Sarutobi Hiruzenhad survived a lot of the horrors that the life of a warrior had to bare. He had seen men under his command die. He had seen men burned alive and couldn't get the smell of burning flesh from out of his nose for several days. He had seen a enemy kounochi bisected by a windmill shuriken as she tried to perform an attack on his fellow Shinobi. He was even in the midst of a blood soaked battlefield with mangled corpses of enemy and ally Shinobi surrounding him. But seeing the sight he witnessed only hours ago still shook this battled hardened warrior to his very core. The aged fire shadow withdrew his pipe, already filled, from his robes and struck a match then lit his pipe. He took one long drag then exhaled and simply stood at the side of the bed of the other occupant in the room.
"…"
Sarutobi wanted to say something to the small girl in the hospital bed but all words died in his throat before they could leave his mouth. As he let out another gray cloud of tobacco from his lungs a nurse entered the room with a bundle of clothes in her hands followed by a young doctor. They both bowed to the Hokage and the black haired doctor adjusted his glasses as he looked at the chart in his hand as the Sandaime removed his pipe from his mouth and put the burning tobacco out
"Well were able to properly treat of all Uzumaki-san's cut and stab wounds. The blunt weapon used on her only caused mild bruising nothing to serious and the blow to her temple didn't cause that much damage despite the size of the burse it left only a mild concussion."
The nurse laid the bundle of clothes in the empty chair next to the bed then bowed and left the room.
"We removed the glass in her eye socket and treated the wound but from what we can tell the nerves inside the socket are damaged beyond repair…"
The doctors voice became low as he continued
"The…damage to Uzumaki-san's genitals…"
The Doctor became aware of the groan the wooden pipe gave out in its maters hand
"…have the typical signs of…r-rape…"
The pipe gave a loud crack that made the doctor jump slightly
"….and it seems by s-several people along with what we guess is a sake bottle w-which broke and left more damage, but we removed the glass…there as well. We were able to remove all of the maggots from…inside her …but it looks like they helped somewhat by eating the dead tissue around all the…w-wounds"
The doctor stood silent as he finished his report. The Hokage turned his back to him.
"Do you have any idea why her…tenant didn't heal her like it has done before?"
The young male shook his head.
"Maybe it didn't want to? Maybe it just likes seeing her suffer? Who knows?"
"Thank you Takashi-san. Once again you have helped Naru-chan knowing full well of her…burden. I and the rest of Konoha owe you a great deal."
Takashi looked down at the ground and opened his mouth to speak, but closed it after few moments.
"When do you think she will wake Takashi-san?"
The doctor walked over to the bed and looked down at the demon vessel. To him she looked almost like an angle with her slightly pale skin, her blonde hair fanned out around her pillow, and the peaceful look on her young face. To think any man had the capacity to do something so …vile….to a little girl…
"Physically she is fine Hokage-sama and she should by awake in a matter of hours but I'm worried that mentally…she thinks she's dead and she wants to remain that way"
Sarutobi half turned his head to Takashi.
"I mean if you had relive what she has been through wouldn't you just want to stay in a place where no one can hurt you anymore?"
A low beeping echoed throughout the small hospital room. Takashi reached into his lab coat and brought a pager which looked at then pressed a button to stop the beeping.
"I apologize Hokage-sama but I am need elsewhere. By your leave"
Takashi bowed then quickly left the room. After a few moments of silence the Professor let out a deep defeated sigh then set his now broken pipe on the small table next to Naruto's bed then he began picking the splinters out his now bleeding hand. After that was done a quick medical Jutsu and the wounds were gone. He moved the clothes in the chair next to him and set them in his lap as he sat in the chair.
"I am sure you can never forgive this old fool for letting something as horrible as this ever happen to you"
He said as he looked at Naruto's sleeping form. He took off his hat and held in his hands as he stared at it.
Do I really…
The old man gaze began blur.
…deserve to be this village's leader…
The hat fell from his grip and he stared at his hands.
…if I let something like this happen?
The hands that let the ninja world's most notorious killer slip between its fingers. The hands that didn't stop Konoha's most powerful Hokage from performing a technique, that he himself could of done, that cost him his life. Now the hands that could not shield an innocent from the evils of man.
