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CHAPTER 12: 'Insanity at its Best!'

"What's your name then?" Setsuna settled for asking.

The child looked up at him with a bit more confidence, seeing as this was a question he was sure he couldn't get wrong or scolded for answering the way he did.

"Kyuubi."

But, once again, the boy in front of Kyuubi gave a facial expression akin to utter shock. "You're named after a demon! My mother's demon!" He shouted pointing an accusing finger at the fire-haired child.

Kyuubi frowned. "I'm not named after anyone this is my name."

Setsuna was going to continue arguing- could've argued this case for days- but this boy in front of him was too pretty to fight with. He let out a heavy sigh.

"Where are your parents?" Setsuna asked glancing up at the top of the bank they rolled down from to see if there were any worried mothers or fathers around. He looked back down at Kyuubi when he saw no-one waiting for either of them at the top and saw the boy looking at his nails; each and every one of them had been bitten down to the nub.

"Biting your nails is a nasty habit." Setsuna said reaching over and picking up one of the boys hands. He examined them and saw dried blood underneath at least three of the finger nails.

Kyuubi took his hand back slowly. "I'm not… I'm not a demon."

Setsuna's expression softened at the look in the child's face. Clearly he had been accused of being one at some point, so mentioning he was named after one probably reopened some of the wounds.

'Where are his parents though?' Setsuna wondered as he peered back up the bank waiting for someone to at least skim the scene.

"I came alone…" Kyuubi answered after a pause. "I wanted to see the festival."

Setsuna glanced at Kyuubi and stared for a long moment. It wasn't all that easy deciding what to do. "I'll…" his voice even sounded uncertain. "I'll take you to my dad. He'll help us get you home."

He stood up and held out a hand to Kyuubi. "After we enjoy ourselves that is." Setsuna said with a grin suited for a fox. Kyuubi's eyes brightened happily and he nodded with eagerness. "My name's Setsuna." He finally introduced.

"Named after where I grew up."

Kyuubi nodded once more, taking in the name to remember it if they ever met again after this night.

Setsuna was a friend…

--

Kyuubi looked around with just as much curiosity- if not more- as Setsuna. Neither had come to one before for identical reasons though neither knew that.

He didn't know bumping into someone could end up like this; enjoying one's self with a stranger. Usually he was punished for not watching where he was going. If he had run into a stranger before they might've hit him or worse.
Kyuubi let out an unintentional shudder.

Setsuna looked over his shoulder at him. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." Kyuubi nodded once with his response.

Setsuna watched him for a moment then turned his attention to a game. Tiny golden fish swam in the bags under a series of rings. He grinned.

"Hey, Kyuubi, I'm going to win you one, okay?" Setsuna said, letting go and running to the stand. Kyuubi watched from where he stood before someone bumped him and he stumbled forward in surprise.

The stand itself seemed to glow a golden color, maybe from the glimmering fish in the light and the countless shining bottles and golden rings. Kyuubi loved the way he could see the world. No matter how plain something looked, he could always see the detail and slender of even a plastic bag flowing in the breeze. Lights reflected against everything, even Setsuna's raven hair now had small shades of reds and golds under this stands influential lights.

In fascination, Kyuubi took a couple of steps to stand beside him and looked down at the kimono he wore, smiling when the blue and green fish of its print dazzled him with much the same effect as the simple stand. He noticed his hands were glowing in the same manner as well and his smile grew.

The world was so beautiful sometimes. Everything around him seemed to quiet when he chose to marvel at the common wonder of things.

"Kyuubi, look! I won!" Setsuna's voice pierced through Kyuubi's trance.

Golden eyes looked over at the boy called Setsuna, a large gold fish swung from the plastic bag it was swimming in. It was so big!

"Here" Setsuna thrust the baggy in Kyuubi's direction. "I won it for you."

Kyuubi hesitantly took hold of the bag, looking down into the water and admiring the simple gift of his own sight once again as well as smiling because the fish was a gift for him from his new friend.

"I should get you something too." Kyuubi piped up happily. "Hold this for me, okay?" he said with some spark as Setsuna smiled and took the fish as asked.

Kyuubi ran off into the thickest sea of people around them and came out not ten minutes later. Setsuna smiled back at him and played along when Kyuubi told him to come close to see.

"Here" He said pulling out two coin purses. Smiling brightly he bounced them around in his hand. "These two were the heaviest. See?" He grabbed the only free hand Setsuna had to offer and placed one of the bags in the center.

Setsuna's smile had long faded by now.

"Kyuubi…where did you?"

"People need money. Without it you can't get anything for yourself or for anyone else."

"I know, but…" Setsuna's brows furrowed in minor frustration. "You're not supposed to steal."

"It's not stealing." Kyuubi snapped halfheartedly. "It's making a living." And with that Kyuubi shook the frown and smiled a little again. "C'mon. I want to hear this song!" he said running into the crowd once more.

