Four Letter Words

Story Thus Far- Shidou got beat down by Aoba, who in turn was drowned by Naruto at the Valley of the End. Rai's ANBU are gaining ground. The Hokage fears he will have to reinstate Root if Naruto's killing continues. Iruka's ability to sense chakra has improved above and beyond what was previously thought possible, so much so he can see it without someone activly manipulating their chakra. While all this happens, the forest creatures closer to the border are gathering and they are not pleased.

Warning- This chapter contains hints of yaoi and pedophilia, but nothing actually happens. I wouldn't torture my characters like that.

Chapter Five: Rice

Naruto walked into the medium sized town easily. It had no guards, and the people were loose and relaxed. The dirt roads looked paved from the years of crowds, shops and brightly lit buildings lined each side. Food and drink stalls set up in the middle of the road with their owners crying out to the pedestrians. Naruto felt himself slowly spin as he walked, his eyes eagerly took in the new amazing sights. People wore all sorts of things he didn't see in Konoha. Women stood around with white faces and painted eyes, a few men also decked themselves out in girl's clothes. It was confusing to the demon vessel but he decided to ignore it. The voice had told him ignore strange and confusing things; it made life easier.

"Ramen! Best ramen in Takara!" Someone yelled out down the street.

Ears twitched and Naruto followed the sound of the angel. He looked beside him at the last of his clones; the rest had run out of chakra before reaching the town. "Do you want some?" He asked his clone. Naruto had tried talking to his conscience earlier but it was suspiciously absent, so he assumed it only came out when he needed it. On the plus side his shadow clones were able to hold an intelligent conversation and knew everyone he did, so there was never any confusion. The only annoying thing was he couldn't get them to stop calling him Nii-kun or Nee-chan.

"Sure, Nii-kun." The clone smiled and skipped ahead to reserve a spot at the ramen booth. Naruto shrugged. It felt weird having someone call him brother. Even if it the person was essentially himself, it was nice. Almost pleasant.

"I wonder if this could be considered a mental disorder? Iruka-sensei said he thought I might have ADD before..." Naruto asked himself at the bar. As expected his clone had ordered for the both of them and the hot noodles were waiting when Naruto sat down. He eagerly slurped up the food not caring if the broth dripped from his chin.

"It's not the same thing, Nii-kun. At least, I don't think it is." His clone answered humbly around mouthful of noodles. He was having pork flavored.

The original blonde grunted. "That's right, it had to do with attention problems. So what is talking to yourself?"

"Hell if I know." The clone chugged some water and thanked the chef. He spun his stool around to face his creator, chin in hands and watching the real Naruto eat. It was little disturbing the way utter devotion was barely hidden in the clones eyes. Of course to the passing people it looked like one twin was watching the other with...inappropriate...thoughts. "Sorry Nii-kun, but I gotta go."

Naruto sighed and dropped his chopsticks into his empty bowl. He was going to be alone again. "Okay. Bye."

"Ja ne." The clone hopped off the chair and disappeared into the crowd. Swarms of people soon swept the chakra construct away to a place where it could disperse quietly. They had come to the conclusion that the clones would leave before disappearing so as not to alarm anyone.

"Hey, you are paying for that." Said the owner of the food stall at the sight of the clone leaving. He had the customary chef hat and a stained apron that smelled like ramen. The man had beads of sweat rolling down his fat arms, and an altogether mean attitude. Naruto didn't like him. His eyes tracked the large ladle the man carried, just in case the foul man decided to swing it.

"Yeah. How much is it?"

"400, for the both of you." He held out a sweaty palm for the money. A fly buzzed around his ear distracting the young boy. Naruto giggled. The fly was soon joined by another one in a strange insect courtship they flew around the smelly cooks head. "What's so funny? Think you can get out of paying cause you're a kid?"

"No. It's just...never mind old man." Naruto felt into his pockets to get the said amount. The man snatched it out of his hand and counted it greedily. "What a weird guy." Naruto commented as he was swallowed up by the flow of humanity.

Brown wings fluttered as a small sparrow landed heavily on a tree branch. Nemi was still young, only a few months old, and as such she had been picked for the first scout. The sparrow sucked in air and fluffed her feathers nervously. She was waiting for her contact in today's mission to show; he was a raccoon and as such wasn't used to the daylight hours. Nemi waited. She chirped excitedly at the humans passing beneath the tree, fearing they would suspect something.

