Have you ever had a dream that you never wanted to wake up from?

I've had them often, dreams about my old life. Those were the happiest and saddest dreams I have, happy because even if it's only a dream I get to see them again, but sad because I'll have to wake up to a life I never wanted again. It's kind of like a roller coaster ride.

To me, I'd say it's kinda like a reverse-nightmare, because instead of dreaming about a nightmare, I wake up into one.

That's why even as I was smiling in my dream playing the piano along to my mother singing Ed Sheeran I couldn't help the feeling of dread pooling up in my stomach, but I ignored it wanting to just finish hearing my mother singing the song. I joined as well despite myself, and my mother's smile only grew wider as a third voice began singing too. The third voice made my eyes widen and I quickly turned my head to catch a glimpse of him, it's been a long time since I've seen his face, whether it was a dream didn't matter.

A smile tugged at the corners of my lips-

"Kurama, show us how you do the Tailed Beast thing again!"

"Yeah, it's so hard!"

-and my eyes opened back into my ever-present nightmare. "...huh?"

"Come on, please show us!"

In front of me stood the other Tailed Beasts, and the looked at me expectantly.

"Shut up." I grumbled feeling my mood turn sour, I didn't even get a glimpse of him before these assholes woke me up. I closed my eyes, maybe I can conjure up my dream again.

"Kurama-nii!"

"Kurama!"

"N-nii..."

My mood immediately turned dark, I wasn't their damned brother. And I didn't fucking want to be either! I snapped my eyes open, judging by how they all paused they could see that I wasn't in the mood for them. "Gyagyagya, you guys are so annoying, always Kurama this and Kurama that, always bothering me, why can't you all LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE FOR ONCE?!" I roared at them in anger.

"Is it so fucking hard to do that?!" I yelled and then paused seeing hurt flash in their features, I growled under my breath feeling both guilty and frustrated. Why did I even feel guilty when they were the ones in the wrong?

Not wanting to see their expressions that made it seem like I kicked their dogs or something I stormed out of our cave, I just needed some time for myself to calm the fuck down and grow up. I'm supposed to be the oldest even if I don't want to be, so throwing hissy fits is just idiotic of me.

"Hmph, what crawled up his ass this morning?" I briefly heard Shukaku ask before I started running away.

I needed to get away.

I needed to calm down.

The perfect place flashed into my head and I didn't even think about it as I changed my destination. If there was one thing alive that could calm my worst of moods down, it would be Hagoromo's chakra.


Frail old fingers brushed my fur in a soothing patterns making the tension ease out of my body, my eyes were closed as I allowed his chakra to wrap around me like a secure blanket.

"Did you have a dream about the past again Max?"

I nodded smiling slightly at how Hagoromo pronounced my name, he may be the God of Shinobi, but he's an amateur in English.

"I see, want to talk about it?" he asked

"I was having those dreams again," I begin to explain furrowing my eyebrows, "But this time my..he..I almost saw him..." tears were glistening in my eyes, though I was too stubborn to let them fall. I've mourned already, besides they'd want me to be happy instead of moping.

"Your little brother?" Hagoromo guesses.

I nod, "I just wanna hug that brat and tell him that I'm sorry for ditching that important baseball game of his back in sixth grade."

"Baseball?"

"It's a game from my world." I answer snickering slightly at how weird the word sounded coming from the old man's mouth.

"Your world has a lot of things Max."

"Yeah. even I don't know everything, and I lived there."

"I take it that you woke up before you saw young Maximus."

"I didn't wake up, I was unkindly woken up by those brats I call siblings." I grumble fondly, not childishly mad at them anymore.

"Oh?"

Furrowing my eyebrows I begin to rant, "Gyuki's a stupid octopus that I just wanna roast alive, Chomei's too damned loud and cheerful, Saiken has a hug stick up his ass, Kokuo's a coward, Son Goku's too prideful it hurts, Isobu...just needs a confidence boost, Matatabi needs to grow a fucking spine, and Shukaku...ugh, I just hate that fatass."

Hagoromo actually has the gal the chuckle at my frustration, "Say whatever you may, but it's as clear as day that you love them."

"Tch, whatever."

"And although you may favor Isobu, the truth is you are much more fond of Shukaku."

His words made my ears twitch.

"As if! There's no way in hell that I'd ever be fond of that fatass. There's not even one reason that I'd ever think fondly of him."

"He reminds you of your little brother, right?"

My eyes open at his sudden question and I stay quiet having no response, sometimes I curse the fact that I couldn't keep my big mouth open and had to tell Hagoromo the whole truth.

He suddenly coughs making me snap up my head to him, I stare at him even as he shoots me an assuring look, "You're dying." I whisper mostly to myself.

"It is about time, isn't it?" he smiles as if death doesn't scare him. "I estimate that I have four months left."

"You're finally going to kick the bucket." I say trying to not let my sadness show, he wouldn't want me to be sad anyways. "But don't worry, I'll keep that promise I made to you."

"I know you will." he smiles at me proudly.


"Tch, stop straining yourself. Old men should sleep all day and complain about the young. So stop worrying, 'cause your dream has been passed onto me, your creation."

"That's a heavy burden you're taking."

"It's my job. I'm your creation, so I feel obligated to you. Consider it a way to say thanks."

"Bringing peace just to say thank you? Is that not going overboard?"

"It's the only thing that would make you extremely pleased."

"I suppose."

"It's a promise then."


"I'm back brats!" I call entering our pleasant cave.

Only, it was empty. Panic begin coursing through me as I blindly looked around thinking at first it was a trick of the light. It wasn't.

Did they run away? Oh god, what if something happened to them? What if a human captures them and enslaves them before I can give them a serious talk about how humans may be idiots but there are special ones out there?

But then the panic leaves my body as I see messy kanji scrawled on the cave's wall.

"Find us or we'll never come back." I read aloud.

My ears fall down in relief. Those brats had me worried when in truth they were only trying to get my attention by playing hide and seek. I suppose it is my fault for blowing up on them.

A competitive smirk graced my features as I perk up. I've always been one for a challenge.

Without me knowing it the thought of my past brother and my promise to Hagoromo left my thoughts and was replaced by finding my little siblings. I had to look after them, because I have nine tails. And that's why I'll do my best for them.

I may not be able to make sure we don't all eventually get sealed.

But I'll do my damned best to make sure the Akatsuki never lays a finger on them. Ever.

That's my priority. Second being that promise I made to Hagoromo.

I close my eyes mentally connecting myself to my siblings. 'You brats can run away and hide wherever you like. I don't care. But always remember that I'll find you eventually, no matter how far away you all are from home. We'll always be a family.'

'Kurama...' I hear them all think in surprise, and I could feel how happy they were at my declaration even if a few of them were stubborn about it.

'That's my promise of a lifetime.' And then I terminated the mental link.

Sure, my promise may not be as grand as Naruto's or anyone else for that matter. It may not be a selfless promise.

It's just a selfish promise that I intend to keep. For my own sake.