I don't own Naruto... if I did then last chapter probably would have caused world-wide uproar. Oh wait, it did!
The Frozen Roots Arc
"One must question – at one point or another – why exactly they choose to go on. Are they doing it because they wish to make something of themselves, or so they do not simply cease to exist?"
Chapter 24: Chilling Curse
-Last Chapter-
Naruto awoke calmly, now having come to terms with what happened. He sat up emotionlessly and stood to his feet, his expression showing nothing. His eyes were devoid of life and his body language gave an image of hopelessness. He looked down at his hand, still covered in the remnants of dry blood, before beginning to laugh.
It started out as an insipid laugh, showing nothing but dryness, before it started to pick up in volume and intensity. Before Naruto was even aware of what he was doing, he was laughing maniacally and unable to control his body. If anyone had come in at that time, they would have seen him on his hands and knees, laughing like a maniac while tears freely flowed down his face.
They would have seen a broken boy.
-Start-
Naruto sat on the end of the bed he found himself awaking in, staring lifelessly at the wall. He now vaguely remembered what he'd done, and he simply couldn't deal with it. Nothing was in his mind other than guilt, loathing and pain. Being without her was hard enough... but now that he knew he not only broke his promise to protect her, but also was the one who killed her... that was simply too much.
He'd briefly contemplated suicide, initially unable to live with himself for what he'd done, but he quickly noticed that his unknown captors/hosts had placed some form of sealing matrix within the room that stifled his ability to correctly utilize chakra, so he was unable to create any tools with which to carry out the deed.
If he was being honest with himself, he had no idea what to do with himself – assuming his captors had any intention of giving him a choice – now that Haku was not only dead, but he was responsible for it. He hadn't even considered going back to open Shinobi duty, because he'd either be arrested or live in fear of killing Karin or Sasuke, or someone else. The memories of the event were still scrambled and mostly illegible, but he got the gist of it.
Suffice to say, it was an impossible situation.
After motionlessly sitting for Kami knew how long, he heard the door open in his hazy mind, barely even acknowledging the action. Rather than expect the boy to turn, the man walked into his line of sight so that Naruto could now see the similar form of the man he attempted to attack after waking up... wherever they were.
The man stood there for a few moments, before narrowing his eyes at Naruto, seeing obvious signs of grief and despair. "Remember now, do we?" The man asked calmly, no signs of emotion or sympathy in his tone. Naruto shot him an empty glance, before returning his sight to the floor and very slowly nodding.
As the man was about to speak again, Naruto's eyes centred on him once more. "Kill me or release me, I don't care either way. It'll have the same result." The blond said, his eyes and tone giving an uncaring atmosphere to the statement. Rather than his usual bright blue eyes, filled with life and general warmth, his eyes were an icy blue, barely showing any emotion other than sadness.
An almost invisible smirk invaded the man's features as he heard Naruto's testament, before it was replaced by an inquisitive frown. "You seem awfully upset for someone who thoughtlessly killed another." The man stated in an off-handed manner, turning away to survey the room while he spoke.
Naturally, Naruto's expression hardened considerably as he turned to attempt to kill the man with his glare alone. The man stood unflinching though, leaning loosely on his cane, which was a sign that he either didn't need it or very sparingly needed it. After a few moments of getting no reaction from the man, Naruto sighed lowly and stood up before laying on his side on the bed, closing his eyes to block out the harsh reality he was subject to.
"Just leave me alone..." Naruto muttered quietly, his tone hoarse and weak, which the man assumed was from crying, given the boy's appearance.
The man shifted closer to Naruto, before idly staring around the room. "Aren't you curious as to why you're here, or who I am?" He asked suddenly, getting little reaction from Naruto other than a small twitch of the shoulder.
After a few moments of silence, Naruto rolled onto his back and began to stare at the ceiling. "I just don't care anymore." He said honestly, with the man frowning in irritation at Naruto's rather difficult attitude. It wasn't exactly irrational for Naruto to act this way, but it wasn't easy to talk to the boy like this.
Silence again invaded the room as the man decided to size up Naruto's demeanour in comparison to what he saw before he informed the boy about Haku's death. He was noticeably more rigid, his body not having the casual arrangement it did prior. He also seemed less jumpy, probably because he didn't care if he died. Overall, he was the definition of lifeless.
"Then I must simply inform you. My name is Danzō Shimura, I control an organisation called Root within Konoha..." Danzō started, as Naruto discretely paid more attention to the man. "...my organisation exists to protect the village and its interests from the shadows, and given your... recent activities... you would be well suited for my goals." He continued, making Naruto let out a dry snort of laughter.