"Minato-kun…Kushina-chan…."
Tears that Sarutobi Hiruzen swore never to let fall no matter what he faced year ago now flowed freely done his wrinkled face.
"…I'm sure you hate the is decrepit fool for his blind faith in Konoha"
***inside the never-ending void***
She felt…weird like she was weightless. Like she was floating but at the same time slowly falling. She opened hers eyes, or was it eye now it didn't matter anyway because all she didn't see anything at all. Just complete utter darkness that surrounded her. The thought that those men took both of her eyes crossed her mind but she somehow doubted it. She managed to turn over just see if she could and she confirmed two things. That she could see, though it was a little off, and she was falling, quite fast in fact. How did she come to these conclusions? Because she could see what looked like a red ocean below her and it growing size by the second. As she grew closer she tried her best to brace for the impact.
Splash
Into the ocean she went…and out she came?
"The hell?"
It was like she fell in then somebody flipped the reverse gravity switch on her then her body stood up right and now she was standing on the surface…on the other side.
"Ooookay"
Naruto looked around some more still somewhat surprised she wasn't breathing in buckets of red water.
Come to think of it…
She kneeled and cupped some of the water in her palms then brought it to her lips and took a sip. Only to cough, what she confirmed was blood, right back up followed by what looked to be some black liquid.
"Did that come out o-!"
More black liquid followed only now it was coming out of her mouth a lot faster like someone just turned on a faucet inside her. It burned like nothing she ever felt before. Like the very roof of her mouth was being set on fire like she was being burned alive from the inside out.
Please…please stop!
The blackness covered the whole surface of the sea now and it was beginning to pulse and bubble. Then as soon as in appeared with in Naruto to it stopped just as suddenly leaving her dry heaving while the blackness began to float off of the surface and circle around her slowly.
So you are one off the Children aren't you little girl?
A whisper came from behind her. She turned only to see nothing but the lively blackness slowly spinning around her.
"W-Who's there?"
A low unearthly hiss filled her brain.
Me?...You want to know who I am?
The black liquid stopped moving for several seconds then began to swirl furiously then gather into a focused point in front her. It morphed and pulsed and squished until it made a deformed shape of a human being. It was as tall as her but pieces of it kept moving and stretching out randomly before coming back to its original place then moving again.
You want to know who am I?
Ruby eyes snapped open on what appeared to be the things face. It took one step forward then vanished. Naruto quickly panicked and was about to search for the shadow being before she felt ice cold arms wrap around her midsection and surprisingly warm breath on her right ear.
I'm hunted and the predator
I'm the answer to the riddle
I'm everything that you fear
It's grip tightened almost becoming painful.
I'm the voice that's inside your head
I'm the broken one that fixed it
The cold grip left Naruto then suddenly the creature was in front of her. Its tar like skin morphed and squirmed until it looked exactly like her expect black blood was oozing out of its empty right eye socket. Its mouth formed a wide Cheshire grin.
"I'm you…"
It stated in a warped voice. Blood red fur began to grow over the doppelganger. Its face began to form a more lupine shape and pointy ear came out of its head then the creature hunched down on all fours. Bone white fangs formed in its maw then a tail sprouted from its rear then another….and another….and another.
Four…six…eight…nine?
The gargantuan creature now towered over her. Swishing its nine tails back and forth behind it as stood before the girl. The monster looked down at her then brought its head to her level.
…and I'm me…
Naruto was stunned then her surprise slowly turned to absolute terror.
"T-The…Kyu….Kyu…"
The nine tailed demon let a chuckle loose that shook the water's surface. It grinned again and brought its snout to the terrified girl.
I'm the Kyuubi no kitsune and I'm your savior…
Red orange fire began to crawl from the back of its throat making its mouth glow.
…and your tormentor
The fire now frothing at the beast mouth lashed out and washed over the blond girl like a great tide. She screamed as her skin darkened and cracked. Her eyes popped and poured down her face in white liquid. Her hair disintegrated, her teeth turned black, and her insides liquefied. The pain was like nothing she could imagine like she had set upon the sun's very surface and all she could…was scream.
***awaken from the demon's lie***
Could you please stop that?
Were the first words she heard moments after the fire set her ablaze. She did stop.
