Well people, this is my first Naruto Fic. It's a time travel one coz I just love 'em.

I swear that it does get much funnier after the first couple of chapters, as you need the back-story to begin with, so please, please, please keep reading and don't forget to leave me some reviews so I know what you all think of it - no reviews makes me think you all hate what I write.

Disclaimer : (valid for all chapters so I don't have to write it in every one) I don't own anything... except my character.

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Chapter 1

Naruto was on a mission, if it could actually be called that. It was technically a C-Rank mission as it was a low level mission outside of the village, but all Naruto would call it was a shopping trip for a lazy old lady. He was supposed to collect some special 'herbs' Tsunade needed for an 'experiment'. In other words...some ingredients Tsunade wanted for the homemade sake she was determined to make in one of the hospital labs, much to Sakura's distress and against Shizune's best efforts.

It didn't matter to him that he was on his own for this one. He had managed 2 years in ANBU, kicked the ass of the Akatsuki and had just finished surviving his first year of being 'Hokage in training' to Tsunade. In his opinion that was more challenging than his time in ANBU. So all in all, he could pretty much take care of himself.

He had just finished paying for the 'required' items when he heard some form of shouting, but just barely even with his heightened senses, one of the perks of merging with the Kyuubi, so paid it little mind and continued on his way to the town gates. He could have stayed at an inn for the night as the village was just under a day away, but the closer he was to the village when he eventually slept, the quicker he would get home. That ramen wasn't going to eat itself. Naruto was just passing through the gates when he caught a whiff of an oddly familiar scent, right before a blur whizzed by him and the puff of wind caused a rippling of his hair. Tilting his head to the side he snatched the briefest glimpse of what had made the disturbance of the air.

It was only for a split second, but for a ninja that was long enough. Ragged, short brown hair, scrappy clothes and...one...green eye on an extremely skinny boy. In an instant he was gone, with a good number of townsfolk in hot pursuit. If the look of pain and fear in the boy's face wasn't enough to follow the group, then the shouts of "Monster", "Freak" and "Thief" definitely was. With a quick check to make sure that the bag of 'herbs' was nice and secure on his back, Naruto took off after the mob following the scent that still made something niggle at the back of his head.

Through the first line of trees he smelt blood and quickened his pace before he had to quickly slam on the brakes when he noticed the group had stopped up ahead. He wanted to remain hidden until he could understand what was going on a bit better. Stopping on a branch just out of sight, he didn't see the slight twitch of the boys nose, too busy taking in the young man's appearance and clenching his jaw with the more he saw.

Just ahead of him was a small clearing filled with angry looking men brandishing weapons and seething a killer intent aimed towards the boy, who was backed against a tree. He was panting, holding his side and trying to keep all of his weight off of his left leg which was concealed by a baggy trouser leg, soaked heavily in blood. Even an idiot, which Naruto did not count himself as, could see the boy was badly hurt and was hardly offering any threat. The only things Naruto could see and smell on the lad was blood and a lot of fear. There was no doubt all he wanted to do was run, meaning all Naruto wanted to do was jump in and tell the men to back off, but this wasn't his fight. Well, not yet anyway, so he leaned against the tree he was standing in and listened to what was going on.

"HOW DARE YOU SHOW UP HERE AND TRY TO STEAL OUR FOOD!" one man shouted, pointing what could only be described as a kitchen knife at the one they had finally chased down.

"Monster" hissed another while several others nodded in agreement.

Still panting through obvious pain, the boy spoke – well yelled – his defence. "IT'S NOT STEALING WHEN I TRY TO PAY FOR IT, JUST NONE OF YOU WILL ACCEPT MY FUCKING MONEY!"

"Why should we accept something that's been tainted by your demon hands?" another sneered in reply.

"Just die already!" came an order, and was the only warning the boy got before a kunai was hurtled in his direction.

With a start Naruto gathered the slight chakra boost he would need to push off the branch and jump down in time, but stopped and looked on in utter confusion. The projectile had been dodged, but a pair of fox-like ears had appeared on the boys head. His jaw went slack as he stared down dumfounded. Being merged with the Kyuubi, he was the only person he was aware of that should have ears like that.

What the hell? What's going on? Naruto thought to himself, but someone was listening anyway.

Your guess is as good as mine Kit. Well maybe... the Kyuubi trailed off.

What? 'Maybe' what? Naruto asked frustrated at his lodger's vague answer.

We can find out later, but right now don't you think it best we stop them from committing murder Ho-ka-ge?

