Chapter 3- I'm The Kyuubi

Sighing, the genin of Team 7 drop to the ground, Naruto Looks at his hands and starts listing off missions, "this week we have caught Torra 5 times, cleaned the hot springs, helped pick flowers for the Yamanaka Flower Shop, caught escaped puppies for the Inuzuka family, helped at the orphanage while the wardens where at Suna, and cleaned Hokage-Jiji's place twice."

"This is so tiring!" Sakura sighs as she starts fanning herself with her hand. "How many D ranks do we have now?"

"25," Sasuke says, looking nonchalant as usual, but also sitting on the ground. 

Naruto stands up and stomps the ground raising one fist, "I'm going to ask Jiji to give us a C Class, we've done enough of these dumb D ranks." crossing his arms he looks at Kakashi, who was leaning against a wall in the shade reading more Icha Icha. "What do you say Kakashi-Sensei?" The genin all look at their sensei waiting for his response, instead, all they get is a lewd giggle shaken from whatever he was reading. "Agh, him and that damn book." Naruto throws his hands in the air. As he was fuming he had a brilliant idea, "Hey, hey," Naruto whispered to Sakura and Sasuke. "Help me steal his book." Naruto points to Kakashi who is completely enamored in his book. 

Sasuke looks, and whispers back, "we'll need a plan." 

"Sasuke? You too?" Sakura whispers back surprised. 

"I've gotta plan." Naruto motions the other genin over as he starts drawing in the dirt. "I have escape routes from my pranks that head straight to the Hokage's tower. Sasuke, you are going to Kakashi and ask him for help on a Jitsu." Sasuke nods, "Sakura, you're going to jump on the roof above Kakashi and wait for my signal. Once I give it, you will grab the book and toss it to me." Sakura also nods. "Once I have the book, I will create 3 Cage Bushin and send them in different directions, while I take my escape route to the tower. When Kakashi sees this all happening, you two will do everything you can to keep him away from the real me."

"Got it," Sakura stated with a thumbs up. Sasuke nodded and gave his signature hn. The three stood up and got in position. 

"Kakashi sensei," Sasuke stood beside Kakashi, pulling his gaze from his book to the boy. "I've been working on my chakra control for my fireball Jitsu, but I need some pointers."

As Kakashi opened his mouth to answer, Naruto nodded and Sakura grabbed the book, tossing it to Naruto.

"Cage Bushin no Jitsu!" Naruto did the sign for ram and suddenly there where four Narutos standing before Kakashi, with four Icha Icha Paradises. Kakashi watched in terror as the Narutos ran in four different directions. 

Before Kakashi could take off after the boy, Sasuke had wrapped a wire around Kakashi's foot and was helping Sakura pull him upside down onto the roof. Kakashi feels a hard tug before he was hung by his foot. 

"You guys... What are you doing?" Kakashi angrily looks at the two on the roof.

"Working as a team Kakashi-Sensei!" Sakura exclaims while Sasuke was preparing for his next move.

Sighing, "at least they are working together," Kakashi threw a kunai at the wire and Shunshined to the roof across from his genin. As he looked for where the Narutos went, he ducks a kunai thrown by Sasuke. 

"We gotta keep you distracted," Sasuke pulls out another kunai, "sorry Sensei." 

A small smile stretches Kakashi's face before he shoots back, "and what can you do little genin?"

"Don't talk to Sasuke-Kun like that!" Sakura yells, holding up her fist ready to charge at Kakashi. 

Sasuke used the sign for Tiger, "Katon, Goukakyuu no Jitsu!" A ball of fire charges at Kakashi, knowing that if he dodged it, the buildings would be caught on fire. 

"Suiton, Suidan no Jutsu," Kakashi had signed Tiger, Ox, Tiger, and finally Rat and shot a ball of water back, causing the two to collide and create a large cloud of mist. 

"Crap," Sasuke looks for his Sensei, but he used the mist to go after Naruto. "Come on," Sasuke turns to go after Naruto. 

Nearby, Kakashi sat in a tree waiting to see if his students would lead him to Naruto. Laughing when they do exactly that. "Genins."

