(I do not own anything, but the plot.)

Summary: Naruto becomes stronger than he has ever thought possible, only because of the one choice he made when he was young: merging with the Kyuubi. One catch is one can't live without the other. One has to endure treacherous training, while the other one has to be allowed to leave its "home." You choose what pairings. (1st one is the main; I will involve the others. OR. What ever the majority is, I will do.)

Prologue

*Naruto POV*

. . .

Learn to fly.

How exactly was that done?

I can't, I've tried to leave. To run. But they always find me. What do I do? I can't go back, not to that hell. No, not even over my dead body. I can't- no I will not- go back to that Hospital.

. . .

I awoke to screaming, my own screaming. How long has it been since I spoke? I didn't remember, all I remember is the screaming. The pain, the flashes of masked people, red everywhere. I wonder when it ever ended.

I was in that dang Hospital, again! I don't understand how they keep finding me. I'm good. I don't hurt anyone. Yet, they call me monster. Maybe I am, that's what is expected of me. Should I show them it. Should I give back what they dished out to begin with, payback? I really want to, and my gut is telling me so.

No, it is. That's what it wants to do. It wants to escape. I must not let it. I cannot... why though...?


All I could do was venture forward, glimpsing nothing. sensing nothing. Have you ever felt something like that? Well, that's what I felt in this instance. My only thoughts were that I must keep going. I needed to run, to escape, to do anything to flee from the clawing in my chest.

My eyes were open, at least I thought they were, but all my brain registered was darkness. Continuing, I rushed forward, something splashing against my bare feet with each step. Don't look, I coaxed myself. To make sure I didn't look, I clenched my eyes closed.

The feeling in my chest grew, threatening to explode. I knew for certain that if it escaped, it would be the worst thing imaginable. It would be the end, that's the gist of it. Claws ripped through my chest, feeling as if it was tearing itself free, increasing in force.

My instinct was to run- which I did- but you can't run from something within you. I could practically sense the upending doom.

Still I ran forward, and I tripped over an item left discarded on the ground. Falling in to the mixture that was around my feet the whole time, my eyes snapped open, and I regretted doing so.

I was basically nose-to-nose with what used to be a human. Its eyes were wide and without any life in them (they were dull), its mouth was snapped open at an impossible angle with its jaw partially torn off. Five long slashes seemed to be the reason for the hanging jaw.

I didn't want to look, but my eyes refused to unlock their gaze. I wanted to see a glimmer of hope, that maybe my fragmented brain was messing up my perception again, and the person was just resting.

I leaped up to my feet when I felt the presence within me sparked alive again. My head whipped from side to side, allowing my eyes to survey the disaster around me for the first time. Bodies were sprawled everywhere, some half a body, some without heads, some with only a head, some missing limbs, some with twisted necks, and multiple with gaping holes in their chests.

I brought my hands to my fave, touching the wetness upon my cheeks.

No, no, NO!

It was already released. My body shook on its own accord; I couldn't stop it, neither did I try. My brain barely registered the sound of fast approaching footsteps. My eyes took in the scene another time: all the corpses littered everywhere, the mixture of water and blood underfoot, nothing else was in the dark alley but that.

"Monster," a deep voice hissed behind me. I turned and stared at the towering figures, my body shaking more. In towering, I meant that they were taller than me, since they were all way beyond my age. I stared at their masked faces in horror as they advanced on me with that hated nickname "monster."

"Pl-please, don't," my hoarse whisper came out. They couldn't, they couldn't do that again, But they would. They always got away with it. A scream erupted from my throat as something came at me. Just in time, I slipped under the object and around the masked people. I definitely not fast enough to outrun them, but there was nothing else I could do.

I ran. I ran as fast as my little body would allow me to.

Behind me I heard the voice yell, "Get the demon! He has done this for the last time." Various shouts of agreement echoed through the alley, causing me to run even faster (probably from adrenaline) and fall directly on my face. A groan escaped from my lips as I cautiously sat up. A sharp hit to my side sent me spiraling into the wall of a nearby building along the alleyway.

"We never should have put up with you for all these years," someone snarled over my head. I felt coldness when something pressed into the back of my neck. Instantly, pain shot from the pressure someone put on it.

