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Bared Naked	By : AkashaEmily Category: Naruto > General Views: 1401 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
Disclaimer: Standard ones
apply. Don�t own, don�t make any money, etc, so don�t sue me.

Chapter Eight: Kyuubi

�� There was nothing left in Kit�s stomach and though Kyuubi
knew it, she could not seem to stop the organ from continuing its convulsions.
On her knees, shaky hands white-knuckling the porcelain bowl, the fox kept her
borrowed body bent over the cloudy water below her and watched as the crimson
tinged liquid she was heaving joined the mess already present in the toilet.
�� Never in all her years had the fox ever imagined such a scenario as this when entertaining thoughts of
freedom.
�� An eternity later, the heaving mercifully began to taper
off as Naruto�s stomach finally called it quits and calmed. Flushing
the toilet and its disgusting content away, Kyuubi sat back on the floor on her
haunches and simply panted for air as she put a hand to her head to ease the
raging headache behind her temple.
�� You should go lie down.� The clone said. It held a damp
washcloth out to her and the fox took it, pressing it to the back of her neck first
before using it to wipe her mouth and chin clean. Done, she tossed it over
Kit�s shoulder into the laundry bin and accepted the prepped toothbrush being
offered to her.
�� Truthfully, the clone was right; Naruto�s body was not in
any shape to go gallivanting around the forest. Kyuubi knew it and the guilt
ate at her spirit just as surely as the pain wracking Naruto�s body did. As it
was she could barely make her borrowed body move enough to brush her teeth. She
really should go lay down and sleep since there really wasn�t anything else she
could do.
�� Except that she had things to do.
�� Help me up.� Kyuubi said instead, trying hard to avoid
drooling spittle all over herself as she spoke around the mouthful. She held
out a hand expectantly, ignoring the fine trembling running through the
appendage. �
�� No.� The clone said flatly, folding its arms over its
chest. �Go to bed.�
�� Kyuubi growled as she pulled her hand back and spat her
foamy mouthful into the toilet bowl beside her, face twisted into an expression
of disgust as she once again was forced to bend over the porcelain container.
Since a towel from the obstinate clone was obviously going to be too much to
hope for, the fox used the sleeve of Naruto�s pajama top to wipe the resulting
drool away.
�� You can�t dismiss me.� The clone reminded her,
unnecessarily Kyuubi thought. �You only have one clone left in reserve and you
never known when you might need that one. It�s only Wednesday midday and you�ve
still got two full days to get through. The heavy drinking will start today as
the big sake merchants come through and will continue long into the weekend-
plenty of opportunity for the cowardly to get a liquid ego boost.� The clone
made drinking motions to emphasize this point before remarking on the abundance
of weapon vendors in the market place set up for the festival.
�� Disgruntled and not afraid to show it, Kyuubi glared at
the clone as she mentally gathered the strength needed to get to her feet with
no help. Eyes drifting toward the doorway, she spotted three feline faces
peeking around the door frame into the room. They seemed to be staring at her
and she stared right back before blinking in confusion as a feeling of
familiarity swept over her. Shaking the thought away, she wiggled her fingers
in the hope of enticing the kittens over. The brown tabby and the blue came
over readily but the grey kitten remained against the door jam, dark eyes
large.
�� Hello.� Kyuubi greeted the pair as they reached her,
tentatively extending her unoccupied fingers only to snatch her hand back as a
thought hit her. Grimacing, unable to suppress a low moan of pain, she levered
herself into an upright position while trying not to touch anything with her
hands. Making it to the sink that was thankfully only a foot away, she washed
her hands and Naruto�s toothbrush thoroughly before retaking her seat on the
floor. She scooted a bit away from the stool but remained close as a
precaution. Finished, tired out from the sudden bout of activity, she smiled
tiredly at the kittens now milling around the clone�s feet.
�� That�s better.� Kyuubi sighed, turning her head so that
her temple could lay against the cool tile of the wall behind her as she held
her hand out to the felines in invitation. �Much, much better.� She added in a
whisper as the raging migraine between her ears eased marginally.
�� She shut her eyes and began to run through a breathing
exercise Kit liked, taking deep slow breaths despite the burning caused by her
actions. Pain could be controlled, you just had to know how to handle it.
