KG: Sigh, finally done. My newest speedrun record for Little Nightmares! Wooo!
Wifey: No one cares.
KG: I CARE!
Wifey: Yeah, even stupid people have things they like.
KG: ARE YOU CALLING ME STUPID?!
Wifey: Nothing gets past you, hun.
KG: Says the one who sounded the alarm at the local Target because she forgot to remove the tag from her new clothes that SOMEONE bought for her.
Wifey: YOU PROMISED NOT TO BRING THAT UP!
KG: I also promised myself I would eat some real ramen for once! Guess what, promises don't always keep!
Wifey: Sigh, just write. I'ma go get lunch.
KG: Love you hun!
Wifey: Fuck off.
Music of the Week: Six's Theme from Little Nightmares OST
Quote: "I will hurt you for this. I don't know how yet, but give me time. A day will come when you think yourself safe and happy, and suddenly your joy will turn to ashes in your mouth, and you'll know the debt is paid," by George R.R Martin, A Clash of Kings.
Naruto and Six continued to stare even when there was nothing to look at for the monstrosity that both had seen was long gone, going about its own business. Naruto felt a bead of sweat fall down his face. What…what was this place? Never had Naruto seen such a creature even in his worst nightmares. Naruto felt his breath calmly leave his body as he stared up at the…thing's workshop. Mountains of corpses laid on its table. No doubt Naruto knew that most of those were probably the children that Naruto and Six had seen earlier.
Water slowly banged on metal. The cold, chilling sounds of the creaks of the ship slowly stirred Naruto and Six out of their surprise. Naruto turned to look at Six, but he couldn't tell her expression from the hood of her jacket. Naruto didn't say a word and neither did Six nor the Nome. They just followed the Nome through the airducts. Naruto kept his thoughts to himself. His mind plagued him over what he had seen, who he had seen, and what this meant for them both. Of course, by now Naruto understood just how 'not in Konoha' he was. He wondered if he was in some uncharted section of the Elemental Nations. Naruto hated to admit it, but perhaps he should have paid more attention to geography class.
Naruto and Six continued crawling after the gnome. The blonde wasn't sure how much time they had been crawling through the ducts for his mind was not on this current task. He was only pulled out of his wonderings when he and Six heard the gnome giving strange skittish noises. Naruto glanced up and both noticed the Nome pointing out into the next area. It didn't seem to want to go any further. Naruto gently moved to the front. He looked out of the hole which led to the next area.
Naruto didn't see anything suspicious. It was too dark. He could make out what appeared to be another playroom. It was more than likely for the caged kids. Yet, for kids who had been held captive in this place, Naruto doubted they would be eager to play anything. Naruto wondered if this place was for…newer kids. The thought didn't help Naruto at all, but regardless, he and Six had their next area to get across and by the looks of it, there wasn't much that was going to stop them. "Alright, it looks clear. We're gonna move if you're ready," Naruto said. Six took the time to get her own impressions of the room. She saw nothing hindering them so she gave Naruto her approval to proceed.
Ready to exit, Naruto turned around to the Nome and the young blonde quickly grinned. He then massaged its cone-shaped head again. Naruto wasn't sure, but he wondered if the Nome was happy him giving it this level of affection. It seemed to like it. "Thanks. You really helped us out. As promised, we'll leave you alone. We'll try not to get in your way," Naruto said. The Nome didn't say anything. It just turned and walked back the way it had guided them. Naruto gave it a wave goodbye before he turned around and joined Six on the ground level.
Six heard the thud of her blonde partner's body and she heard him give a moan of discomfort. Strange, how despite his injuries, he wasn't slowing her down as much as she thought he might have. To the contrary she was sure she had skipped a couple of rooms to due to her run in with that Nome. Six was glad something was going her way for once. She turned and watched the blonde kick some large building blocks out of the way. He seemed to be grumbling to himself, but Six decided not to raise any issue about it. She just kept moving.
Naruto was close behind her. The air in the room was cold. It was possible that there was air-conditioning flowing from the ship and through the rest of the rooms and the corridors. Yet, this cool air was unlike what Naruto defined as comforting. It was chilling his body and the blonde was sure that this type of air was not normal. He turned and noticed Six already moving to get out of the room. Naruto was unsure of her hurry, but he admitted he didn't want to stay in this place any longer than they absolutely needed.
