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Sanctuary	By : AkashaEmily Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1111 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
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
Okay, so this chapter took a lot
longer than previously anticipated even though parts of it were done back in
August. Since then the chapter�s original set up and plot have been hacked and
slashed to the point that almost none of the original copy exists any longer in
this incarnation. �
The next three to four chapters
are going to be taking place within a single day and night just in different
locations and there will be some jumping as we catch up with other characters. Unfortunately,
no, the various scenes could not be consolidated into one chapter or else chaos
and confusion would run rampant and then my mail box would be overloaded with
hate mail. So, yeah, multiple smaller chapters. Bare with it- I will do my
utmost to make it worth your while.
Special thanks to Damp, my new
editor, who very graciously and bravely puts up with me even when I have no
idea what I�m doing.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

�� Chapter
Nine
�You�re
late.� The transparent form of the leader of the Akatsuki snapped at the pair
entering the deep cave. The bright midmorning sunshine illuminating the area
outside did nothing to dispel the damp darkness of the cave engulfing them.
�Make preparations immediately.�
�� The jinchuuriki was more powerful than we
expected, umm?� Deidara shrugged, taking off his hat and dismissing the clay
bird he had used to transport the unconscious form of the One Tail�s host. The
Hidden Village in the Sand�s red headed leader fell to the ground at the
Akatsuki leader�s feet with a muffled thud.
�� The leader formed a seal before
stooping and placing one hand on the ground. Immediately the cave began
rumbling around them, stirring up dust and smoke as the monstrous King of Hell
statue was summoned, rising from the floor in a mass of spiky outcroppings, not
stopping until the tallest tip nearly touched the ceiling.� Despite the darkness, the statue�s face with
its multiple closed eyes, gagged mouth and its shackled, beseeching hands stood
out in clear relief.��
�� Good.� The Akatsuki leader said,
looking the statue over quickly before putting his hands together once again
and forming another seal. �Assemble.�
�� One by one, the transparent
projected forms of the remaining Akatsuki shimmered into view atop their
designated place on the statue�s fingers. Deidara and Sasori, the only ones
physically present, leapt into their places onto the fingers corresponding to
the kanji on their rings. The leader�s strange, concentric ringed eyes looked
over the group before narrowing.
�� Two more of the fingers were empty.��
�� If the leader�s face could have been seen, all
would know that he was frowning unhappily as he stared hard at the two
vacancies and put his hands together to form another seal. He disappeared from
the cave�s floor to reappear on the thumb of the statue�s right hand, taking
his place for the ceremony.
�� Where�s Kisame and Itachi, umm?�
Deidara asked, blond hair swinging as he peered at the empty right and left
ring fingers. Apparently, the Akatsuki leader was not the only one who had
noticed that they were short two people.
�� Shut up! I want to get this over
with!� Sasori ordered irritably.
�� Let�s begin. This will take three
full days- stay aware of your physical selves. Zetsu, have your physical body
stand guard outside. Use the one with the greatest range.� The leader said,
cutting off any further conversation. He put his hands together again, the
others following suit, and a hum accompanied by the sound of stone sliding
against stone filled the cave as the statue�s gag dropped away, the mouth
opening to reveal two rows of sharp pointed teeth. A glow formed inside the
revealed cavern until it filled the space completely.
�� The time had come and leader of the
Akatsuki concentrated, irritation giving way to mild excitement now that he was
one step closer to his ultimate goal. Pretending to follow the Uchiha�s plan of
world domination and patience had been time well spent and soon, soon it would
be time to stop the fa�ade and step forward to create a world of Pein.
�� Sealing
jutsu: Nine Phantom Dragons Seal!�

�� The chakra pooling in the statue�s
mouth spindled out to form nine large serpentine bodies that dove forward and
wrapped themselves around Shukaku�s vessel, coiling and writhing until the red
head�s body was lost to sight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

�� Kyuubi paced around its dais
restlessly, its movements frantic as it circled the center, trying to figure
out the best course of action concerning the little life growing in Naruto�s
womb. The demon had been all for aborting the child before it grew anymore and
had been trying very hard to do just that but Kisame�s constant interference
had made the simple task damnably difficult, negating the fox�s efforts by
providing external support for the little spark, keeping it burning brightly.
With Naruto so firmly mired in his depression, he should have remained ignorant
of the pregnancy long enough for Kyuubi to dispose of it but that chance had
come and gone thanks to Kana.
�� Oh, that puppy was dead! Kyuubi almost couldn�t wait to see
the Koma-inu again so that the demon could get its revenge. The stupid
over-grown dog wouldn�t get up this time, oh no he wouldn�t! If Kana had just
kept his mouth shut, had not mentioned the infant�s existence, this problem
would have already been dealt with quickly and quietly! But no, he�d had to go
and mention it and though Naruto may not have consciously acknowledged the
infant�s existence, unconsciously the teenager had already set barriers in
place around his womb to block Kyuubi�s efforts at abortion. Damn Kana! He was
almost as bad as Sasuke!
�� The demon slowed its pace as another
thought occurred to it, carefully padding closer to the spiritual form of the
blond where it lay in the middle of the dais. Naruto was sleeping peacefully,
for once not plagued by nightmares, his face relaxed and as slack as the rest
of his twisted and cracked body. One hand was partially curled over his
stomach, the other flung out as if searching for something, and for several
long moments Kyuubi simply sat nearby, watching the blonde rest while it
thought, eyes occasionally drifting to consider the small flare of unique
chakra low in Naruto�s belly.
Naruto
knew about the baby and was fighting to protect it. This was a significant
development and engendered the idea that this development may not be the
calamity Kyuubi had assumed it would be. This was the first time in a very long
time that Naruto had shown any interest in anything aside from pursuing a way
to end his life since Sasuke Uchiha�s rejection. Maybe having a child, having
someone else to care for and concentrate on, was the very thing Naruto needed
to climb out of his depression and heal. The possibility wove its way through
the demon�s mind, creating other colorful thoughts in its wake.��
Could
the baby be a blessing in disguise? Could this be the rallying point for
Naruto�s spirit Kyuubi had been pushing him to find? Once they got him properly
fed, the blond would improve substantially physically which would pave the way
for better mental health. Naruto would make a good parent- no one was capable
of empathizing and understanding like the blonde could�
�� The fox stared at its vessel�s spirit,
feeling hope swell within its breast before it could contain the sensation, its
eyes suddenly hot and prickling. They could do this! The baby�s safety would be
Naruto�s top priority and the blonde would have to listen to the demon about
leaving then. They�d leave this all behind and forget that Konoha and Sasuke
Uchiha ever existed! Kyuubi�s thoughts spun wildly in its excitement, tail
lashing wildly. They�d carve out a home, just the three of them� well, maybe
four. Five, maximum. The fox inwardly grumbled but wasn�t foolish enough to
believe that Naruto wouldn�t need a human caretaker or two of some sort. Big
mouth aside, Kisame had been proving�useful in this particular area, a fact
that made the demon�s mind boggle and if the former Mist ninja continued to
care for Naruto with the same efficiency he had been, all would be well. This
baby could be Naruto�s life line�.
�� Or be the very rope he hung himself
with.
�� Frustrated, Kyuubi wiped at the
tears in the corner of its eyes with its forepaw and tried to stamp out the
insidious hopeful feeling, forcing itself to be realistic. The demon knew that
most of the blonde�s despair came from fear- fear of hope, fear of being
wanted, fear of wanting to live, fear of being loved- but also knew that
overcoming any of those fears once seeded was incredibly difficult for even a
healthy person and Naruto was anything but healthy in mind or body and it
handicapped him severely against making any real progress on his own. The
blonde had been so completely wrung out that he was head blind in Konoha, and
had needed some sort of caretaker desperately. If someone had just noticed
earlier that he needed some help much of the condition he was currently in
could have easily been avoided.
