It's the 2nd chapter and I plan to make the remaining chapters around 4- 5000 words long and the action shall speak for itself.
I personally hope all who take the time to read this will like this story and that I hope to live up to my intentions for this story's progress. Enjoy!

Disclaimer; I don't own Naruto or its characters, only the OCs, the plot and the original jutsus.
Kyuubi Speaking
Kyuubi Thinking
Text
"Words"
Thoughts
"Jutsus/Techniques"
"Summons talking"
(Translations)

On the opposite side of the recreation field, one person's unwavering gaze was focused solely on the object of her long time affections: Naruto.

Hyuuga Hinata, heir to the Hyuuga clan and one of the most timid kunoichi in Konoha, watched Naruto closely using her blood-limit, the Byakugan (Pale Eyes), which was almost pushed to its limits as though she she were trying to burn his form in her mind to lock away like a precious gem. Of course, Hinata would exchange perhaps the whole Hyuuga fortune if it meant she could be near him. She sighed wistfully as she felt a great deal of disappointment in herself. She always felt great courage in herself when she watched Naruto from afar, but that courage always wisped away like a scent in the wind whenever she was so much as ten feet near him.

Hinata remembered in her childhood years when she first saw and met him. A bundle of energy and confidence, yelling at the top of his lungs his dreams and aspirations and never had a doubt in any action he took. Many children liked him for his positive and friendly attitude that made even the gloomiest days seem bright. It saddened her though when she saw how the other children outside of class and the majority of the adults in the village gave him such scornful glares whenever Naruto was noticed. But all that paled in comparison to the look on his face whenever someone treated him harshly; a silly happy grin so big he has to close his eyes. Hinata knew at a young age how to read peoples emotions without using her blood-limit and saw it was only a mask to cover his pain, confusion, and anger. Naruto didn't deserve any contempt by anyone, not even when he had pulled numerous -and elaborate- pranks in his early years of his academy days. At least Iruka-sensei treated him like a normal student.

One day, however, it all just...stopped. His cheerfulness, his friendly attitude, his enthusiasm, his mask...it all simply stopped when he was eight years old. He became rather distant and indifferent to everything and everyone around him. He never smiled or showed much emotion but an almost fierce determination. A determination to conquer almost anything in the world and die facing it with courage unmatched. A trait Hinata found very desirable. She blushed.

Hinata snapped herself out of her reverie when she saw Naruto visibly flich and held a look of aghast horror and sadness that could pierce the soul, gazing into the sky like it could offer some answer that remained unanswered and lowered his gaze to the ground, the life and energy of his very soul seeming to have been drained from him in an instant.

Hinata herself was beginning to feel the sting of tears threatening to erupt from her eyes as she almost felt the pain and sadness her crush was feeling, but managed to hold them at bay through will-power alone until she saw what should never grace his cheeks: Tears. Enough tears to form a lake of turmoil as he shifted his gaze to the sky for only a moment. The distant look in his eyes caused pain to shoot through her heart while she wept, sitting the shade like her object of affection. Not a second after she saw his tears Hinata was on her feet and strode hurriedly to Naruto, but she halted her advance as she noticed someone approaching her crush; a girl with a red dress and pink hair. Haruno Sakura. Hinata scowled at the girl. It could only be the "Weak squealing slut" as Hinata non-verbally called her. After all, who else in Konoha had natural pink hair and was weaker than a wounded animal? No one that's who!

Sakura stopped in front of Naruto and put her hands on her hips and leered down on the dark-orange clad form as if she were superior to him. Not by an immeasurable gap.

"Hey there, Uzumaki!" she taunted, "Why do you look so down? Are you crying? Yeah, you are crying, like a sniveling baby!"

Everyone on the field immediately stood still in their activities as they watched the taunting scene unfold. Many were wary as to what Naruto would do in response to the girls insults. After all, quite a few were aware of his physical strength, and it was more or less as simple as this: "If you plan to taunt Naruto, don't! You'll live long enough to see the next sunset." Ironically, as smart as she claimed to be, Sakura completely lacked common sense.

"Are you crying because of your stupid failures?" Naruto didn't move or respond. "What's the matter? Are you deaf and dumb?!" Still nothing. "Stop ignoring me, you orphan brat!", she yelled. Naruto stirred slightly then registered the words Sakura directed at him. He had heard with vague interest of Ino and Sakura's other friends proposing a bet to insult him for a few laughs, but that had missed his attention at the time. Regardless, she said something unforgivable and he wanted a painful payment in return for her insults. Slowly, he pushed himself off the ground and stood with his hands in his pockets to hide their shaking. His hair obscured his face in silhouette.