Six glanced behind her form to see how Naruto was faring. He was trudging along like normal. She wondered if his body was getting any better. The yellow-hooded girl had no idea how long it would take them to make their way out of the ship, or if there was even a way out at all, but they had somehow gotten on this floating metal deathtrap and there had to be a way off. Six hated these rooms. Whenever she was in them she always felt like she was being watched, only now she actually knew by what. It was that horrendous, ugly thing that had been watching them. For now, the girl didn't even want to know what that meant for her and Naruto.
Naruto and Six made it out of the playroom without any hassles. Quickly, Naruto noticed that the flooring was beginning to change. They had been walking on metal for the past hour and hour or so and now he could hear the hard knocks of wood against his feet. Naruto pushed open and door allowing him and Six to walk through it. Naruto grunted in obvious pain. His body felt like it was burning and not in the good way. The blonde wondered if he was going to spill his guts onto the floor, but he fought hard against the urge. A pat on the back from Six steadied his nerves. "Sorry, I'll be fine. This is nothing. Let's keep going!" Naruto urged. Six didn't argue, though she found herself a tad concerned. Something that surprised her.
Six pointed at the wooden door. More than likely they were going to have to get out of the room that way. Yet, given their height, Naruto was sure they won't be reaching that doorknob the standard way. Naruto's body burned and ached with immense pain, but he walked next to the door. "Come on. I'll hoist you up, dattebayo!" Naruto said. He was ready to receive his hooded partner. He watched her climb into his hands. Six felt Naruto jerk as he dropped her bringing her back to the ground. Naruto bit his lower lip to stifle the pain.
Naruto gave a pant. "Sorry, let's go again! I got you this time," Naruto said. He braced himself for all the pain to come upon him, and come upon him it did as Naruto felt like his arms were able to tear from the rest of his body. He held against the pain and once Six was situated, Naruto pushed her onto his shoulders. Six grabbed the doorknob and opened the door.
The door creaked open. The next space around the was wide. It was very wide. Yet, Naruto felt something ominous about this room. He could feel danger in this room. He felt this way because he could see statues about his or Six's height. There were at least five scattered around the room. One was blocking its eyes as if it had been staring at something utterly dreadful. Another one was the statue next to it kneeling as if in agony and pain. But the thing that raised so many alarms in Naruto's head was that enormous eye settled at the middle of the room, closed. Naruto didn't know what he felt, but he recalled that eye on the door. It was the same eye as the one in front of him. He was sure of it.
Naruto turned and he noticed Six pointing to the other end of the hall. Naruto noticed Six was ready to break off into a run, but Naruto quickly grabbed her hood and pulled her back. Six was surprised as Naruto jerked her back to him. She was surprised that she got pulled into his arms, almost…protectively. She was surprised at his closeness and Six couldn't help seeing the fear, yet security in his eyes. She looked downward. This contact was…making her funny and not in the good way. The blonde held her a bit tighter, but the hooded girl quickly heard him speak. "Don't go yet. I have a bad feeling about this," Naruto said.
Six frowned for a moment, but she turned back to the open runway. Naruto looked around the room for a moment. He then glanced down on the floor and Naruto noticed a broken bolt. Perhaps it was from the walls or another place. Regardless, Naruto picked it up. Six curiously watched her blonde escape partner and she watched Naruto throw the bolt across the runway that Six had almost being running on.
The bolt made a loud thud as it slowly rolled across the floor. Naruto and Six watched as it rolled on the floor and Six quickly realized what had Naruto been so cautious of. A massive blast of light filled the room. Both noticed the eye that had rested at the center of the room was fully opened. They watched the eye track the rolling bolt until the bolt stopped. The eye then began shining its light in different areas of the room. Six hugged Naruto's body as the light shined just barely around their cover. The lone pillar where they laid provided just enough space and cover that the light never rested on their forms.
Naruto frowned, but then the blonde genin looked back at the statues. Naruto slowly leaned forward and reached out his hand. His hand entered the light from the eye. Naruto gasped. His hand was hardening, he could feel pain searing through his injured body. All feeling in his hand began to leave. Naruto jerked his arm out of the light and panted. He rubbed his hand for just a moment in agony. Naruto opened his hand to survey the damage. Six widened her eyes when she saw Naruto's hand nearly turned to solid stone.
The blonde jinchuuriki turned back to the statues. So, that's how they got like that. "I bet whoever runs this nightmare stand used that light thing to capture anyone who managed to escape. I guess if you're turned into those guys then you're dead," Naruto said. Six agreed. She definitely didn't like the sound of that. The yellow-hooded girl was then suddenly aware of herself as she noticed Naruto held her closely to him. Six squirmed which got Naruto's attention. "Ah! Sorry, I didn't mean it! Don't hit me!" Naruto said as he released Six from his grasp.