�� What would happen if Naruto did
manage to crawl out of his depression to have the baby but then fell right back
in? The demon seriously doubted even a baby would be able to pull him out and
it bet, in all honesty, that the infant�s demands would make the situation
worse. Naruto wouldn�t survive a second round of deep depression, Kyuubi was
sure, and that meant that the baby, completely dependent on Naruto for care,
would die right along with them. Even if the blonde didn�t pursue suicide and
forced himself to live for the child, there were many other ways to escape
reality and Kyuubi honestly didn�t know which possible situation would be
worse: Naruto killing them all physically or killing them all little by little
as he turned completely to substance abuse and neglected his child.��
Kyuubi
felt the tears come again and this time didn�t bother to wipe them away, filled
with remorse. Naruto had been fixated on the missing brunet for so long that
Sasuke�s name was the only thing that had really registered with the blonde
after the brunette came back even though Sasuke had no desire to see Naruto.
For that very reason, Kyuubi had encouraged Naruto�s feelings toward the Uchiha
in an effort to pull Naruto back from the brink, using the brunet as a life
line to keep the blond from slipping any further away after Iruka�s and
Kakashi�s betrayal. Things hadn�t turned out that way, had gone horrifically
wrong and backfired spectacularly, turning Naruto into the young, suicidal
teenager he was today.
�� Would parenthood save the blonde or
would it destroy him so badly that not even Kyuubi could cobble him back
together again?
�� Stifling the sob trying to push its
way through the demon�s chest, Kyuubi wiped again at its eyes and tried to
regain control of itself. Now was not the time to dwell on the past! In front
of them stretched an uncertain future and decisions needed to be made before
much longer. Kyuubi needed answers-fast- and, ignoring the guilt that stabbed
through the fox�s heart, the demon raised a paw and extended it toward Naruto�s
sleeping form.

As soon as the demon�s paw got
within a few inches of the blonde�s spirit, a barrier flared to life, crackling
weakly against the thick pads of the massive appendage. Kyuubi could easily
overwhelm the meager protection with little effort but knew that, once force
was used, it would tarnish the relationship between the demon and its vessel.
The fox endured the biting sensation, its paw trembling as it fought against
the instinctive urge to push through the irritating obstacle, and concentrated
on what it had to do. Summoning a trickle of its chakra, frowning over the
golden hue to its energy, the fox let its chakra leak out around the
barrier.�

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

�� Naruto
blinked up at the unfamiliar ceiling, confusion over his whereabouts making his
heart speed up as he slowly sat up and looked around. The floor beneath him was
carpeted in a soft powder blue fabric that matched the cushion on the seat of
the white rocking chair in the corner behind him. The four walls of the small
room were also a matching blue as was the ruffled skirt hiding the legs of the
white crib from view on the opposite side of the room.
�� Wait,
crib?
�� Hello
Kit.� A figure appeared on the far side of the crib, leaning against the
railing lightly. The person was tall with a slim build, and long red-gold hair
that did nothing to give away the individual�s gender. The face was neither
male nor female yet had characteristics of both, looking too effeminate to be
purely male yet too masculine to be purely female. Gold eyes watched him and
the wide mouth below them with its too thin lips smiled at him in a familiar
manner. Even if the person hadn�t said anything, the blonde still would have
known the entity was Kyuubi.
Calming, Naruto stood and walked
over to the demon, immediately being enveloped in a strong hug when he reached
the other. Warmth poured over him, making him feel special and good, flooding
him with calm serenity as Kyuubi wrapped its arms around him tightly, clinging
to him with a fierceness that was nearly desperate.
�Kit.� Kyuubi clung tighter, hands
roaming over Naruto�s back, fingers trailing idly through his hair. �Kit, we
need to talk.�
�Okay.� Naruto said, again
perplexedly looking around the room, not understanding why they were meeting in
such an odd dream when they could have just as easily talked on the demon�s
dais. Movement in the crib caught his attention and, curious, the blond pushed
away enough from the demon to peer inside.
� �It�s a baby. Hey, baby.� He reached inside to
gently brush a fingertip against one of the chubby cheeks, unable to keep from
smiling as the infant�s head immediately turned in his direction, lips moving
as it searched for a breast to suckle. Fascinated, Naruto leaned into the crib
further, ignoring Kyuubi�s hands as they looped around his waist and pressed
against his stomach, the fox spooning against his back and molding to it.
Kyuubi was not normally this touchy feely when they dreamed together but his
suspicion over the action soon dissipated, swept away as a new wave of calmness
washed over him. Content once more, Naruto relaxed, lounging heavily against
the crib railing while he carefully touched the strands of downy dark hair
decorating the nearly bald head of the sleeping infant below him.
The blonde looked over his
shoulder to ask a question and nearly smacked his face into Kyuubi�s since the
fox had rested its chin on his shoulder. Recovering from the surprise, Naruto
spoke in a low whisper. �Do you think I can pick her up? Do you think her mom
will be mad?�
The demon hesitated, looking
unsure, its arms tightening slightly on his waist while gold eyes widened and
alternated between looking at Naruto and down at the infant. �I do not know if
that is a wise idea. Maybe after we talk?�
Naruto nodded but felt his lower
lip jut forward slightly, his shoulders slumping in disappointment. The
compulsion to touch the infant was still there, making his hand itch with the
urge but he resisted and meekly allowed Kyuubi to lead him by the hand away
from the crib and over to the rocking chair, throwing glances over his shoulder
at the �sleeping baby all the way.
Instead of pushing Naruto down
into the chair, the fox sat first then pulled Naruto onto its lap, arms once
again settling around the blonde�s waist as Kyuubi rested its chin among the
blonde spikes atop Naruto�s head. Though as a human the fox was physically
smaller than he, Naruto felt completely surrounded, protected, as if he was a
child being pulled into a parent�s lap. It felt good and he smiled slightly,
turning his head to the left, instinctively searching for a heartbeat in the
demon�s chest even though he knew there wouldn�t be one.
�What did you want to talk
about?� Naruto asked at length when the demon did not immediately begin the
conversation. The blonde settled against the fox and folded his hands over
Kyuubi�s, blue eyes sweeping through the room again a second time before
closing.
The fox inhaled then exhaled
slowly before speaking, the action striking the blonde as extremely odd since
Kyuubi had no reason to breathe. �Kit, we need to decide what we want to do
about the immediate future now that we have some time to do it.�
�The future?� Naruto blinked and
frowned, tensing as a diffused sense of terror tried to overwhelm him. He began
shaking, no longer feeling even remotely safe, and wrapped his arms around
himself for comfort as a sharp ache welled up in his chest.
�Shh. Nothing to fear.� Kyuubi�s
hands unclasped from around his waist and began rubbing up and down Naruto�s
arms, gradually making the shaking slow. The fox pressed one of its palms over
his heart and the blonde was sure that the demon was checking his heart rate.
�There is no reason to be afraid, Kit. We literally have all options open to
us! It�s a time to be excited not afraid.��
� �Can�t-� The single word came out choked and
broken as Naruto�s throat seemed to swell shut, breaking off further
communication. He was shivering again, persistent terror gripping his muscles
and making them rebel despite the calm pooling in his chest directly beneath
the warm press of Kyuubi�s hand.
�Calm down, Kit. Breathe- that�s
right.� The demon cooed gently, lips brushing against the shell of Naruto�s ear
and making the flesh tingle. It was distracting and the foreign sensation
helped chase back the fear still making him tremble, still choking him. �In and
out, Naruto, in and out. Good, good.�
The blonde eventually calmed and
the effort needed to make the strange mind numbing fear recede left him feeling
spent. He slumped back against the fox and felt Kyuubi shift behind him to
accommodate his frame, enfolding the blond within its arms. Seconds later, the
pair began rocking slowly back and forth as the fox used its foot to set the
chair in motion.
�Can�t go back.� Naruto said in a
whisper, tilting his head back to look at the other with wide, haunted eyes.
Kyuubi blinked slowly then its
mouth settled into a firm line, the demon�s eyes narrowing slightly, golden
orbs fierce. �No, we will never go back to Konoha again, Kit. Forget that
place- for us it no longer exists!�
Naruto flinched at the name of
his former village but reflexively glared weakly up at the fox at the insult to
his homeland.��
�No, Kit,� The demon said, lips
twisting down in a stern frown. �Konoha doesn�t deserve any loyalty you may
feel toward it. The village you grew up in is not the same one your father gave
his life for-�
�My father?� Naruto interrupted,
frowning, his puzzlement over the statement evident on his face. �What does my
father have to do with this? The Yondaime sealed you�� He paused, waiting for
the fox to explain or elaborate, eyes getting rounder as the seconds stretched by.
