Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Crack in the Continuum ❯ Prologue ( Chapter 1 )

It was all set.

 

Everything meticulously prepared. Every detail carefully considered. A roaring fire warmed the abode. The bedding neatly lain out with the most luxurious fabrics. And finally a warm beverage to settle ones stomach for a long sleep.

 

The plan was perfect. This would be the best sleep incomprehensible to lesser beings. There was nothing to worry about and nothing important planned. Calendar was clean for the foreseeable future. Any possible worries or troubles melted in front of the comforting fireplace.

 

Finally with a settled mind and a little physical exhaustion, the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, or Kyuubi for short, slipped on his sleeping cap and curled up in front of the fireplace. The crimson coated beast bore some resemblance to a natural fox except demonically twisted. Despite his normally bestial visage, his relaxed form hid his more eccentric features. As his nine powerful tails wrapped around his body, he appeared more like a newborn puppy than demon spawn feared throughout the mortal world. With a few lazy blinks, he closed his tired eyes and slept.

 

Aaah…

 

Perfect.

 

…

 

…

 

…

 

Suddenly it was cold.

 

The demon cracked open one tired, bloodshot eye and promptly closed it. Nothing was going to ruin this. It just got cold instantly. That happens all the time. There was no need to get up from his undeniably perfect sleep and figure what went wrong. That would ruin his perfect plan!

 

A gust of wind blew across his form driving a shiver from his body.

 

Damn it. Groggily, the demon pulled himself to his feet. His nine tails limp on the floor behind him. A beacon of light seemed to shine down from the ceiling. Wait… When did it get so bright out? He walked around casually searching for the fireplace. His feet brushed over the green carpet-like foliage.

 

When did he get a carpet?

 

The demon shot wide awake as he realized he was not in his home. He glanced around at the landscape. This was definitely not his home. The dark star filled sky was dimmed by the luminescence of the full moon. The forest was barely tall enough to reach his ankles. The shock barely registered in his mind as he realized one undeniable fact. Someone had summoned him to the mortal world… Someone had ruined his perfect plan. He felt his head realizing his precious night cap was missing. A deep ominous growl started in his throat. Someone had stolen from him! Someone had purposely messed everything up for him! He let loose a violent roar that demanded vengeance.

 

The Kyuubi was not to be messed with! The fox sniffed the air searching for any sign of his would be targets. There was nothing. Not even his other senses could detect anything other than this damnable forest. Enraged, he took off in one direction roaring ever louder in demonic anger and breathing steam laced with his powerful chakra. His nine tails whipping violently behind him. Whoever or whatever dared to ruin his perfect plan would die in a sea of hellfire!

 

The world rumbled as the demon fox sprinted into the moonlight. His enormous bulk crushed trees to toothpicks and sent earthquakes rippling around him. In his rage, he did not notice his righteous, vengeful anger brought him barreling through a small innocent village.

 

SQUISH!

 

Kyuubi stopped instantly. One foot stomped straight through an innocent two story building in the small innocent village. Eew! There was blood all over his paw! He absent mindedly scraped his paw on a few trees. Oops. He did not mean to do that. Well the humans in the building probably deserved it! He glanced down at the ruined building and caught its name.

 

“CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE”

 

Oops.

 

He picked up a few pieces of the roof and carefully placed it back on the building. There! Good as new! Mentally patting himself on the back, the Kyuubi noted no one would notice the large gouged out holes, the burning foundation, or the pools of squished human bodies. Now he had to sneak out quietly without raising alarm and drawing out meddlesome people.

 

He backed up slowly. Suddenly, the entire town exited their homes, caught sight of the enormous demon, and froze solid as a statue in fear. The Kyuubi mentally sighed. He could do this. He just needed to say something and reveal this was all a huge misunderstanding.

 

“Sorry?”

 

“OH MY GOD! THE NINE TAILED DEMON FOX HAS RETURNED AND DESTROYED THE INNOCENT HOPE OF OUR FUTURE!”

 

Real smooth...

 

With that yell, the entire village started screaming and running around in a blind panic.

 

“SOMEONE GET HELP! CALL THE HOKAGE!”

 

“THE CHILDREN! WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN!”

