Chapter 3: Rebirth
-o-o-o-
"Arise my son. Arise, Naruto and embrace the glory that is your birthright. I am the Overmind, the eternal will of the swarm and by extension, your father. And this is, your brother Kurama. Know that as you awaken into the swarm you and Kurama are to be made as one. For he is the cerebrate who watched over your slumber, dutifully standing in vigil as you await your rebirth amongst your numerous brothers within the swarm as he labored under the guidance of Daggoth and the careful protection of his Tiamat brood. Just as your brothers the cerebrates carry forth my will to the innumerable broods within the swarm, so shall you carry your will to your broods through Kurama. Yet your purpose is unique; you shall be the harbinger of my wrath; for you are the stepping stone for the swarm's evolution to perfection. As such I shall set you amongst the greatest of my cerebrates, so that you may benefit from their experience. Go now, my son, and bring swift end to all who oppose the Swarm, for from now henceforth, you shall be known as Prince of the Swarm, the Overmind's pride and joy. Go forth and be my claws and blades and become the testament to the unbridled fury of the Swarm."
Naruto opened his eyes to reddened skies unsure of where he is or how he came to be in this place; the Overmind's strong psionic call still ringing through the deep recesses of his mind.
"Look who's awake." A powerful voice drew Naruto's attention to a towering figure in front of him. Naruto's eyes focused at the figure in front of him. The creature standing in front of him is vulpine in appearance, a far cry from the larval cerebrates that Naruto saw in his head. "You must be confused. Allow me to explain. I am Kurama, your brother. For nearly six months I watched over you in your chrysalis. Like you, the Overmind also welcomed me into the Swarm, but as a cerebrate rather than a warrior strain like yourself. And under the guidance of brother Daggoth and Zasz, I succeeded in bringing you into the swarm. For we serve a purpose that's unique within the swarm. Know that from now henceforth, your mortal life is over and what you live for is the Overmind and the Swarms. Do you understand?"
Naruto slowly nodded, digesting the information that has been fed him. Still, he's confused. As Kurama has reaffirmed, he has been reborn into this so called swarm and that he is now serving an entity known as the Overmind, to which he must address as father.
He reasoned that it won't be so bad. After all, he was an orphan, having a father like this is nice. And he can feel the warmth and strength that the Overmind radiated through his mind. Still, he can't help but feel that there's an important thing that he's forgetting, a promise he made to someone a long time ago. Pushing that at the back of his mind, he clawed his way out of his chrysalis in an attempt to finally leave its warm yet suffocating embrace.
He tried to stand up but his legs are still weak from months of immobility as he lay cocooned in the chrysalis; submerged in its transformative liquids. The creature Kurama chuckled as he approached him, licking Naruto dry of some of the liquids that still clung to his body. As Naruto stumbled on his feet, he found himself balanced by the strong and steely wings that protruded from his back and he was able to learn how to slowly stand with their help, flapping the hard wings from behind him as he tried to balance on his feet. He fell backwards, once more, but his impact was instinctively braced by two hard tails that he never realized were there at the base of his spine.
"I see you're getting used to your new body, Naruto." The vulpine creature in front of him looked on in amusement. "But I think it will be a while before you're used to standing on your own. You are after all still an infant at this stage."
He felt himself lifted by Kurama's own tails and onto the vulpine cerebrate's back. "Better?"
Naruto merely nodded as he felt himself stabilized against the hard strong back of his brother.
"Come, kit. We have a task ahead of us today. While the swarm have scoured much of the Terrans from Tarsonis, the task of blanketing this planet in living creep and biomatter is left to us. While this task seems easy enough for our queens, our overlords have reported a small remaining force of Terran military outpost at the heart of the capital. The overmind and our brothers believe that this will serve as an ample training for you as you begin your journey with the swarm."
As Kurama's voice sounded in his mind, Naruto's consciousness slowly expanded as the cerebrate carried him through the city; he becomes more and more awake with each passing moment. As he looked around, he noted a group of hydralisk and zerglings have rallied themselves around the two of them, serving as an escort to the two important entities within the brood. Sensing, his attention, Kurama's voice enlightened for him.
"Behold the Tiamat brood. We are after all under brother Daggoth's protection. Just so you know. The Tiamat brood is the largest within the swarm and employs unique strains of the zerg swarm. Brother Daggoth is the oldest of the cerebrates and serve as the Overmind's direct extension. There's a reason why his Tiamat brood serves as the personal guard and escort to the Overmind, after all. And now they guard us. The hunter killers to your sides, are a special strain of the Hydralisk. There's no need to fear anything when these aggressive warriors are with us, kit."