Kyuubi remained silent.
�No.� Naruto said flatly, his
heart racing, his body trembling. �Just- no! The Forth Hokage isn�t my father!
He can�t be my father! The Yondaime was respected and loved by everyone!� If he was my father then why did they�? Why
did Jiraiya�?�
Though he didn�t finish either
sentence, the unspoken words hung heavy in the air between them.�
�I don�t know, Naruto.� Kyuubi
said quietly, hugging the blonde tightly though Naruto remained stiff and
inflexible where he sat. The teenager pulled away and leaned forward, putting
his head in his hands to cover his face as his body seemed to shrink in on
itself.
��Was I a bastard?� The blonde
asked, tone thick. He sniffled, his thoughts chaotic as he tried to comprehend
his life. The world as he knew it was being turned inside out, leaving him
lost. If he was the legitimate son of one of the greatest leaders Konoha ever
had, then he should have been treated with the utmost respect- the exact
opposite of reality. The only logical explanation, then, was that his father
had had an affair and that Naruto was an unwanted reminder of that union. �Was
I the product of a tryst between him and some whore? I�m really just trash
after all?�
�No!� Kyuubi pulled him back
roughly and crushed him against its chest. �No, Kit! You are a prince, of that
I can promise you! Royal blood runs in your veins on both sides, Naruto, and
it�s a legacy that you and all your children�s children can claim.�
The fox tilted his chin up but
Naruto couldn�t bear to look the other in the eye. He instead looked off to the
side and down, locking on the detail work covering the slats of the crib,
tracing the small spirals while his mind scrambled to process what was
happening. It was nice of Kyuubi to try and cheer him up but this was a bit
much�
�Ask Itachi.� The fox said
suddenly, challengingly. �What I say is true, Kit, and Itachi can verify it.
Ask him who your parents are and he�ll tell you.�
Blue eyes continued to follow the
delicate carvings in the wood upward and to the side as the lines made patterns
along the crib railing. �Why would Itachi know?�
�� Because
he knew them before you were born�� Kyuubi paused and forced him to meet its
gaze. Gold eyes seemed to bore into blue with an intensity that was almost
frightening while the fox asked in a voice full of concern, �Naruto, how much
do you remember about your early childhood? What�s the earliest age you can
remember?�
�� Still reeling, Naruto remained silent even as
he tried to think about the fox�s question. He frowned trying hard to focus but
the only things that came to mind were vague impressions from when he was six,
the memories grown muddied and dim from time. Beyond that there was nothing- it
was simply blank.� He didn�t know what the
hell this had to do with Kyuubi or the baby�
�� Kyuubi
had mentioned plans for the future. As if pulled by invisible strings, Naruto�s
eyes sought out the crib, a sense of panic fluttering inside him. Oh, God no�
Please, please, no�!
�� The
baby�� His lips felt stiff and his tongue swollen, his throat thick. The fox
started at his statement and Naruto had to swallow to keep the choking
sensation at bay so he could finish talking. He had to know- one way or the
other, he had to know. �Whose is it?�
�� The
demon shifted, body suddenly tense and uncomfortable to lay against. A sharp
inhale followed by a tired exhale preceded Kyuubi�s answer. �I don�t��
�� WHOSE
BABY IS THIS?!� Naruto screamed, launching himself out of the demon�s grip to
spin around and stare at the fox. He balled his fists at his side, trembling,
not even noticing the tears that ran down his cheeks as he faced Kyuubi,
betrayal and despair warring inside him. Swallowing thickly, he repeated his
question at a softer volume but was unable to mask the evident horror at the
situation in his tone.
�� Yours.�
The fox said quietly but then added on in a rush, pushing quickly out of the
rocking chair and reaching out to him. �The baby is yours but only if you want
it! Say the word, Kit, and it won�t be a problem any longer.�

�� Naruto
felt his mouth work but no sound came out. He stumbled backwards, one hand out
to keep the other back while he continued to retreat, eyes darting from the
crib to Kyuubi. Stunned and dazed, he was incapable of doing anything more than
attempt to keep his footing as the room seemed to spin, an effect from his
thoughts being so scattered in so many different directions. He lost the
battle, sinking to the carpeted floor as his knees gave way beneath him, and
Naruto stared up at the fox blankly, his vision becoming fuzzy around the
edges.
�� Kit?�
He barely registered Kyuubi�s concerned voice, or the hands that cupped his
cheeks. �Naruto, say something please. Kit? Please?�
�� Calmness
spread through him again, emanating from where the fox touched him, and the
emotion was so out of place amongst the shock, panic and fear gripping him that
he came back to himself fairly quickly. A sense of tranquility pulled at him
and he felt himself sinking into the placidness and false composure that was
trying to mask the anxiety roiling inside him.
�You�re drugging me�� There was a
sense of lassitude stealing through his body, robbing him of coordination and
movement before he could even realize the trap. His mouth didn�t want to
cooperate when he spoke, making it difficult to get out the accusation. As it
was, his words were thick and slow, his tone soft, and his attempt to
communicate the betrayal he felt fell short.
�Yes, I am.� The fox confirmed,
keeping its hands firmly against the blonde�s skin. Naruto tried to glare up at
Kyuubi but couldn�t manage it with the other�s face so close, expression
pinched with worry and concern. �Kit��
Resisting fingers awkwardly
pressed against the demon�s lips, effectively cutting the other off while
Naruto struggled to ask a question. �Who�s� the father..?�
�Sasuke.� The immediate name was
muffled slightly by the blonde�s fingers but Kyuubi gave the answer with no
hint of shame or wrongdoing in its voice or expression. In fact, there was
almost a note of�pride?� in the fox�s tone and suddenly Naruto needed to use
the fingers that were still covering the demon�s mouth to clutch at Kyuubi�s
hand on his cheek. Despite the fox�s attempts to calm him, the effort was
suddenly not enough, wasn�t nearly enough, and the sound of the air leaving his
lungs in a rush was swallowed by the sound of his blood roaring in his ears. He
felt his eyes widen but couldn�t see as his vision became spotty, Kyuubi and
the room steadily fuzzing out. Naruto�s body began to list to the side and the
blonde�s stomach clenched painfully, heaving almost violently, making him
wonder if he�d be sick before he passed out.
�Kit?!� Kyuubi�s voice was soft
and urgent, pulling Naruto back from the grey edge of unconsciousness he was so
dangerously treading.
�Why?� He felt his mouth forming
the word with difficulty but was barely aware of what he was saying. He felt
considerably light headed and, as the loaded question�s meaning penetrated, the
blonde realized that he was no longer on the carpet but cradled in the fox�s
arms, sitting on its lap once more.��
�Because it was what you wanted.�
It was said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and maybe, for the
demon, it was. �You loved him and wanted him as your mate.�
Naruto felt his mouth work but no
sound came out as he stared up in open horror at the fox. Kyuubi merely blinked
at him, lips gradually turning down in a frown when the blonde remained silent.
�Isn�t that what you wanted?� The
demon asked, uncertainty creeping into its voice for the first time. �Weren�t
you working all the time he was away so that you would be useful to him, so
that he would want you for a mate? Didn�t you want him to father your pups?�
Naruto continued to stare at the
fox, tears leaking slowly over his cheeks. �So you slept with Sasuke? You got
me pregnant with the child of the man who thinks I�m disgusting and doesn�t
want anything to do with me? That
Sasuke?! Do you have any idea what you�ve done?!�
His voice, soft in the beginning,
was now filled with panicked hysteria, making him nearly scream the words.
Whatever trickery or magic Kyuubi had been using to keep him content and pliant
up to this point was quickly drowned out by the swelling tide of rage and fear rising
within his turbulent mind.
