Fields.
Endless fields of tall grass.
A young child ran through the thick green stems. Running.
His shirt was torn. His feet were bruised and bloody from running.
He no longer knew where he was. What was going on? There! There she was.
It was her.
A tall, pale-skinned woman with blood-red hair stood amidst the grass. Around her all the grass withered and burned, ash whirled around her before completing its journey to the heavens. The Young blonde ran to her. He knew she was there. He knew it.
He broke free from the grass, running to her.
"MOM!! MOM!"
She turned, and behind her, he saw several red, bushy tails swaying.
"MOM!!"
He jolted up. Sweat drenched his face, his torso. Everything. He swept the sheets off of him, he needed air.
Naruto didn't like being this short. He didn't like the dreams every night, he didn't like the adults, the kids… he didn't like Much anything in Konoha.
The night air brought a cool breeze to him, it was refreshing, if a bit uncomfortable. It carried the smell of smoke, of sweat, of life. He could always smell, see, and hear so sharply. And here he was. A Beast. A Freak meant for the wild. Stuck in a Concrete jungle Meant for Humans. Not for Him.
He fell to his knees. Here he was. Alone. Cold. He couldn't sleep. He dreamt of a Mother that wouldn't come. He lived amidst a city that turned its back on him. . . .
Hatred. Anger. Fury. Rage.
All these things swirled around him.
And deep inside. The little Part of himself that restrained the Demon within… Cracked.
And Deep down, an evil that had existed for eons grinned.
The time had come.
"Hello. Son."
Naruto spun. That was the voice. The voice he had dreamt. The voice he had longed to hear since he had first seen other kids. With their loving parents. There, Before him. Stood his mother. Her red hair, her pale skin… The Nine tails…
"MOM!!"
He dove at her. His head slamming into her midriff. His hands encircled her waist and clung to her as tightly as he could. He couldn't believe it. All the dreaming, all the praying… He'd found his mother! He'd found her!
She awkwardly reached down and patted his head, her other arm coming around and encircling him, holding him closely. He reveled in the warmth. He'd never felt a hug like this, it was… indescribable.
"There, there, it's bedtime, son."
Bedtime… This was the first time… the first time anyone had cared enough to tell him to go to sleep. He eagerly grabbed her hand from his head, dragging her along to the bed. He was keeping her as close as he could.
He practically leapt into the bed. He'd never been this excited to sleep. But she was here! Just like the dream! He brought the Sheets firmly all the way up to his chin, and there she was. Standing over him. She reached down, tucking him in. It was wonderful. She lowered his head to her level. Her hand resting in his hair. It felt so good… so safe… so warm…
"Good night, Son."
And like that, he was asleep.
She straightened up, turning towards the door to the out-side he had left open. She walked over, reaching out to close it. And watched as her hand passed through the window.
"That's right… No physical manifestation yet, I suppose."
She looked back at the child.
"Well, even I'VE got to start somewhere."
She faded into the night, like smoke in the wind.