"What do you want, brat?"

His words left his lip in a cold, emotionless voice that held an edge of a threat of harm that shook Sakura's senses to the core. If she didn't know any better, she could have sworn his words and voice alone could kill her! Sakura replied in a shaken voice as the effects of Naruto's cold words still left her. "J-just wondering why a t-two-year drop-out s-still bothers to a-attend the academy. A f-failure for two years and you think you can p-pass? Y-you must be an idiot."

Throughout the whole exchange, Hinata had heard every word and was visibly seething with rage. How dare that bitch?! Unknown to everyone but a select few crowded around the arguing pair, Hinata's Byakugan was focused to an almost unbearable strain and collected enough chakra in her hand to perpetually paralyze a limb or even rupture a few vital organs of Sakura's. She would pay for wrongly insulting Naruto for entertainment. Just as Hinata was about to rush Sakura with enough killing intent to freeze a pulsing heart, Naruto turned and left toward one of the academy entrances along the nearest wall.

"Your words mean nothing to me, as does your presence, so don't bother trying to get my attention. Your worth is as little as dust to me, so move along, bitch. You're irritating."

His words were once again cold and emotionless with a bored tone to it, as though dealing with her was as simple as brushing off a fly. This made the pink haired girl furious that he would ignore her like she was unimportant. In her fit of rage, she quickly pulled out a kunai from her thigh holster and lunged at Naruto with the intent to kill. Unfortunately for her, she made the biggest mistake doing so...

Just as Naruto reached the entrance door, he felt his blood surge through his circulatory system, awakening his dormant and suppressed strength, senses, and reflexes; like unlocking the chains to a raging beast, just in time to twist himself around and dart his hand to intercept Sakura's attack, grasping the armed appendage and twisted the arm with quick and proficient cruelty, the arm snapping with greater ease than a wish-bone. His attack was far from over. Acting on instinct alone, he twisted and pivoted his waist and feet, using the girl's momentum and hurled her into a near-by tree, her back connecting with the bark like limp leather.

Naruto snapped himself out of his thoughts he was previously focusing on when he heard a whimper of pain and looked to the source and found Sakura on her side while her back was arched in very unhealthy angle, her right arm broken and fractured in various places along the said appendage. Tears were flowing down from the corners of her eyes, pooling into the soil beneath her while her expression was agape in silent agony. Naruto sighed. As much as he wanted to leave that stupid girl where she was, she'd just make up a story with her parents and say he beat her without reason and oh-so-conveniently leave out the details of her assaulting him. He sighed once more as he knew the girl would make up some story to get him in trouble regardless of helping her or not, but good nature got the better of him somehow.

Oh well, he thought dryly, May as well do one good deed for someone, even if for a selfish child like her.

Ignoring the astonished and gapping looks the majority of the field occupants held, Naruto reached Sakura's shuddering form by her head and shoulders and whispered into her ear. "Your back will snap unless your muscles relax, but since you're experiencing a nerve-induced shock, I'll need to force your spine into a strait angle. It will hurt only for a moment, but you'll relax soon after and the pain will lessen. I'm sure you have no broken ribs or internal injuries, so you're not in mortal danger. I'll do this as quickly as I can, so nod to tell me if or when you're ready."

Under a moment's hesitation, Sakura nodded. She was in so much pain she clenched her eyes and jaws together almost painfully in an attempt to lessen the agony. "On the count of three. One...Two...Three!" An ear-piercing scream followed the rapid succession of audible bones snapping into position.

Iruka sighed as he graded the class student's papers. He was currently stationed at his desk in his classroom, having to stay behind as all the pre-Genins had to return to their homes which was hours ago. Their assignment was a written test to judge how well one could cooperate with someone else or others to solve the trial demanded. The majority of the students tried -but failed- to write elaborate methods of going offensive against their enemies with aid of their partner shinobi and setting silly traps inspired by childish imagination. Others just wrote of different methods of escape and retreat. Iruka, who was not very favorable to a tactical retreat, knew that is what many shinobi are required to so to prevent being ambushed, captured, tortured, interrogated, to recover one's ground, and/or staying within reach of allies for help if or when needed.