"Yo, take a chill pill birdy." The raccoon slurred as it mounted the tree and laboriously climbed up. His ringtail swished back and forth to some unheard beat.

"You! Sqaaaash IIIIIII preeeeesume?" The small bird chirped out in her high pitched voice.

"Yup. Now just chill, 'kay? Humans too thick to know our saying. Got some buggy talkers and a few canine but none for us. 'Member that birdy. Now what was it you peeps wanted ta chat 'bout?"

The bird flapped her wings in excitement. She sung a few songs of morning joy and hopped around her contact. "Weee neeeed help! Forest dweeeelers reeeeqiiire assiiiistance iiin watchiiing speeeacail humans. Want learn, want use." Nemi tried her best to impress on the city dweller the wishes of her group. It was very important.

"So ya want ta follow around the ninjas and try ta learn their attacks?" The raccoon asked for clarification. He had never heard such a preposterous thing in his life.

"Yeeeees! Weeee neeeed to know where theeeey beeee. You leeead us?"

The raccoon rubbed his eyes and mulled it over. Human ninja's are dangerous. I like my life here, eating rotten vegetables out of garbage cans, don't want to mess it up. Still... it would be cool to shoot water from my hands. Mikey would be so jealous. But thats impossible. Pah. Us animals can't do that sort of thing. "Forget it birdy. It ain't possible for little mammals like us ta do them sorta things." He swished his tail and grabbed at the bark preparing to climb down.

Nemi was worried. Failure was not an option. The others were counting on her! They needed this raccoons help, he could explain the weird things humans did. Other animals in the city were too dependant on the humans to be trusted. It had to be a raccoon, and Squash was the only one willing to talk with them. "Foxy not thiiiink so." She blurted in desperation. Raccoons and foxes had a lukewarm relationship, but normally listened to one another's advice.

"What?"

"laaaady fox thiiiink iiiis possiiible. So do bear and falcons."

"That so... fine. Come back in two days and bring whoever ya want. Small and unnoticeable mind ya. Prefer smaller birds and squirrels. More raccoons. No bugs. Some o' the humans can understand that. And no foxes. Humans here don't like foxes." Rox scrambled down the tree and slipped through a pipe into the sewer system. His small clawed feet clicked along the tunnel as he headed back to his daytime home. This is going to be troublesome... but very interesting.

Yuukou silently watched her captain as he paced through the defiled cabin. Blood tinted wood showed up sporadically, and broken ceramics told of a struggle. She felt her companion, Helios, tense beside her. He would never balk at a fight between to trained ninja but seeing civilians harmed always granted his nerves.

"There isn't a body in the house or in the immediate area, that's a good sign." She commented to her bird masked teammate.

Frog masked Ayumu popped his head out of the back room. His voice carried over thick with sarcasm, quite a feat considering the mask was designed to garble emotion and tone. "Maybe the boy ate him."

Yuukou resisted the urge to strangle the man. It didn't hurt she knew where he lived, ate, and partied. She would have revenge later. "Shut up. There's no way anyone could eat a full grown human in a handful of hours. Not possible."

"Hey, I didn't say it ate the whole thing. The demon could have nibbled an arm or two, then buried the rest for later. Foxes do that you know."

The cabin door slammed open as Rai stepped in. "Ayumu, one more thing out of that trap and I will personally have you turned over to Ibiki-san. I don't think whoever was attacked is dead, likely wounded for lack of body or carrion birds. We don't have time to look for them."

Helios moved over to his captain. "Do you think the demon vessel attacked a civilian?"

Dog mask didn't answer for several minutes. "It seems like the logical choice at the moment. Why I can't guess."

"He is a demon. They don't need a reason."

"Everything has a reason. Never have I found something to happen without a reason, small and incomprehensible but still a reason." Rai let the soothing repetitiveness of greenery calm his nerves as they traveled the tree branch highway. Distantly he recognized Yuukou arguing with Ayumu about something trivial, but that all took a backseat to his mediations. This just gets stranger and stranger. The demon brat stays one step ahead of us, somehow, and causes grief everywhere it travels. But why detour to attack a lone citizen? It doesn't make sense... at least not yet.

