I do not own "Naruto"

SO I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I'M TIRED OF FLAMERS WHO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR WORK BEING 'KISHIMOTO TRASH' WHILE THEY HAVE NO STORY OF THEIR OWN TO SPEAK OF.

HOWEVER, I WILL AGREE ON ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING DIFFERENT. This is fanfiction. UNLIKE THEM, I ACTUALLY PLAN ON DOING SOMETHING OTHER THAN BITCHING. I hope you all will too.

I'll admit that I'm guilty of following the same canon sequence, this story is an example. Naruto is the underdog until he gets an ability, skill or weapon and makes his rise. He graduates. Wave Mission. Chunin exams. Tsunade retrieval. Sasuke retrieval. Shippuden. The only real change is the execution and the added details that happen in between. Which often involves his love life or his resolve.

Don't get me wrong, I love the stories and all but 75% of the time we know how it ends. We just don't know how they get there.

Let's try something different, shall we?

NAMELESS SHINOBI CHALLENGE

A single ninja or a team of those nameless shinobi who help run the village. Not those side, one-shot, characters getting a story, but an entirely OC team. They go on their own life changing adventures that could build or break them for their own reasons. They go on missions and they learn their own ideals of being a shinobi, make their sacrifices and try fulfilling their own goals. From the day they graduate till the day they either fulfill their goal or choose a different path in life, such as going rogue. Or just dying.

Maybe they want make a name for themselves from nothing. Maybe they have the weight of a legacy they need to maintain. Maybe they took on the duty of the village for the sake of another. Who knows, it's all open ground.

No all powerful bloodline, no major clan jutsu, no entity sealed within and no op weapons. (Or do it all, I just hope it's a good plot.) Just the skills they train from the ground up. That's not to say that they won't grow into powerful Shinobi, if they survive, they just have to earn it. Through blood, sweat and tears!

Go for the different! Have them be ANBU! Have their village fall! Have them become a Rogue!

Who's interested!? Who wants something new!?

This is both a challenge for any interested as well as to see who wants another to try it out! Take up the challenge or send one out! Just review or PM me. I'll also take suggestions or place them out so another can. If you try it for yourself then please send me a link. I'd love to read it and I'll make a notice of it.

To those who have heard of this challenge, chapter 1 is out in my new story 'Liquid Courage' Just need two more reviews for an update.

A shout out to 'Dragonkyubii' for getting me back on this story. Sorry for the wait buddy.

Chapter 11

"Please, we're sorry!" They begged as Naruto and Temari looked down at them.

They were two civilians, two men. They had gotten drunk and saw Naruto and Temari on their date, or as they saw it, the demon and the traitor. Through a combination of fear and drunken stupidity, they had managed to incite a riot. They hadn't thought it would come back to them. It did and now they were paying the price.

Temari could only sigh. Not at the cowardice of the people who had tried to kill her and Naruto begging for their lives, she was used to that. No, she sighed at Naruto. Her fellow blond never ceased to shock her.

"I fall into a coma," She began. "And you make a deal with a man who's shady even by ninja standards."

Naruto looked away with a mild blush.

"What will you do with them?" Danzo asked, ignoring the insult.

"An hour ago I would have killed them." Naruto answered honestly. "But it's not how I'd usually do things."

Danzo gave a subtle nod to one of his ninja. In the blink of an eye, the two begging civilians had their heads separated from their bodies. The blonds flinched at the quick and brutal display.

"What was that for!?" Naruto demanded.

"You were being indecisive." Danzo answered. "Those men were dead the minute they were apprehended. They saw too much, knew too much. You had an issue, I solved it."

Naruto was about to comment, but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"So what will you do now?" Temari asked.

"Occasionally I will contact the boy to complete a mission for the sake of the village."

"What kind of mission?"

"The kind that Konoha can't be affiliated with."

"So he's your attack dog?" Temari asked.

"Sometimes." Danzo answered honestly. "Our business is concluded for now."

With the obvious dismissal, Temari and Naruto made their way out.

Once they were far enough away and Naruto felt that they weren't being followed, he turned his attention to Temari.

"I...have something else to tell you." Naruto stated. Taking her silence as a signal to continue he did. "I've been talking to the Kyuubi."

Temari was both inwardly and outwardly shocked, but kept her cool and listened. He told her of the conversation he had with the fox and the deal that they had worked out.

"Go for it." She encouraged, noticing the shocked look on his face. "What, I think it's a good idea."

