AN: PLEASE DON'T HATE ME! I had the story all nice and completed…then poof! Gone! So sorry. All my stories are gone and I'm still rewriting them. Geh. So, sorry and review. Sorry it took so long again. oh and sorry it is so short
No, it couldn't be…eyes impossibly wide, he watched as his sensei moved toward him, hand stretched toward him, trying to reach him.
That was the last thing he saw.
He felt it in stages; his eyes shut down, his ears refused to pick up sound and he lost touch with the world surrounding him until all he could see was a dark damp system of pipes that looked a lot like the boiler room he was locked in when little by the villagers.
He let out a breath of air; he knew this place inside and out. The familiar setting made it easier for him to function. Ignoring the dripping coming from somewhere to his left, he moved forward down a hall, turning right then a sharp left, and continued straight, the small puddles of water on the ground becoming bigger and spreading, swallowing his ankles as he moved forward.
He walked aimlessly past the wooden doors, ignoring the screams and cries coming from behind the thin pieces of wood. This was the part of his childhood best kept hidden deeply in the back of his mind. He ignored his cries and focused on what they were telling him: he was getting closer.
He counted the doors as he passed them. 1, the time he was beaten on his 3rd birthday. 2, when his teacher yelled at him for breathing and then took a ruler to his behind. 4, when he was 6 and was put into Totemo Aka, the maximum ANBU holding cells for stepping on a bug; 'for committing murder' they had called it. 5, when an old lady told him his worth, why he was on this earth; 'to die painfully, for a demon like you shall always pay for your sins.' She had said at the beginning of her rant. 6, when he was locked in the boiler room for the first time. 7, the first time he had food and names thrown at him. 8, when he realized what was inside of him. And 9, when he accepted the darkness that came with the beast.
He stood in front of the door, knowing the growling beast was behind it. Closing his eyes, trying to prepare himself, he felt the hot metal knob in his hands and turned.
He was met with a wave of heat. The warmth surrounding him and filling him with longing. This was the warmth he had took comfort in after every bad day or incident. This was his most shameful secret; the fact that the warmth and love he felt for this beast was real, the fact that he could find serenity in the mighty beast's threatening growl.
Sighing in hidden pleasure, Naruto opened his eyes to look the great beast in the eyes, to prove to himself that this was real.
"Human, you are the one who is housing me? I should take your body and burn the damnable village to the ground; such a weak host…you! Human! Do you speak?" bellowed the great beast.
Naruto looked on, ignoring the growling Kitsune, much more fascinated by the red fur on the thick tails and around the glowing amber eyes, a darker red than the rest of the fur on the fox.
"I always knew human's were pathetic but not this much! Those villagers shall burn, a weakling and a slow one…Human! Answer me!" ranted the demon.
His eyes narrowed. This was not the fox he had come to adore, this was the cocky defensive fox he had come to hate, the one that burned down villages for sport, fighting to prove he was alive, that he wasn't weak. This was the fox the villagers despised and if he was truthful with himself, he would have too if he had not listen when the fox whined in the night, when he called out it longing, if he had not listened to the beast's deepest desires…this was a mask and it was hiding the fox he had come to care for.
He knew he couldn't just spill out the demon's personal story, his deepest thoughts, and nightmares. It would only infuriate the beast and push him further away. He needed to prove his worth, to gain his respect and then friendship. He had to plan; he needed Iruka. Until then, he would just bullshit his way out like he always did.
Forgoing his usual happy-go-lucky mask, he went for a different approach. Closing his eyes, he focused chakara into them, making them an impossible ice blue. Tilting his head to the side a little he let a sadistic smirk cross his lips. Sure that his eyes were bright and frosty, he opened his eyes and took in the calculating glare that was aimed at his person.
"Do I speak? What kind of question is that?" he scoffed, throwing his head to the side once more he advanced towards the caged animal.
"I speak but I am surprised you do, being a fox and all." He watched as he beast's fur started to rise, his teeth being bared and the rumbling growl reaching new heights. It was a thrill, the growl resounded in his bones and excited him. The power that was coming off the beast in waves had him trembling in anticipation. He was nowhere near that skill level but the thought that he could be one day made him giddy and ready for training. Just the thought of going up against such a worthy and strong opponent that he already respected…he repressed a shiver of anticipation.
Deciding it was time to leave and plan his next move, he took one more look at the animal, let a small smile pass and smoothly turned around and calmly started to walk towards the door, a little confident swag to his walk for show.
"Until next time Kyuubi." Naruto called over his shoulder. It was the first time he called the demon his name in the presence of others and he liked the way it rolled of his tongue when he was around the giant fox.