It hurt bad, but it was just like all the other times. Always pain, then relief, but this time was different. There would be no relief this time; they were going to go all the way. I screamed out. I didn't want to die! "St-stop it-it, you don't know what you're doing!" My body felt numb, which was new.

One person said. "Yes we do."

"We're going to destroy you for good, demon." Another one growled at me.

The voices mixed together until I couldn't pinpoint who said what. The voices melded together as a high-pitched ringing started in my ears. An item darted in my direction. Moonlight flashed off it, resulting in me closing my eyes and the anticipation of pain.

However, I never felt it. I felt coldness drag across my arm, nothing else. When I opened my eyes, I saw the moonlight flash off the blade as the wielder swung her sword with all her might. It struck me, and immediately snapped in two. The wielder blinked behind her mask, and out of anger, she grabbed my short hair and stabbed a small object that resembled a star- shuriken, was it?- in my stomach as I dangled in the air.

A voice rang reached my ears out of the swarm of many others. "Nobody's going to feel bad when you're gone, monster, in fact they'll be rejoicing. The village won't look back on you." The voice told me.

"Th-that's not true," unfortunately, my voice broke, my vision blurry. Of course they were right. I had no family, no one to go back to. I found myself shoved up against the wall, my toes at feet above the ground. Then, they had the audacity to laugh right in my face, shouting out many insults. I blocked them out the best I could. To try to drown out their voices, I closed my eyelids and yelled in my head: no, no, no, no, over and over again.

However, one familiar yet unique voice found its way through. It was unfathomable as how I knew it, but didn't at the same time. "Let it go," the voice purred. I froze, when did anyone sound that way toward me? "They'll never respect you-"

A laugh escaped my lips. It wasn't a laugh of happiness or enjoyment, but a mix of nervousness and fear. Who are you? I tried to ask whoever was talking, but my mouth wouldn't form the words.

Still the voice, smooth as silk, replied. "You know exactly who I am."

Realization hit me hard. The beast was real, so terribly real, and it was talking to me, coaxing me to do its bidding. I was not falling for its tricks. It would escape and murder everyone, I absolutely knew it! Suddenly, I felt blistering cold everywhere, and I hugged my knees, refusing to open my eyes. I will not fall for it. That was going great until curiosity got the best of me.

When my eyes adjusted to the place I was in, I found myself in a place that had a high ceiling that dripped every once in a while along with water underneath me. I stood and stumbled forward. For once, I felt no pain at all, and I couldn't suppress the smile that rose to my feet. My smile instantly disappeared when I gazed upon the looming cage before me.

A glimpse of red-orange fur made me step closer to observe the creature inside. "Hi, I'm Naruto," I greeted the animal with my usual smile.

"Ah," a noise rumbled from within the cage as eyes sparkled in the cage.

"You're the fox, aren't you?" I questioned my smile disappearing. I did not understand what I was supposed to be feeling. I felt angry, scared, and strangely excited.

The creature made a tsk sound, eyes closing in a slow blink. "Do you want to die?" It wasn't a threat; it was some type of warning, as if I returned to the real world, (if I returned), I wouldn't make it. I shook my head. "Release me," it ordered me.

I looked at the door, noticing the piece of paper in the middle of it. As my hand reached for it, the eyes within the cage grew what only I can describe as was hungry. I paused; its eyes narrowed in on my face. "What's in it for you?" I asked it.

That seemed to anger the beast slightly. "Freedom," it snarled at me. "Let me out." It seemed to be losing its patience.

I tilted my head to the side. "Let's make a deal." I announced.

The fox's eye twitched ever-so-slightly. It paused, deep in thought. "Depending on the conditions."

"How about I let you out?"

"Hm?" Its eyes closed and reopened a moment after. It was waiting for me to continue.

I glanced down to my toes, watching them curl underneath my feet and into the water below them. "No one should live in this." I gave a gesture to our surroundings. "I've heard something about can take you out of here, but not all the time. Your home would still be here, but... you'll have," I had to think of the word. "Freedom."

The fox showed its teeth in a smirk. "Is there a catch?"

"Nuh," I shook my head. "I just wanna be trained."

"You're forgetting one crucial detail. When the jutsu is finished, I die if you do."

I blinked slightly. "Ooohh... I guess I can't fail then." I flashed the biggest grin I good muster, sticking up my thumb. "I promise!"