Six raised an eyebrow. While she was happy to be free as the close contact was…unfamiliar to her and a little unsettling, but she wasn't going to hit him. He had helped her out of a rather…bad situation. She had been too hasty and it nearly costed her life. Six couldn't afford that. Perhaps, it was good fortune for her to have spent some time in getting Naruto out. Sure, they weren't making as much progress as she would have liked, but the girl was more than happy to take the time as long as she made it out alive. In any case, Six wasn't about to strike him for nothing, not that her punches would mean anything even if she did.
Naruto waited for the strike that never came. He slowly opened his eyes and he noticed Six just looking at him, or so he assumed by the position of her hood. Naruto wondered how stupid he looked. He couldn't help it. Sakura had done the same thing so many times if he even laid a finger on her. Granted, Naruto did stupid stuff most of the time, he admitted that, but with Sakura it seemed like EVERYTHING he did was stupid. Was he that messed up? He felt like he couldn't even tell anymore. "No, no it's her fault! It's Sakura's fuckin' fault! It's that dumb, bitch, slut's fault for turning him into this! All I ever wanted were friends! I just wanted to hang out! I WAS NEVER GOOD ENOUGH FOR HER WAS I? I WAS NEVER GOOD ENOUGH FOR THAT PINK-HAIRED BITCH!" Naruto panted as covered the side of his face. Naruto was unable to see, but slowly his eyes turned a dark red and his mouth formed a crooked smile.
"Yes, it's her fault! It's all been her fault! You befriended her when others made fun of her! You tried to hold her up when other's put her down, and how did she repay you? With hatred, annoyance, beatings, insults, bruises, and isolations. What did you ever see in her? What did she ever see in you?! What does she know of Uzumaki Naruto's greatness?! DEVOUR HER!"
Naruto released a tired breath as a small chuckle escaped his lips. Yeah, he could do that! He could rip out her throat and leave her bleeding on the ground as the rest of the Rookies watched. Yes, that sounded like a fantastic idea. That bitch would rue the fuckin' day she messed with him! Kakashi Hatake would rue the day that dared cast Naruto aside like a piece of fuckin' trash! Sasuke Uchiha would rue the day HE FUCKIN' DARED SPEAK AS IF HE WAS ABOVE NARUTO UZUMAKI! Konoha would all pay for their stupidity! He would make them all pay!
A hand broke Naruto from his trance. Naruto looked up and he noticed Six still waiting for him so that they could make their move. Naruto leaned forward and he looked back at his hand. He was surprised to see the petrification on his hand had been removed. He could freely use his hand once again along with all the painful feeling that came with it. Naruto flexed his hand for a moment before he turned back to their current problem. "You got any ideas on getting past that light?" Naruto asked.
Six had been thinking about that. There wasn't a lot in the room that they could use. She also didn't want to backtrack as that would take even longer. Six wasn't about to become a statute and she was sure that Naruto wasn't ready to become one either. Six gave the room another look over and her eyes quickly settled on a large mirror. It was easily bigger than her, but perhaps both she and Naruto could lift it up. At the very least, they could roll it on the ground. It was oval-shaped mirror so they could roll it as well. Six liked that idea and she could feel a smile come upon her face.
The hooded girl quickly gathered the blonde ninja's attention. She pointed Naruto to the mirror and Naruto was quickly surprised, but Six loved the devious grin on his face. Naruto quickly moved himself around the pillar He made sure that the light wasn't on him. For its width, the light wasn't able to reach every corner of the room. Naruto was thankful for that. He and Six maneuvered their bodies around the light and managed to make it to the large mirror.
Naruto grabbed one of the handles and Six did the same. Both took a deep breath and picked up the large mirror. Naruto winced, but he offered no complaints. Unknown to him, Six wasn't having a fun time either. She hardly had the strength to lift something so heavy, but they hardly had that many options in the matter. So, the two pulled their strength as much as they could. They pulled the mirror into the light and the mirror blocked the light from their bodies. Naruto could feel his body begging him to stop, but he ignored its urging.
The two couldn't have been more thankful than when they crossed the room. Both dropped the mirror and it fell to the floor with a heavy thud. Naruto groaned as he leaned against the wall. He could hear Six lightly panting indicating just how much she had been struggling as well. Yet, they had made it across the room without too much trouble. Both weren't opposed to a small break for themselves.