"Kanna-san." Yuukou whispered. He turned to the woman, trying to regain focus. Her posture said she was confused, and tired. It happens to all ANBU sooner or later. She'll ask to be taken off the roster and made regular jounin when we get back. Shame.

"Yes?" Rai popped a solider pill in his mouth as jumped along.

"Something doesn't feel right. I feel like we're being watched, but when I check there is nothing present but a bird. I think something tells me we should stop now and go back, it's like the whole forest is leaking killing intent." Her head swiveled to the side as she said this, and sure enough a bird chirped and shot off.

Rai frowned beneath his mask and slowed. Frog and Bird mask went ahead at his nod, he concentrated. Slowly Rai let his shields drop. His ANBU training allowed him to ignore petty nuisances that didn't rate on his 'danger to self' scale. Things like paper cuts, stubbed toes, and non-jounin glares were never even felt. It was almost like living in a whole different world. Rai faltered a step as the last shield went down. Holy shit.

Yuukou wasn't being paranoid. The entire forest was glaring at them. Every bug and chipmunk was shooting death glares at the passing ANBU. It was very nearly overwhelming. Rai snapped his mental shields back up and shivered. As soon as I get home there's going to be a nice loooong bath. "When did you notice this?"

"As we were-"

"Kanna-san!" Screamed one of their teammates. The two ANBU doubled their pace and burst from the trees. Frog and Bird were standing at the edge of a waterfall. "It's the Valley of the End."

"And? Have you found anything?" Rai was getting annoyed. This mission was becoming more trouble , and all they had to do was track down a drop out thief.

"Depends. Is a dead body anything?" Ayumu waved a hand down to the lake where they could just make out a corpse bobbing in the water. The team landed on the surface of the lake and examined to bloated form. Helios froze and his voice came out like ice.

"I know this man. He was in my class, Jounin. Forehead protector's gone as well."

"Now it killed a jounin?" Frog murmured in awe. He was starting to admire the demon. A twelve year old! Amazing... it's a real shame we have to kill him. At least he didn't start this little killing spree in the village. It would be like another Itachi Uchiha.

"Helios, return to Konoha. Inform the Hokage of this death and the cabin, expected civilian casualty. Ayumu, Yuukou, we're following the demon." Rai's voice held a sharpness to it that bordered on obsession.

"Sir, we aren't supposed to go past the border?" Frog mask asked softly. They didn't know how far the demon was ahead, or what direction it went from that point. Multiple tracks headed off in every direction, but generally they all converged north into Rice Field country.

"We need to catch it and regain the scroll. Imagine if it falls into the Sounds hands..." He let the threat hang, and was rewarded by the renewed determination of his two remaining subordinates. "Let's get out of this messed up forest."

Naruto bounced along the road from vendor to vendor. The large bulk he carried with him got a few stares but most pedestrians ignored the hyperactive child. There was a woman in a short dress leaning against a building with a man shoving himself against her. Naruto felt his eyes un-focus of their own accord as his voice came whispering back into his mind. "Don't look at that."

"Yes ma'am." He said aloud and turned his head in other direction, studiously avoiding that side of the street. His attention was grabbed by the stalls across the street. Several stands displayed stuffed animals of every kind. There were turtles, birds, rabbits, bears, and even large butterflies. The plushy dolls were held in rickety wooden boxes that taunted the boy, just begging to be freed. He weaved through the throngs of people to stand before the display.

Naruto waited. He was puzzled by the lack of yelling but decided to ignore it. Back in Konoha he had never been allowed in a toy shop or to stand by a stall like this one. It was a novel experience. His hands passed over the soft fur of the teddy bears under the watchful eye of the salesperson. It was a man, who was much slimmer and cleaner than the ramen shop owner. He laughed at Naruto's obvious joy and went back to reading an adult magazine; occasionally glancing up to be sure nothing was taken.

Naruto rubbed the soft silk of rabbit's ears between his fingers savoring the feel. He had never felt the material before and told the voice. This caused the owner of the stand to quirk an eyebrow before returning to his article. The sun beat down marking the late afternoon and the amount of shoppers started to decrease. "Hey kid, shouldn't you be getting home?" The man asked from behind his magazine.