Naruto had always simply ignored it, pretending it wasn�t there while he hid it
from others, and though admittedly the method worked, it would be ineffective
for Kyuubi for one reason.
�� Kitsunes felt.
�� It was a major source of both strength and weakness for Kyuubi�s
species. Kitsunes felt emotions. They felt their own, they felt those of their
Family group, they felt those of strangers and sometimes of the objects around
them. Kitsunes were playful by nature because such antics usually had a
positive effect on their environment, which in turn made the Kitsune feel good
even if the world around them was falling apart. Kitsunes liked to feel good
and laughing made them feel good. It had to do with their endorphin production
or some such non-sense- a very wise human had explained it to her a very long
time ago but at the moment the knowledge escaped her. Maimed, bleeding, dying;
so long as they could laugh they�d be in very little pain, despite the severity
of the injury.
It
was a tradition in their society to engage in a positive activity prior to
going into battle. Anything would qualify so long as everyone was able to
participate; singing, cuddling, hell even sleeping in a heap together would be
sufficient. One rather memorable year stood out in Kyuubi�s memory because the
leaders of her group had gotten a laphiga,
the Kitsune equivalent to a human stand up comic, to perform for the
warriors going into battle against a much larger invading Family. The act had
been so bad, so absolutely terrible, that her unit had nearly peed themselves
rehashing it to one another as they fought and died against the enemy the next
day. Of course, the better her Family felt- the more they had laughed
themselves nearly silly- while wading through the carnage, the more
disconcerted the invading forces became. The enemy had run in the end, tails
tucked between their legs, convinced that the Fire Kitsunes were completely
stark raving mad.
�� Kyuubi sighed happily at the memory and smiled, feeling
slightly better. The feeling gained intensity when soft fur teased against her
sensitive skin as the brown and blue kittens, obviously the more friendly of
the three, climbed into her lap. Opening her eyes half way she looked down at
them, her fingers hesitantly stroking the furry sides until she grew surer that
they would not immediately bolt.�
�� You�re not afraid, are you?� The fox said, smiling
warmly as the blue furred kitten tilted its head into her hand to give Kyuubi�s
fingers more access. It was purring loudly, the vibration thrumming through
Naruto�s bones pleasantly while the brown kitten remained silent and reserved.
Despite the less than friendly greeting, the latter did allow the fox to pet it
under the neck, tilting its jaw into the movement when she reached the feline�s
chin.
�� You�re friend is, though.� Kyuubi continued with a sigh,
heavy lidded gaze going to the grey tabby still lingering in the doorway
staring at her and the other kittens with wide eyes. �But that�s okay, I would
be too. I�m not the rightful owner of this body after all though I do exist
within it.�
�� As if understanding her words the kitten in question
suddenly bounded over, ears flat to its skull, fur fluffed to make it look
bigger as it crouched threateningly. It growled at her and Kyuubi�s eyebrows
rose. �Do you think he wonders where Naruto�s gone?�
�� I think you hit the nail on the head.� The clone
commented dryly, arms still folded over its chest, one golden eyebrow hidden
under the cloth of its forehead protector. �This one has been here the longest
and seems attached to me. It�s smart; it was running back and forth the other
night between the bedroom and the bathroom, wetting a washcloth to help cool me
down.�
�� Did you now?� Kyuubi asked, extending a hand to invite
the feline over. The pitch of the tabby�s growls became higher and its tail
thumped the ground as the appendage lashed, making the fox immediately replaced
the hand atop the brown kitten�s back. �Thank you; I know Kit appreciated it.�
�� Their own tails twitching, the kittens in her lap turned
around to face their comrade but they did not leave their seats. For several
seconds nothing happened while the felines stared at one another while Kyuubi
and the clone stared at them curiously. The fox inwardly cursed Konoha�s
council and their stupid, sense-scrambling seal! Any other time of the year she
would have been able to listen in on the conversation taking place but now that
was not an option. She sighed sadly; Kit finally had friends that he wouldn�t
have to be afraid of, little fur balls who would have stayed with him despite
Kyuubi�s presence so long as he provided them with food and attention.