Five or Six minutes passed, Naruto glanced back at the eye and he couldn't help sharing his thoughts. "Hey Six, have you ever noticed this place?" Naruto asked. Six glanced back to Naruto, confused. What kind of question was that? What did he think they had been traversing for the last two or so hours? Perhaps she should have smacked him over the head if he didn't explain that question soon. Luckily, for Naruto, he would do just that.
"I mean, first there is the fact that they're taking children, second is the freaks like that long armed…thing, and now it's these eyes with the freakin' power to turn people to stone. Even you have to find it weird, right? We saw that thing kill one of the kids, but why would they go through all this work just to kill them? We saw that playroom from before and they also had us in cages. They even fed us. I had something to eat for the split second before I got knocked out again. So obviously they want us alive for the moment, but why do they need us alive if they're only going to kill us?" Naruto asked. Six didn't reply. She found Naruto's words rather interesting and she had a feeling that he wasn't done.
"I think…it's maybe two things. Either it's a game to them, they want us to try and escape and if we don't then we're dead. Or, I think we're being…collected…like animals," Naruto said. Six frowned underneath her hood. Naruto wasn't suggesting that they were being harvested, was he? Six didn't like either option honestly and both filled her with a sense of urgency. She didn't like this foreboding feeling.
"I dunno. I'm not good with those whole strategy thing, but my gut's been telling me that for a while. We're going to get out of here, but I'm never going to die like that," Naruto said as he stood to his feet. He felt like they had rested enough and so did Six. Unknown to Naruto, the hooded girl gave a small smile. Yeah, perhaps she did make the right choice so far. Though, it still remained to be seen if they did escape. At least his mindset was aligned with her own.
In time, the duo quickly continued further into the depths of the abyss that was their prison. Naruto began climbing some steel grated cages. Naruto glanced back and he noticed Six effortlessly working behind him. Both scaled the wall and Naruto had to admit, despite his injuries, the feeling of doing this hard work reminded him of some of those training sessions he had with the pervy sage. While Naruto wouldn't have liked this feeling of straining his body, this unknown absence of chakra, and his increasing hatred for Konoha and his, but he had to count his blessings that he had someone like Six. She didn't talk much, if at all, but she was a very dependable person Naruto was learning. As he climbed, Naruto couldn't help wondering how he might have managed this situation without Six.
Naruto finally made it to their destination over the floor they had been last time. Naruto rested on a separate platform and turned around. He held out his hand for Six and, through some pain, pulled her up to the platform he stood on. Six stood on the platform which was the access to the next floor. Naruto and Six noticed a couple of doors, but their handles were beyond their reach. Naruto would have liked to know what was in those rooms for information's sake, but he wasn't going to push his luck where he didn't need to. Naruto had already seen more than what he wanted of this place. He didn't need to see anymore. Yet, there was this sense of foreboding. Somewhere, in the depths of Naruto's mind, he could feel that this place was doing something to him, and maybe Six as well, but Naruto could feel something different.
"What I wouldn't give for a map rather than walking around here like a headless chicken, dattebayo," Naruto lightly moaned. Six wasn't about to disagree with him. The poor, hooded girl did which she had some indication that they were going the right way, but as far as Six was concerned, they had been moving up and up and she was sure they would find something sooner or later. Though, she much preferred sooner to later.
Naruto surveyed their newest surroundings. He looked over the side. It was a long way down to the area they had struggled with before. The light seemed to be gone as the eye had closed. Naruto didn't want to go back down there and check. Naruto nearly missed it, but he saw a very familiar looking creature run into the darkness. That cone-shaped head was easily distinguishable. So, there were more of these Nome things than the one that Naruto and Six had met. Naruto wondered if they would help him as well, but it was too far gone before Naruto could do anything. Naruto decided to leave it alone and both turned back to their path.
Naruto noticed his yellow-hooded partner walking towards the door to the far right. Naruto moved to catch up with her. He noticed her positioned next to the door. Naruto took his spot next to her. It didn't seem to be locked so they decided to push it open. Six gave confirmation to Naruto for their next plan. Naruto placed a finger to his lips. They would open the door as quietly as they could and they would plan their next move based on their situation. Now one might think, Uzumaki Naruto actually thinking forward for once? Well, despite a lot of his bravado, Naruto understood the situation he was in. He was in hostile territory, his body was still badly hurt from that fight with Sasuke, his chakra was slow to fill his body, and they were facing what he couldn't even begin to describe, just the word 'monstrosities' seemed to be accurate enough. As it was, all he could rely on right now was his own tenacity for survival and Six's own determination to escape.