"Home? Probably. What do you think conscience?" Naruto pushed aside a box to reveal one he hadn't examined before. His breath caught at the toy held within. The blonde didn't know why he was drawn to the doll, but he knew he wanted it. Carefully he pulled out the stuffed fox and stroked it's whiskers. The doll was a soft rusty color with beady black eyes and nose. Short black ears perched delicately on the head with soft white inner fur visible. An eighteen inch white tipped tail fluffed out in the back and white paws dangled in the air. Naruto blinked at the very real looking claws poking out from each paw. "Wow."

"Like it? Never been able to sell the thing, it was a project I did to graduate." The man flipped another page and giggled.

"You had to go to school for this?" Naruto asked as he peered into the glass eyes to see his reflection. I'm in a fox! There's a fox in me! That's funny.

"Did you think a person just wakes up one morning and knows how to make a work of art like that? No! It takes planning, designing, modifying, and time. Lots of time, but I enjoy it. It's fun in a way nothing else is." The man chided.

"Oh." Naruto sighed and put the fox back. He found something he wanted but he didn't have the money. With slumped shoulders he left the stand. "I wish I could have that. I've never had a toy before."

"Well, why didn't you take it?" Asked the voice.

"I don't have the money. Those dolls cost more than I have." Naruto kicked a rock and pouted. Suddenly his sour mood evaporated and he smiled wide. "But at least he let me play with them. No one's ever done that before!"

"Pah. Next time you see something you want, just take it. Wait. Never mind. You need practice."

"Practice?"

"Yes, your pick-pocketing skills need to be polished. Then we will move on to the finer arts of shoplifting." The voice sounded like it was happy. Naruto supposed that was a good thing.

"Isn't stealing bad?"

"Now now, I'm your conscience right? I'm only here to correct mistakes. Listen to me, do what I tell you. I'm going to take a nap, so stay out of trouble."

"Okay. Sweet dreams!" Naruto cheerfully wished the voice only he heard. Several people swerved to avoid the blonde at his outburst. Undisturbed the young boy continued down his path oblivious to the shadow that detached form a doorway to follow him.

Skipping past darkened alleyways like Shidou told him Naruto enjoyed exploring the town. He stocked up on rations and got a blanket. People smiled at him, and some winked. Many didn't mind him bumping into them though a few drunks cursed. Those were the ones he practiced with as per his instructions. They didn't have much money on them individually but after his twenty fourth encounter of the drunken kind Naruto had made enough money for dinner at a reasonably priced restaurant. He was about to go looking for a place to eat when a well manicured hand clamped on his shoulder.

"I saw what you did. You are a talented boy aren't you." The voice cooed seductively. Naruto faced the person, surprised to find it was a girly looking man. His hair was long and black but held back in braids. Scarlet painted fingernails brushed along Naruto's cheek. "And you look so exotic too..."

"Can I help you, mister?" Naruto asked. His body stiffened as it went on alert.There's a strange man touching me! What do I do! He's looking at me funny now! Conscience, will you please wake up quick!

"Oh yes. You can help me, and I won't tell those smelly dregs where their drinking money went."

"I don't know. I bet I can run faster than them." Naruto smiled confident. To his slight dismay it seemed to encourage the freaky man.

"Spunky. I like that. And I think I'll like everything else." The man observed as his black eyes roamed over the small boy. Naruto dipped out of the mans grasp and backed up. "Don't be like that. I only need a little help this one night. My usual got sick and I don't have a replacement. They'll like you."

"Like me?"

Sensing Naruto's open confusion the man smiled cheerily. "Yes. Definitely. My... friends are very nice. They'll give you all sorts of things if you help me. So, come on boy. Call me Tsuki." Tsuki blurred behind Naruto and began pushing him back the way they had come.

Iruka was glad the pain had finally bled away after two days. It wasn't completely gone but had receded to a dull ache. He drank some cool water and turned to face his window. Of late more animals had been gathering around it but Iruka didn't mind the company. It was almost like having a class again.

The chunin placed a small leaf in both palms and leaned back. After finding his center he started the exercise. The green leaves spun slowly at first but gained speed as they hovered just above his palms. Chakra constantly pushed out against the foliage and into the air, but not strong enough to send them shooting off. The exercise reminded him of the time he had tried to teach Naruto and the others discipline.

