"When I first met the Kyūbi, the Nine-Tailed Beast that was the cause of all my issues and traumas, I was filled with trepidation. In front of me was a being I couldn't predict, a being who had orphaned both me and my brother. I should have felt a lot of things: anger, sadness, fear. But what I felt was a lot worse: I was indifferent. I was cautious sure, and I was still upset about my parents as any child would be- but the fact I did not run with fear, and was civil? Well, let's just say that had the villagers figured that out, we would have been persecuted even more."

Mitsuo opened his eyes in a large open field. There were flowers covering the long and delicate grass, barely visible due to the dense nature of the grass, the surroundings eerily silent. There was no chirping of birds, no faint howling of wolves, and the shrouds of the surrounding forest were looming, cackling from where they were.

The sky was a tumultuous grey, clouds tumbling over themselves as they fought to break out from the grey confines, stormy and rumbling in their anger. The sun, normally bright, was nowhere to be seen, causing a grey hue to cast over the clearing. The air was warm despite the stormy looking weather, the wind coiling and swirling wildly.

Mitsuo didn't feel any different, and as he looked at his arms and body, he still looked like his eleven-year-old self. His navy jacket draped above his plain blue shirt, which had the Uzumaki swirl on the shoulder. His dark grey trousers, scuffed and marked, looking unworn and unsullied. Reaching up hesitantly to his head, his hitai-ate was resting there, keeping his hair tucked out of the way, which he needed to cut at some point.

It was growing too long, escaping the confines of the hitai-ate more often than not. I'm still me, as far as I can tell. Am I in a dreamscape or something? This looks like the training field outside of the village, just untamed and abandoned to its own devices. It didn't escape his notice how his first assumption when facing something he wasn't expecting and was almost surreal, was to think it was a dream or a nightmare when there were always other more logical options.

A grey path almost appeared in front of him, oddly, stark and out of place compared to the rest of the clearing, but before he could really think it through, his feet were trailing along the cobbled path. There was a tall gateway, a crimson red gate looking like the respectful entrance to a temple. What is this?

He kept walking until a weird visual effect happened, where the corridor stretched, merging into one long tunnel until the path ended, and he was back to where he started. The sky was the same, the forest was the same, the grass weaving in between his toes was the same. The only difference was the giant Fox, slumbering in the centre, head on his giant furry paws.

His fur was jagged, looking course and rough, as Mitsuo's memories of the tenth of October, five years ago, hit him full force, and it was all too easy to imagine the claws impaling his parents. It unnerved him, but he put on his most stoic expression.

His fists curled by his sides, as he suppressed the churning in his gut, the antsiness that was crawling up his skin just by being so close to the demon in his stomach. He opened a red slitted eye, the other remaining lazily shut as he remained in his relaxed position.

"What are you doing here, Brat? You're disturbing my peace and quiet."

Oddly, the Kyūbi seemed more civil then Mitsuo thought it'd be. The experience he'd had with it had been limited, and it had been huge, towering over the village, snarling, only speaking a few words which consisted of cursing his father. To see it so tame: it was somewhat jarring- he'd not imagined it twisting in his gut. The Fox's tails lunged forwards, stopping at the bars, coiling around them.

"First off, I am a he, not an it. Second of all, the Kyūbi no Kitsune is not tame!"

Mitsuo raised an eyebrow as he jumped back a little in surprise, instantly taking back what he'd said about it… him being tame. It was weird, downright suicidal, he knew, talking to a fox demon who had nearly wiped out his village, had killed so many people including his mother and father. The Fox's tails whipped out behind him and even more oddly, Mitsuo found himself wondering what it was like to be split in half.

Clearing his thoughts, he shrugged, feeling small and weak in comparison to the Fox in front of him, which could squash him like a bug. He didn't necessarily have to refer to the Fox as he, but not only was the Kyūbi more powerful than he was, but he didn't need to make his life harder because of something as simple as a pronoun. He steamrolled past the would-be attack as his tails coiled back inside of the cage, shrugging again with faux confidence.

"I don't know. I just woke up here. Aren't you going to try and break out?"

Mitsuo could swear that he rolled his eyes, and Mitsuo felt somewhat affronted. He could feel the Fox rattling at his cage when he'd been fighting Kasuhiro and his gang, trying to shatter the seal and roam free. The Fox stood up, looming over Mitsuo as he sat on his haunches, his tails spreading out like a fan.

"I'm not stupid. The seal is at full strength, and you're being watched. They are ready to kill you if I break free. I would be back to square one- assuming they re-sealed me and didn't kill me. I thought you were at the top of your class?"

It was Mitsuo that growled this time, gritting his teeth at the jab. He refused to let the Fox irritate him and refused to drop his guard down. If he did that, he might as well nuke the village himself. The shame that would be on his mother and father's face, on Itachi's and Sasuke's. On Naruto's. That was something he knew he'd never be able to deal with, the weight of it heavy on his soul.

