The Change

Summary: While fighting off two members of the Akatsuki, something goes very wrong, and Naruto and Itachi both suffer the consequences of the meshed chakra when their attacks go very wrong.

Pairing: Naruko/Sasuke

Anime/Manga: Naruto

Genre: Romance/Spiritual/Adventure

Rated: M

-x-x-x-

"Stop," Naruto brushed Sakura's hand away from his hair. 'She was never this fascinated with my Naruko form, what the hell.' He sighed, "Sensei, what's the mission for today?"

Kakashi chuckled, "Naruto, in your condition, do you think we'd let you participate in missions?"

"Then, why am I here!?" He caught Sakura's hand and turned to face her, "Sakura, I'm begging you, stop."

"Let me put it in a braid for you, Naruto. It'll just get in your way if you run around with it down like this."

Closing his eyes, he fell into a sitting position and waved at her to continue. "Whatever. Hey, Sasuke!"

Turning his attention to Naruto, Sasuke raised a brow. "What is it?"

"Let's spar,"

Turning away from Naruto, Sasuke looked like he wanted to say no, but he didn't. Instead, he smirked, "you sure you're up to it, idiot?"

'At least, at least, Sasuke still treats me the same.' Naruto grinned, "of course I am! Nothings gonna hold me back, believe it!"

-x-x-x-

(Elsewhere)

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Itachi remained silent in the room where he stood. Eyes devoured him, and yet, he stood uncaring for the stares.

"What a predicament, yeah."

Lifting his eyes, he met the blue eyes of the mad bomber in the group he'd become apart of when he was just thirteen. "..."

"Shit! It's not like he can't fucking throw a kunai now, why the fuck does it matter if he's got tits now?!"

Closing his eyes, he sighed. Feeling a headache form from Hidan's excessive use of vulgarity. It was a shame that these were the people he had to spend his time with. Though personality-wise, he didn't mind a great number of them, the fact that they had no problem killing... not that he had any room to speak.

"Itachi, are you able to continue with your mission?"

"Does being a female restrict Konan from her missions?"

The room turned to the periwinkle haired Kunoichi on their team. She seemed disinterested in the whole situation, but raising her head, she smirked at his comment. "I'm sure you'll find your new body to hold several advantages."

'My old body held several advantages.' Itachi sighed, "if we are done here, I'll excuse myself."

Kazuki reached his hand out and placed it on Itachi's much leaner shoulders, "you will need to get new clothes, do not think to spend excessively."

Before anyone knew what was happening, A kunai was thrust up into his hand. Kazuki withdrew quickly and grunted in pain from the sharp object that now impaled his hand. Watching Itachi leave, he growled out his annoyance.

"Is this the equivalent of 'that time of the month,' yeah?" Deidara heard the whistle of a Kunai and stumbled backward as it struck the wall in front of him. Turning to Konan, he chuckled, "my bad."

-x-x-x-

Itachi made sure his door was locked before he pulled his cloak off and tossed it to the bare bed in the empty room. Moving towards the bathroom, he turned the light on and took in the reflection in the mirror. His clothes were much larger on him. He had already been small in comparison to the guys around him. To see how much smaller he was now. Lifting his arm out in front of him, he examined it critically. His wrist, dainty, his fingers, delicate. He got chills thinking of the changes. Sure, he transformed into a woman before, it was part of the package of a Shinobi, but that didn't mean he was used to his own body being quite so...feminine. Whatever that boys Jutsu and his did, in combination with the mix of three chakras, it had completely altered his body. He looked... closing his eyes, Itachi sighed. He looked like his mother.

-x-x-x-

(Konoha)

Sasuke stumbled back. In this new body, Naruto was proving to be faster than he'd been before. Not stronger, but certainly faster. "You're weaker,"

"W-what was that!?"

Kakashi nodded, "it's not surprising, Naruto. You're muscles, your body structure, it's completely changed, this isn't the Henge Jutsu. Honestly, the idea to spar Sasuke, it was a good idea. It allows you to discover this body's flaws with someone you were evenly matched with."