The man raised an eyebrow at Naruto, who scowled at him before closing his eyes. "I wasn't aware murderers were the best protectors." Naruto retorted irritatedly, not liking one bit what this man was implying to him.
Danzō smirked at Naruto's statement, since it was quite amusing to see someone so young have the gall to speak to him like that. It wasn't a common sight, that was for sure. "Not what I meant. You are committed to the village, I know this much for sure, but there is little chance you can get back into regular duties. Therefore, the only logical way for you to continue to serve Konoha is through my organisation." The man stated passionately, while Naruto carelessly shot him a glance before turning away once more.
"What makes you think I care about serving Konoha anymore?" Naruto retorted once more. "...you may not be aware of this but Haku meant more to me than the village, and like you said... I'm responsible for her death." He continued, his cold tone reflecting his views. Danzō merely smiled, confusing Naruto a little.
"Someone who announces proudly that they wish to be Hokage cannot have their alignment changed so easily..." Danzō stated cleverly. Naruto narrowed his eyes dangerously at the man, a little angry that he'd either been doing his research on him, or worse... following him.
He thought back to the training period between the Chūnin exams second stage and the finals, and he remembered feeling people following him around during that time. If he was being critical – which he was – then he would assume these people worked for Danzō.
Naruto snorted at the man, his face scrunched up in an unattractively antagonistic expression. "Since you know so much about me then you should know this, I don't really have much love for ruthless Shinobi." Naruto muttered, losing his patience at this man who seemed to be trying to annoy him, despite the fact he had little left to lose.
Danzō stared at him closely for a few moments while Naruto's expression devolved back into the cold uncaring expression that had been representing the boy when he entered. It was clear he had given up and simply didn't care, but the boy's Kekkei Genkai was simply too useful to waste.
"Well you have two choices, help me to protect the Roots that the great village of Konoha sits on, or this room will become your cell. I can't have you wasting your precious abilities through suicide." The man stated efficiently, causing Naruto's expression to slowly turn more and more furious as he grit his teeth and widened his eyes menacingly.
"Everything is about our special powers to you people!" Naruto spat angrily, deeply surprising the man. "...Zabuza only cared about her for her use as a tool! You just see me as a walking, talking crystal dispenser! It's sickening!" By the time he was done, Naruto was breathing heavily through sheer fury.
Danzō – after sufficiently regaining his composure – merely shook his head in disappointment. "You don't seem to understand the world we live in, Uzumaki. In this world, Kekkei Genkai are weapons, Jinchūriki are tools, and Shinobi are our soldiers. You must learn to understand this or you will never survive."
Naruto frowned at the condescending tone, but didn't have the energy to argue. "So... if I serve your Root, can I expect to be left alone once my duties are done?" The blond said slowly and uncertainly. It wasn't easy for him to admit, but he did actually like the sound of this role, since he wouldn't need to show his face while still serving the village he loved.
"Of course. You will be one of my soldiers, not a slave. Assuming you do your job correctly and to an adequate level, I have no reason to enforce boundaries on you." Danzō stated encouragingly, glad that his subtle hints were bearing fruit.
Naruto sighed, lowering his head and sitting motionless for a few moments before standing. "I have nothing better to do... I'll accept the offer." He said vacantly, having morphed back into his now-the-norm emotionless visage.
Danzō smiled victoriously, before leading Naruto out of the room. He then turned back while stopping, making Naruto look at him expectingly.
"Oh, and for now on you shall be referred to as... Soramune."
Naruto frowned briefly as he realized the meaning of the name...
...'Empty Chest'.
As Danzō lead Naruto around the strange facility they were in – which seemed to be underground – Naruto couldn't help but take notice of the people looking at him strangely. He couldn't see their faces, since most of them were wearing masks (despite being within a secret base) but he could tell they were sizing him up. It was only natural, given the fact that he was a thirteen year old boy who looked hopeless.
"Where are we going?"
The sudden question came from the impatient maw of Naruto, who wasn't in a very cooperative mood right now. Danzō shook his head at Naruto's attitude, since he would probably need to train some respect into the boy. It wouldn't be hard, given the fact he was already broken rather than having to be broken, but it was still important to note.
"In Root, you have no name. You have no feelings. You have no past. You have no future. There is only the mission. You will abide by this creed, and as such we must erase any evidence that you are who you were." Danzō stated knowledgeably.
