Next upate is here-phew! Alright got a really long review from 'The Habit You Can't Shake' and I thank you for it. :D Constructive criticism is good! This time I've taken some time to read over the chapter a bit more before posting. (Heehee rubs back of head in embarrassment.) Thank you for your kind words and support. :) I've also tried to explain Naruto's seemingly temporary amnesia, in the chapter after this. Currently wrestling with that right now. Also I noticed that sometimes I capitalize Dobe and Teme, but I'm not sure if that's correct or not.= =; (Gahh having them jump from capts to lower case randomly is wrong Kit *sweat-drop.*) Anybody have any ideas?
To PuppetMaster55: I'm glad you think it's interesting!:3 As for NaruVapire Fics, I recommend 'Thirst' - .net/s/3766916/1/Thirst By bloodlust002 There is a very cute bloodsucking Naru-chan who's adopted by Kakashi and Rin! AU and also has NaruHina.
To Echo Uchiha - You'z cool too! Thanks for the comment love! ^0^
All I can say now is on with the story. I hope you enjoy. If after this chapter everybody hates it, (waves hand jokingly) oh well! I'm doing this just for the fun of it-posting it online is just a perk to feed my ego. Not to mention see if I have any talent as a writer. (Kitsune you fool, you're contradicting yourself again!)
Anyway Ja ne!
Chapter 5 - Little Kitsune
'I won't let any one hurt you any more… my little child…'
Naruto smiled in his sleep. He felt small but embraced by something strong and warm. Even though it was unseen it made him feel safe.
'Soon kit… you are going to be free.'
He snuggled closer into the warmth of Kyuubi's tails, and drifted into peaceful dreams. Dreams where there was no fear or hate. No eyes burning into him loathing his existence. He could play, and explore in the fields and woods till his heart was content. All thoughts of Konoha and it's people disappearing.
Tsunade who hadn't left the boys since he'd come in, had fallen asleep in a nearby chair. She wasn't aware of the transformation her charge was going through during the night.
"Come on Kakashi sensei, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura waved back at them as the neared the hospital. It surprised both of them at how eager she was. But then underneath all that, they knew she was genuinely worried. After meeting with them earlier that day, she'd hardily shown any interest in train. Instead she would just fidget and look back into the village, as if waiting to see someone. Finely Kakashi had commented that maybe they should go see Naruto, and she'd jumped at the chance.
'What a weird girl…' Sasuke thought as he watched her, hands in his pockets. He smirked a bit but didn't let anyone see. 'She may be a bit of an air head… but she's really caring too.' Suddenly his smirk dropped and he cringed. There was a sharp pain in is upper shoulder. He bit his lip leaning against the wall. The curse mark had been acting up even more lately. It was needless to say his dreams were nowhere as comforting as Naruto.
'Hate me Sasuke… live to kill me and get stronger.' Itachi's voice rang through his mind and he gritted his teeth. Over and over again he had endured that nightmare, while having the whispering of that snake Orochimaru, in the background.
"Hurry up Sasuke-kun!"
"Huh, coming." He let go of his neck, speaking with his usual indifference. At least when Sakura spoke up the pain began to ease.
The girl had already knocked on the door and was pushing it open a crack. "Naruto we're coming in."
There wasn't any sound and she smiled softly. 'The baka must still be asleep.' But as she stepped inside she saw no one on the bed. In fact the place seemed completely desolate.
'Did I go to the wrong room?' she glanced back at the door number. 'No, this is room 32. Did they move him?" she was about to turn around and tell the others they should go ask Tsunade, when a small whimper came from right next to her. Stepping passed the door she moved it aside, to see a small figure huddled under a blanket. She could just make out some messy blond hair escaping from the folds. The form was shaking.
"Naruto?" she asked crouching down, and going to pull the blanket back. Was he teasing her? She was startled when he flinched back.
"What's wrong Sakura?" Kakashi had entered the room with Sasuke and was looking down at the shaking bundle.
"I think it's Naruto." She said uncertainly. Sasuke stepped besides her cocking an eyebrow. If it was Naruto it was pretty pathetic.
"Hey, dobe." He said poking him with his foot. There was a hiss and the form dashed away, hiding under one of the small mettle tables.
"S-Sasuke-" Sakura cut herself off. What was going on? Underneath the shadows of the table, she could see two deep blue eyes shine back at them. They were afraid.
Kakashi called out to him but the form just flinched back.
'To big-to big-get away from me!'