"W-What?"
Her small frame was now breathing heavily as her lungs greedily took in much needed air that they were denied. She examined herself wildly looking for the burns. Her hair was still on her head, her eyes were not melted, and her insides were still solid and aching for food like they were before. She then looked at her surroundings. Three puke green walls surrounded her with one with a doorway in its middle and a barred wall.
"But…how?"
She looked down the hall seeing only blackness like before. She was tempted to go down the hall and find a way out, but the floor rumbling voice from behind the barred wall stopped all of her train of thought.
Just a little joke, warden. I needed something to preoccupy myself while I waited for you to get down here.
She whirled around and ruby red eyes and a cheshire grin met her.
"You?"
Me?
It responded playfully. Naruto slowly made her way to the bars step by step.
"You are…the Kyuubi…right?"
Another deep chuckle
Indeed I am
As she grew nearer she saw the small white tag between the two middle most bars connecting them.
"And…you are…me?"
The grin widened
Somewhat
Naruto stopped now only five feet from the bars
"Somewhat?"
I feel what you feel, taste what you taste, and touch what you touch. But I'm not you…I am inside of you
The blonds cerulean eyes widened.
"Inside of…me?"
Yep and I can tell you being inside of a weak, abused, and uneducated girl is not how I pictured myself spending the twilight years of my immortal life.
The great fox laughed at its own joke while Naruto's head bowed. The girls frame began to shake and her fist tightened until her knuckles were bone white.
"So you are the reason my life has been like this?"
She said through gritted teeth. The crimson eyes and feral grin lowered themselves to her level.
Yes keep going…
"The reason I can't play with other kids, the reason I can't get adopted, the reason I cry myself to sleep in the darkness…"
Drool fell the demons mouth and its eyes had an excited crazed look to them
Yes….more
The demon vessel lifted her head to stare at the demon fox with teary rage filled eyes.
"THE REASON THOSE MEN DID THOSE THINGS TO ME!"
The darkness from the doorway began to crawl and squirm toward Naruto then pooled at her feet then climbed up her legs going over the white hospital gown and covered her body all the way up to her navel.
Kill the beast!
Eats its flesh!
Break its body!
Drink its blood!
RIP IT LIMB FROM LIMB!
MAKE IT PAY FOR HURTING US!
Dozens of black torn covered tentacles struck out from behind Naruto and stabbed into the demon. It let a strange cry mixed with pain…and pleasure.
Yes I'm the reason behind it all…except the last little bit.
Naruto eyes showed confusion at the beasts reply. The voices clawing at the back of her mind didn't care what the demon fox had to say they wanted it to suffer and squirm like a pathetic animal on the ground like they did when those men hurt them.
The last part happened…because…
The beast chuckled then let out a wet cough and blood splattered on the ground before her.
…you were WEAK!
Bright red light shined from the cage and bathed the room in its unholy presence. The blackness screamed and cried before receding to its master's now prone form. After several seconds the light faded away leaving the cage dark again and the room normal.
"B-Because…"
Naruto let out several labored breaths and managed to stand.
"…I was weak!"
The chuckled once again, something that Naruto was beginning to hate, before answering
Yes…but I can fix that
Cerulean eyes narrowed in doubt and suspicion, but curiosity was strong within them.
"How?"
What would do with the knowledge I'm about to share with you I wonder? Would you find and kill those mortals that wounded you so? Then what? Fight off the executioners the old fools will no doubt send after you? Or will just lock yourself away in your shitty room and cr-
"I would kill them…"
The Kyuubi eyes showed confusion.
"…the women…the children….the shinobi…the animals….the men!"
The blackness stood ready to strike anything it was willed to do as it's master stood.
"I WOULD KILL EVERY FUCKING LIVING BEING IN THIS ROTTEN VILLAGE AND LET BLACKNESS EAT THEM ALIVE AND FEAST ON THEIR FLESH!"
The black tentacles whipped around wildly raising to the sky in some sick type of rejoice. The fox's eyes were wide for a few moments then they were closed. They opened again and burned with the very fires of hell within them.
Then lend me your ear little butcher and I will tell you the secrets of how to topple the kingdom of man!
Chapter 2 end