Iruka chuckled at the memory, in his mind he saw the trainees escaping out the window. A flash of chakra upset the delicate balance he had been maintaining and sent the leaves spinning.

Chirping and squeaking came from his open window and Iruka could imagine it was his old class. Sakura and Ino screeching at one another like birds, Chouji sneaking food in whenever Iruka wasn't looking. Iruka exhaled at the same time sending out a light wave of chakra. The strength of the wave was such only a jounin would notice it, but strong enough so the chunin could read the ripples it made. Eight small life signatures were visible on his window sill. Three he guessed were squirrels, the rest different birds. One of the nut-scavengers scampered down into the room. It paused on the tile and sniffed around before crawling up the bed post.

"Hello little animal. Would you like something?" Iruka closed his eyes and waited. As he expected the small forest creature crawled over the sheets to his shaking hands despite the warning screeches from it's fellows. The bushytailed rodent sniffed Iruka's palms and tilted its head inquiringly. "Its called chakra little one. You have to convert stamina into chakra. I don't think you could do it."

Iruka nodded off having exhausted his chakra stores, again. The squirrel watched the sleeping man for sometime. "Hard. Hard." He finally said to his companions waiting on the window sill.

"No duh! Weeee not to beeee here! Waaait for two more sun seeets." A cardinal bit out and swooped into the room. His small talons gripped the water pitcher and he drank some.

"Know here here here. Thump here!" The squirrel slapped his foot down on the mattress, lost his balance and fell off because of the bounce.

"That why weeeee waaaait." A blue bird snickered. The other two squirrels glared at the offending bird. They decided to use the new vocabulary they had recently picked up.

"Shove it."

Kin played with her kunai while waiting for the results of the genin exam. It had consisted of a written portion of both trigonometry and physiology, followed by a practical demonstration of everyone's strongest jutsu. Training at the hidden village of Sound was intense, and most sound genin were really chunin level form it. Kin Tsuchi was no exception, but if they were at chunin then the test was equally difficult.

Please say I passed. I want to get out of this death trap of a village. "Kin Tsuchi." An examiner called with a sneer. The dark haired girl could swear the arrogant attitude was part of the qualifications of chunin for the sound. She got up and tried to ignore the leers of her classmates. Some wanted her, but most wanted her dead. It was common knowledge only two genin teams would officially form. The third portion of the exam had yet to be administered, and her death would mean the chances for the rest would increase.

Kin was the only remaining female left of the original class. The rest had either died in training accidents or 'went missing'. Sharp nails dug into her palms to draw blood as the girl fell into her own pace. She went outside to hear her results and the details of the final portion.

"Kin. Congratulations. You passed. Jutsu was horrible but your written score was high enough for passing marks. You get to live. For now."

What?Kin blinked and covertly scanned the area. She couldn't feel any killing intent form the three jounin watching her, or see evidence of traps in the surrounding area. Despite these assurances her instinct was screaming at her to run. A soft breeze blew through the light tree cover from the east. Blood. Thick and strong the scent of blood hit her nose like a brink wall. How did I miss this!

One of the jounin smiled and leaned over the table set up. He held out a forehead protector with a music note on it. "You see Kin-chan, those that couldn't make the cut have already been eliminated to save time. Now you get to fight for the honor of serving Otokagure! I would hurry. The others will be out soon."

Understanding dawned. Kin snatched the forehead protector and charged past the instructors and into what little cover was available. She had been far from the first person called, at most another ten were already waiting in the brush for a chance to strike. "Remember Kin-chan that this is a life or death test! Only the last six standing will be allowed to move on!"

Fear and anger mixed in the girl. The man was laughing at her, the only female genin left. Sharp kunai spun into her hands and Kin jumped over the fire pit filled with the bodies of her former classmates. Oh kami... Natsumo had always let me copy his notes... Kin buried her feelings deep and swiped at the trip wire in her path. Two explosive notes went off but the girl had already bounced away from the blast. She wasn't going to die. She wasn't.

Ibiki stood before the petite woman with a blank face. It wasn't often he had to deal with these people, but each time he got the impression they wanted to give him a solid whipping. It wasn't difficult for him to imagine the graying woman turning him over and giving him a beating with the clipboard in her hands.