"Wait Sensei, let me." Sakura moved past both men, and bent down on her knees holding a hand out. "Come here, no ones going to hurt you." She half expected who ever it was to scoot back further, but then his nose poked out of the blackest as he sniffed the air.
'Cherry-Blossoms…' he thought remembering the familiar sent. 'She seems nice...and pretty.'
Sakura could see a tiny fanged mouth following after the nose. He was sniffing her hand, the blanket and blond hair still covering his eyes. She held back a gasp when she saw the familiar face marking on the figures cheeks.
"Naruto?" she breathed barely audible to anyone else. She then took her other hand and pulled the blanket back. None were prepared for what they saw.
Naruto curled up to his knees with a bushy orange fox tail around him. That wasn't all though, two fluffy ears were poking out of his blond hair and were bent downward against his head. His blue eyes, (she bent forward to get a better look,) they were slit. He brought his face closer, touching his nose to hers and she fell backward.
This startled the kit and he panicked going for the door. Sasuke not missing a beat grabbed him as he toppled metical equipment over, wrestling the boy to the ground. Naruto clawed at him but the dark haired boy forced his chakra to hold him down.
"Calm down dobe!" Sasuke grunted, not sure he could keep this up much more. Kakashi who'd immediately guarded the door shut it quickly. That's when they heard the muffled crying.
Sasuke sitting up pulled Naruto along with him and became stiff. "N-Naruto?" the dobe was crying his blue eyes looking terrified up at Sasuke.
'Don't hurt me-don't hurt me!'
Sasuke put a hand on his head and he sniffed. He knew this sent… cold-no brisk like the forest in the morning. His ears began to lift a bit as he looked back into Sasuke's dark eyes. He made a small rumbling noise in his throat.
'This persons important-but why?' he got up close to his face, his tears all but gone and now he was looking at the boy with curiosity. 'Wait-I know… ' He pounced on the boy sending him back to the ground. 'Nii-san!' he tried to romp with him and get him to play, but the other boy just shoved him off.
"Guess he like's you now Sasuke." Kakashi tilted his head with an eye smile. Sasuke making his own irritated growling, fended the boy who called himself his rival off with a kick. Catching the blow but still being pushed backward Naruto pouted.
'Why is brother so crabby?' he sat back on his haunches and whined.
"Shut up you dobe-your acting like a baby."
Naruto tilted his head cocking one of his ears. He just wanted to play... That's when the one with the silver hair bent down toward him. He yipped backing away and bumped into Sakura, only to grip the bottom half of her dress. She was blushing profusely.
This one-he could smell lot's of things from, like dogs-big one-he was an Alfa and… he cringed back a little more. He smelled like a lot of kills, from many more hunts then he had ever been on.
"Aww, come on Naruto don't you recognize your sensei?" Kakashi asked in his usually cheerful voice. Naruto just shook his head, which surprised everyone.
"Can you understand what I'm say Naruto?" Kakashi asked as gently as he could.
The boy nodded his head then spoke. "W-who are you…? How do you know my name? Where's Otousan?" his voice was small, nothing like the usual Naruto who was always too loud and rambunctious. The room became very still before Sakura got his attention.
"Naruto, you don't have a father." She said as gently as she could, and he tore away from her.
"You're wrong-you're wrong-where is Otousan-did you hurt him?" he glared at the Jonin, the hair on his head standing like a dogs hackles.
"Easy now Naruto, nobody's hurt your Otousan."
The boy sniffled, he was so confused. Why did he find himself trusting this large predator? He was obviously dangerous… But again there was something familiar about him too. Still if anything had happened to his Otousan, it would be all Naruto's fault. It the back of his mind he could still remember the villagers who hated him. He slumped on the floor.
Did his Otousan abandon him?
'I'm here kit.'
He looked up surprised and then grinned. "Why didn't you say anything?" he asked out loud.
"You were so scared it was hard to get through to you." Truth be told, Kyuubi was exhausted after exercising so much chakra. It had take a lot out of him to change his kit.
"Naruto who are you talking to?" Sakura asked as the grin spread across his face.
"My Otousan!"
Some how this didn't seem like a good answer. The next moment the door to the room opened and Tsunade stepped in. For a moment she looked from Naruto to Team 7 then back to Naruto.
"Baa-chan!" he cried jumping up and hugging her around the middle. Awkwardly she patted his head and turned to Kakashi.
"So I guess you found out. I knew I should have locked the door."
"Hokage-sama what's going on? What happened to Naruto?" Sakura blurted watching Naruto's tail wag back and forth excitedly. "And why does he like you so much?" she sweat-dropped as the boy snuggled into the older woman. Tsunade was blushing as she patted the top of Naruto's head.