Both nodded and slowly opened the door. The door squeaked open, much to the displeasure of both, but they fully opened it and rushed through it. The door slowly closed behind them, creaking as it did so. Soon, both were covered in darkness. It took Naruto's eyes a little bit of time to get used to this darkness, but he quickly noticed…bed? Snoring filled Naruto's ears. Both noticed beds and they saw a couple of shadows squirm in those beds. "Are they…sleeping?" Naruto asked. Six wasn't sure if they were, but if they were she didn't want to wake them up.
Naruto's mind was running. Kids, perhaps even younger than Six were sleeping in those beds peacefully. Naruto wondered if they were even aware of their situation. He wondered if he could wake them up. Could he help them escape? Naruto wanted to help them, but…could he help them? How could he do anything like fighting right now? Now, granted he was by no means weak or defenseless, but this was not a situation he wanted right now. Yet, this angered Naruto for some reason. No, Naruto didn't need to save them. If they were all like that last guy Naruto spoke with then they could all keep themselves stuck in here. Naruto heard it too many times, people giving up because something seemed too hard. He hated that more than anything. The times he had to scrape and claw himself out of the many holes that had been dug in his life were too numerous to count. If he had succumbed to them all he would not be alive to even be in this current situation. Naruto was never going to be like that. He would be what he wanted to be, and not what others dared assume.
Naruto and Six moved forward. Both tried to keep as little noise as possible. Naruto decided to run parallel to Six so that they could cover a wider range of space. Naruto ducked underneath one of the beds while Six moved forward. A tiny light was their only aide of vision in this isolated place. The children blissfully unaware of the two intruders around their space. Naruto and Six paid them no mind. Both noticed a light from a distant room. Six glanced left and then right. She then ran across the room as silently as she could. Naruto watched her make it to one of the other beds. She slid underneath it. She turned around and signaled for Naruto to come as well. Naruto nodded as he was prepared to make a run of his own.
However, Naruto suddenly stopped. He widened his eyes. His senses were firing around him. His ears picked up on noise. Deep, yet sharp, purposeful thuds filled his ears. Light grunts and clicks were also sounds that Naruto heard. How? How?! No way could it move that fast with that body! It's unnatural height, and its unnatural arms, Naruto didn't understand how it could move that fast! The hard pounding upon the floorboards filled his ears. Six and Naruto could hear the sounds of the door to their left jiggling open. Naruto's feet froze as, within th darkness, he saw long arms slide across the floor along with the hunched back of an abnormal being. Its stench filled the room as Naruto could hear it click and lightly grunt. Naruto knew he was looking at that thing that he had seen before. Its crooked teeth, its arched back, its devilishly long arm in comparison to the rest of its body, Naruto memorized it all and right now it was in the same room as him and Six.
Naruto and Six watched it move. It seemed to move quietly through the room. Its boots bumped against the wood softly, almost as if it was aware to not disturb the sleeping children. Naruto and Six watched it observe the children in their beds. The sound of its clicks was the most grotesque thing Naruto had heard. Both watched it patrol the room. The blonde turned to his partner. He watched her usher for him to come, but the Jinchuuriki shook his head. Naruto turned his eyes to the door the creature had come through. Naruto frowned for a moment. With the length of that thing's arms, Naruto wasn't sure if he and Six could just make a break for it or not. One, Naruto was hurt, and that wasn't working out in their favor.
So, Naruto told Six to go on without him. Six didn't even have to time to even be surprised at his suggestion before she watched Naruto dash from under the bed. His feet slammed on the floorboards with increasing pace. Yet, Six could tell that Naruto was not fully capable of running just yet. He looked like half-limping as he made a stupid, reckless charge for the door. It was then that Six heard the massively distorted being croak in alarm. Obviously, it must have heard him. It chased after him.
Naruto turned back to Six and the hooded girl watched him give her a wide grin and he then gave her a thumbs up. He rushed out the door with it behind him. Six merely watched as the door closed. The malnourished girl couldn't tell if she should have been worried about him. She didn't want him to die, not after all that effort she took just to make sure he stayed alive. For him to just recklessly throw his life away for her sake was something she had trouble comprehending.