Naruto was shocked at how easily she agreed to his idea. Sure he explained it but he thought he'd needed to pursued her in some way, convince her to see things the way he did.

"I thought you'd be more...afraid."

"I lived my life being afraid that Gaara would lose control." Sh admitted. "Even now I still do."

"But I thought Gaara was a good guy now."

"Gaara is." Temari stated. "But Shukaku isn't. The demon still fights my brother on occasions but Gaara's will has become much stronger." She took his hand into his. "Thanks to you."

Naruto blushed at her smile.

"Just please stop making shady deals with shady people and demons when I'm not around."

"I'll try."

Naruto began walking in a single direction towards his destination with temari following. For this to work he needed to be away from everyone. They kept at the pace of a civilian jog so they wouldn't draw any suspicion. It still took them most of the day to get away from the populated part of village with all the turns he took. Just to shake anyone who might have tried tailing them.

Eventually they made it deep into the forest that surrounded the village. It wasn't long before they found his destination, a waterfall. There was nothing special about this place other than being away from everyone. At Kyuubi's behest, that was all he needed.

"What now?" Naruto asked out loud.

"Sit on the rock and meditate." The fox answered.

You brought me here so I could meditate? Naruto asked.

"Shut it!" The fox roared. "You are here for something far more important."

Like what?

"I'll only give you one hint." The fox answered. "Yang."

Naruto sat on the rock as he contemplated the words.

As he did the meditation and contemplation, he felt the world melt away. All that was left was the gentleness of nature. It was because of this that he noticed the sudden appearance of a stranger behind the waterfall.

Standing as the stranger came forward, he was greeted with...himself. The other Naruto was the same as him in nearly every way, but their was a few differences. His eyes were

"What the hell is going on?" Naruto asked aloud. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm the part of you that Kyuubi actually likes." The other answered. "I'm the reason that he even acknowledged you."

Naruto considered the statement. Kyuubi had stated that hatred was a part of his nature so...

"You're my negative side." Naruto stated.

The other nodded his answer. "I'm the hatred formed from years of living in that hell called a village."

Naruto and the darker half lunged at each other with their fist cocked. They met each other with a powerful blow, fist colliding before jumping back. Both began rubbing their hands to ease the pain, you ever punch something that met you with equal force? It hurts.

"We always start a fight with a left punch." The other stated.

Shadow clone Jutsu

Both of them created a dozen clones that charged their opposite the moment they formed. Each one dispelling one another, but none gaining the advantage.

As the clones fought, neither of the summoners moved. Naruto took this time to try and understand the task he was supposed to be doing.

Yang. He thought. This guy is my negative side, my yang.

"Yang...Ying...it can't be that simple, can it?" Naruto muttered.

"Why can't it?" Kyuubi asked, his voice echoing in the air.

"If you aren't going to make a move, then I will!" The darker half shouted as he charged forward.

He's being hotheaded and charging blindly in, I must be calm and... Naruto thought as he prepared himself.

Once the darker Naruto was in arms reach, the original blond took a step back as he avoided a punch. The darker of the two fell into his light counter parts embrace.

"I must accept myself." The blond stated.

Naruto closed his eyes as he accepted his negative emotions.

Light can not exist without dark. He thought. Hatred can not exist without love.

When Naruto opened his eyes he was back in the sewers of his mind facing the Kyuubi.

"Are you ready Naruto?" Kyuubi asked calmly.

"As I'll ever be.' Naruto answered.

"Then tear the seal."

Naruto reached for the seal, but gave a moment's hesitation. He would basically be freeing the fox and letting it loose to do anything! At least when they switched places, they were in the seal. Now there would be no boundaries. He hesitation lasted just that, a moment.

He didn't betray me then, he won't now.

He reached for the seal.

A hand grabbed his, stopping him.

"Whoa there Naruto." A kind voice stated.

"Fourth!" The Kyuubi shouted as it slammed against the cage.

There before him in all his glory was the Fourth Hokage.

"What are you doing here?" Naruto asked in shock.

"I should be asking you that Naruto." He retorted as he eyed the fox.

"What are you doing here Fourth?" Naruto asked. "Why are you in the seal?"

"I placed the seal on you with a bit of my chakra, to alert me when the Kyuubi's seal was about to be broken." The former leader answered. "I had hoped it would never come to that." He sent a small glare towards the demon. "I never wanted to see you again, but since I get to see my son, I'll call it even."

"Fourth!" The Kyuubi shouted. "Come here so I can tear you to shreds!"

