Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Negative Genesis ❯ In the Beginning... ( Chapter 1 )

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A/N: I'm biting off more than I can chew. I'm the laziest person I know, but here I am starting yet another fanfic. Naruto just left that good of an impression on me, that I feel it is my duty as a fan to horribly mar it's storyline until it is something nearly unrecognizable. ...Wait... that didn't come out right...

Before we begin, there are several things I'd like to clear up.

First, I have only watched the anime up to the Chuunin Exams, and have only read up to volume three of the manga. This is because I am poor, and I don't subscribe to Shonen Jump. Nor will I get a subscription to Shonen Jump, so don't suggest it to me--I read it before and I only liked Naruto so there's no way I'd pay for the whole damned thing. I'm saying this because I will be changing stuff. I'm an AU author at heart, so I can't help but alter and prod events to make them more interesting. I will be keeping the characters, well, in character (or try to at least), so you can go ahead and ream me if I screw that up. Don't, however, tell me what I'm writing doesn't coincide with what happened in episode 300 or whatever. You will be ignored.

Second, don't go easy on me in your reviews. I know that you don't want to be overly rude, but if there are problems with my writing, let me hear it. I won't bite. Probably.

Finally, I do not own Naruto. I plan on putting in a few new characters but, frankly, I don't care if somebody else wants to use them. Just tell me first.

This story takes place three weeks after the Chuunin exams and the Sand/Sound's invasion.

Enjoy.

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"We've got to hold on until Hokage-sama gets here!"

The Leaf Shinobi were deployed in full-force fighting a losing battle against a nine-tailed fox demon, Kyuubi. It had appeared suddenly, carving a path of destruction through the forest. No one knew why the demon was there, but the Leaf had no choice but to try and stop it.

When all appeared lost, the Leaf village's champion, The Hokage, arrived and sealed away the demon. Sadly, the champion passed away after completing his work, and The Leaf Village had been peaceful ever since.

Nothing, however, is permanent. Especially when dealing with demons....

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Negative Genesis: Chapter 01 - In the Beginning...

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Uzumaki Naruto sat up startled at his dream. Well, nightmare might have been a more accurate term, but he wasn't really concerned with all the details. He never had been, really.

Putting a hand to his racing heart, Naruto breathed in and out rapidly, trying to catch his breath. He knew he had re-lived a memory, and he was also sure that it wasn't his. Which meant that he was picturing the Kyuubi's memories again. It had happened before, but it always scared him every time. The Kyuubi's influence over his mind and body was growing rapidly lately, and he wasn't sure what he could do about it. He considered asking one of the adults for help, but he had the feeling they would sooner burn him at the stake than anything else. Oh well. He was used to taking care of himself anyway.

Deciding that going to sleep again was out of the question, Naruto stood up and yawned. The earlier shock was wearing off and in its place was the normal morning lethargy creeping back up on him. He slid his feet into the slippers by his bed, noting that they were on the wrong feet (and not caring), and slowly shuffled down the hall. Blinking his eyes repeatedly did nothing to clear his vision, but he somehow still made it to the bathroom in one piece.

Naruto flicked on the light and squinted at his reflection in the mirror. His blond hair was somehow even more disheveled than it normally was, there was crust in both of his eyes, and he thought he was drooling slightly to complete the ghastly picture.

You truly are a beautiful sight in the morning chimed in the last voice Naruto wanted to hear at the moment.

Shaddup... Naruto thought back. You're the one that keeps screwing up my sleep!

I believe it is pronounced, "shut up". Honestly, your manners are as offensive as your appearance. Kyuubi pointed out before sighing. I am unable control the memories, honestly. It is my dreams being relayed through your mind, and even demons have no control over their dreams, Kyuubi replied matter-of-factly.

I understood none of that. Naruto sighed as he began his daily ritual of washing and trying to wake himself up.

Come now, Naruto-kun, even you are smart enough to grasp something this simple, Kyuubi tsked.

