Naruto stared at his own frustrated face in the mirror. His hair was still damp from the shower he had just taken, and the towel he had used to dry himself was wrapped around his waist. He leaned onto the sink, and a sigh escaped his lips.

It was a new day. A day that would likely be filled with D-ranked missions and no training. A day with a sensei that didn't seem to care about this team. A day with an arrogant jerk that was better than him in every way. A day with a girl that he had feelings for that just wouldn't look his way unless it was to either insult or hit him. A day of chores. A new day filled with glares from everyone. A new day in the life of the genin demon container of the nine tailed fox.

As if on cue, the seal on his stomach made its appearance. He glared into the mirror at it. This thing was the source of it all. It marked him as a container. It was what caused the village to hate him. He hated this seal. Truly hated it.

In anger he placed a hand over it and gripped it. He concentrated his anger and frustration at it, unknowingly sending chakra to his gripping digits. If only it could be as simple twisting and pulling. If only he could just tear it all away with a flick of the wrist, and be rid of all this. His hand started to twist.

He knew it was going to hurt to twist the flesh of his stomach like that. However he was pissed and felt the need to do something, anything at all. However he felt no pain. In fact he didn't feel the skin under his fingers move at all. Instead he watched in the mirror as the symbols under his hand moved instead. And as they moved a strange sense of weightlessness and power started to fill his very being. Before he knew it the twist was complete, and his world went black.

When Naruto finally came back to his senses he was standing in the ankle deep water of a sewer. There was just enough light to see his surroundings. Which consisted of old walls, worn piping, and a large jail cell looking area… with two large open doors. That had to be the seal, and it was open. What made matters worse what was the large orange-red fox with nine tails that stood in the open doorway. However it wasn't just standing there. No, it was leaned back, head low to the ground, hindquarters raised and tails swaying. It was if it was getting ready to po-

It was only sheer instinct that caused him to dive forward as the giant demon pounced. It was a maneuver that would normally allow him to roll under and past his attacker. However the sheer size of the fox prevented that. So instead he found himself underneath the bulk of the red furred killing machine, forced to dodge stomping feet as it tried to pin him down with a clawed foot.

He didn't know how long the deadly game of tag lasted, but eventually it stopped as a growl filled the air. "Hold still so I can eat you." Said a deep resonating voice that filled the small ninja is an almost primal dread. It could talk, it was probably intelligent, and it REALLY didn't like him. This was all kinds of bad. It was clear that the seal had been doing its job. So why was it open?

"Not on your life Furball. You are not killing me that easily. Naruto Uzumaki will never be on your menu." He shouted back. He was not about to let this thing see him sweat.

"If that were true you wouldn't have opened the seal. By throwing away your protection you either felt you could defeat me, or had a death wish."

Wait, he opened the seal? How? Wait… when he twisted the seal on his stomach. That had to be it. He quickly reached down with his hand and grabbed hold of the seal and twisted the other way. He had to close it back up. Then he would be safe.

Nothing happened. The seal didn't move. Naruto started to panic. What was wrong? What had he done differently?

It was instinct again that saved him as the threw himself to the side to dodge the claws trying to impale him. He tucked into a roll and kept rolling until he hit a wall and stopped. Getting to his knees he saw the growling form of the Kyuubi tower over him. He was VERY glad he had already emptied his bladder that morning. Otherwise there would be a mess at his feet.

He braced himself against the wall, and readied himself incase he had to dodge again. however the fearsome creature just watched him. Its head tilted to the side. "So little kit, am I more then you can handle? Where is all the bravado you showed? Your boastful arrogance that made you believe you could take me on without the fourth's protection?"

"Fuck you! It's not like I did this on purpose. I didn't even know I COULD open the seal!" He shouted back. His annoyance and anger was starting to overcome his fear. That is until the great beast started barking with laughter.

"Is that so? You released me by mere accident? Is that what you want me to believe?"

"Yes, because its the truth damn it."

"Oh I can tell it is. That just makes it more amusing." The beast said before it rumbled with laughter again. "So instead of eating you I shall reward you for amusing me. Here you go little kit." Before Naruto could even open his mouth to ask what it was talking about dark angry red colored miasma started to roll off the giant fox.