"Then what was that before?"

"That was me trying to protect myself. Your chakra was non-existent, thanks to your inability to do that damned technique, and if I let it go on, they were going to kill your brother, and then you. If you die, I die. If your brother dies, my other half dies. Simple logic- don't think it's because you can actually control me that your claw did not find purchase in your brother's throat."

The mental image was one that Mitsuo could imagine all too vividly, and his stomach churned with disgust. His brother, blue eyes rapidly dimming, splayed out on the ground, staring at Mitsuo, reaching out with a limp hand and the cry of brother. The ghosts of his Haha and Chichi, standing behind him, glaring over at him, eyes hardened.

Golden chains suffocating him, pinning him down, his father bending down next to his youngest, sorrowful looks in his eyes. "Kin-slayer." They chanted, words hurting more than the Kyūbi. "Demon." Naruto looked at him with one more look, innocent and brave and deaddyingIkilledhim. "Didn't you love me Mitsuo? Wasn't I good enough?"

He turned away, blinking the vivid images away, trying not to focus on the malicious thoughts conjured by the Kyūbi. He'd never let that happen- but the Fox all too gleefully reminded him that he had, of course, come close. It had been the Kyūbi's preservation of his other half that had stopped him from piercing his brother in two, and he hated owing anything to that Fox.

They lapsed into silence, as the Kyūbi revealed his large teeth, hiding behind his lip. The Fox stared at him, with an analytical yet not openly hostile look on his face. It unnerved him more than the shudders he was fighting back, as the Fox dropped back down into a laying down position, the position he'd been in before.

"You have great power, but your fear stops you from using it. I will not be contained in some coward. No matter how much you wish to ignore me, I will always be here. Lingering, influencing, controlling."

The words hurt, but as much as he hated to admit it, the Fox spoke some degree of sense. Clenching his fists tighter now, he turned his back and began to walk away, trying not to let what the Fox said linger in his mind, festering like a poison. He cast his head over his shoulder, his words bitter and darker than he'd ever let them get.

"There's a reason I'm scared of your power: my parents wound up dead because of you. They died in front of me and I've never been able to forget it! So, if I'm weak because I refuse to use your power, so be it!"

Mitsuo woke up in the hospital, surprisingly bandage-less, thick metal cuffs around his arms, legs, neck and waist. Next to him, there was Naruto, curled up against his chest, shifting slightly in response to his breathing. He tugged his arms to try and wrap them around his brother, but the bindings were durable and made to last- and it didn't take a genius to realise why he'd been bound as he had.

They were afraid of the Fox escaping. It wasn't an unfounded fear, considering that some part of the Fox had taken over him, scaring Kasuhiro and his gang through seven shades of hell, and mauling deep gouges into Kasuhiro's arms. The smell of blood and the thrill of the chase had only egged him on, and his control when it came to Naruto being in danger had snapped quicker than a twig under his foot.

The burning of the seal as chakra leaked through it, holding and resisting the malevolent chakra. It could have ended so differently, with someone ending up dead, which would have more serious repercussions then what he did already. The repercussions were already stacking up- people were going to come after him and Naruto even more now, trying to "kill the demon."

He'd painted another target on their back, and the village was unlikely to forget his lapse in control when it came to the Kyūbi, and there would be more people advocating for their execution. And while the Third Hokage could protect them somewhat, there was always going to be people who would come after them, try and kill them. His head felt oddly bare as he tilted his head, the simple movement sending an ache through his body.

The hitai-ate was on the cabinet next to the bed, looking like it had been ruthlessly cleaned, the buckle on the front shining with a new kind of intensity. Has Naruto stayed here the entire night? Itachi appeared in from the door, looking at the cell-like room. It really was the cell- he was in the hospital, that was certain, but it looked like he was in the basement.

There were no windows to speak of, and the walls were a bricked grey, the air a little musty compared to the pure antiseptic smell of the upper floors. The bed that he was resting on had simple blankets, and simple pillows, as comfy as a rock, the blanket proving as much warmth as an open window on a cold winter's day. Itachi looked unflappable, taking his mask off and holding it in his arms, allowing his full face to be on view.

There was no hint of fear, not that Mitsuo expected any from Itachi of all people, and there was no swirl of the Sharingan or its brethren. Combined with Itachi's relaxed attitude, his demeanour calm, it meant that he clearly wasn't anticipating for Mitsuo to fight. That makes one of us- I'm surprised anyone trusts me after that.

"I took him to the hospital with you. A few cuts and bruises, but they healed quick. Haha looked after him for the night."

Mitsuo nodded his head, something slightly difficult with the cold metal of the restraint pressing against his throat. It was chafing somewhat as he coughed, blue eyes fixing on Itachi from his awkward position. Naruto stirred a little, head adjusting from its position, before relaxing again with a huff of breath.

