A/N: Well, here I am again. Surprise, I'm creating a new fanfic. This time it's in the Naruto fandom. Been reading a bunch and wanted to try my hand at it. I realize it's much bigger (MUCH BIGGER) than any else I've participated in, but I still wanted to try. Well, the basic premise of this story is "change" and how the smallest bit of it can have the largest deviations. Hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I, in no way, own, created, or have in my possession the franchise of Naruto. I don't want legions of Naruo/Sasuke fangirls after my hide, after all.

Butterfly and Kyuubi
Chapter 1: Flapping Wings
By Irritus185

One day, there was a caterpillar.

He lived in a forest of beautiful flowers, lush ferns, and tall trees.

It was all he ever knew, and he was content with his existence. He had all the leaves he could eat, a soft place to sleep within the dirt, and bright sunlight to warm him through and through.

However, the other creatures of the forest mocked him. The birds teased him that he had no wings to fly across the sky, instead having to settle for crawling across the ground. The beasts laughed that he had no fur to protect him from the cold chills of the winter wind, and that many of his kind perished during the unforgiving season. Even members of his own race, the lowly insects, spat that he was the ugliest of them all, colored a dirty brown and green that melted in with the dirt and discarded vegetation.

And for a while, the caterpillar believed them. He was not special; he was nothing compared to the majestic nature of the world's other creatures.

But one day, the caterpillar felt an urge inside of him. It was a feeling that had never passed through him before, a drive that surpassed the melancholy formed from the other animals' harsh words. He decided to follow that feeling.

Immediately he fell onto the leaves, devouring as much as he could possibly contain within his miniature body. With each bite, he felt stronger and stronger, as something new and amazing built up inside of him. When he couldn't eat anymore, something deep inside spoke to him.

The caterpillar hung himself from a branch, and began to coat himself in a thick blanket of silk. When he was done, his body relaxed, tired from the large amount of work. His eyes lidded, his mind laden with sleep, the caterpillar drifted off to the land of Nod.

While the caterpillar slept, his body went under a miraculous amount of changes. His plump body became slender. His stubby and wiggling legs became longer and more graceful. And then something hatched from his back, curled up in the cramp space that was his small abode.

Slowly, quietly, the caterpillar woke up from his prolonged slumber. He cracked the cocoon that he had built around himself, emerging from it like he had been reborn. Each leg pulled him out, further and further, until he was perched on the belly of his empty shell.

He tried to stretch, and instead felt two odd things unfurl from his back. He looked over his shoulder, and his many bejeweled eyes widened in surprise.

Two pale, gossamer thin wings drooped from his back. They reached out, each twice as large as his own body, encompassing the air and commanding the wind that brushed against them. They were a spectrum of colors, ranging from light, burning red to dark, night-like indigo. They shimmered in the morning sun, reflecting the drops of moisture that were drying up under the light's warm gaze.

He was now a butterfly.

He implored his wings to move and, with a small flap that could scarcely be heard, they moved in a beautiful arc.

The butterfly lifted himself into the air, seeing the ground become smaller and smaller as he rose higher and higher. The sun-lit sky smiled down on him as he flew above the treetops and into its glorious face.

He had risen above all others.

That first flap he had given, that infinitesimal movement of limbs, created a sliver of moving air. It traveled through the forest, gaining speed and size the farther it traveled. It kept moving, not stopping for anything or anyone.

In time, it reached the other side of the world. By this point it had grown into a loud and roaring gale, able to bow trees over and force all beings into their homes for shelter. In its travels, it had seen many sights, heard many sounds, and carried many smells. It held each of these objects within itself, a reminder of what it was and where it had come from.

The gale passed over a clearing, one where a being lay, caught in slumber.

Its nose twitched as the gale passed over and around it, alerting it to the smell of delectable foods. Its ears twitched as the sound of chattering and laughs filtered through its mind. Its skin tingled as warmth wrapped itself around it.

It knew what this meant. It knew what was going to come next.

There once was a nine-tailed fox. Its size dwarfed even the mightiest of the world's creatures. Its powerful tails could crumble mountains and cause tsunamis with just the smallest wave. Its power was unmatched by all else, and no one could stop its reign of terror and destruction. It lived for nothing other than the death of all and the annihilation of everything.

This is the story of Kyuubi no Kitsune, the Feared One, and how it nearly obliterated an entire village filled with brave shinobi.

This is the story of a selfless warrior, who sacrificed himself for the prolonged lives of his people and their well-being.

This is the story of a boy who, though he was mistreated by the very people he helped save, came to be known as a legend.

And all because of the flapping of a butterfly's wings.

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The boughs of the trees moved with the wind, the canopy acting like waves in the sea. They moved as one, swaying to and fro, like they were a complete being, waiting for the next breeze to wash over them. It was beautiful sight, a dance that awaited the accompaniment of music and an audience.

The acidic smell of smoke, metal, and blood lingered in the air.

Death hung with it, the pregnant feeling of imminent doom filling up all possible space. The fear was there, palatable and obvious. What else could exist? Nothing except for screams and roars and cries of help and pain.

The beast towered far above, twitching its immense tails as though it were simply fooling around. With each movement, another swath of earth was thrown up in the air, rocks ranging from simple pebbles to enormous boulders raining down from the sky, blocking the moon from view as they reached the ground at incredible speeds.

Brave men and woman stood underneath the onslaught, scattering when the larger examples crashed into the ground, creating small craters and showering clumps of dirt everywhere. Already their forces had been greatly diminished. Already so many of their comrades and family members and lovers had fallen victim to the monstrosity that threatened their very existence. Blood flowed from its gaping maw, the result of the poor souls that had become its invariable meal. It flowed down and splat upon the ground in wet, squelchy torrents, like some sick parody of rain.

Kyuubi, the great nine-tailed demon of a fox, glared at the insects before him, his lips curled back, flashing sharpened canines in a mock grin. The little mortals had been trying their best to harm him, but his thick fur and skin had repelled even the sharpest of blades, and what attacks had gone through were quickly and rapidly cured via his regenerative abilities. They had no chance…

Only the sweet oblivion of death would release them from this living nightmare.

Kyuubi raised his head and opened his maw. Something rumbled, originating in his stomach, before climbing out, faster and faster, culminating in a terrific and terrifying howl that reverberated through the air, striking each of the shinobi right into the dark recesses of their soul.