Naruto shook his head at the overly complex explanation, before speaking in response."You could have just said 'we're making you not look like you'." Danzō actually let out a chuckle at the statement, which didn't exactly seem to be something he should do, since it came out a little creepy.
Naruto made no more attempt to initiate any more conversation after that, so the two fell into an uncomfortable silence. They walked through various strange rooms – the strangest being a large, deep 'tube' of various long catwalks that stretched between the various parts of the complex. Naruto was unsure how such a large place could stay hidden, but then again he didn't particularly care.
He wasn't sure why he even relented to accepting Danzō's offer so easily, but on a subconscious level it was likely because he simply had no other reason to exist. What was the point of life without reason? The answer was pretty damn simple in all respects...
There wasn't one.
For that reason, Naruto would do whatever Danzō told him to... because there was nothing else. This way, he could protect Karin and the village without putting them at risk... whereas he could care less about these nameless Root agents. If they followed the creed Danzō just uttered, then their deaths would hardly matter.
They arrived in what seemed like an operating room. It became clear that they would go to rather insane lengths to hide the identity of any Root agent they took from the outside. He only hoped they wouldn't go too far, he actually liked his appearance.
A rather unimpressive man with long, brown hair and a thick beard came into the room, which made Naruto question the credibility of this system. He looked at Naruto, seemingly inspecting him for a few moments before huffing, a response Naruto assumed was 'bad'.
"I see the problem here, he 'as too many defining features. The whisker marks definitely need to be covered up... maybe dye his hair, blond isn't a common hair colour, 'less you're a Yamanaka." The man said, before looking the blond over for a few more moments. "...that should be enough to hide his background." He concluded, making Danzō nod.
"Then I'll leave him in your care for now." The bandaged man uttered, before turning and leaving. The man directed Naruto to a seat, to which he accepted easily. After a few moments of waiting, the man came over with a batch of some... creamy substance.
The man obviously saw a little uncertainty in Naruto's eye and gruffed, which didn't seem to be a comforting response but that wasn't exactly important. Naruto could assume he was a man's man, since he was quite well built physically, and he didn't seem to be a very nice person... though that wasn't a problem anymore.
"It's a special reagent that sinks into the skin while covering up things like those whiskers of yers while retaining the skin tone, colour and texture. Takes a lot of effert to get off too, so sweating and harsh conditions won't remove it." He muttered, trying to put Naruto's questions to rest.
Naruto nodded lightly, grateful for the answer. After a few minutes of annoying cheek rubbing and then a few more while they waited for the stuff to sink in, the man handed Naruto a mirror. Seeing no trace of his old whisker marks, Naruto nodded in satisfaction.
"Alrighty, you got any preference for hair colour?" The man asked curiously as he led him over to a cabinet containing various hair dyes. Naruto assumed that – like the cream – these were long-lasting and hard to get out without actively trying to do so.
He investigated the selection slowly and carefully, even though he wasn't sure why he cared so much. After a few moments, his eyes locked with one of the colours and the ghost of a smile graced his features.
"White."
Naruto was now back in his quarters and looking in a mirror over the sink after getting his appearance tweaked for increased anonymity, and he was actually a little mournful that he could no longer recognise himself. It was exactly the point of tweaking his appearance in the first place, but he couldn't exactly help himself. He sighed before leaning down.
"I deserve far worse for what I did to you Haku-chan... I'll never forgive myself." Naruto muttered to himself, as another tear flowed down his cheek. It wasn't likely to be something that he'd get over any time soon... and to be honest he never wanted to forget it.
Nor should you.
Naruto's head shot up from the sudden, almost spiritual voice that came from nowhere, his eyes widened and his features showing surprise. The face he saw in the mirror certainly didn't put his mind to ease, as it was staring at him accusingly, as though trying to get out to punish him. That wouldn't have been quite so bad if it wasn't for the exact person the face belonged to...
...it was Haku's.
How does it feel? To be drawing breath; to continue to do what you want to while I decay? Are you proud of yourself?
"H-Haku-chan... ho-how?" The blond muttered lowly, his logical mind clouded by surprise while his guilt bubbled up to the surface once more. He was all the more surprised when the wall around the mirror began to frost over while the air began to cool down considerably. "...this... this isn't..." He stuttered out as he fell backwards, the frost continuing to spread around the room as the cool air began to turn Arctic.
Why don't you join me Naruto-kun? After all... we were in love, right?
The accusing face of Haku began to smile with deceptive warmth as the mirror expanded and froze over, until it almost perfectly resembled one of her ice mirrors. To Naruto's surprise and horror, Haku began to climb out of the mirror just like she'd done back on the bridge, stepping out in front of him while he clambered back in panic.