"Well you keep that up and I won't want to come near you." The Fourth stated. "Let's go somewhere else and chat."

Naruto took a step away from the Fourth towards the fox.

"Why?" Naruto asked sadly. "Why seal him into me? Do you know the hell I went through because of you? I grew up alone and in pain because of you!"

"It must have been hard for you." His father stated sympathetically.

"Just tell me why." The boy demanded.

"I did what I had to do for the sake of the village as Hokage." The Fourth stated. "So I chose you, my son, to bare the burden because mine and your mother's blood flows in you. I knew you could contain the fox's hatred." His father smiled. "I did it because I believed in you Naruto."

"...Yes, just like you believed in the village."

Minato smiled at his son's words. "Good, I'll just reapply the seal and-"

He was silenced when Naruto delivered a devastating punch to his gut.

"You think a few nice words will cover years of pain and loneliness!" Naruto screamed rather than asked. "Your belief in that hell of a village is what put me on this path. I'm now a pariah of The Village Hidden in the Leaves because of your choice!"

Naruto turned and made his way towards the fox. He ignored his father's please, they meant nothing to him. Nothing but a reminder of what and why he was doing what he was doing.

Kyuubi smirked as the blond child made his way over.

Naruto glanced back and took one last look at his father and tore the seal off in a quick snatch.

The fox burst from the cage with a mighty roar and flare of chakra. The fox wasted no time in gathering it's chakra in his mouth and releasing it straight into the Fourth. It tore through the former leader, leaving nothing behind.

"Damn that felt good." The fox mumbled before turning his attention to Naruto. "You ready?"

"What do I have to do?"

"I think it's pretty obvious." The fox answered as he crouched.

"...Yeah." Naruto mumbled. "It is."

Kyuubi swatted a claw forward, basically a flick of his wrist, knocking Naruto back several yards. The boy was able to right-en himself mid-air and land on his feet.

"Use your chakra to latch onto mine." Kyuubi ordered. "Like tug-a-war. Just don't think it'll be as simple."

Naruto ran forward as the Kyuubi pounced. He summoned a clone to help him form a Rasengan before launching towards the giant creature. The fox growled in pain as the ball of chakra collided with him. Though the attack was small, even the Nine-Tailed fox admitted it's power.

"Come on Kyuubi, is that all you got?" Naruto taunted.

"Don't get cocky runt." The fox growled. "And don't think I don't notice your clone."

With a swipe of his tail, he crushed the clone that had attempted latch onto the fox from behind.

Well there goes that plan. Naruto thought.

"Fuck it." Naruto spoke. "I never liked planning!"

He charged the fox head on.

Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu

A proverbial army of Naruto's formed before the fox. They began swarming him like ants on a a pile of sugar.

"Enough!" The fox bellowed, blowing all of the clones away. "You think a frontal assault like that would work on me!?" He raised his claw and brought it down over Naruto, just short of crushing him. "I think it's time I humbled you human!"

Whatever the fox had planned was stopped when golden chains erupted from everywhere. The bound the Tailed-Beast and pulled the fox off of Naruto.

"Kushina." The fox muttered.

Try as he might, even the Kyuubi couldn't snap these chains. Not from lack of trying. That didn't stop him from attempting to do so as the memories of the years trapped inside of his previous host filled him with anger.

. . .

"Hello Naruto-Kun." A Kind voice spoke. "Do you know who I am?"

Naruto stared at the woman before him, a complete stranger. She was attractive, but the only thing that stood out was her hair. It was a red he'd never seen before...right?

"Kyuubi?" Naruto spoke as he eyed the woman. "So this your human form."

The lady in front of him just burst out laughing. "I'm not Kyuubi ya know!" She declared before straightening herself. "Sorry about my verbal tick. I hope you didn't inherit that from me."

"...What's your name?" He asked wistfully.

"I'm Kushina." She answered. "But you can call me mother."

Kushina had expected her son to embrace her in a hug or to make some kind of exclamation. She would have understood a breakdown. What Naruto did shocked her, he took a step back. He was weary of her!

"I have one question for you." He stated coldly.

"Anything." She stated hesitantly.

"Why did you want the fox sealed into me?" Naruto asked.

"I...didn't." She stated honestly. "I wanted to seal the fox back into me while I was dying, to take it with me. It would be years before it reformed, but by then I'd hoped you'd have grown into a nice young man." She sighed as she thought back to that particular memory. "I wanted you to have a regular life, not like mine. An outcast."