�I�� The fox visibly groped for
words, expression concerned and uncertain as the full magnitude of the
ramifications of its deeds sunk in. �I wanted to make you happy. I wanted to
give you what you wanted so that you could move on and look for a new mate��
God, what if the baby hated him
just like its father? Turning away from Kyuubi, Naruto whimpered, screwing his
eyes tightly shut and fisting his hair, tugging the strands harshly, uncaring
as they flittered to the floor around him like a golden snow fall. It would be
fitting, not being loved by even his own child. It would just prove what he had
always feared, that he really wasn�t worth anyone�s affections� What if he
couldn�t take care of it? What if Sasuke wouldn�t accept it? What if not even the
Uchiha name could protect it from the blind wrath of Konoha�s populous?
Sobbing, Naruto struggled out of
Kyuubi�s grasp and lurched unsteadily to his feet. He began pacing, turning
jerkily after a few steps to retrace his path, constantly in danger of falling
over as he did so. He kept a wide berth from the fox still sitting on the
floor, growing increasingly more agitated despite being in motion as his
already chaotic thoughts swirled in useless circles. Naruto wiped at his eyes
to stop the tears, making small wounded noises when his efforts proved in vain.
�When?� The blond demanded
without warning, rounding on the fox, ignoring the way Kyuubi was staring at
him oddly. �When did you hijack my body and have sex with Sasuke?�
�I don�t know how much time has
passed since we arrived here.� The demon said slowly, golden eyes large as they
followed the blonde�s frantic pacing. �But it was the same day you went
shopping.�
A vague memory surfaced, the
faces of the people he had met and talked to that day swirling quickly across
his vision, indistinct pleasant feelings easing through him at the same time.
For some reason the idea that he had been in Sasuke�s house nagged at him and
that, at some point in the evening, he had run into Sakura, as well.�
Naruto came to an abrupt stop and
limply sank to the floor, his legs folding under him as sorrow and grief filled
him, robbing him of his strength as another thought occurred to the blonde.
Sasuke had willingly had sex with Kyuubi. Considering that appearing as himself
could prove fatal, Kyuubi would have altered Naruto�s appearance to blend in
which meant that Sasuke had been willing to have sex with someone the brunet
didn�t know. Rather than attempt a relationship with someone who knew him,
Sasuke had preferred to knock up a complete stranger.
Disappointment and anger seemed
to claw at Naruto�s heart, making his chest ache as the blond realized that all
his worrying and fear over Sasuke accepting his love had been a complete and
utter waste of time.
�It was selfish and petty, but in the blonde�s
mind an idea was born in the ensuing moment of emptiness that followed in the
wake of this new realization.� As unclean
as Naruto was, his heart had been pure, his love limitless, his devotion total.
He had been willing to do anything to make Sasuke happy and had dedicated all
he was in order to make the brunet�s dreams come true. Naruto had trained and
studied and had endured unimaginable cruelty after Sasuke left all for the
Uchiha�s sake but maybe the Uchiha had never been worthy of any of it, not if
Sasuke thought so little of who he got with child, not if the container was of
little consequence so long as she was willing�
�You don�t have to have it, Kit.�
Kyuubi�s voice was too close for comfort and it startled the blond from his
thoughts. He hadn�t even realized that the fox had moved, too preoccupied with
his revelation about Sasuke.
�What?� He looked up at the demon
standing next to him, blue eyes blinking rapidly as he tried to refocus. Too
many emotionally charged surprises in such quick succession were taking their
toll on his mind, affecting his ability to comprehend and process information. He
felt burnt out and the urge to sleep sucked at him enticingly. Just a little
nap and then he�d be able to deal with all this.
Kyuubi knelt slowly beside him,
somehow seeming to loom over Naruto as it did so. �I said, you don�t have to
have the baby if you don�t want to.�
Though the blonde�s thoughts were
disjointed and fractured and made thinking coherently nearly impossible, he
knew dimly that now was not the time to be making any important decisions. He
needed time to think before he said anything, and, more importantly, he needed
to do it alone. Naruto watched the fox�s mouth continue to move, unable to make
sense of what was being said, and at that moment he wanted nothing more than
for Kyuubi to leave him alone for a while, not only in dream but also in
reality. Naruto wasn�t all there anymore- he could feel the empty spaces in his
memory and they outnumbered the parts that were whole- and the demon�s
sheltering protective drive was only making those empty spots grow and dissolve
what was still there. It was like a very thick fog had taken residence in
Naruto�s brain, making it difficult to remember anything beyond vague
impressions.
He was disappearing on a
fundamental level, and as he sat watching Kyuubi become more and more
concerned, Naruto could feel his core self slowly being eroded away. His
memories of Konoha. His former friends located there. The years he had spent as
part of Team Seven. They were all faded, were dim, and seemed like an awful
dream but they hadn�t been. He was losing it all just like he had lost any
memories from his first few years of life and though it all hurt, he didn�t
want everything he had experienced to fade away into nothingness.��
How long had it been since he
assumed control of his body completely and not just dictated from the
background what they should do while Kyuubi carried out the action? Naruto
tried to concentrate on the question to find a definitive answer, but could
only think that it had been a very long time. The more Konoha had abused him,
the further Naruto had retreated into Kyuubi�s cage; Sasuke�s rejection had
simply been the straw that broke the camel�s back.
As inadvertent as it may be,
Naruto was being consumed by the fox�s power.
�I need�� His tongue didn�t want
to move and neither did his lips, making his words come out slurred and softer
than intended. �Some space. Need to�out.� He wasn�t making sense even to
himself, he couldn�t find the right words and it frustrated him greatly.
Feeling a pang of guilt, he looked up into gold eyes and forced out exactly
what he wanted. �You need to pull back.�
Kyuubi blinked, looking perplexed
for a moment before the meaning sunk in. �You want me to contain myself behind
the seal again, like before?�
�Decide,� Why was it so difficult
to talk?! He wasn�t just sleepy, his body was incredibly stiff and cold, as if
he had been out in the snow. It even hurt to move his eyes as he looked
pointedly at the crib and its contents, both nearly forgotten even though they
were only several feet away. �On my own� about baby.�
The fox looked insulted and hurt but
nodded nonetheless in a sympathetic manner. �I can�t, um, pull back completely
but I will try as much as possible.�
Naruto blinked, struggling to
push aside the instant suspicion that appeared in his mind. Regardless of the
occasional misunderstanding, Kyuubi was supportive to the bitter end. He nodded
once and let his eyes slip close, brow furrowing as he concentrated. He had to
wake up or the temptation to stay would undo his conviction to take control of
his body again and he pushed, forcing himself to rouse fully into the waking
world.
* * *
�
The first
sensation he was aware of was a painful tingling that ran from the top of head
all the way down to his toes. It was akin to the pins and needles feeling one
experiences when blood flow is suddenly returned to a limb after it has been
cut off for an extended period except that this wasn�t just confined to a
single extremity. His whole body felt as if it was being stabbed by thousands
of tiny needles and it stole his breath away, making him gasp once before he
sank his teeth into his lower lip to keep quiet. Wherever he was, Naruto could
sense that he wasn�t alone and, afraid, he did not want to attract unwanted
attention if he could help it. He writhed silently, struggling to keep his
movements controlled until it passed, leaving him aching and throbbing in time
to his heart beat.
�Hey,
there Hime-sama.� A familiar voice asked from somewhere above him. It wasn�t
Kisame�s or Itachi�s voice and this knowledge made panic flare inside Naruto.
He tried to move, to get away or yell for help, but the signals seemed to get
lost inside him, making the movements incomplete and jerky. The person
continued conversationally, as if Naruto wasn�t trying to crawl away right
beneath their nose. �Pally says that your attendants are recovering well and
should be up later.�
�What?� Alarm shot through him and he
concentrated on opening his eyes. It wasn�t working though and he made small
frustrated noises until suddenly there was slight pressure against his upper
eyelids, the skin being gently pulled back and pinned until he could see.
�Hi.�
Kana peered down at him and offered a small shy smile. The barkeep�s fingers
blotted out a large portion of the upper range of Naruto�s field of vision but
the blonde didn�t complain since he couldn�t keep his eyelids open on his own.
Beyond Kana was the sky, the hazy blue diluted by the pinks and purples of
sunset, and the moment Naruto recognized it he became aware of a familiar
ticklish sensation against his hands that wasn�t remotely pleasant. Why were
they outside on the grass? What had happened to the two Akatsuki members while
he slept?