�� Just when the fox thought things couldn�t get any worse
for her kit, Konoha went and proved her wrong.
The
grey tabby�s growls abruptly stopped, leaving them all to watch in silence as
the kitten sat back on its haunches. It looked as if it had been struck between
the eyes, sitting stunned on the tile while the other two turned around. While
the brown one began looking around the room, the blue furred kitten butted her
head against Kyuubi�s hands for cuddles. Both completely ignored the bewildered
gaze of the other feline as those dark eyes flicked over the two cats once more
before finally settling on the fox again. The tabby�s little chest was heaving
as if the animal were about to pass out but the fox resisted the urge to reach
out and stroke the feline reassuringly.
�� It�s okay.� Kyuubi said gently instead, concerned voice
soft so as not to startle the kitten further. Who knew cat�s could be neurotic?
�� At the sound of her voice- well, Naruto�s voice- the grey
tabby seemed to snap back from its distressing thoughts. Shaking its head
vigorously from side to side, the kitten closed its eyes tightly while its
breathing calmed, and Kyuubi was strongly reminded of Naruto�s male teammate
for some reason.
�� Dismissing the thought as something hormonally conjured,
the fox again turned her head and pressed her temple against the tile of the
wall behind her again. The coolness was soothing and helped her think more
clearly about what had transpired moments before she had run for the bathroom.
�� Sasuke, Hinata and Neji are all missing.� She said
slowly, closing her eyes as a frown tugged at her lips. �I wonder if Sakura
would care at all if Sasuke wasn�t included.�
�� The clone shrugged, expression depressed at her
implication. �She�s a good person...� It said, as if it felt it had to defend
her in Naruto�s absence.
�� She�s a bitch!� Kyuubi snarled in response, the instant anger
of her voice scaring the kittens from her lap. Just imagining the pink haired
kunoichi made the fox want to hunt her down and backhand the female into next
week.
Though
Naruto had crushed on the girl for a while and saw her as a highly competent
teammate as well as a good friend, Kyuubi had a very different view; instead of
a helpful ally, in the demon�s mind the young woman ran more along the lines of
a screeching/ pain-causing/deceptive/ non-family/possible mate only as last
resort bitch.
�� In that descriptive order.
�� Kyuubi did not like the kunoichi. At all. Sakura�s voice
could reach- and often did within Naruto�s vicinity- nearly eardrum
hemorrhaging levels not only in volume but in pitch. Though her kit had become
desensitized to it and could listen when Sakura spoke, Kyuubi had not and often
spent her time curled in a ball with her paws firmly pressed to her sensitive
ears when the two chatted. That was another thing that made her fur itch; no
matter how the conversation initially began, whether the topic be about flora,
fauna, or fireworks, it inevitably turned to discussing Sasuke (read
stupid/self-destructive/soot-in-the-nose/bad for kit bastard). Sometimes this
was beneficial but mostly- by a landslide- it just ended up disheartening and
angering kit, which of course forced the bright and sunny protective mask
Naruto wore back into place.
�� No, talking to Sakura was a definite exercise in
frustration and pain as far as the fox was concerned. Naruto considered her
something of an older sister currently, a double edged sword at best. On one
hand, this meant that Kyuubi never had to worry about her kit and the pink
screech owl mating, a true nightmare if ever there was one, but it now meant
that he would seek her out for advice-
ADVICE! Arrg!- on certain issues
such as courtship.
�� Sakura couldn�t advise her way out of a cardboard box.
Having her help Naruto was asking for nothing short of disaster and Kyuubi laid
the blame for the shambles her kit�s love life had become squarely at the feet
of the bubblegum brained twit.
�� Sasuke! Sasuke! Sasuke!�� Kyuubi�s impression of Sakura
was nearly disturbingly accurate as the fox used the wall to stand. Even
panting couldn�t detract from the fox�s blatant disgust on the matter. �You�d
think the world revolved around the Uchiha brat from the way she carries on!�
�� But you are still going to keep an eye out for him while
you are gone, aren�t you.� The clone said in a tone that conveyed both anger
and happiness over the prospect and her willingness to still look for the
missing brunette.� ��
�� Upright at last, the fox forced her barrowed body to take
a shaky step forward. When she remained on her feet, Kyuubi strode over to the
clone and growled at it. ��Hinata and
Neji are both missing as well, unless you forgot. It is possible that these are
three isolated cases but I�m betting they aren�t. Sakura will base her
investigation on the theory that all three are being held together and will use
Sasuke�s chakra signature to find them all.�
�� It�s not a bad theory, then.� The clone said, helping
her balance as she began disrobing.