The weaker ones succumbed completely, their mind shattering from the fear that engulfed them entirely – body, mind, and spirit. Those that were a bit stronger but still didn't have the strength to face death dropped their weapons and fled, heading back to the haven of their city. However, it wouldn't matter; the sanctity of the village would soon be raped and discarded, and all that would be left of it would be smoldering and cracked ruins.

Kyuubi's lips trembled, his voice calling out to the shinobi in a condescending manner. WRETCHED LITTLE HUMANS, YOUR RESISTANCE IS NOTHING! I WILL DESTROY EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU!

He was bred for destruction, he lived for destruction, and when his time came, though he doubted that was for a long time to come, his end would be even grander than any other sin he had ever committed. He was not a spirit that had been corrupted by the forces of darkness; not a creature that had fallen and had not been saved. He was not something that could be saved, and neither did he care for a savior as well.

Suffering was his companion, and torment was his lover. They had always been with him, and would continue to run by his side as his form slid through the night.

Since the moment of his birth, no, since even before that, he was fated to kill every last living thing on this world. From creation to death, he was already steeped in all the sins and crimes and evils of existence, soaked so entirely through that nothing would ever cleanse his ultimate darkness. Life was simply a game to him, and eternity did not matter. Whether a decade went by or a millennium, he would still be there – watching, waiting, and then tearing through the void without even the slightest provocation.

It was who he was.

It was who he'd always be.

A natural disaster in a tangible form.

Death that could be seen with a grand smile.

A beast in the form of a monster.

He was Kyuubi, the nine-tailed fox.

And Konoha was in his sights.

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The room was silent. Though three bodies resided in it, not one of them said a word, instead thinking about what was to come next, and what was to come about because of it. The walls were littered with scrolls, and the floor seemed to overflow with them as well. There was no rhyme or reason to the mess, except for perhaps the person who had absently and haphazardly tossed them about the years he had spent working in it.

The distant, almost imperceptive, sound of fighting could be vaguely heard through the thick pain of glass that bordered one of the walls. Bright flashes of light, and swirling vortexes of flames and wind went hand in hand with each other from the same source. Battle was being fought there, a battle from which so many would not return. It was gruesome, and too many hard choices had to be made to grasp the overall survival of the hidden village.

Like the one being made right now.

"You sure you wanna do this, gaki? It's not something you can return from once you do."

The man at the desk looked up from his folded hands. His bright, blonde hair was sagging down, none of its original vitality remaining. His brilliant, sky-blue eyes reflected the sentiment, dulled and listless. However, there was still a glint that lived in them, refusing to be blown out or extinguished. His mouth set into a firm, hard line.

"It is the only choice we have left. Nothing else is working. You should know that for a fact, sensei." He then gave a brief smile. "Or do you have a better idea? Honestly, I'm wide open for any other suggestions."

The white-haired man scowled for his answer. He shifted slightly, his long, red coat brushing on the floor. Directing his attention to the last member in the room, he shouted, "Oi, Sarutobi, knock some sense into him. You were the one that gave him the title of Hokage, after all."

The wizened old man frowned, his wrinkles moving with the motion. It was obvious by the look in his that his age was finally catching up to him thanks to the large amount of mental stress brought on by the situation. "Jiraiya's right, Minato. Sacrificing yourself may work for a temporary solution, but what about in the long-run? It will take a long time to fix the damage brought on by Kyuubi's attacks, in both the physical and emotional sense. What will the villagers do if their beloved leader is no longer around to aid and help them find the way? You must take into consideration the consequences."

Internally, he himself agreed with the young man's course of action. If there was a way to stop Kyuubi now with less sacrifices then all the better. But he was thinking with his emotions and not his brain. He had to take the thoughts of all the villagers and their emotional state of the matters into account too.

The Yondaime Hokage grinned capriciously. "That's what I have you for, jii-san. What better person to take over after me then the one that came before me?"

"Damn it, Minato! This is no joking matter!" Jiraiya shouted angrily, smashing a fist on the table. Though the toad-sennin was usually the first person to make light of the situation at hand, he just couldn't continue to do so now. This was his student's life at stake, one whom Jiraiya had become like a father to. He couldn't just throw away such tightly-knit bonds so easily. "What about your wife?! And your son?! Did you think what would happen to them after you were gone? And besides, performing such a jutsu on your own son…what were you thinking?!"

"I agree with Jiraiya. Performing such a dangerous, not to mention forbidden, technique on your own flesh and blood is just insane. Besides, how do you even know if it will work? If even the simplest thing goes wrong, we would be caught in the same situation as before, but without you there to help."

"I do not take this decision lightly, jii-san." Minato's face had sunk back into a stone of stoicism. His brows furrowed, and his voice lowered and deepened as his words became serious. "There is the chance of failure, but it is one that I am willing to take. And you say I am insane to perform it on my own son? Tell me then, who else could bear such a weight on their body and soul?" He stood up quickly, planting his palms firmly on the wood of the table. His eyes were fierce, completely different from before. They shined with a strength that easily matched and succeeded the two older men. "Only a child can hold Kyuubi's power. An adult's body would be ripped apart by its immense chakra. A child can grow with it, mold it so that it could adapt. A grown person is set in their ways and cannot bend. As for my child…

"Do you really think I could ask another to carry such a burden?! Damn it, I'm the Hokage of Konoha! What kind of leader could I be if I was willing to sacrifice one family's happiness instead of my own?! I would be unfit of my status and rank, and would deserve to be one those brought down by that horrible beast! So tell me, you two…" He ground his teeth and screwed his eyes shut. His words came out in a hissing whisper, barely there, and barely heard.

"What else could I possibly do?"

Sarutobi and Jiraiya remained silent. They knew better, but for one brief, shameful moment, they believed that Minato had not thought any of this through, that he was rushing ahead with no forethought that he was oftentimes prone to do. The man was wild card on the battlefront, a veritable whirlwind of steel and chakra, sparing no quarter to his enemies and leaving none alive when he was done. But in his role as the Yondaime Hokage, in his title as a leader of the shinobi of the leaf, he was a grand and careful leader. He did make mistakes, of course, as he was young. He hadn't even gone through a third of his life yet. Still, this boy before them, Minato Namikaze, had grown into a man, and his job and responsibilities as that man had been brought before him time and time again.

And somehow, he had successfully completed all of them, one by one.