"Haku-chan, I'm sorry! I never meant to hurt you! If I could switch our roles I would, I always wanted you to be safe!" Naruto shouted, now actively crying as she threateningly advanced upon him. He didn't know what was going on, nor did he have time to contemplate it as the cold air became unbearable as she strutted towards him.
Just accept it Naruto-kun... we can be together again. This is my forgiveness!
She pulled out a few Senbon needles as she finally reached Naruto, who was staring at her with fear in his eyes, tears freely running down his face as he shivered uncontrollably. She then smiled with cruel delight as she pulled her arm back, thrusting it forward towards him as he screwed his eyes shut.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Naruto repeated over and over again like a mantra, not realizing in the slightest that he'd hallucinated the whole thing. He continued to shake wildly as he cracked open his eyes to see everything as it had been previously, as though nothing had even happened. He clutched his hands strongly to his head, running his fingers violently through his now-snowy hair as he tried to discern what had just happened to the best of his ability.
In another room of the secret base, Danzō was watching through a camera with a small frown.
"It seems he's further gone than I anticipated... this could prove disastrous." The man muttered worriedly. Naruto was a Jinchūriki, and if he completely lost his mind to his grief and became insane, it was entirely possible he could go on a rampage or even release the Kyūbi upon them.
A man came up behind him, cloaked by the shadows and knelt down before him. "Danzō-sama, is it possible that we... made a mistake here?" The man stated worriedly, more than a little unnerved by what Naruto was doing.
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Without our guidance he would have merely killed himself, and the Kyūbi would have been released in full force." Danzō replied passionately, as the man gripped his leg tightly, contemplating whether or not to continue his argument.
"You know that's not what I me-" The man started, before receiving a glare from Danzō, who wasn't prepared to continue this discussion.
"Silence. I will hear no more of this. You would do best to keep your comments to yourself... Fū."
Naruto was left alone for the next hour while he calmed himself down as much as he could. He was still very shaken from his hallucinated episode, but the fact that his ability to feel anything had been severely stunted by Haku's death helped him get over it and back to his cold, indifferent persona.
Knock Knock
Naruto calmly turned his head to the door, raising an eyebrow at the intrusion of his privacy. He pursed his lips and shrugged his shoulders when he realized he didn't particularly care if anyone intruded on his privacy, since he had no social life now, or for the foreseeable future.
Walking over to the door, he opened it slowly to see a very pale boy, roughly the same age as him, standing in the doorway and sending him a very false smile. Naruto looked on, distinctly uncaring about this person's presence. After a few moments of silence, Naruto furrowed his brows.
"What?" The snowy-haired boy stated harshly (I'm probably going to confuse myself with this colour change...), making his mystery guest noticeably twitch in his facial expression, the false smile becoming even more strained while he seemed to struggle to keep the overall thing together. After a few moments, the other boy's face turned emotionless – like Naruto's own – before coughing into his hand.
"I see pointless pleasantries are unnecessary with you Soramune..." The other boy started. For a few moments, Naruto contemplated that his visitor was either lost or insane, before remembering that Danzō had given him a new identity to reflect his new life. "...I'm Sai, and I've come to take you to Danzō-sama." The boy said professionally, making Naruto nod before directing Sai to move with a hand gesture.
The two began to walk through the corridors, with far fewer people looking at Naruto now that his appearance had changed. Apparently the lack of his distinctive features really did draw attention away from him, because they all looked at him like another grunt... which actually sickened him a little.
"What does Danzō want anyway?" Naruto asked impassively, making Sai pause in his strut as several people looked at Naruto like he was crazy. The snowy-haired boy looked around, clearly uncaring to the apparent issue that everyone had suddenly discovered.
"I advise you start calling him Danzō-sama." Sai advised pensively, making Naruto reply with a distinctly negligent shrug. Sai then narrowed his eyes attentively on Naruto, before retracting them and continuing in his stride. Naruto – or Soramune, as he knew him – was not his problem, so if he made mistakes he would bear the blame.
"So are you going to answer me?" The impatience in Naruto's tone was easily audible, and Sai quickly came to understand that he'd ignored Naruto's question due to his incorrect usage of Danzō's name.
"Oh yes... he needs to get you a more fitting outfit, as well as inform you of training schedules, team placements... you know the drill I'm sure." The black-haired boy stated absently, while Naruto nodded along with him. He briefly received a mental flash of his time in Team 7... with her... but quickly shook his head and erased the thought.