Will you still want to be around me when you wake up Naruto? Your big brother who nearly killed two of his allies? Who raised a hand to you and nearly struck you? Or will you run scared, staying away from me? I wouldn't blame you if you chose to stay away from me Naruto.

"Arigatō. The seal?"

"Intact. We had our fūinjutsu specialist look at it- the chakra only leaked through, the Kyūbi did not even come close to escaping. She was watched at all times."

That was a relief. Had the Kyūbi escaped and decimated the building, he'd never have forgiven himself for slipping the responsibility he had. Itachi moved closer to Mitsuo as he adjusted his laying down position the best he could when he was being confined. Mitsuo knew that if it came to it, the Kyūbi could snap through the bonds easily because they could never be as strong as his mother's chains- an ability he didn't think he'd ever be able to recreate.

There was no knowledge of the ability, and without that, there wasn't much of a foundation for him to learn it. The only thing that was keeping the Kyūbi contained was Mitsuo and Naruto, the jailers who had the key.

"Kasuhiro and the others?"

"Minor injuries all around. They are awaiting punishment for their attack upon you and are on suspension. You are facing minimal punishment, as it was self-defence. Naruto testified on your behalf, and your exemplar reputation as a shinobi helped too. The clan… aren't happy with what happened to Taiko, but mother smoothed it over somewhat. Still, I would watch yourself when interacting with them."

If they ended up with a punishment, then their parents would likely attest it. After all, he could do everything wrong, but any other shinobi's mistakes weren't as bad. For Mitsuo, self-defence was the same as throwing the first punch, because many people refused to see him and Naruto as anything other than the Fox.

He thanked Itachi again, as he slid his mask back into place, just as the Third Hokage and a fleet of ANBU came in, each one's mask guarding their expression. Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the restrained boy, his younger brother, and waved a leathery hand, directing some of his ANBU.

"Crow, Dog, I don't think those bindings are necessary now."

Some of the ANBU looked antsy, but Itachi and Dog didn't have those reservations, both of them calmly walking over and removing the locked bindings with ease. Most of his superficial wounds had healed, courtesy of the Kyūbi not wanting its human container to die. Itachi carefully nudged Naruto awake, and it took him a few seconds to open his eyes, staring with an adorable doe-eyed look on his face.

The minute he realised that Mitsuo was awake too, he launched himself out of Itachi's arms and flung his own around Mitsuo's neck, hugging him tightly to the extent where he felt his airwaves closing.

"Mitsuo! You're awake!"

Mitsuo nodded as he wrapped his now free arms around Naruto's back, holding him close as he burrowed his chin into the crook of his neck. Hiruzen watched with an amused smile as Itachi and Dog fell back into position. Naruto stayed there for a second before Mitsuo pulled back, scanning his younger brother worriedly. He trusted Itachi's word when he said that Naruto was fine, and had healed, but he was still nervous and needed to confirm for himself that he was fine.

"I am, Otōto. I'm sorry about scaring you."

Naruto comically puffed up his chest, hugging his brother again. For the first time in a while, Mitsuo was reminded that Naruto had grown from the baby he'd raised and that he was getting older. Soon, he'd be going into the Academy, where he could be a shinobi who could defend himself. And he had no doubt that Naruto was going to be skilled in his own right.

"You didn't scare me! I was worried you were hurt!"

That statement would have been more believable had it not been for the quiver of his bottom lip, a telltale sign that Naruto was bluffing. He smiled and went along with it, knowing that Hiruzen likely wanted to talk to him without young ears listening. Mitsuo ruffled his head, as he hugged his brother like it was his last day on earth, huffing and whispering playfully.

"Then I'm sorry for worrying you, Akarui."

"Crow, why don't you and Naruto go and get us all some refreshments?"

Distracting Naruto with food was a sure-fire way to draw his attention away from his brother. Mitsuo made a nudging gesture towards Itachi who stepped forwards, Mitsuo's hand retreating from ruffling Naruto's bright yellow hair.

"Go on."

Naruto somewhat reluctantly went with Itachi, holding his hand. Hiruzen waited until the two of them were safely out of the room before jumping Mitsuo with his questions and conversation, Mitsuo adjusting his position on the bed in response. Hiruzen sat down next to the bed, oddly informal for a Kage, as Mitsuo put the conversation he had with the Kyūbi out of his mind, trying not to seem too rattled but failing. With some amount of hope, they'd put it down to the channelling the aspect of the Fox thing.

"You managed to completely burn out your chakra reserves, narrowly avoiding damaging your chakra pathways. That's quite a feat when you consider the size of your reserves. You're not going to be able to do ninjutsu for a while, but the medic-nin are convinced you'll recover quickly."

That was good news at the very least. If he couldn't do missions, then he wouldn't be earning money, and if he wasn't earning money, then things would begin to run out. Of course, he did save up money, but even his higher-ranked jobs didn't pay that much once it had gotten through the village. He arched his back, still feeling like he'd had the beat down of the century.

"I think we have something to talk about, don't you?"