Setsuna looked down at the purse in his hand and glanced into the sea of people and watched with a sinking heart as a mother struggled to find her purse and had to tell her boy how sorry she was but she must've forgotten it at home.

He looked away and saw barely a sliver of Kyuubi's kimono getting mixed with other strangers. He had to decide quickly whether it was better to leave the other child with his mother wanting to play a simple game or follow his friend's example and turn a blind eye…

The other boy started crying and for a moment, Setsuna thought back on a time when his own mother had bought him a turn at a booth… He had been so happy. They had been so happy.

But, over there… The boy and his mother looked sad...

--

Setsuna and Kyuubi made their way back to the river bank where they met and sat down with all they had won and bought from the games and stands. Both had beautifully decorated fans behind their backs and beaded necklaces of two different colors with charmed bracelets made of jade. Setsuna had even bought Kyuubi a hair pin with two fox masks of white and red as the decorations, which Kyuubi was wearing now.

The money had really come in handy as Kyuubi had said it would.

The fish was settled next to Kyuubi's lap where he sat, eating some sushi rolls. Strangely enough, the fish looked tense.

The moon was high and the fireworks had just started. Other people began to make their way to the river's edge to watch.

As the celebration continued on Setsuna couldn't help but notice how Kyuubi seemed so amazed and in awe when it came down to it. He had noticed how Kyuubi always seemed to stop and stare to take in the world around him; he treasured everything.

Setsuna looked away and pulled out the emptying purse from his pocket. It seemed that though Kyuubi may be appreciative of the world around him, he wasn't so considerate about its people and their plans to enjoy themselves as well.

"She should have been more careful with it." Kyuubi said suddenly, interrupting Setsuna's thoughts.

"What?" He asked looking over to see that Kyuubi was looking at the purse through the corner of his eye.

"If she really wanted to show her boy a good time she would've held onto it better."

Setsuna frowned. 'How'd he know about that?'

"I saw." Kyuubi answered simply. "My eyes see… a lot of what yours can't."

Setsuna's confusion intensified. 'Can you read minds?'

Kyuubi stayed quiet for a while before he nodded. "I listen close until I can hear them. If your head is quiet or too loud it's harder to hear what's…here." Kyuubi said this with his hand pointing to where his heart was located.

"Amazing." Setsuna exhaled. He smiled happily for a moment. "That's so cool! I wish I could."

Kyuubi smiled but shook his head. "It's not all that cool. I don't…" he nibbled on his bottom lip and said the rest hesitantly. "I don't like hearing what people I love are thinking of me sometimes." He whispered. "Because they don't always love me back sometimes… Sometimes they think I should be…"

"Don't' pay attention to what people who can't decide if they love you or not are thinking." Setsuna cut in. "You're a really cool person, Kyuubi, and I'm sure you mess up sometimes. We all do. It's normal and sometimes the people we love get mad at us for a mistake…" Setsuna paused when another firework went off in the sky.

"My dad's going to kill me when he finds me. He hates it when I wander off by myself." Setsuna laughed lightly, tearing off a piece of cotton candy for Kyuubi to eat. "What about you? Will your parents be mad?"

"I…" Kyuubi shut his mouth.

"You don't… have any parents, do you?" Setsuna asked, his smile gone for the time being.

"I'm just…not allowed to say."

"Well why not?" Setsuna shifted in his place to get a better look at the boy. "Are they in trouble?"

"You could say that." Kyuubi nodded. "But it's not like they're-"

"Setsuna!"

They jumped.

Setsuna turned around. Sasuke was at the top of the bank and heading towards them with a scowl.

"You don't ever do that to me again. You have no idea how scared I was." Sasuke growled yanking Setsuna up by his wrist. Kyuubi stood up and scooted a few steps back, grabbing the gold fish before the new man stepped on it.

"Ow!" Setsuna yelped as his dad began to drag him off. "N-no wait! I have to-Ouch! Let go!"

Sasuke scowled again and kept moving him away.

Kyuubi ran after them with some hesitance. "Setsuna..!" he cried.

Setsuna looked over to see him following. He cringed at his father's grip. "I'll! - I'll find you again, Kyu-Ahh! I'll find you again!"

And with that Sasuke and Setsuna disappeared out of Kyuubi's sight.

The plastic shattered in Kyuubi's hands, the water soaked him and the fish flopped around at his feet.

Kyuubi kneeled down and reached out for the fish. His nails shined with the moisture and the light of the moon. His heart wrenched when he saw them; sharp and long.

His eyes watered as his face crashed themselves into his clawed hands.

"I'm not… I'm not a demon." He cried and sobbed.

The lanterns went out…the fireworks stopped…
Kyuubi was alone…

--

END CHAPTER 11…