 

Now would be a good time to leave. The demon fox randomly chose a direction and ran off into the night. The cries and screams of hundreds of desperate villagers faded into the moonlight. Smirking to himself, he ran as quickly as possible hoping to simply outdistance any troublesome humans. Unbeknownst to him, he was now striding directly for the Konohagakure, the hidden village of the leaf, and the stronghold of one of the most powerful ninja villages on the continent.

 

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A long time ago, a demon fox with nine tails existed.

Said demon fox barreled haplessly over a mountain, tripped, and rolled unceremoniously into the forest floor.

 

When that tail was swung, it would destroy a mountain and cause a tsunami.

 

Angrily looking to and fro, the demon fox breathed steam before swiping his tails at the forest floor that dare skin his knee.

 

To counter, the people gathered ninjas.

 

“HOLD IT UNTIL THE FOURTH HOKAGE ARRIVES!” One nameless ninja yelled as he tossed a flurry of kunai.

 

A thousand ninja techniques and a sky darkening volley of kunai erupted into immense explosions along the demon's side. The Kyuubi felt a strange itch, laid down on his haunches, and vigorously scratched. A legion of ninjas instantly perished.

 

“DON'T LET IT GET CLOSER TO THE VILLAGE!”

 

Two giant footsteps reverberated signifying the grand entrance of Gamabunta, the Toad King. Kyuubi cocked his head peering at the giant powerful frog with squinted eyes. The giant frog looked familiar. A brilliant flash of insight came to the fox as a hail of ninja weaponry harmlessly bounced off his leg. The last time he saw the frog, the kid was barely half a foot high!

 

One ninja sealed the monster in a life or death battle and died.

 

The Kyuubi, still caught up in his elation at remembering the young Gamabunta, never noticed the darkened figure standing on his head.

 

That ninja was known as the Fourth Hokage.

 

From the Fourth Hokage's hands, a brilliant shining light erupted and covered the landscape in seething light. The Kyuubi, with demonic enhanced sight, gazed at a figure invisible to human eyes. Behind the Hokage, the immense visage of the Death God (Shinigami) stood in all its terrifying glory. How could a mortal summon Death of all things?

 

“Death?! What the hell are you doing here?” the Kyuubi asked in slack jawed awe.

 

“Oh, hey Kyuubi,” the Death God said surprised as if only now taking notice of his target, “Well, I hope they're no hard feelings after this. I'm on the job ya know.”

 

“What?!” The Kyuubi roared. “What the hell is goin- ACK!”

 

The god's fist closed around the Kyuubi's very essence and had begun the painful process of relieving the Kyuubi of his own soul. But the nine tailed demon fox was not feared throughout the lands for nothing. The death god's grip slackened as the Kyuubi's powerful chakra fought him and battled the god with all its might.

 

“Now, now Kyuubi. You're makin' this harder on yourself.”

 

The god grunted pulling out half of the Kyuubi's being.

 

“But it's my soul, you can't have it!”

 

The Kyuubi struggled and managed to pull the god backwards reabsorbing what he lost.

 

“Look, it's not like your gonna be tortured for all eternity. You're much too strong for what this seal was originally intended for!”

 

The god, slightly angry now, reached out with both of his hands and gripped onto the Kyuubi's soul.

 

“Hey hey! You owe me one, Shinigami!”

 

“Awe c'mon, you can't use your favor from a card game to decide your fate!”

 

With both the god's hands firmly latched onto him, the Kyuubi could no longer shrug off the relentless tug on his soul.

 

“You promised me! I don't feel like dying at the moment.”

 

“Geez, alright fine! I'll make you a deal. Once this seal has run its course. I'll return you good as new back to your home.”

 

“Agreed!”

 

Overpowered, the Kyuubi was taken into Death's hands and brought directly to the Fourth Hokage who had quickly set up the required sealing materials on the forest floor. In the chill of the night, a newborn infant screamed its distress in the center of a ring of burning candles. Still conscious, the Kyuubi realized that this was no ordinary sealing.

 

“What the hell is this, Death!”

 

Death seemed to chuckle in amusement at the fox's remark. The god hovered over the frantic preparations of the Fourth Hokage. The baby screamed in anger at the strange treatment it was receiving.