�� Kyuubi finished pulling her shirt off and flung it in the
general direction of the clothes hamper. ��No, it�s not, but I�m betting that using
their chakra signatures isn�t going to work unless one of them uses a shit load
of chakra. All three of them are good warriors but they are still learning
battle finesse.�
�� She glanced up from fiddling with the pant�s tie to see
that the clone wasn�t following her logic. �I mean that no matter the circumstances
of the fight, it will get very, very messy. The more messy it is, the more
noticeable it will be.�
�� Unless it�s a surprise attack.� The clone pointed out
and grabbed her elbows as she undid the knot in the drawstring at her waist and
let her sleep pants pool around her ankles.�
�� Exactly.� The fox said, slumping against the clone
heavily for a moment. Stripping down had drained her strength and she could
only remain passive as the pseudo-Naruto sat her back down, the cold of the
tile floor seeping through the thin material of Kit�s boxers in seconds.
�� So Sakura should be able to find them no problem!� The
clone said and dusted its hands together before putting a fist on each hip. �They
don�t need you at all! Now let�s finish getting you changed and into bed so you
can sleep!�
�� The fox sighed- she had forgotten that her kit�s clones
could be as single minded as their creator. �Sakura, or anyone else for that
matter, won�t be able to find them by trying to sense their chakra.�
�� But you just said�!�
�� All three of them disappeared silently which means that
they were ambushed.� The fox explained with more patience than she felt. �Since
they were all abducted successfully, we must therefore conclude that other
measures have been taken to subdue or nullify any means of their escape or
detection.�
�� Umm�.�
�� Kyuubi�s patience snapped. �They got jumped and a jutsu
is probably in place to mask their presence so they can�t be detected!�
�� You should have just said that in the first place!� The
clone cried, scrubbing a hand roughly through its blonde spikes. �Gods it�s
like talking to Shikamaru. Or Neji- he likes to use big words too! I don�t know
what they�re saying half the time!�
�� On the floor by the clone�s feet, the brown kitten looked
up at Naruto�s likeness, its ears flattened back, its pale eyes narrowed. The
behavior was odd and nagged at Kyuubi�s attention but she ignored it as a tide
of frustration washed over her.
�� By Inari...!� The fox held her head in her hands to keep
from strangling the other blonde. �Go get me some damn clothes!� Kyuubi
ordered, grabbing the pajama pants at her feet and throwing them at the clone.
�And nothing orange!� She called once it wandered into the hallway.
�� Kyuubi sighed tiredly and rolled her neck to loosen the
stiff muscles as she sat for several seconds in thought. With another sigh she
scooted herself over to the small cupboard under the sink, grasped the knob and
twisted the metal handle until the lock gave.
�� Desperate times
call for desperate measures. She thought sadly, reaching in to retrieve the
small metal lockbox hidden behind the cleaning supplies Naruto stored in the
cupboard. Kyuubi sat it on her lap and contemplated the innocuous contraption
before finally channeling chakra into her hand. Flexing the now aching
appendage she grabbed the padlock, the reverberation of the action tingling
through her arm as the lock popped open easily with only a wisp of smoke to
mark that the jutsu protecting it had collapsed. Eyes on the box as she lifted
the lid, Kyuubi made a backhanded motion at the door, not bothering to look up
as the portal swung shut by itself, the sound of the lock clicking into place
loud in the small room.
�� Kit had always hated shots, especially and understandably
so after he turned five, so seeing the three syringes laying in their padded
container made Kyuubi�s barrowed body want to flinch away instinctively. She
held it firm though, unwilling to accommodate the action and risk upsetting the
container and its precious contents. It wasn�t like she was really a fan of the
damn things either, but, if she was going to be of any use at all, Kyuubi would
need to be able to move freely. That meant not having to be crippled by pain
every second which is exactly what would happen if she didn�t act fast- she knew
from past experience that the carefully prepped solutions would fulfill her
needs so that she, in turn, could fulfill Kit�s needs.