It moved swiftly, giving the young blonde no time to get out of the way before his world was encompassed by red. Then the pain came. It ripped through him. Everything hurt. Everything was pain. However that wasn't all of it. No, he started to hear things. See things. FEEL things. Hatred. Rage. Frustration. They were everything he knew then and there.

Now Naruto may be a stubborn brat, but he was willing to admit he was wrong about something when faced with evidence. And right now there was great evidence that showed he knew NOTHING about hate, sorrow, or rage. However even then an older and, arguably, wiser Naruto that was already set in his ways would admit this to himself and still attempt to fight and control these feelings. On the other hand, a younger Naruto that knew nothing, and had no one would be swept away by the power of the emotions as he would be unable to understand what was happening or get his feet under him.

This Naruto was neither, and so did neither. He was still young and naive without a strong path to follow, but he also had people he cared about. Even if they were small in number. He could not stand against the raw power like a wall, nor was he willing to be swept away like a leaf in the wind. Instead he became a tunnel. He let the energy flow through him. The emotions tore at him and, like a river washing over stone, eroded away his weaker elements. The Power burned as it traveled through his body, but the heat also hardened and tempered his core.

He started to hear and see things that were familiar to pureness of the feelings began to be tempered by that familiarity. Whispered words spoken behind his back, when they thought he didn't hear. Glares of pure malice aimed at him as they kicked him out of stores. Someone who was a complete stranger to hate or anger from others would have been destroyed by the near endless torrent coursing through him, but he persevered, and learned...

He didn't know how much time had passed, but it felt like an eternity. However the pain eventually stopped. Though that was all that went away. The emotions and power still flowed through him, but it was as if his body was now accustomed to it. He took a breath and opened his eyes. He didn't even know when he closed them. He stared through the red haze up at the fox who was frowning down at him. Obviously the fox had not planned this to happen.

Naruto slowly rose to his feet, again not knowing when he fell to his knees, and started to walk unsteadily towards his tenant. With each step forward his stride became more steady, he started to straighten up his posture, and felt the power flowing through him start to aid him instead of fight him. He saw the fox frown further as it watch him approach, until at last Naruto was directly in front of the giant fox demon. Said demon lowered its massive head until it was on level with Naruto. Naruto then lay one hand on the fox's muzzle.

Neither knew what happened next, or why it did. In the next instant everything became a blinding light as the red haze disappeared. Half of it was absorbed into Naruto. The other half pulled away from the boy and with it took pieces of blue which were absorbed by the Kyuubi. They stared into each other's eyes a some kind of understanding came upon the both of them.

"I don't know what you did kit, but I'm not sure I like it." Said the fox in an upset, almost sulky, voice though there was no anger in it.

"Same here Kurama." naruto agreed in the same kind of voice only laced with confusion.

The newly named Kurama growled lightly. "How do you know that name?"

"What? I…" Naruto tried to explain, but stopped and suddenly paled. "I don't know. I just know. I know… a lot now. Its like…"

"We are one mind." Kurama finished, and Naruto nodded. They could both feel memories from the other. Power blended between them. It was an odd sensation. Like two halves finally becoming whole. Yet it felt odd. Not wrong. Just odd. Like they connected in an unexpected way. Though neither could figure out why they felt that way though.

"We can discuss this later," Kurama stated cutting through the silence that was starting to form, and making Naruto tilt his head. "It would appear we have attracted the attention of your village's leader. He is arriving at your door with several Anbu."

Naruto was about to ask how the fox knew that when the information hit him. A familiar smell filled his nose from the outside world. The soft sounds of someone landing silently outside of his door. The feel of familiar chakra and several unfamiliar ones. It also occurred to him why they were here. With everything that was happening chakra was bound to have leaked into the real world. Chakra that belonged to Kurama, the great kyuubi. A being that was thought to desire the destruction of the village if it ever got free. Which meant they were there to check on him, and possibly put him down, or contain him incase the kyuubi was at risk of getting out. "This isn't good. I got to get out there and reassure him everything is alright."