The scar-faced Chuunin leaned back in his chair to relieve some tension from his back and neck muscles, popping it as he did so and peered out the window to his left. The sun was setting and he hadn't yet finished grading his student's tests, so he quickly gathered the test papers and left the class for home. Only a select few had even written reasonably good and well thought methods of tactical retreat and ambush; among them were, naturally, Sasuke, Shino, Shikamaru, Kiba, Hinata, and surprisingly Naruto, who was only average in class grades. Curiosity piked Iruka's musings, wondering whether or not if Naruto actually held himself back in class. It did seem plausible, what with his tendency to avoid gaining attention to himself and with his tests having difficult questions answered while most of the easy ones would be left alone. This scenario test confirmed his suspicions.

The second stage of the Genin graduation was tomorrow, and he and Mizuki were the judges to determine the performances of the students basic Jutsus. Usually every year, the Genin exam consisted of two stages with the Chuunin sensei's marks for approval in the academy basics a Genin is required to learn, and a Jounin cell leader having the final say in response to the assembled teams ability to work together. This year, to promote better students that were possibly more reliable to a team, a third part was added to the examination. Along his trek home in one of the vacant streets, Iruka thought back to his most...interesting student: Naruto. It was immediately after the recess hour was over and he received some strange news that Naruto had, without looking, immobilize, temporally crippled, and helped the Haruno girl after she had attempted to stab the Uzumaki boy in the back after they exchanged insults. Sakura had denied that she attacked Naruto and said he should be punished for injuring her.

What made Iruka the most upset and disappointed with Sakura was not only her unprovoked attack, but her desperate attempts of lies she handed him; saying Naruto attacked her without warning and threw her against a tree. Every student in class said she had jumped at him after Naruto called her a brat and he only countered her assault. Hinata had even said the whole incident in vivid detail, word for word and didn't even stutter once (since her resolve to see the Haruno girl punished prevailed over her shy nature.)

Iruka sighed once more in exasperation and his face hardened when he remembered having to listen to that Haruno girl's lies. It was like trying to swallow mud and not spit it back at the mud server. If that girl couldn't accept the consequences of her own actions, then she didn't deserve to be a shinobi! Iruka had finally got to his house and almost dropped on his bed when he reached his bedroom. He changed in some lighter cloths and fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.

Morning came and went like the wind and Sarutobi was beginning to consider immediate retirement to spare him from getting arthritis with all the writing he had to do to reduce the mountains of paper-work that piled periodically on his table every hour. Without a doubt, today was perhaps his worst in over a decade.

It was slightly past noon, and he remembered vividly the meeting he had with the Haruno woman who just wouldn't shut up! Apparently, her daughter had been injured because Naruto had "attacked" her brutally and broke her arm in several places. Sarutobi had decided to ignore her and her rants. He had already heard the details of the incident from Iruka yesterday and the majority of the student witnesses swore that Sakura had attacked first and Naruto only defended himself, if rather extremely. The rants had lasted for over five minutes and the woman began calling Naruto a "Heartless monster" and a "Demon child" which only served to make the Hokage's temper rise to the boiling point. Sarutobi liked the boy for how he was and had great sympathy for him for how long he was forced to suffer people's ridicules and harsh treatment. Sarutobi decided enough was enough and had discreetly told the Haruno woman if she wanted to talk and curse demons, she could do it in Ibiki's private office for a whole week. He had never seen anyone in his life jump to the door of his office as quickly as the woman had and was secretly glad to have someone as sadistic as Ibiki part of his special forces. The benefits were incredible!

After another hour of writing, Sarutobi was -finally- on the last small pile of paper-work, his thoughts and focus wandered to the young blond. The Hokage had little doubt that Naruto had passed with flying colors, but the real, trying ordeals were going to be far more difficult than performing basic Jutsus. Iruka had earlier dropped off the test papers to the Hokage's office and the team match-ups were perfect for each other, someone's strength supporting for another's weakness. Now, who would be with whom...

Naruto was panting heavily as made his way into the cabin clearing Mizuki had mentioned hours ago. A single wooden shack stood absent amongst the trees and the uprooted soil, the trees as tall as the villages highest buildings and some even taller. No one was there. No Mizuki. Naruto groaned as he strained hefting his new cargo: the forbidden scroll.

During mid-day, Naruto had been walking to his apartment in hollow daze with his new hetai-ate wrapped around his forehead. Iruka-sensei had given it to him after Naruto had successfully proved his skills in academy jutsu and basic combat knowledge; the fighting forms, acuracy with weapon throwing, and executing Henge (Disguise), Bunshin (Clone), and Kawamari (Replacement) with excellent ease.