Sarutobi was the first to respond, his voice catching in his mouth for a moment before he collected himself and continued. "I understand, Hokage-sama." Somehow, calling him by his first name just didn't sound appropriate at the moment.

Jiraiya snorted and tilted his head in stubborn resignation. "Yeah, yeah, gaki, you win the argument." It didn't matter what status in life that his previous pupil had held, he was always going to be the same snot-nosed brat that had been brought before his awesome self so many years before. Jiraiya wasn't about to let go of that privilege for anything. "So, what now? You expect Kyuubi to just let you suck out his soul and shove it into that piss-hair son of yours?"

Sarutobi frowned at his own pupil's tactless comment. Honestly, was the man ever going to learn how to speak properly in others' company? Absently he conceded to himself that the answer to that question was invariably "no."

Minato grinned ferally. "Oi, don't mock my son like that. He looks just like I did when I was a kid."

"That's exactly why I said so, gaki."

The Sandaime Hokage sighed again as the former student and teacher fell into a mindless argument. How could they possibly resort to such behavior now, when they were in such a crisis? Those two would argue until the end of the world came about and then continue to do so after. He put his fingers to his forehead in an aggravated manner. "Honestly," he muttered to himself. "Those two are completely…"

"Incorrigible?"

Sarutobi turned around without surprise, finding another person had entered the room. "Ah, Kakashi, do you have a report for us?"

The copy-nin waved his hand in a sort-of bow. "Yes, sir." He chanced a glance at the other two, who by now had stopped arguing and were looking at them with great interest. "As of now, our troops have been obliterated to not even a quarter of their former strength." His one visible eye, unheeded by neither his silver hair, mask, nor hitai-ate, crinkled in rueful amusement. "I'm afraid that unless a miracle decides to show itself, we are royally screwed." He did not know why, but for some reason, the idea of their imminent destruction brought a giddy and shaky absurdity to his emotions. Perhaps the fear of it all was finally starting to reach him.

Minato said nothing for a moment before opening his mouth. "And my wife?"

"She's asleep at the moment, sensei. It appeared that the strain of the birth was a little too much for her. But don't worry, the doctors said that she was fine and is stabilized."

"I see…" The Hokage rubbed his chin, his looks pensive, before he chuckled. "Well, at least if this goes correctly, I won't have to worry about my wife beating me to death for doing something so stupid and risky." His morbid attempt at playing a joke went unappreciated, none of the others even able to crack a smile. He had the decency to feel embarrassed and coughed to clear the air. "Very well. Sensei, Sarutobi, Kakashi." Each of their eyes fell on him as he called their names. "I want all of you to come with me. I will need all the help I can get for the preparations."

He grabbed his jacked and flung it on, passing by the others with a grace that matched his form. He walked down the hall, the moonlight bathing his form in its spectral luminescence. This was the path that he had chosen, this was the road that his destiny waited for at the end. He made his decisions, and now he had to follow them to their fruitions.

There were regrets that he had. He had hoped to hold his new-born child in his arms, not worrying about anything else but the sad, helpless, and beautiful creature that he held in his embrace. He had wished that he could see that child grow, become someone in his own right and reach the potential that Minato knew deep inside existed. He prayed that he could lay by his wife one more time, feel her warmth, and see her smile, the joy that exuded from her and into him something so very precious indeed. He desired to be with his family until he died of old age, watching as he children's children and their children laughed and caroled and was happy the rest of their natural lives.

But he couldn't. Fate had deemed that it wasn't possible. So he did the only thing that he could do, the only thing someone in his position could possibly attempt. For him, it was inevitable.

The Yondaime Hokage walked down the hallway, the light to one side, and the shadows to the other. A small, quiet smile graced his face.

And he dreamed.

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Kyuubi's amber eyes surveyed the scene of carnage that was laid out before him. Feh, as he had thought, not a one of those pathetic weaklings had been able to stand before his might. He had razed through their bodies, shearing flesh from bone and crushing them into unidentifiable chunks of flesh and bile. There were none to oppose him, none to remain after. He would destroy the rest, and then move onto the village, ridding them of that scourge that was the human race before he moved onto the next collection of vermin and filth. His vulpine features darkened and sharpened in anticipation, foreseeing that blessed void that awaited him and his works.

His senses could feel the remaining ninja stop suddenly. The fear that permeated the area then drained away, only to be replaced by a relief and joy that he had never witnessed before. His ears picked up the cries of praise and thrill that erupted from the throats of the previously despairing men and women.

"The Yondaime Hokage is here! He is here to defeat the monster!"

Kyuubi's ears flattened on his skull, his lips curling up to reveal meters of razor-sharp canines. In the distance, he could see a large, still form, shrouded in shadows. But it was not the large form that caught his attention, no, it was a small being that rode on top of its head.

Kyuubi had lived for a long time. He had been around for millennia, and had seen and felt everything that was possible to partake in. He had also fought against those that had tried to rid his face from the world, whether it be for revenge, fame, or simply a challenge. So many had tried to stand in his way, so many had tried to stop him and defeat his ultimate goals. There had been strong one, and there had been weak ones. But none had managed to achieve their mission, and he had disposed of every single one of them, devouring them in the blink of an eye.

But this one was different. His power was above all the rest. Compared to Kyuubi, though, it was still a trifling amount. However, his strength wasn't what concerned the fox. There was a drive that existed in the being much like his own, if not stronger. It was on the knife's edge, bordering in the damned land of obsession. This man wanted to destroy Kyuubi. No, that was not right. What he wanted to do was so much more.

He wanted to bring the nine-tailed fox into his own personal hell, to shave off his essence one thin layer at a time, never quite finishing, never quite coming to an end. There was a bloodlust and killing intent that rivaled that of the other bijuu, and it was all directed solely upon him.

Kyuubi's fur, deep, dark red, as crimson as the blood that flowed from his mouth, shifted as his skin crawled and shivered. But it wasn't fear that made his skin feel as if it had a life of its own, as though his heart was about to explode and rip through his chest, as though his brain was being rained upon with lightning.

It was an anticipation even greater than ever before.

Kyuubi wanted to face this man. He could see the figure, small and fragile, like all humans were. But he wanted to face him, and he wanted to utterly destroy him.

For perhaps the first time in an endless amount of time, Kyuubi felt an exhilaration like no other. For the first time in a long, long while, he had found someone worthy of his full attention.