�� The fox slumped back against the wall and let her gaze
drift to Kit�s pale skinned stomach, to the angry red Sanskrit lettering
surrounding the seal that kept her imprisoned. They were fail-safes,
incantations slapped on by Konoha�s council to give peace of mind to the
Village�s citizens after the seal was weakened ten or so years ago. It didn�t
seem to matter that, out of all the numerous spells that could have been
employed to do the job, the old man and hag had been vindictive and chosen the
ones that would be the most painful possible for the Kyuubi vessel. Should they
have a repeat of the incident years prior- an incident that they themselves had caused!- �and the Yondaime�s already damaged efforts to
contain the demon began to weaken, Naruto would become just another casualty in
the war to keep the fox contained.
Already
there were gaps in the delicate black ink, deficits that were proof of the
seal�s imminent failure and Naruto�s demise. Red ink was already trying to flow
into the spaces and fill the vacancies but something kept the crimson back, the
battle marked by pale amber colored electricity that arced over the gap to keep
it empty and untouched. The spell wouldn�t hold for long despite how hard the
castor worked to give her time; if Kyuubi wanted to get anything done before
being sucked back into her cage, a booster would be needed to insure her
continued mobility.
There
was a meow from her right side causing Kyuubi to turn her head in the sound�s
direction. The kittens were still in the room with her and the fox felt
slightly guilty for momentarily forgetting about them and locking them in with
her. The trio had lined up in descending order and, for some reason, the sight
made her smile.
�I�m
sorry.� She murmured and sluggishly raised a hand to pet the biggest one, the
brown kitten. �I�ll let you all out in a second. There�s just something I need
to do and I�m procrastinating.�
With
a pronounced exhale through her nose, Kyuubi turned her attention back to the
lockbox and withdrew the appropriate syringe. It was the biggest and she knew
that it would be the most painful of the series, knew that the thick blue
tinted liquid it contained would burn like fire as it raced through Kit�s
veins. But it would allow her to be mobile and would hold back the pain when
the Kitsune spell failed and the human fail-safes began trying to reinforce the
seal. The shot would hurt but it would be worth it in the end.
At
least that�s what she kept telling herself as she pulled the needle�s plastic
cap off and positioned the beveled metal tip over Kit�s navel.
�I
really, really hate this.� She whispered before thrusting the syringe downward
as hard as she could, burying the needle deep inside Naruto�s abdomen. She
depressed the plunger to inject its contents and began making small helpless
noises as she twitched in agony.
��
�� Sasuke watched Naruto- No, Kyuubi in possession of Naruto�s body, he reminded himself-
swirl the long rust colored coat around appreciatively once more before finally
donning the new piece of clothing. It went well with the rest of the blonde�s
outfit, a set of khaki pants and a long-sleeved white shirt with some sort of
swirl pattern on the front done in green embroidery. A black belt had been
added to the ensemble and Kyuubi had attached Naruto�s weapons pouch to it. To
top it all off, Kyuubi had tied a bright yellow bandana around the top of the
blonde�s head, the forehead protector Naruto loved so much having been tied
around his right thigh facing outward.
�� The Uchiha hadn�t thought it possible but his teammate
did actually own clothing that wasn�t a shade of orange and the surprise of
this discovery helped distract him from the fact that his teammate was the
vessel for a demon.
�� The Kyuubi no Kitsune, the most feared demon in all of human
history, had not been destroyed as had been taught to them but instead had been
sealed within a person.
�� Naruto Uzumaki.
�� It still made Sasuke�s head spin even though Hinata and
Neji had already told him point blank that this was so in the bathroom. His
teammate held a demon, THE demon
according to some people, but strangely this did not really alter the Uchiha�s
perception of the blonde. Naruto was still Naruto in Sasuke�s mind.
�� He supposed that his rather blas� attitude to this new
information was just because it hadn�t sunk in yet and so he was not fully
realizing all the implications of this new information. The sky was blue. The
grass was green. His teammate shared his body with the demon fox. No biggie,
nothing to get excited about. The urge to laugh wildly built within his small
frame and Sasuke suppressed it, knowing that if he gave into the impulse he may
never stop.