Iruka had happily given the blond his new hitai-ate and Naruto had left with a small 'thank you' to Iruka upon leaving for his home. Mizuki had appeared behind the blond a short distance away from the academy building and told Naruto the task the Hokage had planned exclusively for him that would test his skills and trustworthiness for the Genin rank: Retrieve the scroll in the Hokage's vault that had been titled "forbidden" on it's side and not to look in it until Mizuki arrived. Naruto, who was still too deep in his depression to think more into the issue, accepted quietly with a small nod and Mizuki left in a puff of smoke, leaving behind the directions of where to go after he had the scroll in his possession.

Almost four hours later, the blonde was atop the Hokage monument's cliff, gazing down at the silent city that amassed thousands of denizens, if not more. Without a moments delay, he jumped off the cliff a good several meters before gravity gripped him and pulled him toward the earth. Moving with practiced fluidity, Naruto had managed to spin and pivoted his falling form quickly enough to launch his two kunai in hand in opposite directions; the knives imbedding into the wood and rock material of the buildings with secure strength. The garrote wire laced between the knife handle rings served as the sling-shot and propelled the young shinobi far toward the highest building after landing on the wire effortlessly with his weighted sandals.

His landing was as silent and graceful as his movements and he deftly slipped into the top floor window, panning left and right to ensure no one saw or heard him. Seeing no one, he transformed into a brown lizard and scaled along the ceiling to avoid anyone catching sight of him. His "natural" color served as excellent camouflage and hid him well, and within a few moments, he had the scroll in hand and made a mad dash to the forest while staying in the shadows.

And here he was, in the forest, reading the forbidden scroll as he grew bored with waiting for Mizuki to show up. Naruto had read over half of the scroll's techniques and discovered too late that Mizuki had lied to him about this "exclusive" task the Hokage had assigned him. The Hokage would never be so careless as to use a scroll containing so many Jutsus just for a graduation exercise. This was only a trap for the Chuunin to kill off the vessel and take the scroll for himself and he fell for it like an amateur because of his carelessness.

It doesn't matter now, Naruto thought, Mizuki has already told the Hokage and the village of what I've done, and no one would believe me if I told them it was Mizuki who set me up. They'd accept any excuse to have me killed, imprisoned or have me thrown out of the village. I may as well train with some of the Jutsus in the scroll I had read already while I wait for Mizuki to show up. He'll be here soon and kill me and take the scroll.

Finishing his thoughts he began his practice with the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique)...

Iruka's breath was ragged, he was sweating buckets of water, and he was utterly exhausted; but he managed to reach Naruto before any one else did, which was a blessing since the search party sent were "out for blood" so to speak. Iruka jumped into the cabin clearing...and gaped in astonishment.

Every tree surrounding the clearing had countless gashes imbedded along their trunk's surfaces, fragmented and splintering portions of tree wood littered the ground in large pieces. The ground was covered in pot-holes and thousands of leaves blanketed the soil.

"Hello, Iruka-sensei."

Iruka gasped and whirled around to face the unknown speaker. He didn't even sense any presence and this person spoke with such calmness it was both eerie and unnerving. When he didn't see any one behind him, he thought his mind was playing tricks on him, but that thought died when he saw a silhouetted figure stand beside the cabin wall, hidden within the shade and had a cylinder-shaped object in his right hand shaped like a scroll. Iruka couldn't see any define details but began fearing the worst when he noted the figure's height was equal to his blonde students. His dark, almost glowing blue eyes confirmed his fears. It was Naruto!

The said blonde stepped slowly out of the shadows, a fierce scowl marring his features. His clothes were dirty with grim and dirt and supported numerous cuts and tears. He had been training quite harshly for the last hour.

Shakily, Iruka cleared his throat and prayed to Kami that his student wouldn't kill him. "N-Naruto-kun, do you know what's going on?" As if awakened from a trance, Naruto's features softened some-what and held a more neutral visage. His gaze was hollow as before. "Yes" he said, "The Hokage has sent a search party for me after hearing that I stole the forbidden scroll. You are here, also, for that reason."

His tone was flat, dead, as if the life from his body had left him like blood from an open wound. This couldn't be his determined student who he admired for his strength before. Iruka wanted to touch his student's shoulder and console him for whatever troubles he was facing but was stopped when the young blonde told the scar-faced Chuunin to stay back. He did. Naruto raised his sights to the tree tops with a distant look in his eyes.

"Mizuki should be here any moment now", he said suddenly, "He'll come to kill me, take the scroll and leave the Fire Country border while the search party sent look for me...or my corpse." Iruka was now visibly trembling in agape horror to his student's voice. He talked as if he would accept death whole heartedly. Naruto's gaze turned to his stunned sensei and held a look akin to perhaps...regret?

