Hidden Genes

Summary: There is a type of jutsu only one shinobi could use,the Shodaime became famous for it being impossible for anyone who doesn't have his DNA, and even then it was rare. Sharingan is an Uchiha doujutsu,so no one can have it unless an eye is given, so why does the Kyuubi vessel have both?Why does he move like the Yondaime?

"Alright, let's go!" An excited Naruto yelled the next morning as Team 7 and Tazuna stood in front of the gates of Konoha, about to set off on their first C-rank mission and the genins' first time out of Konoha. The other two tweens shook their heads at Naruto's enthusiasm while Kakashi just chuckled and Tazuna stared at the boy as though he was crazy.

Naruto was even more energetic than ever before. It had a lot to do with all that had happened yesterday, when Sasuke had seen one of his secrets and he told the Uchiha a bit about himself before they both promptly fell asleep against each other. Although they sure as hell hadn't woken up in the same position as when they went to sleep. Naruto knew for a fact that they had been sitting upright but he had woken up lying on his side, his back against his love seat and facing Sasuke's chest with the slightly bigger boy's arms around him, dying fire in his fireplace. He had blushed from his neck all the way to the roots of his hair, resembling Hinata a great deal as he stared at the handsome face of the older genin. He had had to put up with Kurama's teasing for half an hour before Sasuke decided to wake up.

The Uchiha hadn't seemed embarrassed at all and had simply spent ten minutes observing his sleeping-mate. Naruto had felt a bit self-conscious but he still soaked up the attention he had never gotten when he was younger. Those black eyes were seemingly glued to him until they felt the sun's rays sneak in through Naruto's small window and land on them. They realized just how long they have slept and that gave Naruto enough motivation to jump out of the extremely comfortable and warm embrace so he could cook them up some breakfast while his clones prepared him for their mission.

Sasuke spent the whole time the blond was cooking by observing his dobe, remembering their conversations from yesterday and already planning on how he will get Naruto to accept to let Sasuke buy and bring him groceries. And maybe even clothing, too. And ninja tools and materials. All in all, Sasuke had decided that if he couldn't get Naruto to live with him at the Uchiha Compound, he will visit the blond here as much as he possibly can when they have free time. If he ends up helping the blond's tough living style, then that was just an extremely pleasant and welcome bonus.

When Naruto finally served them breakfast, Sasuke was quick to start eating and even complimented Naruto on the fish, but the blond had turned away with a blush, muttering how he didn't need his food praised like some girl. This had, of course, caused Sasuke to smirk and he started teasing the boy earnestly, which led to Naruto going back to his loud self and before they knew it, they were bickering through their entire meal and then Naruto suddenly found himself waiting in the Uchiha Compound's main house while Sasuke packed up his own things for the mission. Since they still had time, Sasuke even made them tea and they spent another half an hour in comfortable silence with the occasional quiet conversation. Nothing heavy, just about their real likes and dislikes, which is how Naruto learned that Sasuke doesn't like sweats because he had once gotten a really bad stomachache when he was younger and the Uchiha found out that Naruto actually preferred his solitude most of the time because almost no one in the village ever had a nice thing to say. His pranks were a way of drawing attention to himself, yes, but Naruto only wanted them to see him, not to speak to him. He wanted them to look at him with anger but no fear and disgust because he housed Kurama. He wanted acknowledgment but not confrontation. What a paradox the dobe was.

When it was nearing the time for them to meet up, Naruto helped Sasuke clean up the cups and then they were off. They met up Sakura first and then they waited ten more minutes for Tazuna to arrive. Kakashi, for once, wasn't late and arrived at the precise time they were supposed to meet at, which now lead us to the situation at hand, with an extremely energetic Naruto and his amused or exasperated companions while his inhabitant was both.

"What are you all so excited for?" Sakura asked with a huff from where she was standing near Sasuke, the Uchiha remaining silent as he watched Naruto's enthusiasm with amusement.

"It's because this will be the first time I'm leaving the village!" Naruto replied with a big grin, completely ignoring Tazuna's derisive snort. "And it's happening at such a convenient time, too! I thought I'd have to hide again this year," the last part was mumbled under his breathe but Kakashi's frown showed he either still heard him or had read his lips. Naruto didn't care either way, as Kakashi already knew very well just what happened in October. The jonin had once been his guard when he had been too young to look after himself. He had seen what the villagers were willing to do in their hatred and fear of Kurama. Said fox scuffed as he heard his host's thoughts.