�It
fits really well.� Kyuubi commented and Sasuke absently noted the differences
in speech patterns between the fox and Naruto. It was Naruto�s voice but there
were now pronounced hints of an accent. Among stressing the vowel sounds, the
fox also added more roll to the �r� sound in words that went beyond normal
emphasis, making them sound exotic as the syllables came through the blonde�s
lips. There was a fluency to the syntax that had never been present previously,
lending an almost liquid quality to the blonde�s vocabulary despite the rougher
aspects of Kyuubi�s speech pattern such as the tendency to clip the ends off of
words. �He knew Kit would get bigger this year and ordered the next size up.�
�You
shouldn�t leave.� The clone was saying, the disapproval in its voice thick
enough to walk on. It watched as Kyuubi rolled Naruto�s broad shoulders and
adjusted the jacket�s collar. �It�s too dangerous to be out there- you don�t
know when the spell might end!�
The
clone was clearly frustrated with its inability to convince its creator to
remain within the confines of the apartment. While Kyuubi played with her..
his...- Sasuke still wasn�t sure what gender the demon was- its collar, the clone kept pocketing
items from the table and the Uchiha wondered how long it would take before the
fox noticed that the things it had so carefully spread out over the wooden
expanse were disappearing.
�Put
them back.� Kyuubi ordered, not bothering to look up from doing up the coat�s
snaps. It was taking longer to complete the task than it should have been;
Naruto�s normally nimble fingers seemed to have suddenly become thick and
clumsy and the fox kept fumbling each half before they could be fastened
together. The fox let out a frustrated sigh and gave up. �Come dress me.�
The
clone frowned as it finished unloading its pockets; it did this by pulling the
lining out, causing everything to tumble to the floor in a careless pile that
it further scattered by kicking at carefully. Since reasoning with Kyuubi
wasn�t working, Naruto�s look-a-like had turned to delay tactics in
accomplishing its mission. Sasuke was quite familiar with these as the original
Naruto used them fairly often, especially when no one else agreed with his
ideas. The feline Uchiha watched as the clone dawdled in its task; it was
childish, of that there was no doubt, but it could be very effective when used
correctly. Before wandering over to Kyuubi, the clone took the time to examine
the turned out pocket material for holes, removing any lint it found until the
fabric was suitably clean, picking at stray threads, examining his shoes...
Sasuke
rolled his eyes and suppressed the urge to sigh- the fox may reside inside the
blonde but when it came to the clones, they were completely Naruto.
<Does
Naruto do this often?> Neji asked, the bigger brown feline coming over to
sit beside Sasuke, Hinata a blue blur behind him.
<He
can.> The Uchiha said, rolling one shoulder awkwardly in a shrug. <He
doesn�t do it much anymore but occasionally he will.> He did not add in that
Sakura usually was the one to put a stop to it with a good hard whack to the
blonde�s head. The remembered image that popped up made him frown, though, and
both Hyuuga�s noticed.
<Sakura
hits him to make him stop, doesn�t she?> Hinata said flatly, ensuring that
Sasuke got the full exposure to her disapproval about this. Her fur fluffed out
to make her look almost as big as Neji, her ears rotating to lay against her
skull as she bared her extended canines. <I�m going to have a talk with her
when we�re back to normal.>
The
Uchiha stared at her. So did Neji.
If
Hinata�s new-found back bone remained intact after they regained their
humanity, Sakura was toast.
The
flapping of wings caught their attention and seconds later Yumi flew into the
room through the open living room window, her presence sending the kittens instinctively
diving for cover under the table. She circled the room once before swooping low
to perch on the back of Naruto�s kitchen chair and Sasuke�s fear of the giant
bird momentarily took a back seat as crimson stained tuffs of fur began to
drift to the floor in the wake of Yumi�s flight path. Before he could stop
himself, the Uchiha found himself crawling out from under his hiding place to
examine the fur up close.