Not at 4:00 in the morning, Naruto replied.

It had been like this since Naruto could remember. Kyuubi had always been able to talk to Naruto, or appear in his dreams. Kyuubi always appeared as a girl about his age, growing as he did, with long black hair and red eyes. He had been shocked to find out that she was really the demon that wrecked the Leaf village years ago, but aside from a bit of wariness as to how much control he allowed her, it didn't change his opinion of her too much. Naruto's view of the world was rather simple, so it never occurred to him that he should cease contact with the fox spirit.

Besides, she was really all he had. Most people either ignored Naruto, or openly hated him. Kyuubi was rather sarcastic, and was more likely to put Naruto down than help, but he got the impression that she cared somewhat about his well-being. She gave him advice sometimes, and would even offer encouragement from time to time (albeit, grudgingly), not to mention the times she would add her power to his own to help him win tough battles. The way she saw it, if she was going to be around, she might as well make her vessel worthy of her.

Having freshened up, Naruto stepped out of the bathroom to find something to wear. Fishing his usual attire off the floor, he stared at it. He could feel Kyuubi's disapproval.

...Orange does not suit you, Naruto-kun. Kyuubi said for not the first time. Why not try something else? Perhaps Sakura-san will appreciate it.

Really? Naruto thought, suddenly awake.

Of course. You should try wearing pink since she likes it so much.

Pink, huh? Naruto thought, rubbing his chin. I dunno... it seems kinda girly to me...

Maybe, the demon fox allowed.But she does seem to like it a lot. I do not understand why, but I dislike most bright colors anyway. It does seem to be worth trying, though.

Pink... Naruto thought again, nodding to himself.

===

Unfortunately, for everything Kyuubi got correct, it seemed she got something else completely wrong. Demons just didn't have much knowledge about the thoughts and feelings of a teenaged girl, and her experiences with Naruto didn't really give her much data to work with.

Standing there on the bridge, Sakura was doubled over in laughter while Naruto wished the damned thing would just collapse with him on it. Kyuubi felt oddly responsible for this situation, which confused her.

Usually giving Naruto flawed advice wouldn't bother Kyuubi in the slightest, but this time she could feel Naruto's heart literally breaking as Sakura laughed at him. After all, his pain was her pain. She had been with him throughout his short life, had felt every hurt, known every insecurity, and it gave her a strange feeling sometimes... empathy, she guessed. Anyway, this was definitely worse than normal.

Naruto didn't happen to have a pink version of his normal attire, so he had opted for a pink t-shirt he received from the Orphan's Association, and some black baggy shorts. The shirt was at least three sizes too large, making Naruto look even smaller and younger than he already was, and was rather old. Some parts were threadbare, though it didn't have any holes in it.

Trying to hide the hurt, Naruto gave an embarrassed laugh. True, Sakura was laughing at him, but she was technically paying attention to him. And she wasn't angry either, as another plus.

What do you see in that wench? All I noticed is a forehead big enough to destroy the Hidden Leaf Village. Kyuubi asked, irritated. She couldn't believe that he wasn't angry as well. She mentally underlined and circled Sakura's name on her 'People to Smite' list. It was getting rather large as of late.

Meanwhile, Sakura was just calming down. "N-Naruto... ha ha," she choked out. Allowing herself a last couple of chuckles, she composed herself. "Sorry about that. It's just such a shock to see you in pink and not wearing your normal stuff."

Naruto kept the smile plastered on his face, but inside he was dying.

This was your idea! Think of something! Naruto thought desperately.

Stab her. Now. Your honor demands it. The fox demon replied callously.

My honor doesn't demand anything! Naruto shot back.

Please? For me?

I'm not stabbing anybody!

Laughing self-consciously, Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Well, my jacket had a hole in it, so I thought I'd try something different!"