"Iruka-sensei...Thank you very much for your kindness, even though you must hate me in truth for being the Kyuubi no Kitsune", Iruka flinched slightly hearing this, "but that kindness is what kept me at peace, despite my suffering living in that village where I was seen only as monster..." His tears dripped from his eyes, but his voice held steady and smiled sadly. "When in death, I'll remember you always for what you've done for me, even when you never had to...so good-bye and I hope...pray you live through this and remember to visit Ichiraku-jiji and Ayame-chan for me. I wouldn't want them to run out of business because of my absence..."

Iruka was now sobbing softly and didn't care if the whole world laughed at him for it. His student, who he thought of as a younger brother, maybe even as a son, was talking about dieing and he had the heart to tell him how much he was thankful for the kindness he gave only because he truly did care for the blond. He knew the demon inside of him was locked away and the boy before him was a completely different person.

Before he could do anything to tell his pupil he didn't have to do anything rash, the forbidden scroll was thrown into his mid-section and fell onto his back after hearing the sounds of multiple objects hitting the wall space he had previously occupied. By the time he got on his feet, Iruka inspected the wall and found it covered in shuriken and kunai knives and panned quickly to Naruto who had managed to save his life. The said blonde's focus was not on Iruka, but on Mizuki was perched in a crouching position on a high tree limb with two fuma shuriken fastened to his back.

"I don't know how you managed to find Naruto first, Iruka, but that doesn't matter anymore. If you would be so kind as to give me that scroll, I'll spare your life." His tone was completely mocking and sneering, as if he had the teacher and student at his mercy.

Iruka growled and was about to run forward and attack him, but Naruto whispered something to him: "Run Iruka-sensei. I'll stall him so you can get that scroll and yourself in the village. Sarutobi-jiji can handle the rest once you tell him about Mizuki. Please hurry."

"But...Naruto-kun-"

"Iruka-sensei, please...I can't return to the village now because of my crimes, despite it being an orchestration from Mizuki, and the people of Konoha wouldn't believe me if I told them the truth. Please...I don't want one of the few people that are dear to me die because of me or getting involved with my issues of my own carelessness."

Iruka would've refused immediately at that notion, but Naruto's pleading eyes made him do as he was asked and took off in a desperate run to the village, unaware that he had saved himself from being struck by Mizuki's massive shuriken when he broke into his sprint. Mizuki cursed as he missed his target and couldn't afford chase so he opted to have his sadistic fun with the demon. He turned to Naruto and gave cruel smile before speaking.

"I'm surprised that you allowed Iruka to escape, you useless demon! You had the scroll in your possession and you literally threw it to him without a second thought." Naruto remained impassive but his assumptions were right before Mizuki attacked: He had been watching them when they were exchanging words before and heard everything Naruto had said. And now he had no reason to delay anything to discuss his origins, but that didn't stop Mizuki from enjoying Naruto's torment at his expense.

"It's a shame that I couldn't tell you myself before I killed you, but I guess life's full of disappointments, eh? I suppose you would prefer death instead of living because you know now that no one would care about you and hate you for the rest of your blasphemous life. Don't worry; I kill you nice and quickly, so stand still for me!"

After he finished taunting him, Mizuki unclipped his last fuma shuriken from his back and launched the weapon at a blurring speed toward the blonde's statue-still form that looked on calmly at the object that would soon remove him from this world...

Behind the bars of a twin pair of iron barred doors within a sparely lit cavern, a red-eyed beast rumbled in furry as he watched the events unfold before him like a play full of expert actors. It's nine red tails 'swooshed' and waved madly while it's crimson fur stood on end. The Kyuubi was getting restless. It had tried for over a decade to escape it's confines, but the ever-enduring doors served only as a testament to it's futile efforts. Nothing had worked before long ago, so it gave in to the inevitable impossibility of freedom. But while it accepted it's forsaken freedom, it would not forsake it's life and existence. It's instincts were too strong to allow him to neglect and abandon what little the Demonic beast had.

As words were exchanged between it's vessel and the grey-haired scum, it saw it's chance. It's vessel was losing his will to live, so the Kyuubi had to remind him of his existence, his importance to stay alive. Since the seal was influenced by both the boy's physical and mental strength, the seal would weaken!

The Kyuubi saw the star-shaped weapon thrown. Its chance was now!

Gathering as much chakra as the demon could summon, he released the energy and watched it snake its way through the corridors of it's vessel's mind and felt a connection; a link, only a moment later.

It had to hurry. It didn't have long...