As if a signal to start, Kyuubi raised his head and let out a howl like before. And then, he launched himself through the sky.

Minato watched as the monster bore down on them. He smiled as he crossed his arms in front of him. "This is the last time I will ever call on you, Gamabunta."

The king of the toad summons grunted, dropping his hand that was carrying the long, thin pipe that he smoked with to his side. He fingered the large katana's hilt, waiting for the attack to come. "You never did have that cup of sake with me, did you, gaki? You always found an excuse not to."

"Hmm, I suppose I did," the man laughed softly.

"Pah, I'll forgive you just this once. But you better not break your promise ever again!" His only answer this time was a small vibration on his head, signaling that the man was shaking. Gamabunta knew it was silent laughter. He grinned in retaliation. "Very well then! Here we go! Gama Dosuzan! (Toad Sword Beheading)" He swung the katana from its scabbard in a quick and efficient slice, catching the nine-tailed fox right in the mouth as it made to bite down on them.

Kyuubi clamped down tightly, preventing the sword from going any further. His teeth and its blade ground against each other, but neither gave ground and neither showed any signs of cracking. To try and catch the summon off balance, he gave a sharp twist of his head. The katana lifted up, Gamabunta with it, and the two came crashing down onto the forest floor, splintering trees and mashing them under their immense weight.

Minato had taken the time during their inverted tug-of-war to launch a chakra-infused kunai. It embedded itself right in Kyuubi's skull, between his eyes. The fox's regenerative abilities had no effect, as Minato's own chakra kept his back. The Hokage made a few rapid hand seals before shouting, "Hiraishin no Jutsu! (Flying Thunder God Technique)" He instantly transported to where the kunai was buried, the seal upon it guiding his travels and anchoring him to the surface of Kyuubi's head.

It was fortunate that he had, because otherwise he would have been flung off when Kyuubi and Gamabunta had fallen into a heap and their subsequent scrabble to get back up without being harmed by the other. Minato was rocked back and forth, occasionally turning to the side and upside-down as Gamabunta distracted Kyuubi from what he was doing. It took a few minutes, but he finally managed to finalize the seals for one of the most forbidden of jutsu.

"Fuuin Jutsu: Shiki Fuujin! (Enchantment Spell: Dead Demon Imprisonment)"

Something both white and dark sprouted from the man's back. It was a being that knew not the fear of death, nor the joy of living. It was neither good nor bad nor righteous nor evil. It simply was. It existed since before time came into being, and it would continue its twisted "life" long after time had wound down.

A large figure floated in the darkness. Its faded hair and body seemed paradoxically visible from a distance. Its wild mane of white hair flew everywhere, and its white funeral clothing drooped off its translucent arms. Long, wicked claw curled off its fingertips, and its eyes seemed to go on for eternity, never breaking from its target, never granting even a hint of mercy. Horns twisted themselves from its forehead, black shards of ebony matching the teeth that grinned in mock rapture. A small knife hung from its mouth, simple and plain. But that one tiny weapon felt even more dangerous and terrifying than the rest of the being combined.

An effigy of a man, made entirely of blue chakra, hung in front of it, supported by tendrils of hair. He had no face nor any recognizable qualities. Like the figure, it just was.

Behold an existence of death even more frightening than Kyuubi. A true god of death, a true being of the void.

"Shinigami, I give myself to thee."

A mantra slipped from the being's lips, sentences unknown to the human tongue flowing from its mouth. The length of beads it held from one hand slowly wrapped itself around the shinigami's arms. Characters erupted from its skin, racing down the entire length, a pitch black that sucked in all light and made the rest of its body even brighter than before. The shinigami then raised its arm and plunged it into the figure it held.

Minato grunted in pain, the feeling and taste of blood spilling into his mouth. It slipped from his lips, dribbling down his chin and onto his clothes. He could feel something grasping its way through his body, through his soul. The pain was intolerable, and it took all that he could not to scream. But he held on. He still had something to do.

Kyuubi.

That was the only thought traveling through his mind.

Kyuubi.

It heard and obeyed.

An arm exploded from his chest, carrying the same seals as the one belonging to the shinigami. It raced past him, burying itself into Kyuubi's skull and brain.

The feeling of dread quickly spreading through his mind, Kyuubi let out a great howl as he swiped Gamabunta to the side with a giant pawed laced with tree-sized claws. But it was too late.

Death was upon him.

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A babe lay alone in the middle of a circle of candles. A seal was located on his stomach, a swirling of lines and an outshoot of rays. He was crying incessantly, but the others in the room with him did not a thing to cease his woes. There was nothing they could do to stop it after all, nor did they want to.

The candles flicked, darkening in color from hot red to cold indigo. They then jumped, whirling away from the wick and flying into the air. Above the babe, nine undulating tails of fire caroused through the air, bending and twirling as though they were alive. They outlined the babe's form, his tan features, his shocking blonde hair, and his icy blue eyes.

With a roar out of nowhere, a visage of a monster's face twisted itself into existence. It was vulpine in nature, and it burned with the very fires of hell. It was stuck between the flaming tails and growled as it tried to force its way free.

The babe's cries grew louder as his stomach began to bubble like the surface of a hot spring. Little bulges moved across his stomach, coming and receding. Then his skin burst forth, nine spindly arms and hands shooting upward, one for each of the nine tails of fire. They grabbed them and proceeded to drag them downward as the tails resisted, their energetic movements diminishing with each passing moment.

And then, that same symbol-encrusted arm emerged from the center, rotating like a mad top and squeezing the horrible beast's visage between its fingers. With a scream that could raise demons from hell itself, the visage and its tails were pulled down into the babe's body, disappearing with a small and audible pop.

Three whisker-like lines appeared on each of the babe's cheeks, the seal on his stomach darkening, and his cries eventually subsided as he fell into a deep slumber.

Jiraiya stepped forward, picking the young child up and cradling it in his arms. This was the savior of their village, the prison for the hated Kyuubi no Kitsune, the son of the Yondaime Hokage.

A dreadful curse and an even worse fate.

He was…

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Minato was on his back, spent. He had already been thrown from Kyuubi's head in the fox's deathroes, unable to concentrate on the control needed to glue himself to any surface. Gamabunta had disappeared, unable to stay in this plane of existence any more due to the wounds received in his tussle with the fox.