 

“Oh yah. I forgot to mention you'll be sealed in a newborn infant for the rest of his natural life. When the child dies, the seal would have then run its course. Hence our deal is fulfilled.”

 

“WHAT!”

 

The Death God grinned, a horrifying image that would have loosened the bowels of the most courageous ninja, and lifted his hand to throw the Kyuubi's being directly into the child.

 

“WAIT! I TAKE IT BACK! I WANNA DIE!”

 

A brilliant swirl of light and a shockwave that bowed the strong trees surrounding Konoha were the only signs of the demon's imprisonment.

 

“By the way fox, don't try to get the child killed. I find out you directly tried to hasten the boy's death or fail to keep him alive and the deal's off.”

 

With that, the Death God left, the lifeless body of the Fourth Hokage hit the ground, and the forest grew quiet again.

 

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Crack in the Continuum

By Evance

 

 

 

Disclaimer: Naruto is created by Masashi Kishimoto. Studio Pierrot and Aniplex handles the anime series. Viz translates the manga and anime for western audiences. In no way am I involved with any of this.

 

 

 

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“HRRN!”

 

Four years, it had been four years trapped in this damned prison.

 

“HRR!”

 

He thought he could have simply slept through the entire human's life. But without his precious nightcap, a roaring fire, and a warm cup of hot chocolate, sleep came in naps. The rest of the time he was “privileged” to watch the infant grow up. After a couple of weeks of feeling the infant defecate on himself, he decided to withdraw his mind from the child's senses and focus on more important things. This seal was a brilliant piece of work. It was even more surprising that such a seal came from a mere mortal.

 

“GRRR”

 

Creatures like the Kyuubi knew a lot about humans. You simply did not rise to their level of power without some understanding of possible threats. But despite his experience and knowledge, he was sure that such a seal was beyond human understanding. In fact, the very act of forcefully summoning him without him noticing should have been impossible. But here he was struggling at bars of his cage. He could barely fit the tips of his tails slightly pass the spaces, but that did not stop him from trying to slowly loosen the gate for about three years.

 

“HRRRRR!”

 

In the real world, he could have been able to slowly loosen to bars over time. But this place had no actual substance. Therefore, all his hopeful efforts were for naught. The Kyuubi finally gave up and slipped his tails from the bars. He rubbed the tips of his tail to sooth the aching numbness that had spread through them.

 

Now what? How long did humans live again? Wasn't it around eighty years? What the hell was he going to do for seven decades if he could not sleep or do something meaningful?

 

Maybe he should check up on vessel whats-his-name… Narturo? Nurato? Naruto… yeah that was it. Naruto. Sending a slight spike of demon chakra through the small opening in the seal that allowed his chakra to naturally mix with Naruto's, he tapped directly into the boy's senses.

 

Fear coursed through the boy's body. His heart quickened beating at thousands of beats per minute. In the midst of the darkened, neglected orphanage, a husky man covered in the stench of alcohol and days of sweat raised a rusted meat cleaver high above his head on the verge of swinging the blade through the boy's head. Naruto was frozen solid in fear.

 

“HOLY SHIT, KID, RUN!”

 

Naruto snapped out of his daze and tripped over his own feet. The man's swing brought the clever into the ground right between the boy's legs.

 

“You'll pay,” the man said with slurred speech, “you damn little monster.”

 

Whimpering in fear, Naruto cowered before the immense bulk of the drunken man. The man clumsily wrenched his makeshift weapon from the ground and stumbled haphazardly over Naruto. Even his breath reeked of alcohol.

 

“GET UP! RUN!”

 

Naruto did not need to be told twice. Panicking, he stumbled through the halls of the orphanage. The orphanage, once peacefully lit in the daytime, was now an ominous maze of nightmares. Naruto stumbled through the darkness. His steps creaked each of the boards of the wooden floor. Each breath became loud and heavy. Behind him, the booming, staggering footsteps of an angry, inebriated villager got ever louder. Naruto did his best to meld into the shadows quickly losing the would-be killer. Naruto tried to hold his breathe.

 

“Come out kid. We'll play a game. We'll call it `eye for an eye.' You'll enjoy it.” He cooed and taunted. A sliver of moonlight fell through the window and glinted off the sharp edge of the blade.