And with that, he pushed out of his mind and back into the living world.
He was once again staring at Kakashi only this time he was tied to a poll. Sasuke and Sakura were also tied to polls next to him. He could deal with the new scenery and he took immense joy in seeing those two tied up. But what unnerved him was the fact that they were staring at him like some new animal at a zoo. With a start he remembered his henge.
Eyes going wide, he started to flail, trying to get his hand loose to feel his hair. Realizing that he couldn't get out without looking suspicious, he settled for whipping his head back and forth to see if he could catch a glimpse.
When all he came back with were short spikes, he tensed up once more. Maybe he was talking aloud? When he was a child and experiencing one of Kyuubi's nightmares he would often do that.
Eyes darting around, looking for escape, he let his muscles tense up, ready to break the rope holding him.
"Dobe. Stop flopping around like a fish. Baka." Sasuke glared at him like it was his fault they were about to fail.
Hearing and processing Sasuke's words, he relaxed, knowing if they had found out they would probably be trying to run away or kill him no matter the obstacle of the rope.
Calm now he listened to his sensei.
"I am so disappointed in you two," Kakashi began. Sasuke held his head high, a cocky smirk spread out on his face. " when your teammate came and offered assistance you backed out, acting like they were the plague. Sakura." The girl flinched and turned her wide eyes on Kakashi wondering what she did wrong. "When Naruto came and said to work together you didn't even think, you just refused him and gave him the task of getting Sasuke which would have been impossible. But if he did get Sasuke you would have clinged to him and discard Naruto all together, correct?" the sensei's voice hard, more than unpleased with his two charges.
"And Sasuke, you are not better than anyone so do not go looking like that. You think your teammates are incompetent and you refuse to see the good in them and work together."
Sakura was now looking murderous, wanting to kill the damn jounin who dared to insult her Sasuke-kun.
Naruto looked at the murderous expression on the pink haired thing and then turned to the prude, only to see the exact expression on his face, his hands trying to go for a kunai.
"What about Naruto? The dobe couldn't have passed, that would have been the funniest joke around!" spat Sasuke.
"Maa, Maa," said the jounin. Leaning back on a nearby tree, he asked the big question everyone wanted to know the answer of.
"Naruto, what is the meaning of this exercise?" before Naruto could answer, Sakura yelled out.
"WHAT? You're asking him? I got the second top grades and Sasuke-kun was perfect in the academy so, so WHY ARE YOU ASKING HIM?"
Naruto sighed. His plan was happening to fast. He was to gradually let down some of his mask and he could blame in on the experience he gained…but it seems Kakashi wanted him out now and that just wasn't going to happen. Also if he was truthful, he wanted to one up the annoying brats.
"Sakura, shut up. It is no great feat to have passed the academy, it doesn't teach you the skills you really need. The main purpose of it now is to weed out the civilians in a way so they don't feel bad. Everyone that graduated? Only nine will make it and the rest will go back. It's not unusual for civilians to have the bare minimum of chakara. Just enough so they can do level e jutsu. It's a way to give them hope and crush it in a nice way over the course of years."
Sakura sputtered, her whole face an ugly red color.
"Are you saying I'm not shinobi material?"
He gave her a deadpan look. "That wasn't the point but in my opinion, yes. You are the classic civilian fangirl and your obsession with Sasuke just proves it. You could have been good, but you have to many faults and not enough people willing to straighten you out." Naruto flicked his eyes to Sasuke when he heard a snort.
"What about you dobe?" sneered Sasuke.
"Fine. Whatever don't believe me." he said not even trying to argue with the stubborn mule. "Kakashi-sensei the answer to your question is teamwork. We were supposed to have worked together to get the bells and if we stayed together when we got the two bells, we would have passed. Something about breaking the rules, those people are trash but those who don't stick with their fellow shinobi are lower than scum? So, the moral of the story in this case is, you guys suck and are lower than scum."
The two were at a loss for words. But what was really the icing on top of the cake was the fact that their sensei was nodding in agreement with Naruto.
Knowing he could leave now, Naruto concentrated chakara into his finger and cut the ropes binding him.
Standing up, he walked away, ready to talk to Iruka and plan.
He was half way gone when he heard Kakashi's voice. "7am don't be late! Or else!" smiling, he continued on his way, leaving the two crybaby's with Kakashi. Was it bad of him to leave his comrade all alone with those two? Oh well. According to the rest of the village, he was already lower than scum. Whistling a tune, he set of towards Iruka's apartment.
review? /puppy dog eyes/