As
if he could read the blonde�s mind, Kana answered. �As a vessel for a nature
deity, you have very special um� appetite needs that weren�t being met. It made
the other two�� He faltered, frowning as he searched for the right word.
�Sick�? No wait- don�t cry! They�re okay! Everyone�s okay so please stop
crying! Please?�
He
hadn�t been aware he�d started crying until Kana asked him to stop but now that
he knew he was crying, Naruto couldn�t seem to make it stop. His felt his
eyelids pull against the brunet�s hold in a strong urge to blink the tears away
but could only let the world become distorted as he looked through the unwanted
pooling moisture. Naruto had made Kisame and Itachi sick? How? Had he done
something or was it his mere presence that had made them ill?
Kana
made a frustrated noise and released his hold, allowing Naruto�s eyes to close
again. Cloth rustled and seconds later the jinchuuriki felt himself being
lifted and maneuvered into a sitting position on the bar tender�s lap. It left
the blonde gasping and panting as his seemingly raw skin protested angrily,
provoking small whimpers and other unidentified sounds as Naruto shifted in the
vain attempt to get comfortable.
�Wait-
let me�Sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry!� Kana said but the words weren�t helping and
panic stirred again as pain and fear swelled. He did not know what the
bartender�s motives were and Naruto did not want to be alone in the other�s
presence long enough to find out. At that moment, more than anything, he wanted
Itachi and Kisame. Even if the blonde had to stay isolated in another room or
sleep on the floor like a pet or remain in a secluded closet- any of it was
fine so long as Naruto could be near the Akatsuki pair and away from Kana.
Despite the pain it caused, Naruto pushed at Kana and tried to get his legs
under him so that he could escape but his attempts proved useless and,
exhausted, Naruto could only lay limply, listening to his rapid heart rate slow
down as sleep tried to suck him back under.
Kana�s
long fingers seemed to engulf the blonde�s slimmer ones, Naruto felt his own
hands taken and his arms wrapped lightly around his torso as the bartender
repositioned them. Satisfied, Kana hugged him, molding his larger frame snugly
against the jinchuuriki�s smaller one, making Naruto acutely aware of the other
male more than he ever wanted to be. Kana�s body was like a furnace and it
radiated warmth in a way no human�s could have, the heat not only flowing into
Naruto�s form but also into the air around them. It explained why the blonde
didn�t feel cold even though he could hear the crash of the ocean close by.
�You�re
so tiny, too tiny to have a baby safely.� Kana muttered aloud though Naruto
doubted the other was talking to him. �Stop playing human and just feed
properly.�
Apparently
the brunet was indeed addressing the blond though Kana�s words weren�t making
any sense. What did the barkeep mean, feed? Wasn�t that what the tube from
earlier had been for? And playing human? Sure he was a monster but� Naruto�s
heart was suddenly galloping in his chest, sleep a distant memory as fear
gripped him in iron jaws. Did Kana know about the Kyuubi? Did he know that
Naruto was a monster?! If so why was the brunet still holding him and not
immediately tossing him away as something unclean?
Fearing
some sort of new cruelty, Naruto flexed his hands, the wash of adrenaline
making him shake helping him get control of his body. He was having flashbacks
of their last meeting and the memories of the searing heat of Kana�s touch
urged him onward as Naruto tried to pull his hands free without directly
touching Kana�s skin. He needed to find the Akatsuki pair and get far away from
the bartender as fast as possible!
�Tiny
and boney!� Kana said irritably,
shifting underneath the blonde to counteract Naruto�s movements, putting him
right back where he had been. �Can�t you just� Ai-sama, please, just drop your
shields again so I can feed you. Once we do that, you can go see the other
two.�
�� Shields?� Naruto wondered numbly. He had
no idea what Kana was talking about but maybe Kyuubi did. The blonde called out
to the fox, repeating the brunet�s words.
�� The puppy is referring to, for lack of a
better word, your aura. Think of it like metaphysical armor surrounding your
body. The fox�s voice was faint, proving that it was indeed trying to
reduce its presence in his head, forcing Naruto to concentrate to hear it. When
you woke, your shields strengthened automatically and your fear of Kana is
reinforcing them. He is right about feeding, though, so try and calm down. You
don�t have to be defenseless just relax your guard enough to let him feed you
then toss his ass back out.
�� But what is he
feeding me? The very
vivid image of Kana feeding him pieces of raw meat from a small freshly killed animal flashed across Naruto�s mind and he had to swallow thickly.
�� Just relax and let him. Open wide and say
�ah.�
�� What?� Frustrated, the blonde pressed
for further answers. But that doesn�t-
�� A dull thump sounded from the
demon�s prison and Naruto was positive that it was because Kyuubi had pounded
its fist against the floor of its metaphysical prison in frustration. The fox
was firm when it answered him. Kit- Naruto- you cannot be around humans
until you do this! Let him feed you and you�ll understand better than any
explanation I could give you.
�� Is it going to
hurt? He
wondered, feeling foolish and pathetic.
�� �No, Kit, it won�t hurt you or the baby. �It was said gently and reassuringly, easing a
tightness in Naruto�s chest that the blonde hadn�t been aware of. That�s
right, relax. Deep cleansing breath in, exhale. It�s okay! Kyuubi
cried, rushing to calm Naruto when the blonde tensed up because Kana was moving
his body, turning Naruto around. It�s okay, no harm. He�s trying to make you
more comfortable. Breathe in, out. Good, great Kit, listen to me and ignore
him. Concentrate on your breathing.
The
fox�s voice dropped to a low murmur, becoming background noise as Naruto did as
he was told, listening to the air move in and out of his lungs steadily.
Focused on his task, it was easy for the blonde to ignore Kana as the barkeep
loosely took his hands again and pulled the sleeves of his shirt down, exposing
Naruto�s wrists and urging the bared area upward. Hot breath washed over the
sensitive area, sending small shivers down Naruto�s spine and messing up his
concentration, making him jerk instinctively at Kana�s grip, trying to get
away. The bartender froze and though his hold remained loose, he did not
release the blonde, merely made soothing noises as a calloused thumb swept over
the skin of Naruto�s inner wrist. Neither gesture made the blonde comfortable,
however, and immediately other memories of being pinned down and helpless
stirred within Naruto, panicking him.
�Don�t
touch me! Let me go!� The jinchuuriki screamed thinly, tugging harshly against
Kana�s hand, trying to pull the other�s fingers within distance of his teeth.
�Not again! Not again!� The thought ran rampant through
his mind, quickly becoming his only focus, drowning out both Kyuubi�s
disembodied voice and Kana�s pleas to calm down. Naruto bit and scratched at
Kana�s hands until he was suddenly released and the blonde immediately raked his
clawed fingers across Kana�s face and chest before tumbling out of the other�s
lap, screaming and sobbing hysterically as he tried to make his legs work while
Kana howled in pain behind him.��
�� As soon as Naruto was on his feet,
he knew that his legs wouldn�t hold him long enough to make it to the Akatsuki
pair. Shaky, stumbling steps were all he was capable of and, heedless of the
uneven terrain, he put as much space as possible between himself and Kana while
internally he called for the fox, begging and pleading for help. His head was
killing him and as his legs failed he clutched at his temples in a futile
effort to make his memories of Jiraiya settle again so that he could bury them
in the back of his mind. Spent, he felt his body tip over into rough sand and
began coughing as the coarse particles went up his nose and down his throat.
�So much for taking control.� He thought bitterly, awkwardly
getting an arm under himself to roll onto his side so that he could breathe
without inhaling more cold sand as he continued to cough. The memories were
receding, going back to their dark pit and leaving him feeling raw both
physically and emotionally. Was he going to be like this forever? Was this what
he had to look forward to for the rest of his life? He was a mess, completely
and utterly incapable of controlling himself in even the most benign
situations. Naruto couldn�t live like this- he�d rather let himself slip away
completely and let Kyuubi have his body than continue. It wasn�t like he�d been
doing anything memorable with it anyway in the fifteen years he�d had it.
