A Demon's Hunger

Written by J-Bones

Co-Written by Ethan Darkcrow

Chapter 2

He walked barefooted through the forest. It wasn't his choice to walk barefooted, he just didn't have any footwear that was suitable for walking at the moment. Walking out of the sparse under brush he turned brilliant sapphire blue eyes towards a large complex which was the only home that he could remember having.

Children outside the front of the building laughed and played on equipment. Some of the girls giggled amongst themselves as they sat in a circle while weaving wildflowers into flowery crowns. Most of the boys were playing a game of kick ball, while everyone else was broken into smaller groups of friends who were playing together or finishing some sort of activity.

The little blue eyed boy watched all the flurry of activity with a scowl on his face as he bowed his head and slowly began making his way to his 'home'. He knew what was coming next, but no matter how many times it happened he would never get use to the feelings that would run through him.

Approaching the front of the complex, the sound of merriment and laughter died away. Silence reigned supreme, as all the children that were outside moved out of the boy's way as he briskly walked through the front yard into the courtyard of the complex. There wasn't a sound, none of the kids said anything, and if anyone did try to speak out they were quickly hushed by their friends or the surrounding children.

This is what he was greeted with every time he had passed by his fellow orphans, he was a ghost.

Scowling deeper at the other kids reactions he made a beeline for his personal room, all the while cursing under his breath at the feeling that was prickling at his chest. His room, was a room that was separate from the other children of the orphanage. A room that use to be a tool shed, but was refurbished into a small apartment.

Here he had lived over five years, and in those years he never once came into contact with any of the other children in the orphanage.

Walking up to the door of his pseudo-apartment, he noticing a covered tray next to his door. Sighing deeply he pulled out a key to open his door before picking the tray up and bringing it inside.

Placing the covered tray on a small table, he walked over to a sink and washed his hands before returning to open it up. Lifting the trays plastic cover he revealed a bowl of steamed rice, a plate of vegetables, two grilled fish and a bottle of tea. Grabbing his chopsticks the boy dug into his food as he tried to contain the burning sensation that prickled in his throat and stung his eyes.

He was tired of being alone. He was tired of the look that he garnered from the adults. Yes, just like the children of the orphanage, the adults also treated him in a similar fashion…only worse. Unlike the children who gave him a wide berth and at times gave him some attention, the adults of the village acted as if he truly was invisible.

He had tried to gain some attention by being loud and rude, but those attempts only failed as it just made people avoid him. He tried pranking or making a fool of himself, but still the eyes of the adults would slide over him without ever missing a beat. Soon his attention getting schemes began to become destructive, but that only gained the attention of the faceless ANBU ninja and often ended with him being scolded by the elderly leader of the village.

All his effort into gaining attention was for nothing. The only person who ever paid him any attention was the aged leader of the village, Sandaime Hokage. The man was like a grandfather to him, or at least what he heard grandfathers were like. The old man would visit him every now and again, and the two would talk about all sorts of things. On every visit the man would bring him some clothing as well as spending money.

Those visits were the highlights of the boy's month.

Having finished his food, noting that he didn't at all feel satisfied, the little boy stared out his window at the setting sun in the distance. Looking at the orange fiery globe in the distance something like a thin string inside the boy stretched taut. Cleaning the dishes, he set them outside his door before he began walking to the front of the orphanage. If any other child had tried this stunt they would have been brought back in by the grounds keepers and scolded, but ever since he was young, and had learned to walk, he was able to come and go at he wished.

Walking to the front of the orphanage, the child's eyes narrowed in anger as he saw the playground where so many kids had fun playing with their friends. The young boy could feel the imaginary string in his chest growing even tauter and vibrating as he lingered around the area.

Turning from the playground, the little boy followed a old path through the forest. A path he himself had worn into the ground. Following said path took him too the edge of a rather large pond. Sitting at the edge the boy looked at his reflection while trying to figure out why he was so different than everyone else.

The first most noticeable aspect was his blonde hair. It stuck out in every direction and was usually unkempt giving him an almost feral look. Next, were his big blue eyes. Eyes, that at the moment were willed with sadness and looked tired. Finally, there were the marks…three thin, black lines radiating out from the center of his face on each of his cheeks. Some of the kids he head overheard talking about him had said that they looked like whiskers. Whether did or did not look like 'whiskers', as far as he knew he was the only one in the entire village who had those markings.

"Hate you…" he said while lashing out at his reflection in the water, once again feeling that 'tightness' in his chest.