Naruto noted a small amount of pride as his brother explained the swarm to him. As they travel through the broken streets of Tarsonis, Naruto noted that the bio-organic ground that they are traveling cuts off to a distant terrain.
"Kurama-niisan, can you explain to me exactly what's up with the ground we're traveling on? And why does it cut off in the desert to the north?" His eyes focusing on the clearing at the distant.
"You're very observant aren't you?" Kurama proudly said as he slowed his pace. "Watch this." The cerebrate simply said as he sent a psionic command to the Zerg strains following them.
Naruto watched on as a group of hydralisks parted to reveal a slithering insectoid wasp-like creature which promptly burrowed at the junction between the bio-organic creep and the desert sand. A few seconds later, a bulbous growth erupted from where the creature burrowed before it erupted into a strange fleshy structure that briefly reminded Naruto of a gigantic flower. The flower then sprayed bio-organic creep from its center, covering the previously desert sand with a mass of writhing and alive carpet, much like what they're walking on.
"What have you observed, dear brother?"
"The ground we're walking on extended! And holy… it's alive!" Naruto can't help but exclaimed in wonderment, his eyes widening both in surprise and amazement, causing the cerebrate he's riding on to chuckle deeply.
"Indeed my brother. That ground is called the creep and the growth that feeds it is called a creep colony. It extends deep from the heart of our main hive, serving as a conduit from the hatchery. The hatchery, the life-giving structure that is the heart of any Zerg Hive can be morphed on open ground from the creatures that you observed. Those are the drones that served as the main servitors to any functioning hive. They maintain everything from larva, eggs to resource-gathering within the hive. And where there is creep, it is considered part of the hive. The creep then delivers nutrients to the numerous brood under the swarm so long as they're standing on creep." To illustrate this, Kurama briefly stopped and lifted a paw.
Naruto looked on mesmerized as a strange liquid dripped from the paw and back into the creep.
"See? It supplies me even as I move, nourishing me with what I need to function and live."
"Woah! That's so cool." Naruto continued to looked on mesmerized, causing Kurama to chuckle in amusement.
"Without creep we would all starve. But just the creep isn't enough. The drones deliver resources, food, vespene gas and biomass through it by feeding it to the hatcheries, and that in turn feeds us through the creep. This is why drones are such an important component of any hive and every brood strain has a programmed directive to defend a drone before anything else. Brother Daggoth always advised me, never to use the last drone to morph into a structure. And that wisdom has stuck with me. After all without a single drone, nothing can feed the hive and tend to the broods. Makes sense right?"
"I get it now." Naruto affirmed as he watched another set of drones morphed into a creep colony, extending the creep once more as their broods traveled further. This pattern continues to repeat as they moved closer and closer to the city limits.
"Ahh finally, we're here. The ruined city of the capital lies within striking distance. How about you try hopping off my back and see if you can stand on your own now." Naruto did as he was told and was surprised that he's able to stand much more easier this time. As his feet came into contact with the creep, he too felt a surge of strength he's never felt before as he felt a strange feeling of satiety that's beyond any form of eating in his previous life.
"I think I'm getting used to my body, Kurama-niisan." A satisfied and proud feeling from the cerebrate was delivered to his mind, filling Naruto with a strange warmth as he adjusted to his new body.
"You're right. I think I'll sit back this time and let you lead the assault .There's only a minimal threat left in the city now. Your task is to get used to your body by removing the last remnant of these Terrans from this planet. I will offer you my support by directing the broods to aid you in combat. Use this as an opportunity to train and discover what your body can do. Now go."
"I understand." And so Naruto set off to work as he navigated the ruined city. And to his surprise, he was able to maneuver easily within the cityscape as numerous hydralisk and canine-like zerglings ran alongside him. As Naruto blocked bullets after bullets and ripped through tanks and other terran soldiers, the creatures at his side struck at the ruined city defenses, dismantling bunkers, fortifications and makeshift bases; giving him time to experiment with his body on every Terran that stands in his way. He used and experimented not just with his claws, tails and wings but also of his mind and psionic powers.
He quickly found out that his mind has become more and more expansive this time, able to sense life force even from inside the city buildings. But just as he reached the heart of the city, a strange pull was tugging at his chest, directing him to one of the tallest buildings in the city proper.