He could hear the people of his village call out to him, crashing through the underbrush and foliage to try and find him. But it was too late. He had given his life to the shinigami, and that was not a pact he could break.

The moon shone upon him, lighting up his exhausted expression. It was late now and he was tired. All he wanted to do now was rest. Konoha was in good hands, and everyone left was now safe from harm. His eyes slowly begun to close.

He smiled as he thought of his child. His looks, the name of his beloved wife, and the mix of both their spirits. He was now the hero of the village. Minato hoped with all his might that his life would be a good one. The boy would go through troubles, he knew that, but hopefully the changes he had made would make all the difference. He knew that he was destined for great things.

He was his and Uzumaki Kushina's son.

He was Uzumaki Naruto.

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The leaves rustled in the light breeze, the branches swaying. A twitch of the ears, a flair of the nostrils, a widening of the eyes. He hopped from branch to branch, making his way back to the village. Random twigs and loose leaves smacked him lightly upon his face, but it didn't matter. Those silly, nearly insignificant slaps and whippets of pain meant nothing to him. It was a refreshing feeling to have, and he would gladly bear such a strange emotion. The forest was like a second home to him, and for good reason too.

Humans were all too ready to give in their animalistic side without warning. At least animals gave a bit more courtesy before sinking their teeth into your jugular.

The forest was a beautiful place. There were plenty of cushy boughs that one could sleep in, all different types of roots, berries, and even the occasional squirrel or rabbit to feast on, and best of all, no one tried to bother him while he was there. It was an amusing idea to roll around in his head during the more tepid parts of his day. For a place called "the village hidden in the leaves," very few of its citizens ever bothered to explore the wooded areas of it other than for training exercises or for a quick jaunt through the outer perimeters. Couldn't they see how amazing everything was, how interesting the natural essence of nature was?

He snorted back a quick laugh. When had he become so introspective? Perhaps the forest was having an adverse effect on him.

He grinned to himself and gave an extra burst of strength as he catapulted off a rather lengthy branch. Tumbling into the street, he almost bowled down a passing couple. They flinched instinctively, but with reflexes honed from constant years of running and moving in erratic ways, he dodged them at the last moment and fell to all fours. Standing up, he saw a flash of recognition cross their features followed by a slight flare of hatred in their body language. He swallowed the resentment and self-loathing that tried to burble its way up into his brain before flashing a smile with abnormally long canines. Combined with the dark whisker-like markings on his face, the effect was that of a vicious predator fooling around with its prey.

"Ya got something you wanna say?"

The couple paused for a moment. The man looked like he was about to pounce on the boy before the woman discreetly pulled on his shirt, deviating his attention. He looked at her, and with a nod they turned around, sparing a furtive look and muttering "demon" under their breath before walking away, leaving the boy to his own devices.

Naruto blinked slowly, his sapphire eyes flashing in the sunlight. He let out a small sigh of relief before turning the other way and made his own way down the street.

It looked like things had calmed down. He was glad he had spent the last few days hidden in the forest, away from all the people who wished him harm.

Naruto didn't understand. Why would so many people despise him? Why was it that wherever he went, people would shoot looks of hatred and loathing, and whisper under their breath as they passed by? The more overt ones even went so far as to publicly curse him out and throw objects at him. He had been at the receiving end of slurs not even the lowest street urchin would deserve and not a small amount of shuriken and kunai. He was lucky that the village's police force and members of ANBU that had been nearby had stopped such incidents before they escalated into full riots.

But verbal and physical abuse wasn't the least of his worries. No matter where he went, no matter what the item was, nearly every shop and restaurant treated him with the greatest amount of disrespect. Either they overcharged him by an absurd amount, completely refused to service him at all, or just plain chased him out with brooms, fists, and steel. Perhaps the only place he could remember off the top of his head that didn't treat him like the plague was Icharaku Ramen with its kind owner, Teuchi, and his lovely daughter, Ayame. They always welcomed him with a smile and had even gone so far as to give him discounts due to his frequent visits.

He grimaced as he looked at his clothing. He could still remember the ragged clothes that he always had to wear, full of holes and occasionally patched with rotted fabric. They were hand-me-downs of hand-me-downs and not fit to be used as rags for cleaning, let alone for actual clothing. Luckily he had managed to salvage his current outfit out of the orphanage's clothing bin before it was divided between the others. It didn't matter, he always received the bottom of the barrel when it came to them.

No matter what the situation, he continually got the short end of the stick.

A few days ago was when it was at its worst.

October tenth.

As Naruto guessed from his quick views of others', a person's birthday was supposed to be a happy occasion, a day that celebrated when one entered into the bright and beautiful world. But for him, it was the exact opposite. The hatred expressed by all the other villagers multiplied a hundredfold, and their outright abhorrence of him was blatantly shown.

He could still remember his second birthday, the farthest back he could recall. It was possibly the worst and scariest day of his young life.

The orphanage had literally been assaulted. People with torches and weapons had barged in, demanding that he be killed. The headmaster of the orphanage at that time had made no move to stop them, and had instead led them right to his room. He could still relive the fear that filled his entire body as he heard the footsteps come to his door, the smell of burning wood filling his nose. Calling him a demon, a monster, an abomination against the gods, they dragged him from his bed. He fought with tooth and nail, but he was merely a child and had no chance against their superior strength. The last thing he saw and felt was a large man's harsh slap across his face with a meaty slab of a hand. Then all had fallen into darkness.

Naruto shivered. He had been told that several ANBU members had crashed the attempted lynch-mob and broken it up, arresting everyone who was there including the previous headmaster. But still, he could remember the absolute terror that had frozen his body and numbed his senses. He never wanted to feel like that ever again.

So now, every time his birthday came around, he went to hide in the forest for a few days until the flames of anger subsided and people went back to hating him more passively. This was his sixth birthday, which meant that he only had…

A quick count on his fingers discouraged him from that train of thought even quicker. Shaking his head, he sped up his pace, blasting through the streets at a fast clip. After a short amount of time had passed he found himself at the entrance to the orphanage he had been living at for most of his life. He sniffed quietly, trying to detect if anyone was nearby. When he was certain that no one was in the vicinity, he opened the door and silently snuck in.

He was barely a few steps onto the grounds when he grabbed his head as something sharply rapped him. Tears threatening to escape, he looked up, finding his attacker was the current headmistress.