Yet, Six found herself turning around and heading for her original destination. The loud bangs upon the floor slowly grew quiet as Naruto led the being further and further away. Six clenched her hands, but she continued moving. If, and Six used that word loosely, Naruto survived, then Six was damn sure going to give him a piece of her mind. No, no ifs, he would make it. Six knew him. Perhaps she didn't know him too well, but she knew he was a survivor. He was just like her. He did what was necessary to stay alive. He…would be fine. Six…didn't need to worry. So…where was this sudden anxiety coming from? Six didn't need to care. Six didn't want to care. Yet…she did.
-x-
The Janitor figured that his role was simple. Take care of the children, make sure they were fed, make sure they slept, and make sure they didn't hurt themselves. That should have been a simple role, and yet there were these other damn kids who tried to escape. Oh sure, they tried to escape. It was inevitable for some of them, but he usually didn't have too much trouble with most of them. They were either usually caught by him or dead from his other coworkers. He had made sure that none of them got away from him and he wasn't about to have that record tarnished right now.
These small, pattering steps were sounds that the Janitor knew very well. The space between them, indicated a larger creature than the typical rats he heard or those other…things that littered the ship. Honestly, he did not like running after then, but disobedient children would be taught a lesson. Such as this one. He could tell it was one of the newer ones who had escaped. The ones that had been here for a little while had a rather distinctive…smell to them and by the way this one was running from him, they were injured as well, pretty badly. The Janitor creaked his crooked teeth. Honestly, sometimes they made it too easy.
Pain filled Naruto's body. Each step sent shocks of agony, suffering, and discomfort through his body. Yet, Naruto forced himself to keep running because he could hear the dreaded, frantic steps behind him. Naruto growled as he told his body to toughen up! Naruto was not that helpless! At the very least, Naruto could dodge this thing behind him and rejoin with Six, but Naruto would not allow her to get hurt. After what she had done to set him free, and her patience with him, how could he not repay that?
Naruto quickly turned a corner. He could barely make out his surroundings. He moved his way up a flight of stairs. Naruto could feel his heart thumping in his chest. Fear and adrenaline powered his movements. He turned around and he noticed the creature right on his heels. Naruto quickly made another turn. He jumped over a wooden box. Naruto then bashed open a door. His shoulder was going to hurt him for that one later, but he continued running.
Naruto didn't even have time to marvel the enormous hall that he had found himself in. He couldn't marvel at the massive machine parts that worked the giant ship. No, he could only focus on his own terrors. He wondered if there was anything in his clothes that could help him. He tried searching, but he had nothing. He then recalled that his fight with Sasuke had essentially left him weaponless. It always fuckin' came back to Sasuke didn't it?!
"Why? Why do you run? Uzumaki Naruto never runs! Oh wait no, perhaps this is what Uzumaki Naruto is now! A great big coward. All that talk about what he would do to the Konoha that mistreated him, stepped on him, disrespected him, kicked him aside, and insulted him was just that. It was just all talk. Perhaps it was just like that hallowed dream of Hokage? Yes, who would respect Uzumaki Naruto, the village coward?!"
Naruto clenched his fists. His pain forgotten. Him, a coward?! NARUTO WAS A COWARD?! "I'm not a coward! I'm going to make them all acknowledge and respect me! I always tried! I tried my best! What else am I supposed to do?! I did it all to protect them! EVERYTHING I DID WAS TO PROTECT THEM!" Naruto hollered back. He couldn't believe this. Was he actually arguing with voices in his head? That was not what Naruto needed right now.
"Ah yes, you're so called 'friends.' Though, I do wonder if they would do the same for you. If I recall, a lot of those friends of yours mocked you. Yes, none of them believed in you. They all laughed at you. They never took you seriously. Ha, and why would they? After all, apparently Uzumaki Naruto is all talk. But I suppose it's not his fault. Don't worry, obviously Sasuke should have been blessed with the burden of the Kyuubi. His Uchiha genes, his natural prowess as a shinobi, his dojutsu, and the Kyuubi together? Why he would be unstoppable. Meanwhile, Uzumaki Naruto could remain the no-name orphan brat who went about his shinobi career while Uchiha Sasuke achieved great things. Oh wait, I think that's happening right now isn't it?"
Naruto growled. He didn't see where he was going. He charged down another corridor and leapt over a steel. No, that wasn't true! Naruto deserved great things! Naruto achieved great things! Naruto did what others couldn't or didn't want to do. Naruto always spent the longest time training! Naruto always studied the hardest, even though he sucked at it! Naruto always learned the hardest! Naruto always dreamt the highest! Naruto always pushed and shoved the fastest! They…they weren't even close to him! "No, I did it. I did all that. I fuckin' hated it, but I stayed in the library the longest. I was the last to leave the academy grounds until those damn teachers forced me out. All that hard work I've put in. I was not like that!" Naruto snarled. Soon he heard the voice outright laugh at him.