After a few minutes, Sasuke and Sakura land outside the Hokage tower, they look for Kakashi and Naruto but find no one. They decide they are in the tower already and head up the stairs.

Kakashi shushins to a window to look inside, sure enough, there stands Naruto with his book, "wait... What is he doing to my book!" 

Naruto was sitting on the floor holding a kunai positioned above the cover, waiting for his Sensei. Opening the window, Kakashi leaps at Naruto, "Naruto! Give me my book!" 

"K-Kakashi-Sensei!" Naruto looks at his sensei in fear as his kunai is thrown from his grasp and the book is ripped away. Sakura and Sasuke burst through the door hearing Naruto yell expecting to see Kakashi trying to kill Naruto. Instead, they find naruto laying on the ground out cold, and Kakashi hugging his book and whispering apologies to it. 

Clearing his throat, Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi watches the scene play out in front of him with amusement. "Team 7, glad to see you're all getting along."

Kakashi Jumps and stores his book in his pouch, "Hokage-Sama, pardon the ruckus. This was a... Training exercise!" Kakashi rubs the back of his head while the genin line up beside him. "We've completed our mission to clean the Hokage Manor and are ready for our next mission."

Sarutobi starts sifting through papers when Naruto bursts out, "Jiji, we want a C Rank!"

"Naruto! You're a fresh genin. You still need to finish your 30 D Rank missions!" Iruka is standing beside the Hokage, he helps advise missions for fresh genin. 

"All we've done is cleaning missions!" Naruto starts to walk up to the two, "we need a real ninja mission!"

"Naruto." Sarutobi takes a puff of his pipe. "Do you know why we send you on these D Rank Missions?" Naruto shakes his head. "These missions come from all over the land, and some even from outside the Land of Fire. These missions have different difficulties, so our strongest shinobi take the hardest missions. A genin generally does D Rank missions, and sometimes C Rank. We don't want to send you on a mission that could get you hurt. " 

"But we are ready!" Naruto exclaims plopping on the floor, "I'm not the kid you think I am."

Sarutobi smiles into his pipe, "you're growing up Naruto," he thinks. "Okay, I have a C Rank that you can take. Tazuna, please come in."

A man carrying a bottle of sake wobbles in takes a swig of his bottle, and peers at the genin. "You expect these weaklings to protect me?" He looks at Naruto, "especially you, you look like a dumbass."

"I'm going to kill you!" Naruto starts running at Tazuna but Kakashi grabs him and holds him back. 

"I can assure you, my team is ready, and if it is absolutely needed I will intervene, " Kakashi puts down Naruto and Smiles at the man. 

"Hm, well I am Tazuna the Master Bridge Builder," he drinks again, finishing off the bottle. 

"You will escort Tazuna to the Land of Waves," Sarutobi says, looking to Kakashi with eyes that express caution. 

"Yes! I've never left the village before!" Naruto starts jumping around the room. 

"Thank you Hokage-Sama," Kakashi bows to Sartobi, "you three, will go home and pack enough for 2 weeks." Kakashi motions to the excited ninja. "When do you want us to depart Tazuna-san?" Kakashi ignores the chatter of Naruto talking about leaving the village. 

"How about in an hour, I need to get home to finish the bridge for my town." The bridge builder looks outside to see how much daylight is left. 

"Okay you heard him, go pack and meet at the main gates in an hour." Kakashi shoos out his genin. 

Naruto is rushing back to his apartment with excitement filling him to the brim. He is so excited that he doesn't notice that behind him are three men tailing him. He gets home and flings his door open and doesn't bother closing it. He rushes into his room and packs his weapons and another ninja supplies, he walks back into his kitchen to grab water when he sees a figure in his doorway. 

"Hello? Is there something I can help you with?" Naruto begins to back into his hallway that leads to his room. 

"Actually, yes." A familiar voice answers, as the figure enters the room, Yuuto comes into view. "The last time we tried to have fun with you, your buddies interrupted us." Rito and Nozomu enter behind him, "so we thought we could try again now that they aren't here." 

"My friends will know that you're here." Naruto is starting to feel panicked. 

"Well, I don't see anyone," Yuuto makes a show of looking around, "How about you two, anyone?" 