So engrossed with his thoughts the child almost missed the sound of a dry twig snapping. Spinning around, searching for the source of the sound he felt something slide into his chest. A millisecond later pain erupted from his chest and blood splashed into the air.

"I…I'm sorry child, b-but you have to understand! That thing you carry cannot be allowed to live on," cried a man as he tenderly held the boy while pressing what ever weapon he used deeper into the kid's chest.

"I promise to leave offerings and give prayer at your grave," said the man his voice filled with grief, "Now please, just die!"

The string snapped.

Struggling with whatever strength he had left the blonde haired boy pushed away from the man. Taking two steps he fell to the ground clutching his chest in pain. Blinking once and feeling absurdly tired, the child closed his eyes and allowed darkness to swallowed him whole…

From with in the darkness a deep voice echoed and commanded, "Awaken, child."

The blonde haired kid opened his eyes with a start before his hands leapt to his chest, looking down he saw the stain of blood seeping through his shirt. However, there was no pain that followed the injury, in fact…there was nothing…he couldn't 'feel' anything. If the boy was given the chance to describe it, he would probably say that it was like being in a dream.

Standing up, he looked around and found himself located within what looked like an old sewer with pipes and corridors leading off in all directions. Having nothing better to do, he picked a corridor and followed it to wherever it may lead.

Following path he was surprised when stepped from it into a very large and ominous looking room. Looking up, he tried to make out the ceiling but the darkness that hovered overhead only made it seem that much taller, almost as if there was no ceiling. Shaking his head of the thought, he strode forward cautiously. On the opposite end of the room stood a gigantic gate made of huge metal bars. In the center of the gate was a piece of paper that held a kanji that the boy couldn't read.

"It says 'seal'," a deep silky voice echoed through out the room.

"How…" he called out, as he took a step closer to the gate while trying to locate the source of the voice. Was there someone there? Where was he? Maybe he can help him find his way…

"Home?" the voice asked in a snide manner, while the blonde gaped at what he saw. Twin crimson orbs opened in the darkness of the cage as did a mouth full of gigantic razor sharp teeth, "Do you really have a home? Or is it just a place where you take shelter from the world?"

Not understanding what the thing was asking him, he shouted at it in irrational anger, "I have a home! I'm not hiding from anything!"

The crimson eyes narrowed slightly, but when the light of the room began to flicker it looked away. "You are dying, child," said the beast its eyes glimmering in anger, but its voice never wavering from it silken tones, "What do you want to do about it?"

"Huh?" the kid replied, his face a picture of puzzlement, "What do you mean? I don't feel like I'm dying."

Looking down at the child the eyes in the darkness closed for a moment, and in that moment the boy fell to the ground screaming as pain once again blossomed from his chest. "Now do you understand what I am talking about?" asked the creature behind the bars, receiving an quick nod. "I can help, but…it will come at a steep price," said the creature is mouth opening wide in what could only described as the animal version of a smile.

"Price?" huffed out the boy as the lights in the sewer flickered once again.

The monstrous creature's smile deepened as it explained quickly, "I can give you an ability of mine that will allow you to become stronger, but…how you activate this ability might make you think twice."

The boy didn't understand what the creature was saying, the pain in his chest was getting worse and he was feeling weaker, "What do you mean?"

The creature behind the gate chuckled once before reciting a ominous sounding poem in dark tones. Its silken voice skipped along the stone surface of the chamber and it held captive on human child as he listened intently to its mysterious words…

And so shall he walk

Covered in crimson tide

Beckoning to the precepts of the flesh

Forever must he abide

'Be one with me'

Called out the song

Though gnashing of teeth

And crunching of bone

And so shall he walk

With borrowed sword and shield

King of all

Until he is sealed…

"Choose boy," commanded the dark entity, "there isn't much time left."

Knowing that something about this deal was 'wrong', but having no other choice except 'death', the blonde said loudly, "I want to live."

"And so you shall, child! So…you…shall…" growled the creature as what looked like crimson water began to flow out of the cage. The boy tried to run but he was too slow and the water engulfed him.

The water burned like fire. Screaming, he watched as the water slowly seeped into his body and entered his mouth. Pain, like nothing he had ever felt before rolled through him. In the distance he thought that he could hear laughter, but at the moment all he could focus on was the soul searing pain that spider webbed through his body.

The familiar darkness began to envelop him as he cast one last glance at the gate and its occupant, what he saw made his blue eyes widen in shock as the creature stepped into the light of the cage and revealed itself to be a gargantuan reddish-orange fox.

