I'm taking a shot at a long-term fanfiction. Let's hope I don't screw the pooch on this one. Seriously, it'll be pretty damn abysmal if I do.

(Edited)

Chapter 1: Descent to Darkness

Staring out the window of his dreadfully small apartment, the teary-eyed blond boy gazed at the stars in the sky wondering if there was more to life than this. Seven year old Naruto Uzumaki just couldn't seem to fall into the comforting arms of sleep and experience the bliss of a wonderful dream, an escape from an awful reality. This left him to thinking.

For the life of him, Naruto couldn't understand the unwarranted hatred and contempt he received each day. Everyone referred to him as a demon and either ignored his existence all-together or took any chance they had to harm him.

The tears finally fell.

Naruto desired a friend. He craved acknowledgement, acceptance, normality, and love. Like a mantra, Naruto kept reciting that in his head.

The 3rd Hokage was the only reason Naruto was still alive. Naruto turned his head to look at the money the elderly Hokage left for him earlier. Naruto went out to buy food, but for whatever reason, the shop owners either refused him completely or over-charged him. Naruto only managed to purchase a couple cups of ramen and some milk. The rest had to go to paying the rent.

'The landlord is probably ripping me off, too.' Naruto thought grimly.

Life at the academy wasn't much different.

The teachers purposely withheld information from Naruto and the students constantly bullied him and laughed at his failures even though he gave it his all.

Sadness to depression. Depression to total self-loathing. Self-loathing to hatred of others.

Naruto got up, and walked to his bathroom. He chuckled humorlessly.

'My bathroom's in my kitchen which is in bedroom. Damn.'

Naruto stared at his reflection and was greeted by an unfamiliar expression: one of anger.

When Naruto was wronged, he would usually experience a deep sadness, but it never evolved into what he was feeling now. He felt a need to exact revenge on those who've done him wrong. He wanted them to experience all the pain he's felt and more.

The feeling got stronger and undeniably enticing. The desire to prove his existence and find his purpose became an addend to the feeling.

Revenge. Naruto changed his mantra. He would be acknowledged. He would be accepted one way or another and if people wanted to hate him, he would simply hate them back.

With a newly found resolve, Naruto smirked. The expression he saw in the mirror pleased him.

He wasn't the only one who was pleased.

"Naruto Uzumaki." A deep, demonic voice quickly drew Naruto's attention.

Spinning around his room, trying to locate the source of the voice, a wide-eyed Naruto scanned his apartment for any potential danger.

'There's no damn way I imagined that.' Naruto thought in a panic.

Futilely searching his room, he came up empty and laid back in bed, attempting to get some rest. He closed his eyes and forced himself to relax into the covers of his bed. Minutes later, he was asleep.

Naruto's eyes snapped open and he discovered that he was ankle deep in water.

'What the heck?' A thoroughly confused Naruto thought.

The sound of deep breathing and slight growls caught Naruto's attention and he walked down the hallway of wherever he was toward the source of the sound.

He turned around each corner cautiously, readying himself for anything. The sound became increasingly louder, signifying Naruto was heading in the right direction. Naruto took note of the bleak atmosphere. He still had no idea where he was.

'Gotta be a dream.' He mused.

Naruto turned the final corner, coming face to face with a massive cage. Naruto slowly approached the cage, his heart pounding against his chest as the sounds from before seemed to cease as he came closer.

Red eyes opening and a massive mouth curled into a malicious smile. A red aura seemed to be emanating around the being in the cage. As the being came closer to the cage, Naruto was able to make out the bestial features of the being. He identified it as "a big ass fox."

'Weirdest freaking dream I've ever had.' Naruto thought.

"Naruto Uzumaki. I've noticed your resolve and your delicious desire for revenge." The voice of the fox frightened Naruto and also jogged his memory.

'That voice.'

"You're what called my name before. Wh-Who the hell are you?!" Naruto demanded pointing a trembling finger at the intimidating fox.

Naruto heard a deep rumbling sound from the fox. "Foolish human. I am the Kyuubi. The mightiest of the tailed-beast."

Paralyzed by fear, Naruto could only stare in confusion.

"Ignorant. Have you seen the seal on the cage? That is keeping me from giving you power. You are my jinchuriki, puny human." The Kyuubi said noticing the expression of confusion on Naruto's face.

By now, Naruto realized this was no dream. He had heard of the Kyuubi. Currently, Naruto was standing in front of the same being who was responsible for much destruction and the death of many of the village's shinobi. It was...sealed within him?

A cold feeling of realization spread over him. This had to be the reason everyone hated him. The villagers saw him as the Kyuubi instead of as Naruto Uzumaki.

This only served to fuel his rage and desire for revenge.

'They hate me because of something that's not my fault?!' Naruto thought angrily.

The Kyuubi took notice of the quickly increasing anger of his jinchuriki. He was very much pleased. The Kyuubi was already thinking of ways to influence the boy.

"I've noticed your desire for revenge, and I want to make an offer." The Kyuubi thought over his next words carefully. Those words would be make the difference of this boy's compliance or his defiance. The Kyuubi needed subtlety.

Naruto's attention was now completely focused on the Kyuubi, waiting cautiously for the next words of the mighty fox demon.

"I am going to fuse my chakra with yours, giving you immense power. It is up to you, whether or not you can control it. We both desire the same thing, so I will not attempt to control you, but you must make the power yours." The Kyuubi extended his offer, paying close attention to Naruto's facial expression.

The decision wasn't hard for Naruto. As a seven year old boy with the desire for revenge, an offer of power was irresistible.

A malicious smirk spread over Naruto's face. The Kyuubi was again pleased at the recent turn of events.

"I accept your offer." Naruto simply said, the smirk still evident on his face.

"For this to work, I need you to tear off this cursed seal." The Kyuubi informed.

Naruto almost eagerly tore the seal off and was immediately greeted by the sight of the Kyuubi's red aura extending out and flowing into him.

The change began instantaneously.

The evil and the hatred radiating from Naruto as the Kyuubi's chakra flowed into him was palpable. Naruto fell to his knees in pain. A burning sensation flared through his body. His body was quickly trying to adapt to the sudden intrusion. The red chakra demanded complete change. Naruto's anatomy itself began to change. His hair became a dark orange and became shaggier, similar to that of the 4th Hokage's. His dull nails grew into intimidating, inch-long claws and his fangs grew. His once blue eyes changed into a proud purple. The most alarming change occurred with his ears. They changed into those of a fox and stood proudly on his head.

After all the drastic changes, Naruto collapsed and fell into unconsciousness.

*Two Days Later*

Naruto's eyes cracked open slightly, adjusting to the morning light. He suddenly snapped out of bed, checking himself over and trying to confirm if everything was actually real. The claws were a give away.

Naruto got up and ran to the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. It was all confirmed.

Naruto began laughing. As his laughter died out, a malicious fanged smirk spread across his face once more. He could feel it. The power brimming at his finger tips! Revenge seemed so much closer than before.

The Big Question: Why didn't Minato appear? My interpretation on how Minato's chakra works in accordance with the seal is that it completely depends on the amount of influence the Kyuubi has over Naruto. At this point of the story, Naruto, for the most part, isn't being influenced much. Naruto's will with enhanced power, courtesy of the Kyuubi.