Naruto ignored the patronising tone of the fox and leaped down to intervene before things went too far. Swiftly stepping between the boy and now multiple projectiles, he pulled a kunai from his leg pouch and used it to gracefully deflect them from their intended target. He took a quick peek behind him to see the wide eye of the young man staring at him in sheer disbelief. Taking note that none of the weapons had hit him Naruto turned back to the crowd of men, whose shouts of protest he had been ignoring.

"Idiot! What did you protect that damn demon for?"

Naruto could almost sense the body behind him trying to merge with the tree and disappear.

"Stand aside boy! We don't tolerate thieves in our town!"

Before he could reply, a harsh voice snarled out from behind him. "I HAVEN'T STOLEN SHIT FROM ANYONE! I POINTED TO THE BREAD, HELD MY HAND OUT WITH THE MONEY AND YOU SWUNG THAT ROLLING PIN AT ME AND BROKE MY FEKKEN LEG!"

Naruto's eyebrows shot up. If he hasn't done anything wrong why are they trying to kill him? His mind raced and was pretty sure he already knew the answer.

Pretty stupid question the Kyuubi snorted. Here's a hint, think back to days long past.

But he isn't like me, well unless there are two Kyuubi's?

Idiot! People just don't like things that are different. Kyuubi sighed then with a rather sarcastic tone added, how you lot stay on top of the food chain is an utter mystery.

With a mental growl to Kyuubi in an attempt to get him to be quiet, Naruto decided enough was enough and took action. With a strained grin, he faced the angry group and asked "Is there any way all of you can just leave this to me?"

Strained laughter was his answer, along with "Are you kidding? My wife wants me to bring home one of those damn ears to prove that it's dead!"

He slumped his shoulders and felt the boy tense behind him, before his face brightened, "Fun way it is then." With the ease of years of practise his left hand, the one not holding the kunai, blurred at the speed he used to go through a series of hand gestures, he didn't even need to yell out loud now. Before the men knew what hit them, they had been charged down by four of Naruto's shadow clones. Once they were all unconscious Naruto turned to find the boy blinking at him in sheer confusion.

However, he was promptly snapped out of it when the blonde made the slightest move forward. He stumbled around the tree he had been using for support and when forced to use his broken leg he bit his lip hard enough for it to bleed. However, not even for an instant did his eye leave Naruto's eye.

Naruto saw the fear and suspicion in that eye, and smiled softly while he took a better look at his fox-eared companion. His hair was uneven and unkempt, just like his baggy, patchy clothes and rather torn up ears. If the scars on his hands, feet, neck and face were anything to go by he had been treated very roughly in life, even though he only looked around 16 or 17. But his most noticeable feature, apart from the ears, was his missing right eye which, if the scar over it was anything to go by, had been mauled out by something. The warmth of his smile increased to try and reassure the boy he was no threat when he noticed that he was squirming under the visual inspection.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt ya!" he reassured. "I just saved you remember." He grinned hoping to lighten the tense mood.

It didn't work. The boy just narrowed his gaze and tried to move further away.

Try removing your Genjutsu. Kyuubi advised.

With a nod, Naruto did just that with a few quick motions with his hands. "See I'm like you."

The eye just narrowed further, but Naruto simply ignored it and pressed on. "I get my ears and tail from Kyuubi who was sealed right here," he patted his stomach, "when I was a baby." He tilted his head to the side. "What about you?"

The young man just stared at him, as if trying to decide if he was an illusion or just plain mad. Naruto was about to say something else when he spied the rock the boy had picked up just before he hurled it at him. With that minute distraction the boy seemed to have discovered some sort of hidden strength reserve and was promptly fleeing in the opposite direction, if with a slight limp.

This is getting tiresome. Kyuubi growled, while Naruto just sighed.

He needs medical treatment.

Indeed, but not willingly.

The blue-eyed ninja could just feel the feral grin appearing on Kyuubi's face in his head. He shook his head and took off after the boy for the second time in less than 10 minutes before quickly appearing right in the boy's path and dealing a weakened but effective blow to the stomach and knocking him unconscious.

With a tight smile Naruto hefted the remarkably bony boy over his shoulder, only to realise with a jolt that one part wasn't bony, or more specifically, two.

Flushing slightly he gave a small cough. You knew this didn't you?

That she was in fact female? Yes, I knew straight away with her scent. You should really learn the difference, Kit. Kyuubi snickered.

Shut up... Naruto grumbled back as he set off home.