Hokage� Who had he been kidding? Proving himself to Sasuke, making the Uchiha
love him as much as Naruto loved him, having Sasuke�s babies and being a happy
family�? Pure insanity. If what Kyuubi said was true and he was the son of the
greatest Hokage in history, then it would be better if Naruto was dead, being
such a disgrace. The Forth was probably turning over in his grave�
Something
twisted sharply and painfully in his middle, distracting him from his thoughts
and he curled up as much as he was able, hands moving to cover the area as the
sensation continued.
�Ai-sama!�
The shout was followed by heavy footsteps then cursing as the footsteps
abruptly vanished and were replaced with the distinctive dull thuds of flesh
hitting dirt as Kana apparently fell. �Hey! Ai-sama are you alright?! Are you
hurt anywhere? Ai-sama?!�
Naruto
heard rather than saw Kana kneel next to him, felt the stir of displaced air
that said plainly the bartender had his hands hovering above the jinchuuriki,
unsure where was safest to touch. The blonde could not tell the other anything
as the pain grew worse, unable to make any sort of verbalization other than the
wet hacking sounds as he coughed. The pain increased tenfold, concentrating as
his abdominal muscles cramped tightly, an overwhelming urge to push downward
seizing him, as if his body knew it could purge itself of the problem if he
could just scrape together enough energy to do so.�
Kyuubi please� I need your help� He called in confusion as his
body convulsed once then began shivering.
Please answer me, please�what�s happening?! Kyuubi! It hurts�
At
first there was no answer, but then he felt the demon stir, the fox�s power
moving through his frame, pushing out from where it was pooled in the prison of
his navel. The familiar burn was sluggish, as though Kyuubi was tired, and more
of a mild warming than the normal rush of fiery heat it should have been. The
power, too, was less, more a trickle than an overwhelming torrent, startling
Naruto with its meagerness as the fox�s chakra stubbornly crept throughout his
body, taking only enough of the pain away to help him think clearly.
Kyu, are you sick? What�s wrong? He demanded, concerned for the
fox�s well being. Since the demon was essentially a supercharged spirit, it
shouldn�t have been able to become ill, and this fact continued to pop up in
the silence that followed his query. Even if the fox wasn�t answering, like a
warm caress just beneath his skin, Kyuubi�s power continued to crawl through
him persistently, giving him enough strength to shift position but not enough
to actually get up. The sand gone at last from his lungs, Naruto lay trembling
quietly with his eyes closed, wondering how long it would take to crawl back to
the temple.�
�Ai-sama?�
A large hand covering his two where they lay over his stomach startled Naruto,
making him jerk and shy away reflexively until he remembered that Kana was with
him. The other male had been so quiet that the blonde had forgotten about him,
too busy being in pain to spare a thought for the bartender. Kana�s skin was so
warm against Naruto�s it was almost hot, and this made the blonde realize how
very cold his body actually was.
�Naruto?�
Kana�s voice was right above the blonde�s ear full of warmth and concern as he
spoke. �That�s your name, right? Itachi and Kisame call you that when you three
are alone. Naruto, Naruto can you hear me?��
� It was still odd hearing his name come out of
a stranger�s mouth and not be spat like a curse though not as startling since
as it would have been if Naruto had never left Konoha. Part of him, a deeply
hidden part that he had always been afraid to listen to, whispered that this
was the way his life should have been. He should not have been feared or
treated like trash as he had been in The Village Hidden in the Leaves, his
should not have had to endure the things he had survived through. He hadn�t
done anything to deserve any of it- he was not guilty of some awful sin, he was
not a demon, he had done no wrong. He had been the sacrifice to protect
everyone from the Kyuubi and in thanks he had been thrown away like trash,
something disgusting and vile to be discarded as soon as possible.
The
whispering grew louder as it continued, gaining strength as he listened
intently, helplessly captivated as all the more hostile ideas he had had over
his treatment through the years but had always been afraid to examine were
recounted methodically in his own voice. Kyuubi had been saying similar things
for years, especially after he was dismissed by his rapist sensei, but Naruto
had always ignored the comments since listening would accomplish nothing. His
life was crap and it sucked, yes, but there was nothing he could do to change
it. He just had to deal with it because this as how it would be until he died.
�Naruto?�
Kana said again, this time more urgent. The bartender�s large hand wrapped
around one of the blonde�s and began pulling the resisting appendage away from
its resting place, shifting the jinchuuriki in the process. Immediately
Naruto�s train of thought derailed as pain spiked through him, making him hiss
and whimper before he could stop it, his eyes screwing shut tightly in response
while trying to tug his arm free from the gentle grasp.
�� Warm breath flared over the sensitive skin
of his inner wrist seconds before soft lips pressed against the area lightly.
The sensation was a confusing counterpoint to the pain of his middle cramping
again and, curious despite the near agony gripping him, Naruto opened his eyes
to watch Kana pull back and bite firmly into the skin of the blonde�s wrist.
Though
he could feel that Kana hadn�t broken the skin, Naruto felt as if his body was
under attack and then realized that that was exactly what was happening as he
felt an invisible force press against his whole body. It was gentle and coaxing
but insistent, gradually becoming firmer as it surrounded him and, startled,
Naruto concentrated hard, imagining a wall around his physical form. He added
spikes to the barrier and divided his attention between keeping the shield up
and trying to yank his arm free of Kana�s incredibly strong grip, fighting back
instinctively, trying to force the other away. It was useless though, like
trying to hold the ocean at bay with only your hands, and Naruto felt each
piece fall away as his shields crumbled beneath the relentless assault.
Unprotected,
the jinchuuriki�s vision became spotty as Kana�s power began coursing through
him, spreading quickly through his small form. Naruto moaned lowly, teetering
on the edge of consciousness as he felt things within him break, the world
running in streams of color at every shattering sensation the foreign energy
caused. Surprisingly, instead of being painful, there was a feeling of release,
as if Kana�s power was destroying shackles the blonde hadn�t been aware were
present, and Naruto very quickly began to await each one eagerly. Each break
made him feel light, giddy even, and Naruto was distantly aware that he was
giggling quietly as he relaxed against the cool sand underneath him.
Remaining
coherent was impossible but he still knew the exact moment the invading energy
found Kyuubi. Kana�s power had been quietly replacing the familiar demonic
chakra within Naruto�s body with itself in an alarmingly efficient manner,
following the fox�s energy like a trail of bread crumbs directly to the source
and surrounded it. Naruto thought that his demonic tenant would immediately
lash out at the intrusion but throughout the process, the fox remained
uncharacteristically quiet- passive even- as it was covered and lost to sight,
spurring a sense of panic to spike through him. His alarm was short lived however;
Kyuubi was suddenly in motion, rising, its demonic energy crackling like
lightning, until the demon stood revealed, roaring in fury before tearing into
the golden glowing mass.
The
demon consumed it, gulping it down in huge draughts even as the fox swelled in
size within its prison to the point that the Nine Tails was almost overflowed
with it. Grimacing, Naruto shifted around in a vain attempt to accommodate
Kyuubi�s new size but quickly abandoned the action when it only seemed to
encourage the fox to stretch like an oversized, overfed cat.
It
was a familiar normal behavior the demon did fairly often during their
conversations with each other but this time it was different and alarming. As
Kyuubi stretched languidly, the fox seemed to fill its vessel like a physical
substance, filling up the inside of the blonde�s body like a hand filling a
glove, gently pushing aside Naruto�s consciousness as it grew, its growth fed
by the foreign energy lining the jinchuuriki�s chakra pathways. As easily as
Naruto could lift a child from his path, the blonde�s control over his body was
severed and he was abruptly regulated to the metaphysical back seat as Kyuubi
assumed complete control.
And
suddenly, inexplicably, he was ravenously hungry, as if his body had been
keeping track of every meal he�d ever missed and was now demanding payment.
Naruto had never felt anything like it and didn�t know how to manage the
ungodly hunger that had woken alongside Kyuubi as the demon finally reacted to
the invading energy. Kana�s chakra, as substantial an amount as it had been,
wasn�t even a drop in the bucket and Naruto felt his stomach growl fiercely, as
if the organ was angry with the blonde. Wave after wave of it rolled through
him, confusing him, consuming everything until his world had narrowed down to
satiating the mind-numbing hunger gripping him. It was painful, almost
agonizingly so, and the blonde looked around helplessly for something to eat
but found nothing except sand, surf and�Kana.
