never know if we don't try." Naruto was slightly concerned about the results of this plan, but it was the only shot he had. " I'm ready when you are."
Kyuubi began to gather his chakra, "Do it now kit!"
There was a blinding flash of light as Naruto tore the Yondaimes seal from the cage that barred him from the fox. As the gates opened Kyuubi shot forwards. "This is goodbye kit, it was an honor." The fox pressed its nose to Narutos forehead. There was pain, and then there was darkness.
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As Tsunade, Jiraiya, Kakashi, Iruka, Gai, team Gai, and the rookie nine all said their final goodbyes Narutos body began to glow an iridescent red. Everyone present stared at the blonde boys body in wonder. Tsunade ran to his side with Jiraiya close behind her.
"The gaki is breathing again." The white haired sannin smiled. "He really can't give up."
Tsunade quickly used a diagnostic jutsu and was relieved to find that the boy was healing at an astonishing rate, even faster than usual. "I think the fox is . . . healing him." She was unsure but it was the most likely cause. "But as long as it helps." Suddenly Narutos body erupted into a symphony of cracking and grinding sounds. Unfortunately this was the moment fate deemed him fit for consciousness.
"Ahhhhh!" The blonde screamed and writhed in pain as his bone and muscles were broken down then reformed almost instantly. This process continued for the next ten hours occurring at random intervals, causing the boy to cry out in pain. Finally the red glow began to subside.
"I think it's over." Breathed Tsunade in relief. Jiraiya made no reply, having nodded off in the chair across the room. "He's ok." The blonde hokage was overjoyed. The others had long since gone home.
Naruto groaned and blinked the tears out of his eyes, the last ten hours had been hell for him. As the pain faded away it was replaced by the unmistakable sensation of power. He sat up and leaned against the headboard. Relaxing his back a bit he clenched his fists to relieve the tension in his arms and flinched as he felt a sharp pain in his palm. Looking down at his hands he found that his fingernails had hardened and elongated into claws which extended about two centimeters past the ends of his fingers.
"What happened to me?" Said Naruto. Suddenly he pushed himself out of bed and tore from the room at an amazing speed, courtesy of his altered body. The single conscious sannin just stood there, amazed at Narutos boost of speed. The blonde flashed through the hallways until he found what he was looking for. The wall groaned as Naruto tore the bathroom door off its hinges. He walked across the cold tile floor towards the mirror, as his reflection came into focus he gasped.
'Ok.' Thought Naruto as he was flooded with relief, 'this isn't as bad as I expected.' Our hero's once bright blonde hair had darkened into a deep golden color and now held random streaks of blood red around the tips. As he spoke his tongue flicked across his teeth, brushing against his now elongated canines. Concentrating back on the mirror he noticed that his whisker marks had widened and darkened, giving him an almost feral appearance. Aside from the cosmetic changes Naruto also noticed that he had grown. His muscles were now lean and defined and his face was stripped of all baby fat.
Doctors now gathered around the bathroom door to find the source of the commotion. Seeing them Naruto had the common sense to blush remembering all he had on was the paper hospital gown. Some of the doctors glared at Naruto seeing his newly acquired characteristics, others just stared in surprise.
"Hi there." He supplied sheepishly. 'Well isn't this great?'
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