It was being difficult to get past it. He knew that hallucinations were a common sign of mental stress and general suffering, but he had no way of getting over it quickly, so he had to just ride it out and hope that she didn't appear to him again... any mental barriers and lack of emotion he may have had were completely erased in her presence, whether she was a figment of his imagination or not.
"I don't need his help to train..." Naruto said bitterly, making Sai shoot him another false smile that made Naruto want to rip the smug look right of his face.
"Actually you could benefit greatly from it..." Sai replied warmly. This managed to get Naruto's attention, if not a little sceptical. "...you share a Fūton affinity, which are quite rare if I remember correctly." He asserted, making Naruto inaudibly growl. It was almost confirmed that Danzō been watching him now, since his affinities were hardly common knowledge.
While Naruto's mind wandered, the two made their way all across the base towards Danzō's location. Eventually the two arrived at a room that seemed to be specifically designed for training, since it had numerous wooden dummies and targets. In the centre of the room, Danzō was standing patiently, probably for the two of them.
Sai knelt down respectfully as they neared Danzō, while Naruto just stared impassively at the man. "I've brought him Danzō-sama." The black haired boy said, while Naruto discretely shook his head at the boy. If he could help it, he wouldn't be acting like a glorified servant, no matter how long he stayed in service here.
Danzō turned to face them calmly, nodding at Sai and gesturing him to stand. "Thank you Sai, now you are dismissed..." He claimed, as Sai nodded before disappearing through the use of a Shunshin. The man then looked over to Naruto for a few moments before smirking. "...it seems they did a good job with your appearance."
Naruto frowned in boredom, pursing his lips in an act of defiance. "Not that it matters very much... it seems pretty common to wear masks in this organisation." Danzō frowned at the comment, but obviously Naruto would take some effort to make a successful investment. It was hardly a problem, as a child who was both a Jinchūriki and the wielder of a rare – or maybe even unique – Kekkei Genkai that had not yet reached the peak of his power was a very worthwhile investment. It was almost delicious just how special Naruto was at the point of his birth, being made into the Kyuubi Jinchūriki, being the successor of the Uzumaki clan and the wielder of a powerful bloodline... simply incredible. Very few Shinobi possessed such power within them, and none of them contained the Kyūbi.
"I suppose that is a fair point, but have to account for the fact that you could be captured by Konoha Shinobi. My organisation is not legally allowed, we act in the shadows and have no alibi when captured." Danzō retorted topically, while Naruto just frowned in disapproval. It wasn't exactly boosting his confidence to hear such things.
"Well that's just icing on the Kami damn cake..." Naruto muttered lowly. Danzō rolled his eyes at the statement, since he had pretty good hearing for his age. Nevertheless, Naruto did have a point, in some small way.
"You will simply have to deal with it, Soramune..." Danzō replied casually, making Naruto shrug with disinterest, his lips pressed into a thin line as he vacantly looked around the room. The way Naruto stood radiated tension and unease, despite the uncaring atmosphere surrounding him. It was clear that he was struggling with his hallucinations, or perhaps he was reliving the experience with Haku. It was somewhat open to interpretation. "...now then, you will be wearing this for the foreseeable future."
Naruto looked down to see Danzō holding a small scroll. He briefly considered cracking a joke about wearing a scroll, but found his humorous side to be noticeably absent from his mind. He took the scroll from the man before unsealing its contents, revealing a standard ANBU uniform – somehow in his size – a long, black cloak that seemed to be standard in Root and a mask that depicted some sort of demonic creature. Naruto narrowed his glazed eyes at the mask, finding it morbidly appropriate to be represented by a demon.
"Alright then... is that all?" Naruto asked, his voice grave from persisting thoughts from observing the mask. His posture had shifted again, now representing a very business-like individual, since he was likely trying to hide his emotions beneath his duty.
Danzō shook his head a little, instantly giving Naruto the knowledge he needed. "I need to tell you a few things before I dismiss you. First and foremost, you will be tagging along with Sai's team tomorrow, and if things go well you will be permanently assigned to that squad. Secondly, I would like to personally train you in your Fūton affinity, and to oversee your Shōton training..."
"May I make a request?" Naruto cut in suddenly, as Danzō was mid sentence. The man nodded casually, signalling Naruto to continue. "...I would like to study Fūinjutsu during my own time, in my quarters." The question surprised Danzō but did not deter him, in fact it was actually a good thing. Fūinjutsu was a difficult and rare art that not enough people attempted to learn, so it was good that Naruto wanted to learn it.