 

Naruto quickly jumped into the small bathroom locking the door behind him. What should he do now? He felt tears running down. He had to get out! He didn't want to die! He choked out a sob and began to cry.

 

“Quiet kid! Calm down!”

 

The fox, ignoring the muffled sobs of a terrified child, took note of the world around him. The bathroom was a dirty little thing. It was barely kept clean but to the villagers it was more than what the “little demon” deserved. There was one small window outside. This was his only chance.

 

A loud bang shocked Naruto as a clenched fist slammed into the door.

 

“I know your in there kid.”

 

“CRACK!”

 

Half of the meat clever tore through the door. The fox growled from within the boy. He hated these pathetic attempts at intimidation, but the kid was far too young to shake it off. Remembering a certain promise to a friendly god, there was only one thing he could do.

 

“Kid… I need you to give me control.”

 

Realizing the voice was not actually a part of his thoughts, Naruto responded like any rational four year old boy.

 

“What?”

 

“DAMN IT! Give me control!”

 

The top half of the door burst in half revealing the maniacal grinning madman out for Naruto's blood. He laughed began to rapidly hack away at the door. Naruto, terrified and confused at the strange voice in his head, reacted on instinct. With a great leap impossible for a kid his age, Naruto flew through the small bathroom window and out into the safety of the rest of the village.

 

Or it would have been safe had the bathroom not been four stories off the ground. Naruto seeing the world fatally rushing toward him promptly fainted. By default and a little luck, the Kyuubi took control of Naruto's body… a four year old, pathetic, and weak human body four stories off the ground.

 

“YOU LITTLE BRAT!”

 

CRUNCH!

 

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The cool night air was soothing to the mind. As often as the jounin walked amongst the rooftops of the village at night, he could never bring himself to truly appreciate the beauty of Konoha. He had little interest in simply watching from atop the edge of the roof. That was boring. His mind was on other things racing ten steps ahead of everyone around him. Especially given the daytime annoyances, it was comforting, this peace and quiet.

 

The evening silence broke at the sickening sound of human flesh landing onto the hard dirty alley. He could hear the crunch of bones shattering. Interesting.

 

With a graceful blur, the man disappeared from his ledge and landed next to the source of his interest. Naruto Uzumaki lay broken in a twisted pile of human parts. A pool of blood slowly crept outwards around the young child. The man cocked his head as if it was perfectly normal to watch a child die. But to his surprise, the boy's body cracked as bones healed itself, and gouged open wounds were remolded into soft unmarred skin. This was certainly interesting.

 

The emotion etched across the man's face was a combination of intense scrutiny and curiosity. He ignored the heavy footsteps of Naruto's would be killer breathing heavily after running down four flights of stairs. The out-of-shape and notably drunk man stumbled over his own feet as he moved closer to finish the kid.

 

“Hey, you… outta the way. I got a demon fox to kill.”

 

The cleaver wielding maniac was only able to get within two feet of the boy. Without notice, the jounin casually backhanded the drunk and shattered his jaw with that powerful blow. The drunk screamed. Or he tried to. Instead he choked on his own blood as pain coursed throughout his face. Forcefully sobered by the rivers of agony rippling from his jaw, the man opened his eyes wide as he recognized the ninja. Mentally and physically in shock, he fell into painless unconsciousness.

 

Finally satisfied, the ninja, with surprising care, reached out and picked up the partially healed boy. Being a demon vessel had surprising consequences. He felt the perfectly renewed skin that had once been jagged and torn by shards of broken bone. With a little rest, the child could be walking in a week. Interesting. Very interesting. The jounin blurred to the nearby rooftop and sprinted his way to the nearest hospital.

 

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The Kyuubi slumped in exhaustion leaning on the bars of his cage for support. The kid would live but just barely. The seal had been much harder to work through than he thought. Sure it did allow him to leak his chakra and have some control over the healing process, but the seal prevented him from using the full extent of his power. Naruto was only four, and his body was too immature to handle his full power. Ironically, the seal intended to protect Naruto from his actions now prevented him from fully healing him. He could still feel broken bones, several still open wounds, and the obvious signs of a concussion.