An old hag way past her prime and with almost none of her previous compassion, the headmistress did not take kindly to any of her wards. Naruto was a special case and deserved extra-harsh treatment. It didn't matter what the Sandaime Hokage said – those who were under her care were also under her terms and had to follow all of her rules. Those that didn't received an appropriate punishment.

Naruto scowled, his hands cradling his head. "Ah! What'd you do that for, ossan?!"

She snarled and smashed the broom down again. This time he was ready for it and rolled out of the way. He was on all fours, his back arched and his lips unfurled. His entire body shook faintly, a growl emanating from deep within his throat. The headmistress returned it with one of her own. "I'll do what I want, you little shit! Running off for days; I could have gotten in trouble with Hokage-sama and ANBU because of you! You'll be punished for your lack of respect towards me! Now, get inside, and be quick about it!"

"Yeah, yeah, ossan! I'll do just that!"

Naruto bound towards the door to the orphanage building, sweeping into it like the wind. He slipped through the hallway, avoiding any of the other rooms and dodging when he heard voices. He didn't want any of the other orphans to know he had returned, not yet. But with the fiasco that had happened outside he would have been more surprised if no one had heard it at all. Running up the stairs, he stopped at the third floor before rushing down the hall, slowing down at the last door on the left.

Reaching for the handle, he opened the door carefully. He didn't smell anyone else there, but he had thought the same when the headmistress had ambushed him. He had to pay closer attention and concentrate harder from now on. With the door all the way open, he was relieved to see that no one else was there. The state of his room, however, was a completely different story.

His bedding had been slashed, his drawers and chair had been thrown around, and his walls were covered in obscenities and slurs. It looked like a few of the more brazen villagers had tried to find him again, but when they didn't, settled for trashing his room instead.

Naruto sighed as he righted his chair. It was better than bearing bodily injuries, but this was too much. He knew that only he was the one expected to clean all of it. He had done the same thing for the last three years. It was simply a repetition of motions. That's all there was to it.

As he turned around to try and gather some cleaning supplies to fix the mess, he jumped when he saw the headmistress in the outline of his doorway. Damn it, how did the women keep doing that? He collected himself without pause, putting his arms over his head and scratching the back of his calf with his toes. "Yeah, what is it now?"

The old women leered before holding up a bucket of paint and brush. "As your punishment, I decided that you have to freshen up the paint on the orphanage's north wall. And you're not allowed to eat or come back inside until you finish."

His jaw dropped. "But that'll take forever! And what about my room?! I can't just leave it like this!"

"Then you better finish quickly, now shouldn't you?" She all but threw the objects at Naruto before walking off. "That'll teach you for disobeying me, you little shit."

Naruto grumbled darkly under his breath before heading out. It wasn't like he could disobey her any further. He was stuck there until he was either adopted or let go. And from the looks of things, neither of those options was going to come around any time soon.

As he settled down at the wall, he came to think about how he had gotten there. He was told when he was old enough to understand that his father had died before he was born and his mother perished during childbirth. Because they were people from outside the village he was just shunted to the orphanage. He was simply another bastard child, one who wasn't a part of their village and therefore was lower than scum. It was only because of the grateful respite given by the Sandaime Hokage that he was allowed to even stay in Konoha's boundaries.

He tilted his head, barely paying attention to the pain he was sloppily splattering on the wall. Sarutobi-jiisan was an odd man. He was the leader of the entire village, but he gave special attention to Naruto. Naruto already knew that the man was beloved by all the villagers since he treated them like family, but it was strange for a man as high-ranked as the Hokage to pay close attention to basically the pariah of the village.

Why was he so special?

What made Sarutobi look after him like he did?

What was he?

As though drifting between the realms of reality and fantasy, an idea began to form. No, it wasn't an idea, more like an actual entity. He could feel it, scrabbling away at the corners of his mind. What was it? What was it trying to tell him? It was saying something…It was saying…

Hairless mon-

"Oi, retard! You having fun there?"

Twisting his head, Naruto saw a trio of young boys right near him. The thing that had been forming was completely blown from his mind as he focused all his attention on the group. He easily recognized them. They were a group of older orphans that often picked on him. Even though the orphans were the lowest in Konoha's society, they still needed someone to feel superior to. Naruto was the person who achieved that title.

The boy that everyone hated. No one would mind if they pushed him around a little, right? They didn't think so. In fact, maybe the villagers would treat them better if they acted just like them and mistreated the so-called "demon."

This twisted logic was unfortunately wasted on Naruto. He didn't know nor did he care how they wanted to improve their social standing. He just wanted them all to just leave him alone.

When the blonde boy didn't respond, the appointed leader grew angry. "Hey! I'm talking to you!"

Naruto continued to ignore him, putting as much of his attention as he could on painting the wall.

This the bully wouldn't allow this. "Don't you ignore me!" He grabbed Naruto by the scruff of his shirt and forced him to face him. Naruto glared at him at him, his blue eyes narrowed in defiance. "Heh, what you gonna do now, tough guy? You gonna hit me?"

"Leave me alone." Naruto muttered, his teeth tightly set together.

"Eh? What was that? I couldn't hear you." The boy raised a hand to his ear, his grin sadistic for one his age. His friends snickered, enjoying the way he was lording it over the smaller boy. There was nothing he could. He was completely at their mercy.

"I said, leave me alone."

The smirk grew wider. "And why should I? You're hated by everyone in Konoha. They're not going to care if we push you around a little. No one cares about the demon Naruto."

Naruto tried to stay calm. Anger led to retaliation, retaliation gave them a reason to fight. As quick as he was, he wouldn't be able to hold out against three much older, much stronger boys.

"You're not even a real villager. You're just a stinkin' outsider."

Stay calm, stay calm.

"I bet no one would mind if we beat the crap out of you right now."

Don't say a word, don't make a move, just stay-

"I bet your own mother cursed you when you came out of her stinkin' pu-"

The brush came up, still laden with paint, and slapped itself right across his eyes. The bully squawked in pain and let go of Naruto, clutching at his face as the liquid burned its way through.

Naruto took the chance in the pause caused by their shock to grab the paint can and toss it and its remaining contents at the next closest boy. He went down as well, the metal smashing his nose in and covering his face with the paint. An audible and sickening crack signified that his nose may have been broken by the attack. The third boy recovered enough to try and attack Naruto, but he went under the wild swing and barreled his head right into the taller boy's stomach, bringing the two down in a heap.