"Well that could take a lot of explaining..."
"We've got time." Sasuke said coldly, his arms folded and the Hokage cringed. Just great, this was the last thing she needed.
"Huh, well as you can see this transformation seems to be caused from that Jutsu-"
Sasuke's glare penetrated her, as he activated Sharingan with out even thinking about it. Sakura was the first to speak up. It was in a quite voice that was just barely heard.
"Does this have to do with the Kyuubi?"
Again the room turned chilled, until Naruto unlatched himself from the Hokage with a bright face. "You know about Otousan?" his tail thumped and Tsunade sighed again. This was not looking good.
"Wait Naruto, are you saying that the Kyuubi no Kitsune is your father?" Kakashi didn't try to hide the inevitable and Tsunade shot him a glaring look. Naruto just stared up at him happily now forgetting his fears.
"Yeah-yeah!" he said like an excited puppy. It was like watching a reversed version of Gaara of the sand. A second later Naruto stopped, his bright face falling and his ears drooped.
"What's wrong?" Tsunade asked looking down at him.
'Otousan says… you're not safe." He looked crestfallen. "He say's you'll hurt me."
"Naruto don't listen to him-" Kakashi raise a hand to stop Sakura who was tearing up. What had happened to her friend-yes that was right! She viewed Naruto as more then just her teammate, but a precious friend as well. Now he seemed to be arguing with some invisible entity.
"But why…?" he muttered looking back at Tsunade then over at Sasuke. "But Obaa-chan was there when…" his head cocked and he looked past Kakashi and Sakura again, back at Sasuke. "But what about Nii-san?" he said then cringed.
"No-no Otousan-before that-I know he is!" he said stubbornly. Suddenly a hand planted itself on Naruto's head.
"What are you babbling about dobe?" Sasuke said, though he used his usual tone he wasn't acting like himself. Naruto blinked his blue eyes up at him. Suddenly he felt dizzy. The fox boy fell into the other Genins arms. His head hurt. What were these images?
'Get the bells before noon…'
'Alright-you and me-right here right now!'
'Sakura-chan!'
'All I really want is to be excepted by you…'
'You know compared to the other two… you're kind of weird.'
'Hmph, Dobe.'
'Teme!'
Naruto held his head as he fell to his knees with a cry. "Sasuke-S-Sakura-" he said voice breaking as he tried to hold onto the images.
'I'm gonna be Hokage!'
'My Name's Uzumaki Naruto-the greatest ninja who ever lived!'
"Ka-kakashi sensei?" he shook his head back and forth. "Obaa-chan w-what's happening to me?" he yelled afraid his memories would disappear again. He was on the floor now holding himself up with his arms.
'Don't fight it kit… it's better this way.'
"St-stop telling me what to do." Naruto said weakly. But it was that voice, the voice of the one who accepted him. The one who was there-had always been there. "Please stop, Kyuubi-sama…" he still used the suffix.
'Do you really want all those memories to tie you down? Naruto I'm giving you a chance at freedom.'
"B-but I don't want to forget-please!"
'As you wish Kit…'
His head stopped hurting and he sat up shakily, his tail bristled and his ears back.
"Naruto?" Kakashi spoke to him first and he looked up at his comrades. Yes they were his team, and he was Uzumaki Naruto who's dream was to one day become Hokage. From the look in his eye's Tsunade guessed what had happened.
"You remember everything now?"
He nodded his head feeling sick. "I-I-" his eyes shot back and forth between his teammates, still very much like a frightened animal. They knew.
Backing up he raised his hands, but not defensively. "Sakura, Sasuke, I can explain..." he tried to sound confident but it wasn't working very well. He shut his eyes and gulped when thin arms wrapped around him.
"Naruto!" Sakura sobbed into his shoulder. He was back!
"S-Sakura-chan!" he pulled her away looking her in the face. "Y-your-your not afraid?"
"Why would I be baka!" she wiped her tears away giving him a small punch on the head, which he hardily felt. "And Sasuke…?" he looked over at his rival.
"Hmph, what do you want?"
It was like a weight lifted off of his shoulders. They knew but they weren't afraid, they didn't hate him! His face broke into a sad and relived smile.
"Looks like you needed to have a little more faith in your Teammates." Kakashi pointed out while Naruto rubbed the back of his head.
"Huh, I guess…"
"Thank goodness." Tsunade breathed but then looked serious. "Looks like I have a lot of explaining to do. Take a seat Sakura, Sasuke. This is going to take a while…"