"Yes you should." Kurama agreed, and the weird sewer faded out as Naruto felt this odd tugging sensation and sense of vertigo. Then he was back in his bathroom, and a knock on the front door was heard.

Moving quickly he got to, and opened the front door to see a worried Sandaime Hokage with several ninja in Anbu uniforms and masks staring at him. It was then that he remembered he was in only a towel. Clearing his throat and trying to ignore his red cheeks Naruto said, "What's up gramps?"

"Naruto, I'm sorry to intrude on you like this, but we have reasons to believe we felt the kyuubi's chakra coming from here." His surrogate grandfather said in a worried yet reassuring voice, as the men and women behind him moved ever so slightly. They appeared ready to draw weapons if he so much as twitched wrong.

At that exact moment he heard a voice in his head. 'You are going to have to lie to him. I know you trust him with your life, but he is still a leader, and besides we don't even know what is going on ourselves.' Naruto was shocked to hear the fox's voice suddenly, and that shock must have shown on his face. Luckily it would seem Sarutobi misinterpreted it.

"Now Naruto I know it's shocking to hear this, and you are probably in shock from whatever happened. However, if anything did happen please tell me my boy. I can't help if you don't tell me." He seemed almost desperate in his urgings. However Naruto only half noticed as he started to analyze the situation.

It was odd how clears things seemed. Then again he could probably blame the hate bath he got earlier. Though that, and the fact that he could mentally talk to Kurama now were thoughts for another time. Right now he had to concentrate on what to do at the moment. And Kurama was right. He couldn't tell his surrogate grandfather everything at the moment. Oh he was still loyal and cared for the old man. However to tell him incomplete information would do more harm than good right now. Maybe he could fill him in at a later date. But not now.

Naruto took a breath and let worry color his face. "Well, I… I might have accidentally visited the seal while looking into the mirror." he said with a bit of hesitance. Admittedly he had always been good at hiding things but it felt so easy to play the right emotions right now. Easier than usual in fact.

'Kit you're connected to a demonic fox. We are the epitome of lying and trickery. Why do you think your transformations are so good, and come so easily?' Well that explained a bit, but he couldn't get distracted.

"You did what!? What happened? How did you do that?" The old man was starting to sound really worried now. The blonde felt a little bad about what he was doing however, he still felt it was best to lie. It wasn't that he was feeling less empathy. It was more like he wasn't letting it control his actions.

"I'm not sure how I did it. I was looking into the mirror and then suddenly I was in the seal. The fox… wanted to get to me. Tried to rush me, but the seal held fast. Then it tried to flood me with chakra to overpower me I guess. But I was able to resist it enough that I could force it back. By the time I got out of the seal again.. well, you knocked." he explained with enough of the truth sprinkled in to throw off suspicion. However the Hokage still examined him with worried eyes.

After a minute the Third nodded his head. "Alright, I'm glad to hear you are okay.. However if this happens again, tell me. I know a seal master that could look at your seal and make sure it is alright."

"I will gramps. Thanks." He replied with a hug to his grandfather in all but blood.

"Anytime Naruto. Now why don't you get dressed and then we can walk together to the Hokage tower. I'm we sure we will make it in time to wait for for you teacher." Sarutobi said with a soft smile and a wave of his hand to dismiss the ninjas outside.

"ALRIGHT!" Naruto yelled with a large smile and hurried off to his room. He could hear the old man chuckle behind him as he closed the door. Once the door was closed the smile faded and he looked about. He really did need to get dressed…. and get things straightened up in his own mind. He sighed to himself. Though if they were going to do more D-ranks today, he would have plenty of time to collect his thoughts together.

He turned to his closet and looked at his collection of orange jumpsuits. Maybe it was time for his wardrobe to change along with the rest of him.

'DAMN RIGHT IT IS!' He heard screamed in his head making him wince. 'It's about time you wore something fitting of being my container!'

'Alright, Alright I will look into different clothes. Yeesh.' He mentally said back as he started to put on one of his jumpsuits. 'It will have to wait till after today's missions though.'

'Fine, just as long as it happens.'

Naruto sighed to himself again as he fasten his kunai holster to his leg. Well this was going to be interesting. It was a new day. With new things. And he still wasn't looking forward to it.