Climbing onto the other boy's stomach, Naruto began to bash his tiny fists onto the unprotected face. His mouth was opened in a thick snarl, his eyes bright and fierce, his whiskers standing out. He said nothing as he pounded on the boy, just swung his fists and arms back and forth. The boy's face was becoming increasingly bloody as Naruto swung back for another punch.

He never got to. Something impacted with the back of his skull and he went down. They fell on top of his, like scavengers to the feast. They kicked him and punched him and beat him down, all the while shouting obscenities about him and his father and his mother and their parents. Naruto could feel the darkness settling on him, his body wracked with pain.

Why did they hate him so? Why?!

He slowly felt them stopping their assault, and fearfully uncurled from his protective position to see why. There he saw the headmistress standing before them. Her face was furious, demanding to know what had happened.

"He attacked us," the head bully cried. "We were just passing by when he went berserk and just went wildly at us! We didn't do anything wrong!"

The headmistress looked between them, switching from the paint-soaked boys with the broken nose and bleeding faces to Naruto, who was twitching sporadically, cuts and bruises covering his whole body and a trickle of blood falling from his mouth. She nodded upon reaching her decision. "All right then, I understand. Children," she said, nodding at the boys. "Go inside and get cleaned up. Lunch will be ready soon." The boys nodded in return, sparing a few leers and self-satisfied smirks at Naruto before running off.

The headmistress frowned deeply as she grabbed Naruto by the forearm and yanked him to his feet, dragging him to the building's entrance. "And as for you…"

They made their way, Naruto giving no resistance to her harsh and callous treatment. He was too tired to care. Reaching his room, she shoved him inside. "You will go without any meals today or tomorrow. In fact, you will not even be allowed to leave this room for the next two days! You really are nothing but a demon." She closed the door and the noticeable click of the lock sounded as she locked the door behind her.

Naruto stayed still for a moment. He climbed onto his bed, gathering his knees to his forehead.

He cried.

There was nothing else he could do. He was too tired to curse those that had wronged him, too apathetic to think about his situation. Only a deep and dark depression overwhelmed him, and he couldn't see or feel anything else.

Large teardrops forced their way past his eyelids, rolling down his cheeks and falling upon his bedspread. He shook like a leaf, his tiny body cold and paralyzed. He was alone. He would always be…

Alone.

Hours passed. The sun had already sunk a fair bit into the horizon when Naruto heard the click of the door's lock coming undone. He looked up, his eyes slightly red. He had stopped crying a while ago, but he didn't want it to be seen as a weakness. They preyed on weakness here, and it was all he could do but try and not show his.

The door swung open, and the headmistress popped her head in. She seemed strangely agitated as she looked the boy over. Good, he didn't look too bad for wear. His more serious wounds looked fine by now, so he was at least adequately presentable. She motioned for him to come, and he obeyed her without a word. Like before, he was just too tired to act out.

She led Naruto to the entrance, where a man flanked by two ANBU guards stood, their animal masks hiding their faces. The headpiece of the Hokage adorned his head, and wrinkled features helped to also attest to his identity.

The headmistress smiled sweetly and with a heavy dose of saccharine. She clasped her hands tightly together, her tone cajoling and making her look like a seedy merchant. "As you can see, Hokage-sama, I've brought the demo-I mean, the boy before you."

Sarutobi glanced at the boy's scruffy and pitiful state. He raised an eyebrow, removing the pipe from his lips. "What happened to him?'

The headmistress visibly flinched. She hadn't had the time to straighten the boy up, but she didn't think she'd need to. After all, why would the leader of the village worry so much about the welfare of the demon boy? "Ahh…you see, little Naruto had a bit of a scuffle with some of the other boys that live here. It was nothing really, you know how boys are at his age."

The Hokage's eyes widened a bit before narrowing again. "Of course." His tone was friendly but there was an underlying trace of venom in it. He was not fool and he had eyes to see the situation. But he ignored it for now. He could come back to this problem when he fixed the current one. "Now, if you could lead me to you office so we can sign the documents."

She gave a formal bow and hurried to her office, Sarutobi following. He smiled kindly at Naruto and extended a hand. "Shall we go, then?"

He hesitated but then shakily extended his hand, his much smaller hand easily slipping into the much older man's own.

What did Sarutobi-jiisan want with him?

BKBKBKBKBK

Naruto's eyes widened as he looked around the room. It was a simple apartment – one main room, a bathroom with toilet, a sink on the side for cooking and cleaning, and a large window that opened up to the east side. It wasn't special or luxurious or even that large. The building it was in was located in one of the more shady sections of Konoha, but not enough to cause too much alarm. All in all, it was a very simple apartment.

He looked around before swerving back to Sarutobi. "You mean…I'm, I'm going to live…here?"

The elder smiled lightly. "Yes, I've given permission to allow you to live on your own, concerning the treatment you've received at the orphanage."

Naruto winced as he heard the man's teeth grate on the word "treatment." He didn't want to say anything, but he knew that the headmistress was probably in a whole lot of trouble. Somewhere in the back of his mind he felt happy at that piece of information. That old hag deserved what was coming to her. Another part of his brain tried to beat it down, but simply couldn't suppress it entirely. That didn't matter now, though, as the only thing he was thinking about was where he was right now.

His eyes narrowed suspiciously after a moment's thought. Something had been bothering him for a while now, and this room was the clincher. He was definitely happy about it, no questions asked, but it just didn't seem to fit in with the way the rest of his life had turned out. Only bad things were supposed to happen to him, not good ones. He realized that the idea was stupid, but it was a psychological temperament that had burned its way into his brain. He just couldn't get rid of the feeling that something didn't feel right.

"Why are you doing this, jiisan?" One of the ANBU members almost yelled at him for his disrespect, but a quick flash of the hand from Sarutobi prevented him from doing anything further. Naruto did not fail to notice this. That dreaded feeling increased even more. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Do I need a reason to be kind to another?"

Naruto was obviously thrown off by this question, his expression turning blank and his foot shifting back subtly. "N-no," he stuttered. "I…guess not." He paused for a moment, looking down at the floor. "But I'm not another person, I'm…me."