"It's good you have enthusiasm and so much energy, Naruto, but remember that this is not a vacation but a mission." The jonin reminded but Naruto waved him off.

"I know that, dattebayo." The blond said before turning his back towards them and placing his hands behind his head as he studied the path before them. Man, was he excited! 'I can't wait until we start heading back and we can go at top speed!'

Kurama chuckled at his vessel's anticipation. Easy, kit. We first need to get there.

'I know, dattebayo, but I just can't wait!' This will be the first time he will be able to really stretch his legs like that. He never dared run at more than the average ninja speed in Konoha. Even though he lived so deep in the woods, you never could be too sure. Just look at Sasuke and how he had walked in on Naruto using his powers. He looked over to the mentioned boy and flushed when he found black eyes on him. 'I really was lucky that I had been turned away from him. His reaction might have been a whole lot worse.'

Again, we're talking about the kid who doesn't care about other people's opinions and personal shit. The Kyuubi replied with a roll of his red eyes. He wouldn't care.

'But it's his family's Kekkei Genkai and we don't even know how I got it.'

Seeing how dazed Naruto looked at the moment, Tazuna turned to Kakashi and pointed at Naruto. "Hey, is this kid really going to be capable for this mission?"

Naruto heard him and spun around, glaring daggers at the old man. "Just you watch, geezer. You're looking at the future Hokage of Konoha! The name is Uzumaki Naruto, so you better remember it, dattebayo!"

The bridge builder snorted. "I know for a fact that the Hokage is the strongest ninja in the village and you don't look to me like the type to be able to make it. You look like someone who can easily be overlooked and forgotten. Sorry if I don't have confidence in you making it."

Naruto gave the other a very Kurama-like grin. "That's okay, I know old people are very short in eyesight at your old age." Tazuna started sputtering about how he was the client but Naruto never took anyone's crap if he could defend himself. It's one of the reasons he was chased into the sanctuary of the forests surrounding Konoha so often. He just couldn't keep his mouth shut. "And don't worry, I'll forgive you when I do succeed. I'll be sure to mention you as one of my many motivators in proving you wrong."

Tazuna was left speechless, as were Sakura and Kakashi, as they had never expected for Naruto to use such heavy sarcasm so casually to put an elder down like that. Sasuke, on the other hand, was having a hard time not glaring daggers at the old man or snorting with everything Naruto said. The blond had sure showed him. Stupid old geezer deserved it.

Kakashi was the first to snap out of it and he cleared his throat. "Right, I think it's best if we get going." And before anyone could possibly think of arguing, the man started walking, easily taking the lead. Naruto was just as easily able to keep his pace and soon the others were following, too. "And there's no need to wordy, Tazuna-san. Not only will you be accompanied by a jonin, myself, but this is a very promising team. I am sure you will like them." A hand ruffled golden locks and a grin was sent the sensei's way. If you looked closely enough, you could easily see the smile under the mask, too.

"That's right, Tazuna-san! You are even so privileged as to have someone like Sasuke-kun to protect you. You see, he's from the famous Uchi-" A hand muffled Sakura's rambling and she looked at her sensei.

"That is not something to reveal on roads, Sakura." The silver haired man said. "It may only put our group in more danger. There are secrets that are better left hidden." He cast a look at Sasuke, whose hands were clenched in the pockets of his white shorts. Naruto seemed to notice this, too, as he walked a bit further up the road before turning around and facing the genius as he walked backwards.

"Hey, teme, is this also your first time out of Konoha?"

Sasuke shot him a bored look. "Yes, dobe."

"Hey! Don't call me that!" And whatever tension had been created by where the conversation had been going was demolished when the two boys started on each other, arguing for the whole first two hours of the journey, ignoring the perplexed stares Tazuna was giving them.