"Well," Sakura began in a lecturing tone, "It's definitely a step in the right direction. That old jacket looks kinda stupid, and it was pretty dirty. Even though pink isn't quite your color..." She chuckled at this, "...at least this shirt is clean."

Check, Naruto thought. Just wear this shirt and shorts everyday then...

Not quite, Naruto-kun. Kyuubi corrected, sighing. This kid really could be dumb sometimes. She means you should try changing outfits more often, and washing your clothes. Probably your body as well.

Oh... well that makes sense. I could do that easily! Naruto said, his grin coming easily this time.

That is precisely what you said last month, Kyuubi pointed out, but the boy wasn't paying any attention. He was too busy dreaming about charming Sakura off her feet. Kyuubi made a mental note to make sure that the orange jumpsuit burned when she was released. Then as an after-thought, she added an asterisk by Sakura's name on her list.

Sasuke chose that moment to appear on the scene, so any attention that Sakura might have given Naruto was immediately showered on the young avenger. Naruto's good mood fell, and he glared at Sasuke before turning away and leaning against the railing.

He tried his best to ignore the two, but he could feel Sasuke's eyes on him. Gritting his teeth, he turned back and stared into his cool eyes. "What the hell do you want!?" he demanded.

"Your shirt..." Sasuke started, but he was quickly interrupted.

"Yeah, so what!? It's pink! I don't really care!!" Naruto said, crossing his arms and nodding to himself.

"Well, there's that..." Sasuke replied, unruffled. "And there's the fact that it's too large. It will hinder your movement on today's missions."

"Whatever, I'll still smoke you! Just make sure you take care of yourself!" Naruto retorted, leaning back against the rail.

"Whatever," Sasuke shrugged and leaned back in a position similar to the one Naruto was in. He mentally tuned out the world as Sakura continued to gush over him.

I keep waiting for the day Sasuke rips her throat out, so you will listen when I tell you to kill him. Kyuubi muttered darkly.

Do you hate everybody? Naruto asked, shaking his head.

Just about, yes.

====.

"My Lord, word from the Earth realm."

"Speak quickly."

"Demon chakra has been flowing through the Gate. From Earth realm."

"...How much?"

"We estimate at least enough to give birth to a C-class demon."

"Who is giving it off? Humans?"

"We are not sure, Lord. We can't trace it from here."

"...I see..."

"My Lord?"

"Form a search party, but make sure it's small. We don't want the humans to be on the alert, or it could jeopardize everything. You are to investigate this matter, though, and report back at once. If anybody sees you, kill them."

"Yes, My Lord."

===

After a boring day of training, and odd jobs, the three genin departed with a wave for Kakashi. Sakura watched Naruto out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't quite place it, but Naruto was acting rather strange today. The day started off normally enough, but as it progressed, Naruto seemed to get... moody.

It had all started when they received a mission to escort a young class from the academy on a trip through the woods. Naruto's expression was rather grim, and he was quiet. It could be that he had just been spending too much time with Sasuke lately, but somehow Sakura doubted that.

Also he had been temperamental. Not in his own goofy way, but he seemed to actually radiate hostility and violence. Like when he growled at one of the kids that were being particularly obnoxious--they didn't bother him for the rest of the day after that--and the sullen glare he directed at Master Kakashi when he told him to calm down. It just wasn't Naruto.

The sun was setting and they were pretty hungry, so team 7 headed off towards a ramen stand to get some food. This didn't really seem to excite Naruto like it should have. He merely gave a weak smile and went back to growling and shaking his head.

It was still rather warm outside, and Naruto noticed a lot of other off-duty groups wandering about. He saw Shikamaru hanging out with his old team of Ino and Chouji, lying down and watching the clouds. Shikamaru and Chouji were quite content, but Ino was complaining bitterly that they should find something else to do. She didn't leave, though, no matter how many times she threatened to.