 

“Hey, you… outta the way. I got a demon fox to kill.”

 

Damn! All that work and the kid would die anyways to a weak, psychotic waste of meat. The Kyuubi growled his frustration and slammed his shoulder against the bars of his cage before falling down from fatigue. A great demon fox killed by a human with an old sharpened piece of metal. What a way to go. He would have a hell of a time explaining this to his ancestors in hell.

 

CRACK!

 

And then the man was gagging from a broken jaw. A powerful chakra source emanated nearby with a surprising amount of killer intent for a human. The Kyuubi cocked his head at the strange scent in the air. Naruto's rescuer, this ninja… was different.

 

The Kyuubi partially disconnected himself from the boy's mind as he felt his Naruto's newfound rescuer carry him off to safety. The fox laid down and closed his eyes in deep thought. He could not afford to leave the boy unattended. But he did not want to be babysitting the brat for his entire length either. A scant half a minute later, Naruto was quickly prepped by the hospital from the forceful orders of the Hokage. Naruto's limp body shuddered involuntarily as the hospital staff and a few medic-nins soothed bruised flesh, cast broken limbs, and closed any remaining open wounds.

 

“I assume he's okay,” came a voice whispered and distorted due to Naruto's concussion.

 

“Hokage… you are very lucky he did not die. Foolish to leave him alone.”

 

The Kyuubi perked at that man's voice. That had to be Naruto's rescuer. That strange stench filled the room. What was that smell? He could not quite place it.

 

“I won't. That is what I am by his side.”

 

The Kyuubi felt the medic-nins pick up the fully bandaged child and placed him on a bed. Naruto whimpered in pain as he cracked open his eyes startling the fox with his sheer determination to live. Naruto's pupils dilated in the haze of white light from the harsh hospital lights and refocused on the worn face of the Third Hokage. The old man checked the boy once over for any permanent damage and found nothing.

 

“Amazing, isn't it?”

 

The Hokage quietly placed the hospital bed sheets over Naruto and walked out the room to confront the jounin.

 

“It is amazing. The fox may be Konoha's curse but it is Naruto's blessing. I hope I can forgive myself for neglecting his safety.”

 

“I have warned you before. People are petty and weak minded. That is why we should discuss this in private away from this place.”

 

The Hokage closed the door behind him and dimmed the lights leaving Naruto in the small room alone. The old man's footsteps across the wooden floor dimmed as he left the hospital. It was quiet now. The faint silhouette of a few of the Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai or ANBU, the black ops of the ninja world, was the only sign that the Hokage had ordered some protection for Naruto's recovery. The full moonlight hung like a lamp in the hospital window casting eerie shadows across the entire room.

 

Naruto shook still a bit scared from his close shave with death. His voice cracked slightly as he held back sobs. He curled into a ball shaking lightly. The Kyuubi grumbled to himself at his sudden concern.

 

“Hey kid… psst…”

 

Naruto's head would have hit the ceiling in surprise if his legs were not in a cast.

 

“WHO ARE YOU!!”

“SHH! Not too loud!”

 

The door to Naruto's room swung wide open revealing an ANBU guard wearing a mask with simple animal like features.

 

“You alright?” he asked somewhat concerned.

 

“Just nod.”

 

Naruto smiled brightly and nodded.

 

The ANBU shook his head and slipped out of the hospital room mumbling how the Hokage should “stop taking in strays.”

 

“Who are you?” Naruto whispered curious.

 

“A friend, I guess… and talk to me in your mind. Last thing I need is you to be seen as insane!”

 

“YOU'LL BE MY FRIEND?” Naruto thought loudly, his voice a few hundred decibels too high.

 

“ARGH! Why do you have to be so loud!” the Kyuubi roared in pain, “I think my ears are bleeding, damn it.”

 

“So you won't be my friend?” Naruto responded sounding as if the entire depressed, hate filled, and polluted slum of a thrice cursed world had burned his hopes in agonizing fire and defecated on his dreams. The Kyuubi felt that strange pang of caring and concern from within himself.

 

“No… we can be friends-“

 

“OKAY!”

 

The Kyuubi fell to the ground; his ears throbbing with pain.

