A/N: Lesse...first Naruto fic. Also, I don't know much past episode 41, so correct me if it makes you feel better. Also, this is my first attempt at romance. Tell me if I should quit...>_> If the format is screwy, remember that I'm using notepad (it sucks >_<). And I think that's about it.

The darkness...it was so beautiful, so evil, so wonderful. It was all around him, blocking his view.

**I can't see...** he thought, hoping someone would answer him. "Naruto!"

It was her! It was the girl of his dreams, here to rescue him! "Naruto!" she said once more, reaching out her hand. Her pink hair seemed to defy gravity, floating gracefully about her.

He grasped her hand firmly, and her face turned from one that was happy to one in agony. He looked at his hand, or paw, for that matter. It was surfacing. The demon, it was coming for her. He jerked his paw back, not wanting to hurt her. Sakura began to drift away, her hand bloody but still outstretched.

"I'm sorry!" he yelled, but to no avail. She drifted away, leaving him alone in the darkness once again.

Naruto woke up in a cold sweat, the sunlight filtering through his blinds in his face.

He got up, welcoming the light, and walked to his window. He opened the blinds, letting the sunlight completely illuminate the room.

**That dream...** he thought. **The demon had awakened...** Naruto lifted up his pajama shirt (yes, he still wears the same pajamas...) and looked at his stomach. Nope, the seal wasn't broken. He shrugged it off and went to the kitchen for some ramen.

As he was halfway through his ramen, he remembered something from the day before. Kakashi had told them to meet him at the bridge at dawn. It was way past dawn now, and everyone was probably waiting on him! Naruto downed the rest of his ramen, ignoring the burning sensation in his throat, and ran to his room. He was back out in a flash with his regular orange jumpsuit on and rushed out of his home and down the street toward the bridge.

Sakura sat atop the railing of the bridge, waiting. Sasuke was there, leaning against the railing, but Kakashi and Naruto weren't there.

**Kakashi's late, as always.** Sakura thought. **But Naruto is usually on ti-** her thoughts were quickly cut off by a greeting. "Ohayoo, Sakura-chan!" Sakura sighed, her wishes for being alone with Sasuke for training being foiled. "Ohayoo, Naruto." Sakura said, though less enthusiastically than Naruto.

About an hour after Naruto had arrived at the bridge, the sun was high in the middle of the sky.

"Noon..." Sakura said sleepily. Naruto was starting to get anxious, so he started pacing. Sasuke watched, twitching his eye each time he would turn. Just as Naruto was about to scream, Kakashi appeared atop the arch.

"Sorry I'm late. I couldn't find my forehead protector." Kakashi said monotonously, tapping his protector. "Don't give us that crap!" Naruto and Sakura screamed at him in unison. Sasuke stopped leaning against the bridge and looked up at Kakashi, folding his arms.

"Today, we are going to spar." Naruto smiled. This would be the day he would prove to Sakura he could beat Sasuke! Sasuke smiled too. Finally he would be able to defeat his rival.

Team 7 went a bit into the forest and into a clearing. There was a long decaying log to sit on and watch the fights. Naruto and Sasuke looked at eachother and nodded.

"Kakashi-Sensei, I wish to fight Sasuke first." Naruto said loudly. Kakashi nodded, and Sakura was happy. Fighting wasn't really much her thing.

Kakashi and Sakura sat down on the log and Naruto and Sasuke stood across from each other. Kakashi yelled "Go!" and the two rushed at eachother.Naruto pulled his kunai from his pocket and Sasuke did the same. They locked weapons, and both seemed matched physical strength-wise. One just couldn't overpower the other. Naruto suddenly let go and jumped into the trees. Sasuke too took to the trees. Kunai, needles, and shurikens flew from every direction until Naruto fell from the trees onto his stomach. Sasuke followed shortly after and was on Naruto's back in an instant.

Sasuke put his kunai to Naruto's throat and whispered: "I win." Suddenly, Naruto turned into a log. Sasuke's eyes grew wide just as Naruto said "Nope!" Sasuke turned around just when. Naruto came flying at him and pinned him to the ground. Naruto put his kunai to Sasuke's throat.