�Well,
I guess I won�t need to feed you today.� The clone remarked with distaste, blue
eyes eying the red drops dotting the floor. �Though I think a bath is in
order.�
Sasuke
looked over his shoulder at the bird, taking in its bloody appearance
critically. From beak to talons, the entire front of the hawk looked as if it
had been dipped in red paint. Bits of flesh clung to the bird�s claws, stuck in
the rough padding until she shook them loose to land on the floor under her.
She was a gory sight to behold and whatever fight she had been in, Yumi had
clearly been the victor.
The
tabby turned his attention back to the tuffs of black and white fur at his
feet, leaning down to sniff them delicately.
It
smelled strongly of feline...
Oh my God.
There
would be no more humans being turned into kittens in Konoha.
Yumi,
it seemed, had eaten those responsible.�
<She
missed one.> Neji said darkly, the brown kitten coming over to sit beside
the Uchiha. The Hyuuga reached out and hooked a tuft with needle sharp claws
before bringing the paw close to his nose for further inspection.
�She�s
got a note. Go get the mail for me.� Kyuubi said, clearly amused by the face
the clone made in response.
The
clone grumbled something about slave labor but obeyed, stomping over to the
crimson drenched bird to retrieve the note tied to its leg. Without asking, the
blonde uncorked the small bottle and shook out the note, pausing briefly to
untie the delicate cord wrapped around the rolled piece of parchment. With a
glare of defiance directed at Kyuubi, the clone unrolled the paper and looked
it over.
�It�s
for you.� Expression faltering, the clone sighed and handed the paper to the
amused fox.�
�See
what you get for being nosey?� Kyuubi murmured smugly, taking the proffered
note eagerly. Sasuke watched Naruto�s vibrant blue eyes skim over the page�s
contents, eyebrows shooting up into equally blonde hair as the fox grinned
happily at what it saw. Grinning happily, the fox flicked its gaze back to the
clone, smile widening as the clone took a defensive step away. It hurt the Uchiha
to see that smile because it was Naruto�s smile, the trade mark
cat-that-ate-the-canary grin that always reflected the blonde�s warm
personality while at the same time warning of impending mischief.
It
was painful to see that smile because the brunette hadn�t seen it directed at
him in a very long time, not since he�d gotten back from Sound- not since Naruto
had dragged the Uchiha home.
Unexpectedly,
a pained mewl forced its way out of his tiny throat as he hunched over,
instinctively reacting to the fierce ache in his chest before he could stop
himself. Though he knew it was emotional pain, it was not the kind Sasuke really
didn�t know how to deal with. It was worse than physical pain, which would have
been easier to handle since he could understand the tangible result of injury.
Pain was the body�s way of letting itself know that it was hurt and that it
needed to protect the affected area. It was acute and could be tolerated
because, eventually, pain would fade. But this pain, this continuous non-specific
ache spreading throughout his chest�! It felt as if his heart had been grabbed
by an invisible hand and squeezed as he thought about the lack of Naruto in his
life for the past year.
This doesn�t make any sense! He thought, hunching over until his head nearly
touched the floor. Why am I so upset just
because I haven�t seen the dobe for a little while?!
Exactly
one year after the Uchiha�s defection, Naruto had finally been able to fulfill
his promise to Sakura and bring the Uchiha home. Sasuke had been angry when
he�d woken up, enraged that the blonde had been able to capture him and drag his
unconscious body to Konoha, sure that some dirty trick had been employed during
the battle that ensued after meeting one another again. Sasuke had worked so
hard, had trained and studied and endured Orochimaru�s harsh treatment in order
to be able to defeat Itachi.
How
in the names of the gods had Naruto beaten him?!
The
brunette didn�t remember. Naruto refused to tell him about their fight and much
of the details were hazy in Sasuke�s mind, lost beyond occasional flashes that
appeared in his dreams. He knew that Naruto had beaten him quite soundly and
had subsequently returned with the brunette slung over his shoulder. Shortly
there after, Sasuke had had to deal with the traumatic experience of Kakashi
and Tsunade sealing Orochimaru�s curse seal, forcing the power it contained
dormant and impotent. Sasuke had been under house arrest ever since, constantly
being monitored by the Ambu or other agents that reported his behavior to
Ibiki, Konoha�s resident interrogation expert, who was in charge of the
Uchiha�s reintegration to village life. As for the blonde, after he had healed up
Tsunade had kept Naruto busy with missions, leaving no time to visit the confined
Sasuke.