 

“Sonuva… WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT YELLING!”

 

“I'm sorry,” said Naruto with the most heartfelt apology ever uttered by a human child.

 

“Well, just… okay.” The Kyuubi muttered unsure of how to respond to this barrage of innocence. “You be sorry.”

 

An awkward silence hung in the air for about five minutes.

 

“Why do people try to hurt me?”

 

“Because they are bad people. Bad people hurt innocent children. But don't worry about that.”

 

“You can stop bad people from hurting me?”

 

“Nope.”

 

“But-“

 

If one could see the giant metaphorically light bulb blink to life over the Kyuubi's head, you would be blinded by his sudden insight and flash of brilliance.

 

“You know ninjas are strong and they can beat up all the bad people.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Maybe, when you get older, you could learn to be a ninja.”

 

“You think I could do that?”

 

“Sure, kid.”

 

What was the average life expectancy of a full time ninja in combat? The Kyuubi remembered it was something along the lines of between twenty and thirty years.

 

“And you should always try to be the best.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because if you are the best, you can become Hokage. And if you're the Hokage, everyone will be your friend.”

 

“Wow! I wanna be the best ninja and a Hokage person!”

 

The Kyuubi smiled to himself. This is why Shinigami lost to him at betting. Death simply could not see everything his brilliant, superior fox mind could comprehend with ease. He could fulfill his purpose and protect the kid with all his might. But he could not help it if Naruto somehow got himself killed fulfilling his own dream.

 

Naruto, on the other hand, had just found a new purpose in his life. One that would make everyone acknowledge him and be friends with him! Naruto smiled relaxed back into his bed. His near death ordeal was forgotten with this newfound goal. He slumped deep into his bed and relaxed.

 

“Finally some peace and quiet.”

 

“I can't sleep.”

 

The Kyuubi's eye twitched and his tails whipped a wall behind him.

 

“Just go to sleep.”

 

“But I can't! It's all dark and my head hurts!” Naruto pouted.

 

“Then count sheep or something!”

 

“But I can't count all the way yet an' I wasn't listening when she told me an'…”

 

The Kyuubi grumbled as he let the boy continue on his childish explanation. There was only one way to solve this. He was going to hate himself for it. But this was the only way.

 

“Hey, brat. How about… How about I sing you a song so you can sleep?”

 

“Okay!”

 

The Kyuubi grumbled and cleared his throat.

 

“Rock a bye baby-“

 

“I'M NOT A BABY!” Naruto screamed in his head, crossed his slightly wounded arms as best he could, and rolled over to his side pouting.

 

“Damn loud brat.”

 

The Kyuubi closed his eyes in deep thought. Every song he could remember passed through his mind. He settled on the only thing he could remember in such short notice.

 

“First I was afraid,” the Kyuubi began his singing voice hitting surprising beautiful melodies.

 

“I was petrified.”

 

A soft beat from nowhere pulsed behind each word and slowly built into a groovy masterpiece.

 

“Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side.”

 

The Kyuubi voice rang like an angel's chorus through Naruto's mind.

 

“But I spent so many nights thinking how you did me wrong. I grew strong!”

 

A disco ball descended down into the Kyuubi's cell showering the dark place with funky lights.

 

“I LEARNED TO CARRY ON!”

 

The Kyuubi spun into a graceful dance move in the middle his cage. The darkened floor lit up with hundreds of color-changing lighted tiles.

 

“I've got all my life to live! I got all my love to give!”

 

“I will survive!”

 

“Zzzzzzzzzz…”

 

The fox's musical died at the sounds of Naruto's slumber. The disco ball shattered and dispersed into nothingness. The music in the background wound out like a broken down record. The cell returned its normal dank, dark dungeon look. The Kyuubi sighed and laid his head down on his paws.

 

“Stupid Brat.”

 

The full moonlight hung like a lamp in the hospital window.

 

And for a moment in his life, Naruto slept as a child should without worry, hatred and pain.

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Author's Notes: I am using media miner as a secondary upload location place. I usually post first on fanfiction.net to test the waters. So I guess this place will tend to get more fixed up versions of my stories. Please review and tell me what you think. Flames/ Insults are welcome as long as they have substance.