Silver thread rested along the ground, wrapping up a small shape tightly. The clearing darkened as a cloud passed over the stars and sky. The depths of the forest glimmered with the eyes of the spiders.
"As I say, you are new, man-thing. New as nothing that has entered this forest for a long time."
Naruto's eyes narrowed. His fingers reached downward. I guess there's no choice. I'm going to have to rely on that technique, aren't I?
"You can weave some kind of magic using only your fingers. We take more time." The spider clattered closer, a curious look in her deep emerald eyes. The compound eyes glimmered. Green energy gathered around the body. "On top of that, your power is strange..."
Naruto's eyes closed. Sleep swept over Naruto's body.
Water dripped from the ceiling of the cavern.
The body shimmered. Silver hair ran down the slick body. A fox with nine tails dipped her long head into the depths of the river as it passed through the sealed and giant cage. Ripples spread outward from the angular silver head draining deeply the river.
Naruto's eyes widened.
The fox turned her head. A coy smile crossed the sharp mouth of glittering, dripping wet teeth. "Would y' prefer my regular form?" the fox questioned gently.
Naruto swallowed tightly. He nodded after a moment.
The fox rose. The figure dwindled swiftly into the shape of a human. Genkuro lazily combed her fingernails with one long tail, the rest subsiding behind her.
Naruto glanced upward.
"Y' want information on these spiders, I fancy." Genkuro's eyes narrowed. "Is that yer desire?"
Naruto nodded.
"Very well. As y' insist." Genkuro blew smoke through her nose, her blue eyes flickering. She sat down beside the river, studying Naruto's face. "As y' gathered, I have a certain degree o' information about what's goin' on out there."
"Were they the ones causing the sickness?"
"I fear not."
Naruto blinked. "Eh?"
"At the least, not directly." Genkuro sat down. Her fingers clapped together, forming a quick series of seals. "See, what I think's the matter's that the children're gettin' two chakra systems."
A large couch appeared in the cage.
Genkuro patted the pillow beside her.
Naruto laughed self-consciously. "I, uh…" He rubbed the back of his head. What does she mean, two chakra systems?
"I understand." Genkuro settled herself on the couch, appearing every bit the dutiful wife. "There are no demons in this world, y' see."
Naruto looked up at Genkuro. "What happened?"
"The heavens gave us the gift of chakra." Genkuro paused. "Well, y' may be familiar with that old legend about how we got born. It's essentially true. Well, death didn't exist until the Vizier required it, y' know?"
"That seems a bit stupid." Naruto scowled. He rubbed his chin. "I mean, I never got the whole concept of gods."
"Y' can disbelieve if y' wish. At any rate, I kin verify some small part o' it. Talking simply about the matter of the Ten-Tails who rejected death, he sired all us other Tailed Beasts. Me n' my brother..." Genkuro's voice trailed off. She laughed self-consciously. "Well, it ain't much of a big deal, anyhow. Least, not to you it ain't. Simply put, the gift of chakra came down from the Emperor, in his roost up in heaven."
Naruto scowled. "I'll keep listening for now. Anyway, what's going on?" he questioned.
"The spiders gained a chakra system. They are now very close to human." Genkuro chuckled.
"Eh?" Naruto tilted his head to one side. "What is this?"
Genkuro lifted her fingers. "In short, they're a new sentient race of sorts. Chakra is what distinguishes men from animals, anyhow. I can't speak to their motives, without hearin' more. Is it quite clear from what I explained?"
Naruto frowned. "…And they're not demons."
"Y' know me. Do I strike y' as a demon?" Genkuro questioned patiently. Her eyes flickered.
The lake glimmered.
Light reflected off the ripples.
"Yes." Naruto responded without hesitation.
Genkuro scowled. "Fine. At any rate, they are not the same as me. Tailed Beasts live long times, but there is a difference. We got the power from the same thing y' did. Now, those spiders, they're entirely new, y' know?"
Naruto gasped.
"This still remains. Y' have a choice. That meteorite is from the heavens. It is the poison causing the disease."
Naruto frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"The matter of the celestial—the celestial remains. It's the destruction beyond understanding."
"Celestial… you talk a great deal about it. What do you mean?" Naruto demanded.
"Celestial things aren't meant to live upon this earth. Corruption spreads from them. Sure, it's givin' those spiders sentience, but at the same time, it's gonna poison everything around it."
Naruto frowned.
"Or rather, y' humans can't handle these things. In this we beings that come from heaven have an advantage." Genkuro smiled.
Naruto's eyes narrowed. "I guess I better get going, then."
"Decide to save them or destroy them."
"…Yeah. I'll do that." Naruto opened his eyes.
Genkuro fell silent. She rested against the couch, her eyes closing in a truly elegant motion.
The body shifted in the web. Naruto turned over.
"Do you want to talk now? You shouldn't sleep so long—" the spider began in a reproachful tone.
"Kitsune-Bi."
A ball of lightning shot from a silver tail. Lightning crackled across the web. The spider slumped to the ground, lightning trailing from its eight limbs.
Naruto glanced downward, his teeth showing. The canines glistened. "She looks all right for now."
Lightning crackled across the silver tail.
Naruto smiled. Seems to have worked. Let's continue onward… Naruto's fingers extended. Naruto rushed forward.
Leaves fell downward. Lightning flickered. The silver flames spread across the forest.
Naruto ran onward. He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes flickering with silver flames.
Ashes and the silver contrails of the silver fox's trail rose through the sky.