It
was a bizarre sensation to feel his body moving but yet not be the one
directing it. Growling quietly, Kyuubi levered his body up into a sitting
position. Naruto saw Kana as Kyuubi turned to look at the other male, felt the
muscles move as the demon effortlessly pulled the blonde�s wrist out of the
dark haired man�s grasp. Naruto tried to push the fox�s presence back so that
he could shout a warning but the demon shoved his spirit away, putting up a
containment barrier so that Naruto could not interfere as it coiled the
blonde�s limbs beneath his body and shot forward, tackling the bartender into
the ground.
They
wrestled and though Kana had to outweigh Naruto by a hundred pounds of muscle,
he was at a distinct disadvantage in this fight since it was obvious his goal
was to subdue and contain. The same could not be said about Kyuubi, who won the
struggle and quickly knocked the brunet unconscious.
I
never was a fan of fast food. The
fox said, settling more comfortably on top of Kana�s chest, catching its
breath, the sound of the ocean pounding the shore gently in the background.
You can�t! Naruto shouted, banging his
fists against the walls of his prison. Leave
him alone!
No.
Kyuubi said
flatly as it leaned forward over the bartender, positioning its teeth over the
throbbing pulse point along the side of Kana�s neck. His previous actions have caused
us an incredible amount of trouble that this current act of kindness does little
to soothe. He has wronged us and the puppy has to learn that this has
consequences.
No! You can�t I won�t let you! The blonde began throwing
himself against the barrier, making it glow and crackle. It was painful but he
didn�t stop, desperate to prevent the fox from turning him into a cannibal. The
very idea should have had him screaming hysterically in protest but as it was,
the thought made him salivate, even more so as Kyuubi began teasing the
enticing flesh with its tongue. Though not the one in control, Naruto could
taste the sweat of Kana�s skin, smell the coppery sweetness in the piece of
flesh held between his teeth, but beyond it all was something else inside the
bartender, something vitally important that was missing in Naruto�s body. He
needed it and to obtain it all he had to do was bite down, to break the skin
and tear the piece of flesh from the brunet�s throat in a bloody rush�
Naruto
swallowed hard, finding it difficult to keep in mind that Kana was a person and
nothing remotely like a dinner entr�e. Desperate, Naruto played the one card he
knew would have an effect on the demon.� You promised you�d pull back! Were you
lying? Did you only want to use me, Kyuubi, just like everyone else?!
Kyuubi
stilled though it did not release its hold on Kana�s throat. Hope bloomed
within Naruto and he sagged against the wall of his prison in relief.
Please, please don�t do this. Let
him go� We�ll find something else-
You�ll
thank me for this later.
Kyuubi interrupted, speaking harshly. The barrier around Naruto flared and the
blonde cried out as he was thrown back into the center of his prison, directly
under a shimmering haze that immediately made him feel lethargic.
No� The blonde slurred, unable to do
anything but sprawl on the floor, fighting to keep his eyelids open and
failing. I don�t want this� If you care
for me at all you won�t� do� this�
If
Kyuubi responded, Naruto never heard it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

� The warmth from the blood dripping down the
blonde�s chin was quickly snatched away by the cold wind blowing off the ocean
several feet away from where Kyuubi sat on the beach. Swiping absently at its
mouth, the fox turned its face into the breeze, enjoying the caress on Naruto�s
skin as it rubbed its full belly lazily and pushed its feet into the coarse, bone
littered sand, wiggling its toes.
A
seagull landed on the sand just out of arms reach, loudly folding its wings. It
clacked its beak and cocked its head to the side, eyeballing the blonde as it
radiated displeasure.�
�It�s
always the little things you miss.� Eyes closed, Kyuubi sighed contentedly,
leaning back on its hands as it pushed its fingers into the sand. �But then I�m
sure you already know that, don�t you, Yondaime?�
The
fox smirked, rolling its head to face the seagull, eyes opening to watch the
avian�s reaction, nearly getting blinded in the process when the bird used its
webbed foot to fling sand in the blonde�s direction.
�Ingrate.�
Kyuubi muttered, brushing absently at its eyes. �I could have tied you to the
body of a fish, you know. I thought you might prefer being able to fly.�
The
seagull clacked its beak again and began awkwardly pacing up and down the beach.
�Pfft.
Don�t give me that.� The fox said, sitting forward and dusting its hands
together. �Even having your soul bound to a crab is better than being a wayward
spirit. At least this way you don�t have to rely only on Itachi to see you
anymore.�
The
bird remained silent but it did not cease its restless pacing.��
�� You�re a horrible father.� Kyuubi
said, amusement draining away. The fox stared out at the gently rolling waves,
feeling the push and pull of the water, connected to it as it was to each grain
of sand beneath the blonde�s body. It was a welcome reconnection, like a body
part that had been severed long ago and just now reattached.� �It would have been better for Naruto to have
died by your hand that day rather than live through the hell you sentenced him
to.�
�� The seagull began squawking and
launched awkwardly into the air, immediately attacking the fox, using its wings
to beat at Kyuubi until the blond grew angry and pinned the bird to the sand.
�� Don�t you dare get all high and
mighty with me, human!� The fox roared, hauling the seagull up to eye level by
its neck with a grip that was rough and unyielding. The bird squawked again and
Kyuubi tightened its hold to the point of near strangulation as the blonde
continued to yell. �I know very well that no life is void of strife, Namikaze,
and do not need you to preach to me of life�s unfairness! I am ancient! I have
witnessed countless civilizations rise and fall!� Kyuubi shook the bird for
emphasis, blue eyes narrowing down into slits, its voice quieting down into a
hiss that was somehow more menacing than its screaming had been. �We all must
endure suffering. We all must sacrifice. But do tell me, oh great Yondaime, was
there some deeply cosmic reason behind Naruto being brutally raped by your
pervert sensei?�
�� The blond spat the last word,
unaware that tears leaked from its eyes until the moisture clouded its vision
enough to warrant removal. Kyuubi set the silent and limp bird on the sand
gently and began to sob, the horror of the memory washing over the fox.
�� Everyone is going to pay.� Kyuubi
growled darkly once it got control of itself again, eyes flashing crimson with
rage. Small flashes of chakra flared and died, disturbing the bones littering
the beach around the blonde. �Naruto has been Konoha�s victim all his life, has
been forced to kowtow for his very right to live. Tell me now Minato Namikaze,
could you feel it as they tormented him? Did you weep when they shoved metal
into his skull and fried away his first few years of life?�
�� The seagull righted itself and
fluffed its feathers, momentarily seeming to double in size until the bird
shuttered to settle them all back down. The avian began pacing again in a tight
line, occasionally spreading its wings and refolding them until it broke from
its well worn path and walked down to the water line to stare out at the ocean.
�� It�s all gone.� Kyuubi said,
turning its attention to the water as well, the rolling waves almost hypnotic
in the way they moved, the continuous sound of the water becoming white noise.
The fox kept its attention on the scenery as it spoke in an attempt to control
the emotions roiling around inside it. As a result, Naruto�s voice took on such
an empty, flat quality that it didn�t sound anything like the blond.�In an
instant, the only happy years he�d known were erased. He does not remember being
cared for by Shisui and Itachi and does not have any sense of the heritage that
they gave him. Any sense of you and Kushina� The ANBU laughed as they took it.
They thought it was fun.� Kyuubi�s face twisted into something ugly as the fox
jerkily scrubbed its hands through Naruto�s scraggly blonde hair, concentrating
on the area around its ears and temples, fingers furiously searching for some
invisible object. �God! I can still feel the electrodes!�
�� The urge to cry was nearly
overwhelming but Kyuubi pushed it away and fed it gently to the fire of revenge
steadily burning away in the back of its mind. There would be plenty of time to
cry, to mourn, later after the spilled blood of their enemies lay cooling in
the dirt. Kyuubi concentrated, locating the familiar cold burn of the chakra
signature it had never been able to forget, the one who it had hoped had been
killed after summoning the demon and found it easily. Inwardly the fox was
struggling with its anticipation over the impending attack it was planning now
that they were perfectly able to defend themselves. Naruto�s body had been well
fed, thanks both to Kana and the less than fortunate abundant sea life
frolicking under the ocean�s surface before them, but that was no reason to
recklessly plunge in.