"Nope, not a single person," Rito smiles as he looks at Naruto.

"Kid, Let me help. You're stronger then they are." The Kyuubi stands up in his cage swinging around his tails. 

"No, this is happening because someone stood up, just let it be." Naruto deflates, standing in the kitchen of his apartment. "Sorry guys I might be a little late for the mission," Naruto thinks hoping he won't be too late. 

"How a little bit of light torture?" Yuuto grabs Naruto's shoulder and walks him to a chair. Naruto sits in the chair and lets them take off his shirt and jacket. They turn him so that his back is facing them, "we only did the front last time, so this time we are going to do the back." Yuuto ties Naruto's Hands in front of him and pulls out some kunai.

"You're being really complaisant today. " Nozomu pulls the blondes chin up to see a sad expression on his face. "Oh, starting to regret what you did that day then?" Nozomu walks behind Naruto and carves 鬼 (Demon) in the center of his back taking up most of the space. The others join in adding other names until there is nothing left. It's been about 25 minutes, and the men aren't satisfied yet. 

Yuuto walks to Naruto's kitchen and looks for some wire. He turns on a burner after shaping the wire into 狐(Kitsune) and 九 (Nine), he opened Naruto's hands, "Admit you're the Demon Fox, and we will stop hurting you."

"Fuck you," Naruto spits, "I am me."

Yuuto heats the first wire shaped into 狐 and presses it to the palm of Naruto's left hand. "Let's try this again, who are you."

"Naruto," he bites back a yell of pain, starring into the man's eyes with hate.

"Wrong." He heats the wire again and presses it to the wound. "Who are you?"

"I am Naruto." His eyes are tearing up as he holds back screams. 

"Again, wrong." Yuuto heats the wire once more and presses it again. This time getting a scream from the boy. Naruto sits silently looking at the floor. "No answer is a wrong answer," Yuuto sighs. He picks up the second wire and heats it; he opens Naruto's right hand and presses the hot wire. "Who. are. you?" Yuuto asks, growing angrier by the second. Again Naruto screams and says nothing as he cries from the intense pain. Yutto heats the wire, presses it saying, "come on Kyuubi, tell us who you are."

"I'm..." Naruto whispers looking at the floor, "I'm the Kyuubi."

"Hmm, did you hear him, boys?" Yuuto looks to the others, I don't think I could hear him." The others shake their heads and Naruto panics. 

"I'm the Kyuubi, I am the Kyuubi no Kitsune!" He screams, but Yuuto still brands his hand one more time. Naruto screams again and starts crying. "I'm the Kyuubi. Please, believe me. I'm the Kyuubi," he whispers into his lap, curling in upon himself.

"Good." Yuuto motions for the others and cuts Naruto free. "Make sure people can always see our art there Kitsune."

The three men leave a crying Naruto in his apartment. It's still 10 minutes before he needs to be at the gate.

"Kid," the Kyuubi says, trying to be gentle. "Do you want these as scars as well?" Naruto says nothing, he just stares at the floor, blank and unmoving. "I'll take that as a yes," he heals Naruto's wounds to scars and looks at the boy. 

In the mindscape, Naruto is on his knees in the wet sewer. "You okay kid?" The Kyuubi looks worries and pushes a tail out of his cage to wrap Naruto in it. 

"I'm Fine," Naruto says. He stands up and looks at the Kyuubi. "I'm the Kyuubi no Kitsune anyways." He gives a weak smile while reaching out to stroke Kyuubi's tail. "Thank you, Kyuubi."

Outside, Naruto slips on his shirt and jacket, not caring about the blood he gets all over his shirt as a result of not cleaning off. He grabs his bag and puts in some water then heads out the door. When he reaches the gates, he is the last one. 

"Naruto Baka, you're late!" Sakura yells at Naruto crossing her arms glaring at him. 

"Sorry, Sakura-Chan." Naruto walks past her without even looking up and starts walking out the gate. The group looks at each other and shrugs, following after him.

Naruto leads the group, walking silently with his head down. Next is Sasuke, Tazuna, and Sakura; then, Kakashi in the rear reading his book as usual. 

