Prologue: The Fuzzball From Hell

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

I should be working on my other fics, but this idea was buzzing around in my head. The thought Kyuubi can be a cuddly housepet is so funny!

A little blond boy with bright blue eyes giggled loudly as a furry tail flicked his face. He smiled brightly as he giggled everytime the little fuzzball hit the boy with its tail.

"Haha!" he tottled over to the fuzzball, before tumbling over the fuzzball and laughing loudly, as the fuzzball crawled over him.

Above the blond boy, a tall, blond man with blue eyes smiled as he saw his son getting along with the living, breathing fuzzball.

"Naruto? Do you like it?" he asked, kneeling down to the little toddler, relaxing on the floor with the fuzzball.

Naruto nodded, as he snuggled the fuzzball.

"Yeah, dada," he rubbed his cheek against the fur of the fuzzball.

The man smiled, rubbed his son's head and left the room, still peering over the corner to check on his son, who was still giggling, playing and snuggling the cute little fuzzball as he grinned.

The man smiled and walked away, a small frown replacing his former smile.

At least I didn't have to resort to that jutsu...I would have risked everything, including being there for my son, and that wouldn't be fair...not after what happened to his mother.

The Yondaime thought for a long time and retired to his study room, every now and then checking on his only son, Naruto.

--

He placed flowers on the grave, reading out loud the words inscribed on the tombstone.

Uzumaki (Tamatsuya) Yukihime

Beloved daughter, wife of the Yondaime and a beautiful mother

She will be missed dearly

He stood in silence, his eyes closed in remembrance.

"Yuki..." a soft whisper escaped his lips, as he left, the flowers he had laid blew away in the wind.

--

Naruto was snoring, the fuzzball curled in a ball near his face. When the Yondaime walked back into his house, however, Naruto woke up and ran on his stubby legs to hug his daddy's leg.

"Dada!"

The Yondaime lifted up Naruto, and placed him on his shoulders.

"Yes, Naruto?"

Naruto grinned and clapped his hands.

"Where did you get the fuzzball, dada?" he asked sweetly.

The Yondaime stopped, and sighed. He might as well explain what the fuzzball was to Naruto, even though he was only four.

"It's not a fuzzball, Naruto. It's the baby form of a demonic fox," the Yondaime explained, a confused and lost look on his son's face.

Naruto slapped his daddy's hair.

"Fuzzball!"

Yondaime exhaled, exasperated and thought he just had to leave it at that. He'd tell Naruto when he was older.

He took Naruto off his shoulders and placed him on the ground, Naruto walking over to the fuzzball and patting it rather hard.

"Naruto! Pat lightly!" he said, hoping the fox wouldn't bite him back.

"OWIE! DADA! FUZZBALL GAVE ME A BOO BOO!" Naruto screeched an unearthly yell that even scared the fuzzball. It scurried under a chair as it left the blond haired man to have to tend to Naruto's boo boo.

Naruto's finger had been bitten by the fuzzball, little tears still welling up in the little boy's eyes. The Yondaime sighed and placed a small bandage on his finger.

"You forgot to...kiss it, dada," Naruto pouted, still holding out his finger to his father.

The Yondaime inhaled, and gave his son's finger a kiss.

Maybe he shouldn't have brought that furry hellion to his house.