�All
of them will pay, starting with the person who set events in motion, who
summoned me to seek vengeance upon the village who wronged him. I will take
everything he has built, everything he has amassed, and use it to create a
place where Naruto can be happy, where he and his children can be safe.�
Now
was the time to plan and insure the loyalty of their troops. Speaking of which,
the fox really should look in on the Akatsuki pair and find out how close they
were to recovering. Almost lazily, Kyuubi crafted and sent a dream to Itachi
and Kisame before turning its thoughts back to its vengeance. The fox was
nearly at full power and the thought made it shiver in delight over its
returned abilities. Soon, there would be no obstacle they would not be able to
overcome!
�� First Madara, then Akatsuki, and,
ultimately, Konoha. No one would be spared!
�� Kyuubi turned its gaze to the sky,
expression becoming solemn as it pressed a hand to Naruto�s stomach, stroking
its fingers fondly over the skin. Now that the blonde�s body had the resources
to support the growth, the baby had again jumped ahead in its development. The
idea that Kisame was going to have a fit over this made the fox smile.
The
seagull turned from its study of the ocean and returned to the fox, again
stopping just out of grabbing range. The bird raised its head, jutting its chin
out as it glared defiantly at the blond, clacking its beak rhythmically. For a
moment, the bird was overlaid by a watery transparent image of the Yondaime
from the only time Kyuubi had ever met the human, his blue eyes flashing,
expression determined, spiky blond hair swaying wildly in the wind but then the
apparition was gone, vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and the seagull
was just a seagull again.
The
fox shook its head, eyes narrowing as the bird�s �words� penetrated its brain.
�No, the Konoha you knew is gone and is beyond redemption! They had their
chance! You sacrificed your son for their safety and they destroyed Naruto in
thanks!�
The
seagull squawked, flapping its wings and fluffing its feathers.
�If
he returns, it means death.� Kyuubi hissed, anger making its power flare,
setting the earth below them to trembling, sending a cascade of sand showering
down onto the blonde. �The fox grimaced
and spoke slowly in an effort to force itself to calm down. �If not by his own
hand then by someone else�s. He wants to die, Namikaze, and would be dead now
if those two hadn�t interfered. If you guide him back there he will wither and
die and everything he suffered through will be for nothing!�
�� The bird flared its wings again
before tucking them tightly against its sides, seeming to shrink in on itself
as it looked away, its head drooping.
�� It�s time to move on.� Kyuubi said,
grunting softly as the blonde climbed heavily to its feet. It stretched
lightly, easing out the kinks in its lower back before absently brushing the
sand from its backside. �Let�s go round up those two and get moving. I doubt
the monks are going to be happy about the mess I made of��
�� Kana!�
�� Well that was fast.� Kyuubi
grumbled quietly, turning toward the source of the horrified cry, craning its
neck to look up the slope of the beach at the grassy lip above where Pallas
stood beside Kana�s still form.
Pallas�
golden hair was disheveled, flying freely in the breeze blowing off the water.
Her blue eyes kept disappearing as the blonde locks lashed her face and the
female shishi had to constantly tear them away in order to see. The nurse�s
skin was pinched and pale, though from emotion or cold Kyuubi was unsure, and
the red tracks her blunt nails made while pushing her hair out of her face
stood out starkly.
�� No! Kana, wake up!� She screamed,
dropping down to the ground and shaking her brother harshly. The anguish in her
voice was sharp and piercing, teetering between horrified and grieving as
Pallas continued her desperate attempts to rouse the brunet. �However, as the seconds dragged by and Kana
remained still, Pallas� efforts dwindled and abruptly her knees gave out. She
collapsed over her brother�s body, crying her eyes out as she stroked his face,
her expression flowing through the myriad expected emotions associated with
such a situation.
�� But for a moment during the process,
almost too fast and subtle to notice, Pallas looked incredibly relieved.
�� Startled, Kyuubi�s eyebrows shot up
into its hairline momentarily before drawing down as realization hit, making the
fox smirked knowingly to itself as it began moving up the incline of the beach,
automatically adjusting its steps to avoid the remaining trash of its meal.
Though Kyuubi had eaten a large number of the fish bones for the inherent
nutritional value, there was only so much abuse Naruto�s teeth could take, and
the remainder stuck out of the sand at random intervals. In fact, only the
sandy spot where the blonde had been sitting was completely free of the sharp
little staves, making the beach an inhospitable place for humans until the tide
came in to wash the mess away.
�� Well.
My, my, my�� Smiling over its good fortune, Kyuubi glided through the sand
with grace and care until it reached the grass where Kana lay and loomed over
Pallas as the nurse continued to cry and run her fingers through the brunet�s
hair. �Ah, tradition: the gift that keeps
on giving.��
�� The sound of flapping announced that
the possessed seagull had joined them and the bird clicked its beak softly at
the fox before awkwardly walking away, large webbed feet truly unsuited for the
scrubby grassland they stood on.� Kyuubi
frowned, eyes narrowed as it watched the seagull leave. No matter what the
former Yondaime advised, the fox didn�t have time to be tactful even if it had
felt so inclined.
�� The fox sighed loudly, dramatically,
as it strode forward and bent down to take hold of Kana�s ankle only to have
its hand knocked away by Pallas.
�� Demon!� She hissed, curling her
body protectively over that of her brother�s. �Mon-�
�� Finish that and I will rip your
tongue out.� Kyuubi cut in harshly, tangling a hand among the other�s hair and
using it to roughly urge the other back from the brunet.
�� How could you?� Pallas sobbed, her
nails clawing at Kyuubi�s restraining hand while also trying to stop the fox
from touching Kana. �He trusted you, he left his family to protect you!�
�� Annoyed, Kyuubi gripped the silent
Koma-inu by the ankle and lifted his legs upward, letting his upper body remain
on the ground at an odd angle.� �Will you
shut up already? Your whining is giving me a headache.�
�� Releasing Pallas, Kyuubi used both
hands to lift Kana�s larger form up before turning and pitching the limp brunet
through the air and into the sea.
�� Nooo!�� Pallas screamed,
lunging helplessly after her brother, tumbling over the lip of grass and
dropping to the sand of the beach below. Heedless of the needle sharp bones
piercing her skin, the woman managed to scramble across the sand until she was
within feet of the waterline before Kyuubi could even blink.
�� �Stop!� The moment the word left its
mouth, the fox knew that it would have consequences from the unintended power
contained within it. Shoving down the dueling emotions of excitement and
foreboding over this new ability, Kyuubi�s borrowed eyes swept down the beach
to find Pallas frozen in place, one hand still outstretched toward the sea
where Kana had disappeared beneath the waves.
�� The fox stared, slack jawed as the
full impact of this new development hit it. Hastily amending the order to allow
the nurse to breath and her heart to beat, Kyuubi gave itself a shake and
ordered Pallas to return to the fox�s side.
�� Fascinated, Kyuubi watched as, in
jerky movements, Pallas stood, turned around and scaled the embankment. The
blonde�s eyes were wide and frightened, her breathing quicker than normal, but
her feet did not falter in their movement until she was beside the fox.
�� Kyuubi smiled, the only outward sign
of the fierce joy welling up within the possessed blonde, and threw an arm over
Pallas� shoulders, hugging the stiff woman tightly in a companionable manner.
Turning around, the fox oriented them both in the direction of the temple and
ordered the captive Pallas to walk along beside Kyuubi as the fox began moving.
�� The smile gracing the fox�s lips was
a sight to behold, one that would have made even the strongest of men run away
screaming in terror. It was a small mercy that Pallas could not see it but, to
be safe, Kyuubi attempted to contain the giddy triumph swelling inside its
heart.
�� No matter what happened now, the fox
would be victorious and there was no power on earth that would be able to
change that fact.
�� From demon to god in hours- things
were definitely looking up for Naruto and Kyuubi.

Voice taking on a seductive
quality, Kyuubi began to speak, intentionally brushing its lips against the
outer shell of Pallas� ear as it did so, delighting in the way the other
shivered. �I have a business proposition to discuss with you.�

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AN:
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