Danzō smiled, with surprising warmth as the question sunk in. He was knowledgeable in Juinjutsu, making him able to relate to Naruto's need. "Of course, I encourage my agents to study the more difficult and useful arts. Now, all Root agents are trained in Kenjutsu to some degree, mostly for self defence, but you may train in it as much as you please."
A small smile raised across Naruto's face – though it was noticeably strained and he seemed to have difficulty allowing it to rest there – as he received confirmation. Despite everything that had happened, Fuinjutsu was his legacy and he'd like to continue studying it if at all possible. Studying it alone was more of a personal preference, the Uzumaki were meant to be sealing masters, it felt wrong to receive outside help from anyone who wasn't an Uzumaki.
"Thank you, Danzō-sama." Naruto said as respectfully as he could, given his circumstances. The man let a smirk play across his face, an appealing expression decorating his features as he felt that Naruto was reachable, given the correct catalyst. A catalyst was created for the sole purpose of creating an impossible bond, and Danzō had just found a rather useful one. Naruto obviously took a liking to Fūinjutsu – not entirely surprising, given his background – making him accessible through that field.
"I don't need to be charitable to allow you to further your skills, as one of my agents any skills you earn will go towards the maintenance of the great tree of Konoha." Danzō stated passionately. Naruto had to admit, he kinda liked Danzō's ideals, but the man was probably some sort of extremist in the service of the village. It was a necessary evil, he mused. "...now, I would like to teach you a technique that I'm fond of. It should serve you well." The man stated calmly, his only visible eye almost perpetually shut.
Naruto nodded in acknowledgement, as Danzō began to lead him over to another side of the training room. They neared what appeared to be a reinforced wall, but on closer inspection it was just wood... wood that was putting out strange chakra signals. 'Maybe I should just ignore it... I'm already losing my mind...' Naruto thought to himself in melancholy.
"Pay attention because I don't like to repeat myself..." Danzō ordered, getting a nod from Naruto, before he went slowly through a few seals and inhaling a sizeable amount of air. "...Fūton: Shinkūgyoku (Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere)!" The man called out loudly, before firing off a few near-invisible projectiles of wind towards the wall, causing them to pierce through it and continue to burrow for a few seconds before coming to a stop. Naruto assumed that anyone without the Sharingan would have great difficulty avoiding the technique due to its speed.
To his surprise, the wooden wall actually began to regrow to fix the new holes. Naruto was about to question what was going on, but Danzō merely shook his head and began to walk away. Naruto frowned briefly, before shrugging and resolving himself to learning the technique. The principal of the technique was quite simple, if not a little odd. Most wind techniques didn't require inhalation of pre-existing air, but rather relied on chakra-infused breath, the same principal used for Katon users who wanted to keep a stream of fire going for far longer than their lung capacity should allow.
"Hmm... alright, hand seals..." Naruto muttered, going quickly through the three simple seals. "...deep breath..." He took a long breath which caused his chest to noticeably puff up. '...and release! Fūton: Shinkūgyoku!' He mentally exclaimed, before releasing a handful of wind spheres, barely fast enough to be considered dangerous and close enough to be considered one big ball.
"Well... this could take while."
'Fūton: Shinkūgyoku!' The snowy-haired boy exclaimed once more, with a dozen or more wind balls shot forward with more speed and previously, and noticeably more spread out. It still didn't compare with the ease Danzō had with the technique, nor did it share the lethality, but it was certainly getting there.
"That'll do for now..." He muttered, now bored of repeating the same technique over and over again. Normal people couldn't hope to consistently use a technique for the level of time he could, so most people didn't actually reach the boredom stage. He looked around, seeing a clock near the entrance. Walking over, he saw it was getting late and decided to go back to his room to rest, seeing no valid reason to stay up.
So where're we going?
Naruto paused with a serious frown adorning his features, while his brows were furrowed and his jaw clenched. He turned to see Haku smiling at him pleasantly, and instantly turned back around to ignore her. 'She isn't there, it's all in my mind...' He told himself, before taking a deep breath and walking out of the room.
If I'm in your mind, thinking things isn't going to get rid of me!
The annoying fact that she wasn't bound to the laws of reality quickly became apparent to Naruto, since she appeared in front of him, and somehow actually managed to physically block his path. He briefly considered that he just 'thought' she was blocking him, but it wouldn't make a difference either way, since he still wouldn't be able to pass.
Gritting his teeth more tightly, Naruto tried to fathom a way to get her to... stop being there. Despite how easy one might think it would be to ignore something that wasn't there, the fact that she was... her was making him very uncomfortable. Seeing that radiant smile, beautiful face and long, flowing black hair was seriously upsetting his mind... which was actually quite strange, because she was a figment of his imagination.