Azure colored eyes opened in time to watch as his attacker made another attempt a stabbing him in the chest. This time, however, the little boy grabbed on to the man's hand stopping the progression of the blade.

"Stop fighting! It has to die!" yelled the crazed man, his eyes filled with both madness and sorrow.

Feeling the weapon slowly descending towards him, the blonde did the only thing that was left to him. Opening his mouth, he lunged forward and sunk his teeth into the man's hand.

He expected the man to jerk in pain from his bite, which hopefully would have given him time to get up and run. What he hadn't expected, was the feeling of his teeth sinking into the man's flesh, slicing through ligaments and muscle before the dull crunch of bone was both felt and heard!

Screaming bloody murder, the man jumped away from the boy, cradling his hand. Blood dripped unhindered from the man's mangled hand. His thumb and a large chunk of his flesh was missing from his hand.

The boy felt sick to his stomach.

Tasting the salty, metallic tang of blood sliding down his throat he shivered in disgust. He did know what was happening, but his mouth refused to spit out the chunk of flesh and bone that he had torn out of his attacker. As if having a mind of it own, the child's jaw began masticating the raw piece of meat as well as pulverizing the bone. With in seconds 'it' had been swallowed, leaving a tangy sweet flavor in the child's mouth that made him want to throw up.

"W-what the hell are you?" asked the man, but he was thrown off balance when the boy's face suddenly became rigid in what could only be shock

"Moyashi-chan," said the boy as the man's face became slack with shock.

"What?" asked the man his eye ticking madly, "How…how do you know…that name? O-only my sister should know…" he explained as rage began building in his voice, gathering chakra into his chest he forcefully shaped it into fire chakra as he spat white hot flames at the little monster.

Feeling something click in his mind, he recognized what the man was doing and before the flames could swallow him he put on a burst of speed and dove out of the flames path.

Unfortunately the forest behind him was not so lucky, and they ignited in with fervor spreading to other trees.

Spotting the weapon that his attacker had used in his first assault against him, he used another boost of speed as he scooped up the weapon and faced the man.

Kunai.

It was a word that popped into his head as he spared a glance at blade grasped in his hand.

Seeing the boy use a chakra enhance run to dodge his kunai, the man realized that the child wasn't as defenseless as many made him out to be. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, he tried to turn tail and run. However, as he took his third step a sharp pain erupted from his shoulder as the tip of one of his own kunai protruded from his right shoulder.

The pain of his wound weakened the man's already shaky legs to the point that he was no longer able to stand on them. Hearing a snapping twig the man spun around to find the boy glaring at him.

"Why did you hurt me?" the child asked in confusion before his face set in an angry scowled.

Gripping his shoulder the crazed man made an angry face before turning away and trying to escape.

Kyuubi.

The word had popped into his head and when it did something else fell into place as he asked the man, "Was it because of the Kyuubi?"

Snapping his head around the man stared at the boy in horror. How much did he know? What was he getting at? Was he the Kyuubi like the rumors had said? If so why wasn't he already dead? All these questions bombarded the man's brain, as he stuttered out, "How d-do you know that!? Who told you?"

Seeing that he was getting somewhere, he gave the man a large grin. When his attacker freaked out and began back peddling towards one of the tree that was on fire, the boy had no idea what was going on.

If the boy had cared to check his reflection he would have seen what had made the man so frightened. What once use to be a mouth full of straight teeth, now housed a set of teeth that had no place being in a human's mouth. Both upper and lower set of teeth were pointed and looked to be very sharp indeed. One only needed a brief glance at the set of teeth to deduce their functionality…

…crushing, ripping and severing.

Before he could ask the man what was going on, five faceless ANBU ninja's appeared. "Uzumaki Naruto. Sandaime-sama would like a word with you about this attack as well some other things," said one of the faceless ninja in a tone of voice that lacked emotion and seemed to silently say ' there is no room for arguments'.

Naruto locked his blue eyes on his attacker, who at the moment was both being treated for his wound and arrested for attacking a villager of Konoha. The man's pleas could be heard from where he was standing, but just as the man was getting worked up on of the ninja knocked him out cold with a well placed chop to the neck.

"Come Uzumaki-san, Sandaime-sama is waiting," stated the ANBU ninja grabbing the boy by the shoulders and marching him forward.

"I know the way, jerk!" growled the boy, "No need to push." As the pair walked into the village, the blonde had to wonder what the old man wanted with him…other than the fact that someone had tried to kill him. As they got closer and closer to the Hokage's building he couldn't help but think…

'I've got a bad feeling about this.'