His indirect statement about his overall treatment by the villagers was not lost by Sarutobi. He grumbled darkly to himself, his expression never changing, making sure that he would research further into this horrid behavior regarding the young boy. Sarutobi regarded the boy's body language. It seemed meek now, nearly nonexistent, like he was a being that was on the line between this world and the next. The mental stress resulting from years of being treated as a monster had taken their toll on the child. But there was still a spark of life within the boy that refused to be blown out. Just like…

"Well, let's just say I knew your father, and I promised to look after you if you needed it."

All the other heads in the room shot up, amazed and shocked that he had revealed a thing so easily. Naruto quickly grasped at this knowledge. "You…you knew my father?"

"Yes, for a brief time."

Naruto's eyes shimmered as life began to pour back into them. "What was he like?!"

A smile played across the old man's lips. "A very kind and brave man." He made a motion as Naruto went to ask another question. "Let's leave it at that. We can always talk again, and I'm sure you should take the time now to settle into your new room."

Sarutobi then went on to explain how Naruto would receive an allowance every month to help support his new freedom. It wouldn't be much, but it would be enough to allow him to live somewhat comfortably. Naruto nodded ecstatically and proceeded to look around his new home as Sarutobi lead his guards out the building. The younger boy didn't even notice their disappearance.

He stepped outside, the sun almost blinding him. Sarutobi lowered his hand, blocking out the rays. He had been watching to see if there were any new changes in the boy's personality or behavior. He was a bit more animalistic, and from what he had seen of that "scuffle" from earlier, a good deal more feral in fighting. But it wasn't like he was falling into a demonic state. He took a gaze at the clouds, his mind falling back to former times. He could already hear Minato's last words on that fateful day ringing in his ears.

"As you can see, I made a few changes to the seal. It's amazing that the smallest shift can make the biggest difference. Look, right here, instead of making the outward lines bend at a ninety degree angle to the right, they instead go to the left."

"And what is that supposed to achieve?"

"Well, for one thing, it will allow a bit of Kyuubi's chakra to spill out and mix with my son's. That way the Kyuubi can actually be of use and maybe atone for his crimes through Naruto. And the other change, well, that's to help Naruto…"

"And that is…?"

"Kyuubi's personality and Naruto's will mix."

Those several moments of silence seemed to last forever. But it was Jiraiya that had broken it first that time.

"Are you crazy?! You're going to mix an innocent child's and Kyuubi's personality together?! Do you want to turn him into some savage monster?!"

"Do not worry. Naruto will still be the dominant personality. Kyuubi will, at the most, give him a few quirks and traits, but Naruto will not become the Kyuubi. On the same matter, perhaps Naruto's innocent nature will somehow change Kyuubi's for the better."

"Hokage-sama, I don't understand why you would…"

Sarutobi waved at a passing elderly women that had bowed deeply at him. He could still distinctly remember the pained smile that had planted itself on Minato's face. It was like all the sadness of the world had found its way onto his shoulders, and he could not shift the burden to anyone else.

"Naruto will need all the strength and tenacity he can get. People will be devastated when this whole ordeal is over. They will fall into depression when they realize their loved ones are never coming back. They will never rid themselves of the fear that Kyuubi planted inside of them all. They will be full of rage and loathing and hatred at the being that caused so much destruction and death. They will feel guilt that I sacrificed myself for them, no matter how much they realize that there was no other choice. And all of this rage, this sadness, this fear will not find an outlet, because Kyuubi is no longer there for them to direct it at. So what will they do, when there's no one else to blame?"

A small pain shot through Sarutobi's heart as he remembered the revelation that passed through all of them.

"They will blame my son. Naruto is innocent but his prisoner is not. But to those blinded by grief, it will not make a difference. I want my son to be seen as a hero, but I am afraid that human nature will not allow him to be. They will see him as the demon, the monster that threatened them. They will hate him and curse him, and there is nothing any of you can do to stop it. Because, after all, throughout every civilization that ever came to be on this world, whenever some disaster befell them…"

And then his face became so sad, so ironically amused.

"They always needed a scapegoat."

Sarutobi sighed. What Minato had said was right. That was all there was to it. But at least he could try to make his son's existence at least a little easier. The Yondaime Hokage would forgive him for that at least…

…right?

BKBKBKBKBK

Naruto plopped down on the floor. He was really happy right now. The elderly coupled that owned the apartment building had just visited him, and while they viewed him with a wariness he was all too common with, they did not seem to despise him as much as most of the other villagers did. The wife had even ventured a careful smile before leaving.

He fell onto his back, staring at the ceiling. A lot had happened today, but he was pleased to know that at least everything had ended well. He rolled up on his side and curled into a ball, thinking about what to do. He had a futon, donated by the owners, but other than that his room was rather sparse. He'd have to go do some shopping with the money Sarutobi-jiisan had given him and get some more stuff to fill it up.

Something tickled the back of his mind.

A table would be good. Oh, and maybe some scrolls to put on the walls. Some backup instant ramen wouldn't be bad either, so maybe some pots or something.

The tickle grew to a consistent scratching.

Naruto frowned. Something was forming inside his head, but he didn't know what. It was not completely there, like he was looking at it through a very thick curtain.

The scratching became crystal clear footsteps. Blood began to pound in Naruto's head, and he grabbed one of his temples.

What was it?

Ho? So the hairless monkey can finally hear me?

Naruto jumped as the voice went across his psyche.

"Who…who's there?!" he shouted, jumping up and swiveling his head around. "Show yourself!"

Right here, you wretched worm.

Naruto looked again. He couldn't see anyone else at all, and he couldn't smell or hear any other beings other than himself. So where… "Who…are you?"

A bark of laughter. A small blast of killing intent washed its way through him. Naruto shivered at the unfamiliar yet nostalgic feeling.

I am that which is called demon and monster. I am the reason you are the way you are today. I was reborn the same day as you were brought into this world, and I will be the reason you are erased from it. Now then, tell me, gaki…

Do you know who am I?

A/N: Well, that's the first chapter. Turned out a few more pages than I thought it would. Anyway, I hope I got down the various personalities okay, as it's been a while since I read through the entirety of the Naruto manga. I'll look through it soon so I can do better at the characterization. As a bit of warning, expect Naruto to have a different personality. That was expected, anticipated, and even planned for in the first place. So yay. It shouldn't be by too much, he just acts a lot more feral (like an animal) then before. Oh, but expect a lot more "new" techniques for both obvious and…various…reasons. Hope you people continue to read if I manage to get another chapter out. In any case, please review and remember, no flames!

Next Chapter – Planting the Seeds