"I said no and I mean it. Come back next week. Iruka-sensei is in no shape for your," she sneered in obvious distaste. "Interrogations. The man just lost his leg and most of his hearing. He's under heavy sedation, or should be."

"Ma'am, I understand that but all I ask for is five minutes. I'm sure you heard about the incident at the Hokage tower, we have reason to believe Umino may be an accomplice in the theft."

She reddened. "Iruka-sensei?! Never! I've known him since he was a boy, and he would never betray the village. This whole idea is preposterous. Now go, I have patients and I don't need them worrying because there's a torture and interrogation member in the room."

The man felt one of his teeth crack under the pressure as he ground them together. He had no legal cause to detain the woman. Medic-nin! It was an old custom, and archaic if you asked him, but the hospital was the domain of the medics. In those walls their word could override that of Hokage.

It had been the belief of the Konoha founders that shinobi tended to fight with all their heart and would go into battle severely injured unless restrained; hence the medic's power to order them around within the Hospital. Sometimes it was the only thing that stopped a ninja from overworking themselves.

Ibiki turned quickly and left, his coat whipping behind him. The old medic gave a satisfied nod and returned to her desk. Ibiki cracked his neck and decided he would need a different tactic. Those people couldn't know all of his people, could they? Ibiki pushed open the glass door and entered the streets while heading to his headquarters. He didn't like trusting a new recruit to the assignment, but it may be the only way to get the information without those harpies breathing down his neck.

Naruto pecked at the soft fabric of the yukata he had been given. It was too smooth and felt weird. Blue silk brought out his eyes, or so the strange man had said, so he had to wear it. He made the young blonde take a bath after arriving at an out-of-the-way building, when he came out of the bathroom his clothes were missing and the silk outfit was waiting on the couch. It was annoying. Naruto wished the nice voice would wake up and tell him what to do; he didn't know how to react in the situation. One part of him wanted to find the nearest exit and run while another wanted to stay and find out what the men would do. Tsuki said he would like them, but the girlish man was strange and hadn't let Naruto eat anything since arriving.

"I wonder if he eats ramen?" Naruto asked himself and fell back on the small couch the room contained. Tsuki had been nice enough to provide him with a waiting room to rest in. The blondes things sat on the floor in a corner but his clothes were gone. "A cup of ramen a day keeps the needle people away. If painted-nails skips his daily does of ramen, then his weirdness would make sense." Naruto smiled at the logic.

The door creaked open and Tsuki came in dressed formally with that creepy smile on his face. "It's time for you meet the... nice men. You'll be good boy won't you, Naruto-kun?"

"Of course! I'm the best!" Naruto jumped up with a burst of confidence. His mind raced and made connections no one else would think of. "Are these guys going to teach me some cool techniques? Huh, painted-nails?"

"Oh that's cute. I get my own nickname!" The man squealed and clapped his hands. Steel handles twisted and the man motioned to the open door. "This way."

The whisker marked boy rushed into the hall and tapped his feet impatiently. Tsuki's smile never faltered, though it seemed to twist the more they walked. Naruto's bare feet speed over the wood flooring as he crisscrossed the halls to inspecting every vase and painting. On the way he almost ran into no less than twenty people, the majority of which were scantily clad women who cooed at the boy. The blonde decided he liked the attention.

"Ne, Tsuki-sama isn't sending the little cutie into that room?" One cherry lipped woman whispered conspiratorially to another.

"Hatsuharu is ill. Those pigs would not enjoy someone with a fever of one-hundred and two. He's lucky he managed to find another like Hatsu-chan."

"You mean, that little cutie is mentally..." The girls shushed at the look Tsuki gave them. An undercurrent of submission passed between the women and woman wanna-be as both girls bowed and hurried away. Naruto glanced back curiously. He wanted to hear more about the two boys, he didn't associate cute with himself.

"Painted-nails, why are there so many girls around? They never dressed like this back home."

Tsuki laughed. "They're just women of poor circumstance. Ah, here we are." He pushed open a wide set of double doors. Naruto ran in to find the supposedly nice men.

"Hiya! I'm Naruto! Are you guys going to show me stuff?" His smile lit up the room. One of the guys got a nosebleed and fell over, another blushed to a degree only a certain Hyuuga could compete with.