"Tch,"

Naruto ignored the frustration from Sasuke. He didn't care if his teammate was upset at being called evenly matched. Clenching his fists, he looked at how small it was. "It's...smaller than Sakura's..." Trembling, he felt his aggravation bubbling over as he fought back the want to scream and cry. 'Great, female hormones. Is this really what they feel like!?' Shaking his head, he shifted his footing and shot forward towards Sasuke, who couldn't dodge him but blocked him with complete ease. Each punch, each kick, nothing bothered him, and it was starting to piss him off! 'Damn it! Damn it! Damn it, damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!'

Sasuke moved out of the way of a red chakra infused punch. He had seen what happened the last time Naruto used that chakra. He wasn't exactly interested in getting in touch with his feminine side. Twisting around Naruto, he caught the smaller version of his teammate in a tight hold, his arms coming up under Narutos and tightening so that he couldn't get out of the restraining hold. Kicking, yelling. Sasuke didn't stop him. He was upset. Yeah, they got it. This was going to take a lot to get used to, but it would be easier if everyone stopped rubbing the changes into Naruto's face. He wouldn't call him anything but Naruto. He wasn't going to refer to him as she or her. He wasn't female. He was still the same idiot that he wanted to beat into the ground. "...Naruto!"

The blonde in his arms stopped struggling, breathing heavily, long bangs flew away with the wind as if even it was trying to soothe him. "Let me go."

Releasing his volatile teammate, Sasuke watched as he turned and left the clearing. Kakashi and Sasuke said nothing as he disappeared from their view.

"I don't get why she's upset. It's not that bad being female." Sakura sighed, "Naruto is just taking things too seriously. Oh, should we call her Naruko?"

Closing his eyes, Sasuke considered telling the pinkette off, but rather, he wanted to be the only one who understood Naruto's feelings. He couldn't pretend to understand the situation. By no manner of the word was he able to understand it, but he understood the frustration of being alone to deal with your problem of not being able to get your feelings across to the people who should understand you. He understood that well. He wanted... for whatever reason... to be needed. He would take care of Naruto. The state of mind he was in right now, as fragile as it was, Sasuke was sure that he was the only one who could help him.

-x-x-x-

Naruto heard the crunch of grass and held back a groan. He had run off to get away from everyone, and someone had followed him. "Please go away,"

"I mean, you're on my property."

Jumping, Naruto turned to see Shikamaru standing there with a raised brow. "Shikamaru," glancing around, he realized that he had jumped into the Nara meadows. Even now, he could make out the silhouettes of a couple does and a buck. "Oh, sorry."

"Don't sweat it," taking a seat next to the blonde, he laid back and closed his eyes. "I'm just guessing, but judging from how upset you look, you must have gotten into it with your team. Don't feel like you need to tell me anything. I'm just throwing it out there."

Pulling a strand of the tall grass, Naruto started folding it into tiny squares, "everyone's focusing on me as a female. It's not me that they see right now. Just a weak girl."

"Tch, that does sound troublesome. Why not just do what Ino and Sakura did."

'What Ino and Sakura did?'

"You know, throw caution to the wind and cut your hair off in a defiant show of feminine empowerment. Or something."

"Yeah, I don't think that would help me much. But...I guess my hair is a big part of the problem."

"It's not your hair," sitting up, Shikamaru pulled his tie from his hair, and Naruto watched it fall just above his shoulders. "Long hair doesn't make you a female. Neji's is longer than both of ours. Don't think for a second that it has anything to do with your visuals. Naruto, you are biologically female. Rather than finding frustration with the way everyone is treating you, just continue with your life the way you were before this change. You are still the same, loud, annoying, hyperactive blonde brat that you have always been. Changing sexes only makes you more troublesome."

Naruto stared at Shikamaru; his eyes were wide in surprise.

"You can hang out as long as you want. I only came to see what had spooked the doe." Standing, he patted his backside and started towards his house.

"...Shikamaru," blue eyes turned and met curious obsidian, "thank you."

-x-x-x-

Me: Here is chapter three of The Change. I hope everyone is enjoying this story!