"Is he always this quiet?" Tazuna looks at the blonde, remembering his earlier energy. 

"No actually, he usually is bouncing off everything and getting into trouble." Sakura looks ahead at the boy worriedly. 

"Well, I guess we are lucky then. Now he won't attract attention." Tazuna says looking to the trees. 

After a while of walking, the group passes a puddle on the ground. Kakashi eyes it sensing the chakra of two people inside. Once the puddle is behind the group, two figures jump out of the water and chain up Kakashi. Pulling at the chain together, the two figures successfully rip Kakashi's body to pieces. The group looks in terror as the jonin dies before their eyes. 

Naruto, thinking he was dead, yells and charges one of the two men. "You'll pay for that!" Naruto tries to stab with a kunai but misses as the man jumps over him, heading towards Tazuna. 

Sakura stands in front of him with a weapon at the ready, but Sasuke steps in front of her and blocks the man's attack. "Take Tazuna ahead down the road. We can't fight if he is here!" Sasuke yells to Sakura pushing the man away from himself. Nodding, Sakura grabs Tazuna and pulls him down the road. 

Naruto looks at the two men angrily, as he started boiling over, his teeth grew and his scars deepened. "I'm going to kill you both!" Naruto ran, faster than he normally does at the two men, the first one he rips out the throat with his hand, the second one watched as Naruto charged at him. Before Naruto could reach him though, the man threw a kunai, Naruto caught it only to find it had a paper bomb attached. The explosion threw Naruto into a tree, Sasuke throws three shiruken that the man and prepares his fireball Jitsu. As his shiruken make contact, the man is replaced with a log. Quicky, Sasuke turns around just as the man takes a stab at him. Sasuke blocks it and jumps away.

Yelling, Naruto pulls a kunai of his own and slashes wildly at the man in front of him. The man, not used to the speed of the genin can do nothing but dodge. Naruto slashed again and before he could land the fatal blow, Kakashi caught the boy's arm and punched the man making him fall to the ground. 

Naruto, seeing his sensei alive calms down, his scars returning to normal, but his teeth staying a little longer. Kakashi walks to the living man and ties up his arms. "You two go check on Sakura while I question him." Without argument, the two boys walk down the road to find Tazuna and Sakura. 

"Sasuke-Kun!" Sakura yells as she runs to embrace her crush. She lets go and looks at Naruto and gasps, "Naruto, your jacket is all in tatters."

Looking down, sure enough, his jacket is torn in multiple places. "Darn, I don't have a new one either."

Sakura thinks for a moment then holds her hand out, "give it to me, I'll sew it up!" She smiles kindly, waiting for the boy to remove his jacket. Naruto unzips his jacket to reveal his bloody shirt underneath. "Naruto are you Bleeding?" Sakura spins him to look at his back.

"No, I'm okay." He says looking at the ground. 

"No you're not, take your shirt off too." She grabs the bottom of his shirt and starts to pull.

"S-sakura-Chan?" Naruto blushes and tries to stop her, but it's too late. She rips his shirt over his head to show the newest scars.

Sakura backs away covering her mouth, "What happened?" She looks at his face full of worry. 

Sasuke walks over angrily, looking at his back and searching the other boy for any other new marks. He finds the Burned words into Naruto's hands, "they did it again didn't they." Sasuke rather than asking angrily looked over each new mark. 

Naruto nods silently, avoiding eye contact. Kakashi came down the road at that moment and saw the blonde standing there shirtless with his horrified teammates standing beside him. 

"Naruto?" Kakashi walks over to Naruto with wide eyes. 

"Okay, yes I'm covered in scars, but I'm fine!" The boy takes his shirt back from Sakura, "like I said before I heal fast. It doesn't hurt." He slips his shirt back on. "Thanks for offering to fix my jacket Sakura-Chan, if it is too damaged don't worry about it." Naruto Smiles at her with his eyes closed.

"No, I don't think it will be too hard," Sakura says, catching on that he just wants to drop the subject all together.

"Okay, we should keep on moving then." Tazuna says, noting the tension in the air.

"Only if you tell us why the Demon Brothers Gozu and Meizu of Hidden Mist where after you," Kakashi turns and glares at the old man.