With only three of the original five high-paying clients coherent their leader decided to take action. "Tsuki-san, this isn't what we paid for." Not that I'm complaining... but it's the principal of the thing.

"Yes, but you see Hatsu-chan is ill and not able to satisfy. However I think you'll find Naruto-kun accommodating."

"I suppose... leave us."

Tsuki bowed to his customers and nervously left. Naruto's eyes sparkled innocently and he bounced over to the nearest adult. "Hi!"

"Eh, Kioji-kun. This one isn't too hard on the eyes, even better than the usual boy I'd say. Come closer boy." Naruto complied happily. The man ran his hand through the blonde strands and grinned. "Will you remember us in the morning, or will you forget as Hatsu-chan always does? Is it that bad?" The man leaned over and breathed on the short boy.

Naruto's nose wrinkled. "Your breath smells like the man that always sleeps on the street at my apartment." He disliked the sudden sensitivity of his senses, now Naruto was picking up the sake on the table and the sushi in the miniature fridge behind the bookshelf.

One of the other men laughed and downed a shot of alcohol. "He's honest! I like that! So Naruto-kun, what position do you prefer?"

"Position..." Blue eyes blinked in confusion. Instead of answering he tilted his head at the man, Kioji, and asked his own question. "Why are you taking off your shirt? Are you hot? I bet if you opened that fridge it would get cooler."

The leader shifted uncomfortably. "Guys. I can't do this. The kid is too... innocent and I just can't taint that. I'll be taking a nap."

"Suit yourself. He's just mental, likely won't remember it as always." The turned back to Naruto, who was enjoying the attention the other man was lavishing on him. "So boy, what is you're favorite position?"

Naruto's face screwed up in concentration, but it was difficult to think with the soothing hands petting his head. It felt really nice. "Hey, come over here and try this. Hatsu-chan never sat still long enough but this kids hair is surprisingly soft!"

"Quit hogging the kid Midoki. I called dibs, remember?"

"Yeah, but by the time you are through with him he won't be nice and clean." The man grumbled as he relinquished his hold on Naruto's hair. The boy finally regained all thought process and jumped up. He climbed up on the table, clearing it of empty bottles with the action, and struck a pose. He was body was sideways to them with his feet apart and his hands held slightly back in a cross position.

"I like this one! Doesn't it make me look cool? Are you going to teach me some awesome moves now?" The little speech came out in rapid fire that the two men had trouble discerning. Both businessmen had the same thought at the same time. Tenshi was right, he really is innocent and naive.

"What is going on here? Did I not tell you to stay away from this area?" A breezy voice rumbled in Naruto's ears.

"Ne! I did but the funny guy said I would get stuff, and he kinda dragged me over." The demon vessel spoke in his defense, inwardly glad his conscience had reappeared.

The two remaining men arched their eyebrows at the display as Naruto started talking to thin air. Kioji leaned over to Midoki, "I guess Naruto-kun does fit the bill then, but his condition isn't short term memory loss."

"What is it? Turrets?"

"No. That's cussing. Maybe he's schizo? Either way I've lost my will to fuck him. Even in a fit of madness he still looks too angelic, must be the yukata."

"Then I'll just take over..."

Naruto pouted at his voice, which seemed to be insinuating the men wouldn't give him anything useful. Midoki waved at the boy to gain his attention. "I have something you might like. I was going to give it to Hatsu-chan but I think it will look better on you."

The blue eyed boy jumped from the table and into Midoki's lap rather like a puppy. "What is it! What is it! Tell me!"

Midoki stroked the soft hair some more, this time letting his hand trial past the neck down Naruto's backside. This sent alarms ringing from the voice. "Naruto! If I say move it you jump on the double. Got it. Good."

The man pulled a tissue wrapped object from his coat. Naruto eagerly took it and tore the lavender covering off. "It's pretty." The boy unclipped a gold clasp and held the accessory up to the light. The gift was a dark red choker studded with brass and a small flat gold diamond hanging down. Nimble fingers quickly fastened the leather accessory around his neck.

Naruto was about to thank the nice man when a scream echoed through the building. "What was that?"