"Go away." Naruto spat impatiently, trying to push past the hallucination. The fact that this hallucination – unlike the last – seemed to embody her playful and kind side just made this all the more difficult. Seeing her frown sadly as he passed her by was making his already fractured heart break all the more. 'She isn't really here, do not pay any attention and it can't break you any more!' Naruto ordered himself, which probably didn't boost his mental stability.
Why are you avoiding me?
The sadness in her tone make Naruto freeze as he screwed his eyes shut and growled out lowly, feeling the need to comfort her. His will was shattering quickly at the thought of hearing her like that once more, or seeing her cry even after her death by his own hands. It wasn't logical nor was it sane to give in to the desire to comfort a spirit, but Naruto simply couldn't deny that he never wanted to see her hurt, in any way.
"You... you're not... real... you're... you aren't really here." Naruto muttered slowly, his tone low and indecisive. He didn't want to answer her, but at the same time he relished at the opportunity to see her smile once more... it was a delicate problem. Hearing her giggle at the words as though he said something ridiculous warmed his cold heart and brought a sincere smile to his face, against all of his logical arguments.
What are you talking about? Of course I'm real, don't be stupid.
Hearing her amusement continued to warm his cold heart, until he felt her lean into his side. Looking to his side, he could see her at his side, wrapping her arm around his form and looking up at him with a sly smile.
He then saw her cold face; the dead eyes and lack of life that the present in his recollection of her death. It shook him out of his fantasy and before he could blink, the girl at his side was gone without trace. He violently looked around to see... nothing. Not a single person was within the room, no obvious clues as to whether anyone had been there to begin with. It was just quiet... and empty.
Just like him.
Naruto entered the threshold of his quarters, quickly slamming the door shut and collapsing against its face. He screwed his eyes shut tightly as he clawed at his frosty hair in a vain attempt to wrest control over his fractured mind. There was no collective intelligence, it was more like multiple minds were vying for control of the various pieces left scattered by Haku's absence. He desperately needed a catalyst; something to allow him to fix the irreparable damage done to his psyche... but what was there left to use?! Haku was gone, and without her it just seemed impossible to gain any sort of stability. It most certainly did NOT help that he was seeing her everywhere!
"How... how do I get past... this?!" Naruto hissed at himself, desperately searching for an answer. It wasn't wise to go asking anyone else for assistance, since he highly doubted Danzō was interested in having a mentally unstable pawn. He was only continuing to live because he thought he could continue to do some good while he existed, so having Danzō cast him away would lead to nothing. Hell, it would probably lead to him committing suicide.
Breathing heavily and even audibly whimpering, he spent the next few moments simply sitting with his back to the door and his hands intertwined with his hair. Anyone who had known him – before and after he improved his intellect, appearance and more – would probably be shocked and horrified at the sight of Naruto Uzumaki appearing so vulnerable and generally broken, since even in his worst days he never did so.
Finding no answer, Naruto found no alternative to simply ensuring he was always doing something, and if he wasn't he would either find something or sleep his painful memories away. Clambering into his bed slowly, he tried to allow his mind wander. Fortunately – or so he thought – he felt himself embrace the pull of sleep.
Flashback no Jutsu!
Naruto's eyes locked with a bright red moon, almost glaring at him in fury. He furrowed his brows at the sight, not remembering seeing the moon in such a state. It was even stranger that he could feel an influence growing inside of him from staring at its face.
His vision began to redden, almost as though seeing blood around the edges of his vision. He turned slowly away from the face of the moon to look at the girl at his side. He looked at her closely, feeling rage building within him. He didn't feel the regular warmth that he found himself feeling whenever he saw her beautiful face... no, he felt hate.
He hated how weak she could make him; how vulnerable he was whenever she was endangered; how his existence was so tied to her own. It sickened him that she had managed to make him so dependant. He deserved to be strong and unyielding, not to be tied down to his emotions by her mere existence.
Looking down at his hand, he saw his fingernails had extended into long, thick claws while a wispy red aura permeated his being. He cared little where it came from, it felt good... he felt himself embrace his hatred. It was such a comforting feeling...
Looking at her once more – completely oblivious to his blood red, slitted eyes – he raised his hand, straightening it out as though ready to thrust it into something, before grinning devilishly. He saw her form begin to move a little as her brows furrowed in what he perceived as confusion.