Turning his head, Naruto spotted Hinata and Kiba walking hand in hand. His eyes narrowed slightly. About a week ago, the two of them had grown rather... close. He didn't really know how that had come to be, and he really didn't want to. It did sort of bug him though, but he couldn't really figure out why. Kyuubi would have face-faulted if she had a face, but wisely decided against informing the young Genin of his problem.

That makes two less morons to deal with. I suppose I should not complain merely because I have a bigger moron right here. She reasoned.

What was that? Naruto asked angrily.

Isaid nothing, Naruto-kun. Please, return to being an imbecile. Kyuubi replied icily.

What the hell is your problem today? You normally aren't this annoying, Naruto thought, shoving his hands in his pockets.

I could say the same about you, Kyuubi retorted.

"Hey, dobe! Would you stop mumbling to yourself and listen for a moment?" Sasuke's voice snapped Naruto back into reality.

"I wasn't mumbling," Naruto said sullenly.

"...Yeah. What the hell is wrong with you today? Your behavior is odd, even for you," Sasuke asked. "If you are unstable, then you are only a going to cause problems. I suggest you check into a hospital. Though I am not sure the medic-nins can fix whatever problem you might have."

Is he serious? Naruto thought.

When is he not? Came the reply.

"I noticed that too. You've been acting strange all day. What's wrong? Are you sick?" Sakura asked, putting a hand to Naruto's forehead.

"Maybe?" Naruto said, faking a cough. "Actually, I'm not really all that hungry. I think I'll head on home." He ran off, a trail of dust left in his wake. Sasuke and Sakura merely watched with wide eyes.

"Naruto..." Sakura started.

"...not hungry?" Sasuke said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

Sakura, however was already over her shock and was dragging Sasuke down the street. "Oh well, his loss. Hey, Sasuke-kun, let's make this a date!"

Sasuke grunted, but managed to mask his surprise. He knew an unstable Naruto would only bring trouble.

===

Naruto made it back to his apartment in record time. Taking off his head-protector, he rubbed his face vigorously. Something had been rather off about him today. Kyuubi had seemed a lot more active than usual today and it had him worried.

What are you doing to me!? Why are you messing with my head? He demanded.

I am not sure what you are referring to... Kyuubi replied calmly.

Yes you are! I've never heard you talk this much before. Naruto pointed out.

I had a lot to say, Kyuubi answered without missing a beat.

What about the dreams? Naruto asked suspiciously.

Well... Kyuubi trailed off.

...And today... I was taking on yourmoods, wasn't I? Naruto asked.

...

Well, this was unexpected. Whenever Kyuubi was convinced that her vessel was a complete idiot, he always had to prove her wrong. Why he couldn't have chosen a different time to prove her wrong was beyond her.

In truth, she was absorbing energy from an outside source, though she could only speculate as to where it was coming from. She supposed energy was being expended from other demons being destroyed in the world. That meant that there were other demons doing battle in Earth Realm, creating plenty of free-flowing energy for her to absorb. And energy always sought out a new host when a demon was destroyed--normally the demon that destroyed it's former host--but a fair amount would usually escape either through the Gate or to other demons.

For some reason, though, it pained Kyuubi when she thought of telling Naruto any of this. He had enough to worry about, without adding on an event that is inevitable anyway. She was going to have to think of a way around this.

It is most likely a side effect of your recent battles. You've been using my energy quite often as of late. Kyuubi stated. That wasn't technically a lie. Using her energy also contributed to her growth.

The boy still seemed very suspicious, though. He wasn't going to bend without a direct statement. Kyuubi hesitated a moment. There was no way around it--she was going to have to lie.

Be at ease, Naruto-kun. Kyuubi said softly. I am not doing anything.

In all the time she had known Naruto, she had never lied to him once. Sure, she told half-truths, and would withhold information, but she never told him a direct lie. This was the first time she had to. As soon as she said those words, she had yet another first. A feeling she had never felt before.

Shame.

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A/N: There goes the first chapter of my first Naruto fic. Please leave a review so I can work out the kinks.