"Move!" The voice yelled. Immediately Naruto burst into action, crashing through the doors and down the hallway. Originally the slightly insane blonde wanted to return to his room, pick up his things and get away, but then the scream sounded again. Male and female heads started poking out doors, also curious to the disturbance. Blue eyes clouded over and Naruto's feet slowed. On an impulse he spun on his heel and charged up a flight of stairs to follow the screams to their source. Halfway up and no recall order from the voice convinced the boy he had chosen correctly.

Inside Naruto a red ball of hate and anger slammed against it's bars and sent out wave after wave of pure chakra into it's hosts system. Normally such an occurrence would only cause temporary changes, but that was why Kyuubi rammed repeatedly against the cage. The demon fox wanted permanent changes. There was no mental self for the chakra to attack and seep into, so it went straight into the body. Without any orders the chakra was left with no outlet, and naturally dispersed throughout the demons host. "You dumb-ass Hokage! You may have sealed my body but you are far from trapping my power and influence! The boy is mine! MINE!" Kyuubi screamed in triumph.

Two people froze in fear as a door slammed open. A mustached man squinted at the small figure standing in the doorway and dropped the broken chair leg he held over a naked woman. The woman in question had perfect vision, and gasped as she scrambled away from the boy and man. Blood marked the red haired prostitutes trail as she crawled under a table for cover.

"Why did you hurt her?" The demonic looking boy asked, curious.

"Get away! Leave, demon!" The man shouted and fell backwards. Naruto narrowed his eyes. Painful memories of a village best left forgotten surfaced and he growled.

"I'm not a demon." Naruto rushed forward. In the back of his mind he noted the newly sprung claws and put them to use. A red corona of energy pulsed around him as his pupils elongated. Naruto heard the heartbeat of the man slow as he ripped it out, and the woman's increase. Mission accomplished, he stood and watched the heart stop. The red aura of power receded with his claws and his eyes returned to normal.

Naruto twirled around and bounced over to the woman cowering under the table. Red hair hid her face, but gray eyes watched in mute fascination as the death child offered up her tormentors heart. "Hi! I'm Naruto Uzamaki!"

"Leslie Fujiko." Taking in the familiar blue yukata Leslie blinked in shock. This is the boy Tsuki-sama brought in as a replacement. And he saved me. Kaede-san always beats his whores, no one but this kid would even think to come and help. And that power. It was like nothing I've ever seen. He must be some sort of... Angel. An Angel of vengeance. Those pointed ears prove he is supernatural.

"Are you okay Leslie-nee-chan?" Naruto asked and dropped the heart. He frowned at the blood stains collecting on the carpet and his clothing. Blood was sticky and hard to wash out. Naruto hoped he wouldn't get in trouble.

"Y-yes. I'm okay, mostly. Just a few cuts and a broken wrist, but I'll be fine. Is there anything I can do to thank you, Tenshi-sama?"

"I wasn't expecting thanks..." Naruto blushed. Leslie cradled her arm and crawled out. Stupid! Of course he's not expecting anything. He's an ANGEL! Her Angel helped her stand and let her lean on him. The red head was over twice his size but he seemed to have no problem supporting her. Naruto helped her throw on a thin robe and walk out.

"I know I don't have anything worthy of you, but is there anything I can give you?" Leslie almost cried. What if this was some sort of test? What if she didn't give a proper offering and he choose to strike her down? Why else was he still with her?

"There is this one thing..." Naruto trailed off at the hungry look the woman was giving him. If he asked her to bring him the heart of every customer in the building she would do it. "There is this stand that sells stuffed animals. I really like the fox doll. Will you get it for me?"

"Yes." I know that stand, but I've never seen a fox plushy. If Angel-sama wants it I'll get it for him. My wrist can wait.

"Hold on. I need to get my things." Naruto slipped into the room he had cleaned up in and came out loaded down with scroll and sword. "Ready to leave, Leslie-nee-chan!"

The woman bowed, it sounded like an order to her. From this day on she would stop working for Tsuki, maybe even go into business for herself. As soon as her wrist was fixed up she would hire a body guard and start her own brothel. I could call it Angel's Blessing. Leslie smiled the first true smile she had in years. Walking out the front door, she was oblivious to the looks of shock and awe thrown at her and the blonde boy by her former co-workers.

END.

A/N- Tsuki the brothel owner and Suki the squirrel are not related.