Kakashi stood up and clapped. "Naruto, you may get off of Sasuke now." Naruto didn't move. Instead, his eyes started to turn red and he put his face closer to Sasuke's. Naruto's fingernails extended, and whiskers were starting to sprout. Sasuke, for once, looked scared. Naruto felt his canines extending and found himself wanting to sink them into Sasuke's neck. Just as he was about to, he felt a pain in his side.

He had been hit with a kunai. Naruto screamed in rage and pulled it out. His eyes returned to their regular blue, his fingernails retracted as did his canines, and his urge to kill Sasuke was gone too.

The pain in Naruto's side quickly subsided, as the wound healed very quickly. **Now there's something you don't see everyday...** Kakashi thought, rushing to Naruto's side. Sakura went to Sasuke, who quickly brushed her off.

"Go home, training is over." Kakashi said in his usual boring voice. Sakura looked to Naruto, seeing if he was fine, then hurried to catch up to Sasuke.

"Naruto, are you okay?" Kakashi asked him, his voice taking on a serious tone. "I'm fine." Naruto replied sitting up. "Naruto, do you have any idea about why the seal broke?" Kakashi asked, still serious. Naruto lied and shook his head.

"Ok, I'll trust you on that one." Kakashi replied. Naruto opened his mouth to say something, but Kakashi interrupted him. "But," he began, "If it happens again, come see me.

Understood?" Naruto nodded, his mouth still open. Kakashi nodded too, a smile evident beneath his mask. "Good." He said, disappearing in a cloud of smoke and leaving Naruto alone in the clearing.

***Later that day***

The black-haired girl named Hinata walked down the street towards the Ichiraku (is it the Ichiraku or just Ichiraku?). She was beat from training that earlier that day. They had sparred, and she had lost to Kiba as usual.

**Why can't I be strong?** She walked into the place and saw the blonde boy she had been in love with for so many years. **Like Naruto..** she thought dreamily.

She took a seat beside him and ordered some oriental flavored ramen (my favorite ^_^). Naruto looked to her, then went back to eating his ramen.

"What's wrong Naruto-kun?" she asked, noticing the melancholy look on his face. "Nothing..." he replied without looking up. "There has to be something wrong. You're usually so lively and hyper." Hinata said. Naruto scratched his head, looking for the right words.

"You know about that demon fox that plagued our village years ago?" Naruto wondered. Hinata nodded. "Everyone knows about the Legendary Nine Tails." Hinata replied. "What about it?" Naruto closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, Hinata not knowing that she would soon be the only other person his age who knew.

"The Legendary Nine Tails," Naruto started, "is sealed inside my very body." Hinata gasped. "Are you gonna run away?" Naruto asked, tears welling in his eyes. "Please don't!"

"Don't worry..." she whispered, blushing. "I'll stay as long as you want." Naruto was relieved. That wasn't even the half of it.

Naruto spilled the whole story to Hinata; everything from fighting Sasuke and beating him to the fact that he was having weird dreams. Hinata was just finishing her ramen.

"So what's your point with all this?" Hinata asked, handing her bowl to the shop owner. "I think that the seal is breaking." Naruto whispered back. Hinata was surprised with herself; she wasn't scared at all.

The owner of the store came up to her. "That'll be 2000 yen (is that good? I'm not very good with Japanese currency >_<)."

Hinata dug into her pocket and her face went white. "I'm sorry, I don't have the money." she said wincing. "Don't worry Hinata-chan!" Naruto exclaimed. "I'll pay." He handed the man his yen and they both left.

"Hey Hinata-chan?" Hinata looked up to him. "Would you like to come here with me again tomorrow, same time? I'll pay!" Hinata's face lit up. "Would I ever!" she squealed. Naruto just stared; it was very unlike Hinata to be loud.

Hinata skipped home (lots of OOCness eh?) happily, humming a nice tune to herself. Naruto walked home smiling. He had found someone who understands.

A/N: I think I may decide to make this NarutoxHinata.