"Oh, you were not like that? HA! You always were a jokester, Uzumaki Naruto. So you've done all these things and they think they can measure to you. They think they have the right to even speak or stand close to you! Comrades? Allies? Who needs comrades and allies who can't even protect themselves without their little puppet around? I mean, that's all Uzumaki ever will be right? No, that's all Uzumaki Naruto ever was. Face it. Compared to Sasuke Uchiha, Konoha always found you to be discarded garbage. But don't worry, after all in Konoha's eyes, Konoha expects nothing from you. Who would expect anything from a proclaimed….whore's son?"
Naruto stopped. He looked down at the metal flooring he had been running on. His gasped for breath, but he could not feel his tiredness. "Shut up," Naruto said. He grinded his nails against his hands so hard that they bled onto the floor. His eyes turned red as a small dark, black dot appeared at the side of each iris. Naruto trembled. He was angry. He was very angry. He hated this place. He hated this voice. He HATED Konoha!
"Aww, did I touch a nerve? Come on, obviously you hear the whispers too right? Dear old dad got it on with a call girl. Paid her some money to keep quiet. She took the money and dropped off the baby at the orphanage. Tsk tsk tsk, man there were some brutal ones in there. Yet, like the little puppet you never got mad, you never got angry, and you just happily smiled away, locking all of these feelings up. Nice work, you know how to get your strings pulled,"
"Shut. Up! They don't know what they're talking about. I'm better than them. It doesn't matter who the hell my parents were, I am not them. I am me! What else could I have done except prove them all wrong?! I did what I had to survive! Of course they talked about me! They always talked about me. They still talk about me!" Naruto answered. His body refused to respond to any commands for him to move.
"Ah, and now we have gotten to the crux of the issue: Uzumaki Naruto just wanted to survive. How could he survive? Ah yes, by trying to attain the highest position possible in a shinobi village, the Hokage seat. He would survive it all if he got that position. He would survive all the hate, all the loneliness, all the jealousy, and all of the misery that he had been dealt. Would knowing who your parents were have helped you to survive? Yes, it seems like it would have. That soulful look in your eyes. You wanted it so badly,"
Naruto didn't know how to feel. He was hurt, both physically, mentally, and spiritually. He wanted it all to end. He hated this voice that tormented him. His rage fired inside his body. "What could I have done? Jiji didn't know about..," Naruto stopped in shock as a massive hand wrapped around his body. He remembered suddenly what he had been running so hard from. He could feel the creature's strength as it almost seemed to crush his body. Naruto struggled as hard as he could, but the pain from his battle with Sasuke had long taken its toll on his body and with this creature's strength just being in its grasp was almost torture personified.
"HA! You're going to say the Sandaime Hokage didn't know?! Please. Uzumaki Naruto isn't that stupid. The Sandaime Hokage knows each and every single person within the village. He has to be aware of any spies from other nations, right? He knew who Uzumaki Naruto's parents were. HE KNEW BUT HE DIDN'T TELL YOU! He didn't trust you! He wanted you to be kept in the dark! After all, a boy who wants to know anything about his parents…would do anything for the village,"
Naruto couldn't fight the tightening grip. He could hear the creature's clicking in his ears. Slowly it forced him to look at it. Naruto stared at its crooked flesh, its sharp teeth, and its arched face. Yet, Naruto's eyes watered. Tears fell from face and to the creature's hands. Yes, Naruto knew. Of course, Naruto knew! He was just hoping the Sandaime would have stopped lying to him and would have told him the truth eventually. He blindly followed all their demands like a dog before it was sent the pound.
"Stop right there. I already know what you're going to ask. I've been looking for someone to supervise your training with the Chunin exam. I have other matters to handle. I don't have time to deal with you, Naruto."
Naruto balled his fists. He let out an eerily defensive snarl as his hair covered his eyes.
Excuses.
"Why would I eat with you? You're annoying me. Go away,"
He remembered the hatred, the pain, the sting of cold, hard rejection. Slowly, the creature raised its other hand. It would cover Naruto in both hands and take him back to his cage where he would be the first on its table to be killed and packaged away to the others. Yet, as the darkness loomed over him, Naruto slowly smiled.