However that all stopped when Naruto felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Whatever he was going to say in retaliation to Sasuke was interrupted when two ninja jumped out of a small puddle and jumped at Kakashi, seeming cutting him in half with spiked chains. Sasuke and Naruto didn't wait for a second before they sprang into action. The two ninja, connected by the chain, reappeared behind Naruto and were about to try the same trick but the blond dodged as a shuriken flew by them and pinned the chain to the three before Sasuke secured it by throwing a kunai through the shuriken's hole so that it can't be released from the tree. They made the mistake of looking upwards, where Sasuke was still hovering in the air from his jump, when Naruto crouched down and kicked their feet from under them, sending them both to the ground.

But the ninja quickly regained their footing while Naruto was still on the ground and made to kill him, but Sasuke landed on their still trapped hands, leaned on them with his own and delivered a kick to their jaws. They suddenly released themselves from the chain before using the momentum from Sasuke's kick to turn around and flip before charging at Sakura and Tazuna, who had both been watching and standing there dumbly. Their clawed weapons made to grab them but Sasuke and Naruto appeared in front of them, both their eyes turning red as their opponents came closer-

Only for the two dark dressed ninja to let out a last strangled breath when Kakashi reappeared from nowhere, one of the ninja's neck broken between his forearm and upper arm while the other's neck had been snapped with a strong chop to his shoulder by Kakashi's hand. He was now under Kakashi's armpit, dangling lifelessly. "Yo."

Sakura laughed in delight behind her teammates. "Kakashi-sensei, you're alive!"

Sasuke scuffed. 'What a show-off.'

Naruto looked the two behind him and grinned an easy going smile when he saw they were unharmed. "Of course he is. He used substitution."

"He must have noticed the puddle." Sasuke added as he looked everyone over as well. He returned his hands back into his pockets when he saw that everyone was fine and returned to studying their surroundings.

"What's so special about a puddle?" Sakura asked in confusion, finally letting go of the kunai she had drawn when the two ninja had charged at her and Tazuna. The old man looked a bit shaken but appeared otherwise fine.

"It hasn't rained for a few days now. Where would the water come from?"

Kakashi nodded, impressed and pleased. "That's right. But I am more curious about Naruto. You had sensed them. How?"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, not really meeting his sensei's eyes. Sasuke looked back to his team at that, wondering what the usuratonkachi was going to say. "Well, the same way I sensed you, sensei. My senses are naturally sharper than most. I don't really know why," Sasuke realized just how good an actor Naruto was if he had kept this up, these lies and pretenses, his whole life without anyone ever finding out one of his secrets. "But it's always been this way. I sensed them but they still attacked before I could warn you. Sorry, Kakashi-sensei."

"It's okay, Naruto. You all did good." The silver haired, masked man said with a pleased nod before letting the bodies fall down on the ground. Sakura beamed at the praise while Sasuke simply let out a noncommental 'hn'. The jonin turned to his youngest student, who seemed to be staring at the back of his left hand. There was a not so deep wound there, obviously from the talons from their enemies' "talons". Kakashi took hold of Naruto's hand and immediately started bandaging it. "Sorry I didn't help out right away, Naruto. I got you hurt."

"Hurt?" Sasuke snapped, moving over to their side. Kakashi moved away when he saw this strange look on Sasuke's features and instead went over to their client. Sasuke frowned when he recognized the first sign of poisoning and unwrapped the bandages he had started on, brought Nruto's hand up to his face and started sucking the poison out. The blond in questioned blushed, his protests of quick healing falling on deaf ears while Sakura screamed in rage at the attention the boy was getting. Sasuke ignored them both, instead focusing on making sure Naruto doesn't die. Seriously, the dobe would be dead without him.

When he was done, he spat out the poison and cut off the soiled part of the bandage before wrapping Naruto's hand back up. ''There, that should do.''

''It really wasn't necessary, Sasuke. You know that I have a super fast healing factor. Kurama wouldn't have let the poison leave that area on his own.'' The blond whispered with red cheeks, blue eyes averted away from Sasuke.

''Tazuna-san, these two are chuunin-class ninja from the Village Hidden in the Mist. They are all known for being the type of enemies that keep fighting no matter what. Fighting them isn't something a genin team should be doing, as this is a B or A rank mission. You payed for C. That consisted of us supporting and guarding you from bandits while you completed the bridge in your village." Kakashi's matter of fact and rather cold voice brought their attention to their client, who was looking at his feet with clenched fists. "This lie could have cost us all our lives. Were you aware of this?"