All
those months of wanting to see the blonde, of repressing the loneliness due to
the restrictions placed on him had been nearly unbearable. Forced to remain in
the house where his family had been slaughtered, unable to get away from the
memories conjured by the familiar sights and smells, Sasuke had begun to pray
for someone to come and talk to him. He�d wished for Naruto specifically since
the blonde�s loud, obnoxious personality would be able to make him forget about
the awful events weighing heavily upon Sasuke�s mind. If Naruto would come over
then they could spar or talk or yell and ultimately begin to repair the giant
rift between them.
During
all those months, Naruto had never stopped by.
Sasuke�s
mood had not improved at all and he been well on his way to developing a
massive case of paranoia and depression right up until the day Tsunade had
finally released him from his punishment. The guards watching him were called
off and he was now free to come and go as he wished so long as he remained
inside the village. The issue about being reinstated as a ninja was still up in
the air but he would be allowed to carry basic ninja equipment on the
stipulation that he would fork the weaponry over if an Ambu requested it;
apparently, Tsunade wasn�t naive enough to believe that his presence wouldn�t
cause some sort of disturbance and for that he thought better of her. This had all
happened only a few days ago, just before the encounter that had ended with his
current predicament.
It
figured that the moment he gave into his restlessness and desire to see the
blonde, something humiliating would happen to him.
�Aw,
you okay little one?� Kyuubi asked gently as she reached down and picked up his
hunching form seconds later. The demon rested the tabby against Naruto�s chest,
able to hold Sasuke there with one hand, acutely forcing the Uchiha to consciously
acknowledge their vast difference in size. Oddly, this bothered Sasuke to no
end- he�d hit puberty first, damn it, so he should be bigger than the blonde!
But then gentle fingers began petting him behind his ears, began carefully
inspecting his still healing shoulder as they stroked his back, and Sasuke felt
the profuse ache in his chest lessen, a feeling of warmth taking its place.
He
felt Naruto�s body shift as the blonde sat down on the floor and, abruptly,
Sasuke�s feeling of contentment was intensified as Kyuubi also picked up Neji
and Hinata, settling the other kittens on either side of the Uchiha. The three
of them were cuddled and cooed over by the fox, tickled and stroked until all
three of the teens-turned-kittens found themselves purring in one large furry
pile. When the fox pulled its free hand away, each kitten was kissed on the
head whether they wanted it or not.
Though
he hadn�t thought it possible while sandwiched between two equally embarrassed
Hyuugas and Naruto�s heart beating reassuringly near his ear, Sasuke felt inexplicably
peaceful.
So
much so in fact that even the noisy arrival of another large bird of prey
couldn�t ruin it.� ��

More�s
Moment: And there we are another
chapter done. I know you had to wait for it but I hope you find it worth it. As
encouraging as it is to know that people enjoy this story, a reminder that I
have not updated in a while is not exactly helpful. I know you�ve had to wait
and there is nothing I�d like better than to just sit and write but, like most
fan fiction authors, day to day life must come first. Sad but true. As such,
there may be a slight delay in the Styx chapter scheduled for this week and the
new chapter for Bared Naked probably won�t be out for another two weeks.
Teaser: Kyuubi�s out of the village and into the woods where
she�ll encounter Kitsunes, Itachi, Kisame and�
On a
side note, thanks to everyone who offered up a name already! The fruits of your
labors will come into play shortly. For everyone else, I know it�s annoying but
I still am looking for name suggestions for characters, especially for everyone�s
favorite Akatsuki members. Now�s the chance to take vengeance or simply have
little fun with them- the more ironic the better and preferred though puns or
play on words will be equally welcomed. Tired of my whining? If you know an
excellent Japanese name translator (or even a Japanese translator) website,
please tell me and I�ll stop. I need at least eight.� This is not to imply that I am holding the
next chapter hostage but I will warn you that the more name suggestions I get,
the more the personalities involved take shape, the faster the chapter takes
cohesive form.
Happy
tales everyone!
- 8
- 9
- 10
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Bared Naked