Rejection.
"Unlike Sasuke, you have no shinobi talent."
Inferiority.
Naruto slowly chuckled. He couldn't stop laughing. It was so funny. It was all suddenly so funny, right? Naruto was beginning to understand. No, not beginning, he had always known. There was no truth for him in Konoha. There was nothing in Konoha. Naruto found it so funny. The number of years he spent training for the 'Will of Fire.' What a stupid concept.
"I just…I just want to know...who were my parents? What kind of people were they?" A young Naruto asked after he had been given his brand-new apartment. Next to him stood the Sandaime Hokage. He stared relentlessly into the young jinchuuriki's eyes. Naruto just wanted to know. He just wanted to have some closure that his parents were actually those he could wonder about.
The Sandaime turned around. A frown appeared on Naruto's face. "There is no use asking about that. It won't bring the dead back," The Sandaime said as he walked out of Naruto's new apartment without another word. Naruto watched him go from the edge of his balcony. Naruto couldn't stop as the tears fell down from his eyes.
There was no use asking about that?! It wouldn't bring the dead back?! Naruto knew that, but he just wanted one damn thing! All he wanted was just one fuckin' thing to go right in his life. Naruto's laughter got even bigger which confused the Janitor. The Janitor couldn't see, but it could hear and smell. It could hear Naruto's laughter as well as smell something different about the blonde. A dark, black mist slowly surrounded Naruto's body. Naruto's red eyes brightened as he glared at the Janitor.
"That's right, Uzumaki Naruto. Why serve a village who has thought nothing of you? What are you going to do to them? The horrors inside this place, what will you do when you have survived? What will you do when you leave this place? It won't do good to bring the dead back? Heh, why don't you tell that to Konoha when you bring back that worthless, useless, self-gratifying Uchiha back to them! Tell that to the old bitch who still never gave you what was rightfully yours! Tell what you are going to do to them!"
"Devour them. I'm going to devour them," Naruto said with a hard chuckle. Yes, Naruto was going to make them all pay. Naruto stared at the Janitor and he gave another laugh. The first one to pay would be this disgusting piece of shit for all the problems it had been causing Naruto. Naruto struggled as hard as he could and he managed to tear one of his arms from the Janitor's grip. "I'm gonna devour you and the rest of this damn place until you end up at the bottom of the sea, TEME!" Naruto said as he raised his hand into the air. The black mist swirled possessively around his arm. With unparalleled force, Naruto swing it down. The Janitor screeched in utter pain as Naruto slashed the Janitor's face. The Janitor let Naruto go and grabbed his face in utter pain as the black mist burned the etches of his visage.
Naruto dropped to the ground and glanced at his hand, covered in the Janitor's blood. Naruto's red eyes pierced the darkness of the vessel and he licked the blood off his hand. It tasted as disgusting as it looked. He turned back to his current annoyance. "Don't relax just yet. You're about to take a trip! A very long trip!" Naruto said before he backflipped through the air. Naruto landed on another side of the flooring. He glanced at the black mist swirling around his hand. Naruto shouted as he jabbed his hand into the steel floor. Effortlessly, Naruto slashed his hand through the floor. Satisfied with his work, he turned back to the Janitor, who seemed to be suffering immensely from his injuries.
"I wouldn't stay there if I were you," Naruto said. Almost instantly, the area began to crack. The Janitor gave an otherworldly shriek as the flooring sliced open sending the screaming creature into the depths of the ship. Naruto watched it go down with a wide smirk of satisfaction. He turned around and began running down a hallway. He had to get back to Six as fast as possible. As he ran, Naruto's red eyes filled the darkness. "You're next, Konoha. Just you wait!" Naruto said.
KG: I suppose that is a good place to stop for now. Oh man, I'm liking this direction more and more.
Wifey: You made him an edgy, angsty pre-teen. Ooooh drama!
KG: Fuck off.
Wifey: Says the person who played the game 15 times before he remembered he had a job!
KG: IT WAS GOOD OKAY?!
Wifey: Sigh, I could have married anyone, yet I chose you.
KG: As I keep saying, more like I'm the only one who had the patience to keep up with you. You might not buy bae, but you're the definition of edge lord….edge queen…edge…princess. Whatever the female term is.
Wifey: I hate you.
KG: Love you too. Anyway, that's all folks. Stay Breezy, protect what's important to you, review, and SEND ME CREAM SODA!
Wifey: No comment.
KG: ALSO RESPECT THE FUCKIN' CREAM!