"I had no choice but to lie about the true rank of the mission." Tazuna said through clenched teeth as he looked up at the jonin. "My village is a small and poor one. We all had to collect the money I got for months and the only missions we could afford were D and C rank. D rank involved mission within the village so I had to pay for a C rank mission. I knew it was a big risk but we need the protection of ninjas. The bridge we are building is incredibly important. It's the only way our country's economy can start up again without us depending on the one man who is bringing us to ruin in the first place. This bridge will connect us to the main land and we'll be able to sell and buy without paying impossibly high taxes."

"Whatever the reason, you should have told us." Kakashi insisted and Tazuna lowered his head back down. "We now have every right to turn back as the mission can now be considered invalid. Your money will be returned to you and you can purchase a new mission befitting the correct rank, which in this case is B at least."

"But I already told you-" the distressed man protested but the masked ninja cut him off with a pitying glance.

"I am sorry, Tazuna-san, but I can't endanger my team any more than I already have. This was supposed to be a C rank mission but if we're fighting ninjas ..."

"We're totally out of our league here. We should just quit. Besides, Naruto needs a doctor to check his hand. After all, it was poisoned." Sakura said, looking relieved that they were going back to the village. She jumped in surprise when Naruto whirled around to glare at her.

"We are not turning back! Especially not because of a little scratch!"

A vein started throbbing in Sakura's huge forehead as emerald eyes glared at the blond haired boy. "So what do you suggest then, Naruto? That we go to our deaths!?"

"Are you seriously trying to become a ninja?" The Kyuubi vessel asked, crossing his arms over his orange clad chest. "Because you don't seem to realize that every mission is like going to our death." The pink haired girl was left gawking while Sasuke nodded his head.

"However, you are still in danger, Naruto. The poison-"

Naruto waved his sensei's worries away, ignoring Sasuke's glare as he untied the bandage and showed the half healed wound. Kakashi narrowed his visible eye as Naruto locked their gazes. "I heal pretty quickly, KaKashi-sensei." The emphasis was not lost on the older shinobi and his black eye widened for a second before he nodded with a sigh. Though, it would seem he should probably have a talk with Naruto about the creature he houses.

"It is your decision." He said as a scowling Sasuke walked up to him and redid his bandages again. Tazuna was staring at the blond in shock. He, the only one who got hurt in his attempt to protect Tazuna, a man who had not wanted him to come, was the first one to speak up for this mission. A mission that meant more to Tazuna and his people - people he never even met - than this boy should know. He had not been expecting this when he first saw the kid.

'Kurama, how fast can you heal my hand?' The Jinchuuriki asked in his head, never taking his eyes off of Kakashi. Sasuke saw that Naruto had went unusually still and silent and looked up into those cerulean eyes. To someone who didn't know the blond, it would seem like he was focused on the silver haired man but Sasuke could easily see that those eyes were slightly glazed over.

'Must be talking with the Kyuubi.' He decided before tightening the bandage and resisting the urge to hit the blond head in his irritation. He was not tying the bandages again.

All will be well by tomorrow, Kit. Uchiha helped a great deal in speeding it up by sucking out the venom. Kurama replied, already hard at work on the rather small wound in comparison to the things he had to heal over the years. Just don't get stabbed in the hand by then, okay?

'I got it, dattebayo.' Determined blue eyes shifted from Kakashi, to Sakura to Tazuna before settling on the silent raven haired boy still standing beside him. He lifted his injured hand and showed it to everyone. "I know that I should be stronger for the words I'm about to say, I know I've not completed all that many missions but I've trained every day of my life and I never backed down from a challenge. So here, now, on this wound, I promise," he clenched his fist and Sasuke growled when a small stained of blood appeared. Seriously, he will tie the idiot up if he has to re-wrap his bandages just one more time. "I won't ever do something that will need someone to help me. I won't run away or rely on others." Even Sasuke, went unsaid to the two people who knew just how close the two boys were. "I vow that on this pain in my left hand."

Kakashi stared at his youngest student with something akin to shock as a little blood dribbled down his hand before his eye went back to normal. 'I see. This kid ... really grew up in a strange way.' "Well, it would seem that we are going to the Land of the Waves, after all."

Sakura sighed, Tazuna looked grateful and relieved, Sasuke just let out a 'hn' while Naruto smiled.

Their adventure has just started.