"Naruto-kun, do you feel something... wrong?" The girl asked, making Naruto's grin deepen. He felt good, and it was time to settle things. Retracting his arm away from her and grazing a clawed fingernail on his other hand over her cheek – which caused her to shiver with a small smile – he placed his head near her ear.
"Just relax Haku-chan, it'll all be over soon..."
Flashback no Jutsu! Kai!
Naruto awoke with a frown. It was impossible to make him more depressed, so all the dream did was to satiate his curiosity about just what happened. It also gave him a much clearer picture regarding just how the deed was performed and what caused it. He growled lowly as he realized what the reason was for Kurama's surprising level of silence and solitude since the whole ordeal occurred...
...he was the cause.
He didn't have a full picture, the memory having cut out before he had a chance to fully explore exactly what had happened, but he could accurately guess how it wound end. He didn't need to see the end to understand what happened, as it would probably just upset him.
He couldn't help but feel like something was wrong... he couldn't place it, but he felt as though the way his memories were presenting themselves was abnormal. One didn't usually recall important events in their sleep, but then again he wasn't a psychologist. He was smart, but he didn't exactly know everything about every topic.
Deciding to put Kurama's silence to rest, he closed his eyes once more and allowed his mind to wander to the place he sought.
Entering the mindscape, Naruto was surprised to see himself in the sewer-like tunnels that he'd been forced to wade through the first time he entered the space. Perhaps Kurama had some choice regarding where he arrived, it may have been Naruto's mind but this section was reserved for Kurama's consciousness alone.
Looking down at the water, Naruto could tell it was higher than before, and that it reflected his true appearance; his blond hair and whiskers were proudly on display. He shrugged at the occurrence, since he didn't pay too much attention to the water level nor the way he was displayed in this place.
He let out a sigh as he began walking down corridors aimlessly. He was sure the passage of time in here was different to the real world, as he could spend a while conversing with Kurama before returning and not much time would have passed. Still, it didn't mean he liked to just wander aimlessly around these halls.
After a while his pace quickened as he began actively running down the halls, his curiosity and anger bubbling to the surface in regards to just why Kurama had influenced him to do what he'd done. The explanation would make no difference; Haku would still be dead, but he really wanted to know the motivations the fox had.
Finally arriving in Kurama's chambers, Naruto was both shocked and surprised to see that the usual barred gates that contained the fox were now thick, metal doors. He could vaguely hear scratching and banging coming from behind them, but other than that there was no obvious trace of the fox anywhere.
"What caused this?" Naruto muttered in confusion. His seal was complex, he knew that much after properly studying it using his – albeit small – knowledge of Fūinjutsu. Nobody could just look at his seal and alter it without knowing the exact design and functions it came with. Who was capable of messing with one as complex the one him, since it was designed exclusively by the Yondaime Hokage?
He knew that tampering would be the only cause of physical changes, since mere thoughts would definitely not transform the appearance of this place so heavily. He actually let out a chuckle at the concept of this place transforming into a forest at the snap of his fingers, but quickly shook off his amusement.
Growling in frustration and a lack of clear answers to his problem, Naruto faded from the mindscape, never knowing just why Kurama was so furious.
As his mind drifted back to the corporeal world, he could tell it had been a few minutes, maybe 20 or more, since he had entered his mindscape. It wasn't an exact science, but after a while of having no actual tools to tell the time a person could somewhat predict it.
Standing up from his bed, Naruto got dressed quickly, completely uncaring about bathing right now... he had better things to do. He walked towards his door and opened it to see a fist nearly hit him in the face. Seeing the black haired boy that had come to his quarters the day before, he tilted his head to the side in annoyance as he crossed his arms and placed his weight on one leg while the other idly tapped the ground.
"Ah... you're awake... good..." Sai said with a little confusion, though Naruto wasn't interesting in anyone else's mental condition since his own was taking up so much of his time. "...Danzō-sama informed me that you are in my squad, so I've come to tell you we are meeting in the main chamber in twenty minutes." He continued, while Naruto blinked a few times before nodding when he remembered Danzō had mentioned that.
"Sure... I'll be ready in a few minutes." Naruto muttered, obviously not giving much enthusiasm. Sai then nodded and walked away while Naruto closed the door with a sigh.
"Another day, another pain in my ass."
-End-
Yes, it's too angsty. Yes, I should fix it. No, I'm not planning on doing so, as I'm insanely swamped already. Next chapter reduces the angst significantly, so don't lose hope yet.
Anyway... Review, Favourite and/or Follow.
LiamMorg. Out.
Ja Ne!