He looked at the woman before him, his mother. Unlike the Fourth, who he refused to call father, she wanted what was best for him before the village.

"Mom, I've got something to tell you."

He told her everything, leaving nothing out. How he was treated by the village from as far back as he could remember. How his greatest efforts were shot down and he with it. How he was an outcast in a place he called home. All because of something he had no control over. As she had feared.

Then he told her of how he found his special people, those who made it easy for him to get through the days. Such as the ramen stand folk. A few of his fellow graduates from the Rookie 9, and Team Gai. Then he spoke of her Temari.

"Damn you Minato." She whispered.

"It's not all bad." Naruto stated. "I have Kyuubi and Temari. And my friends."

The statement didn't do much to make his mother feel better. A demon was her only son's solace, who could find comfort in that!?

"Naruto, I wish you could have grown up in Uzugakure." She stated sadly as tears flowed from her eyes. "The people there, our people, the would have understood and accepted you."

"I wish the world was different." Naruto spoke quietly. "That this was all just a bad Genjutsu someone put on me and I'm really kid with loving parents."

"A better world." Kushina agreed. "Naruto, I want you to do everything to make a better world for yourself. For your family." Kushina spoke. "I'll support the decisions you make, you've earned it."

. . .

Kyuubi had finally broken free of the chains when Naruto awakened from his trance. He'd wonder later how someone could go into a trance while already inside their own mind.

"Let's go!" Naruto shouted. "This time I'll-"

He was silence by an unfamiliar pain. He looked down to see that his pain was real. He had been impaled. Kyuubi had impaled him in the chest with his claw.

"That's enough kit, now give in." Kyuubi spoke calmly. "You fought hard, giving it your all and never backing down. You've proven yourself worthy."

Naruto felt his chakra burn in every part of his body. Though it was being blocked out by his rising anger, his rising hatred. He hadn't felt like this since the side-affects of using his One-Tailed state, even that was starting to pale.

The blond didn't fight against it, he embraced it. He embraced the dark emotions that started to flood him, everything that he pushed down was now coming up. And he was enjoying it.

Naruto could feel it, the chakra coursing through him. It reminded him of that moment in Wave as he fought Haku and in the forest of Death when he fought Orochimaru. It was so wild but he didn't feel it needed to be repressed, just focused.

On Temari.

Naruto opened his eyes.

No longer was he the hyperactive knuckle-head ninja everyone knew. Now, he was the boy touched by the hate of Kyuubi. And embraced it.

"Stand up kit." Kyuubi spoke.

Naruto did. He began looking over his hands,

"How do you feel?" The fox asked.

"Like I could take on an army." He answered.

"And you could." Kyuubi stated. "You have access to more of my power." The fox looked up, as if he saw something that the human couldn't. "An army wouldn't be much to give you a real challenge. What will you do with this power now?"

"What we agreed on." Naruto answered as he smiled.

"And the old warhawk?"

"I keep my word, I'll work with him as long as necessary." Naruto answered.

"Hmph, your mate awaits."

. . .

-Temari

To Temari, it had seemed that Naruto had simply fallen into a trance as soon as he began meditating. Watching him sit there was actually strange to her as she had hardly seen him so still.

Then it began. It started as the occasional twitch here and growl there. Nothing she thought worth paying attention two but she did.

Then she felt it, like a weight on her chest and a fire on her skin. She could feel the power of the Nine-Tailed Fox and the malice that it released. It was overwhelming, even her experience with Shukaku couldn't have prepared her for this.

But she stayed.

Not from fear or duty or anything like that. She stayed to make sure Naruto was alright, just as he would for her. Temari may not love him, yet, but she wasn't lying when she said that she cared for him.

She needed to make sure he was okay.

"Temari."

He looked almost exactly the same but the differences that were there were major. His whisker marks were darker and more vivid. His once blond hair was now black and longer and even shaggier.

It was his eyes that really drew her attention. They weren't the shining blue that she had come to know but a dark red that actually scared her. It honestly reminded her of her brother when he was losing control. Though, where Gaara was full of blood lust Naruto's had a look of barely contained hatred.

"Naruto?" She questioned.

He may have been willing to trust the demon, but she wasn't. She was just trusting him. She was hoping that trust had paid off. That she still had her Naruto.

Temari watched as his darkness seemed to recede and he transformed back into the blond boy she knew. And his kind blue eyes returned. He looked at her and smiled and she happily returned it.

"Can we get some ramen?"

And she almost face-faulted. She knew he was back because only he could go through some experience with a demon and want some ramen after.

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