Trusting his own senses, he rushed through the corridors as he ascended the building, searching for Terrans and any possible source of this pull that he felt. As he moved through the building, his mind instinctively reached out to the overlords floating above the city and gained access to their vision. And he was able to observe the sheer efficiency with how the swarm moved under Kurama's orders as the warrior strains slaughtered the remainder of the confederate defenders. A few drones morphed into Hatcheries at the center of the city and a few quickly tended to eggs and larvae that emerged from the new additions to the Hive. A few queens also arrived with the arrival of a nydus worm and they transformed a few of the trapped civilians and defenders into infested Terrans. Those that resisted were either consumed as biomass and delivered to the hatcheries or killed effortlessly.
A flash of memory flashed through his mind as he remembered fighting alongside these soldiers once in his past life. But he strangely feels no empathy to them, causing a feeling of confusion to bubble in his chest.
"You might be wondering why you don't feel anything for your old kin." Naruto blinked his eyes, startled at his brother's voice in his head.
"Oh don't be so surprised, little kit. Through our psionic connection, courtesy of the hive mind we share, we are connected even in thoughts. Now to answer your question, your rebirth into the swarm has everything to do with what you're feeling now. You'll feel the same level of empathy to us and our brothers now. But not to your old brethren and kin. I told you before, didn't I? Your life as a mortal is over. You are Zerg now. In time, you'll begin to think, feel and act like a true member of the Zerg Swarm."
"I guess so." Naruto mumbled back as he ripped open a strangely familiar room with his wings. He stepped inside and his eyes took in the sight in front of him. A crashed dropship laid at the center of the room with a creep colony on it and a tendril of flesh wrapping around the dropship. The whole room is blanketed by a mass of creep and living breathing tendrils that extend from the dropship.
He advanced into the room and immediately, his eyes was drawn to a ruined picture frame. In it was a man with piercing black eyes in a military attire. And for some reason, a force compelled him to pick it up.
As he stared at the man's face, an onslaught of memories flooded his mind and he promptly dropped to the ground on his knees as the memories overwhelmed him.
"I sense your distress, Naruto. What's wrong?" Came Kurama's soothing voice in an instant.
"I… I think I'm remembering something important here, niisan." Naruto proclaims as a memory from a distant past echoed through his mind.
"Go Sasuke please! I'll come find you promise."
"I hold you to that promise, dobe!"
A gasp escaped his lips as he nearly dropped the picture frame.
"Sasuke…" Was all he could choke out.
"I promised you didn't I? How could… How could I forget you?" He mumbled more to himself than Kurama as he felt intense sadness at a promise left unfulfilled. His chest clenching at the thought of having left and even forgetting someone very important and dear to him.
"Naruto?" Kurama's inquiring voice came again.
"I need to talk to father, Kurama-niisan." Naruto promptly said as he poured his resolve into their connection. Sensing Naruto's resolve and feelings of determination, Kurama contemplated for a while before finally replying.
"Alright. But don't expect anything, okay?"
"Thank you, niisan, that's all I ask."
And just like that Kurama opened the link to the Overmind, a feat that had caused him a great deal of concentration considering Char's distance from Tarsonis and his inexperience as a young cerebrate.
"What's wrong, my son?" As soon as the link was opened however, the Overmind's voice quickly flooded through their thoughts and Naruto was filled with a strange sense of comfort that permeated through his mind, calming his racing heart despite his initial distress over his memory's revelations.
"Father…" Naruto tried to compose himself, knowing that he may be asking too much of the creature. "I understand that I'm here to serve you and the swarm. But my heart wouldn't… couldn't be at peace when I still had a promise left unfulfilled. I only ask that you grant me this and I will dedicate myself completely to the swarm."
"Insolence!" Zasz cut through the link, the cerebrate listening in through the psionic link in irritation. How dare this former Terran try to dictate and reason with their father? "Though you maybe the Overmind's favored servant, Naruto, always remember that we are all just servants, bound to our father's will and purpose. It is fool-hardy to…"
"Shut up, Zasz! I am talking to our father, not you!" Naruto's eyes flashed as his old personality shone through the link, much to the Overmind's amusement.
"Please?" Naruto implored the Overmind and surprisingly, a wave of understanding resonated through the link.
"I searched your memories, Naruto and in this moment, I have fathomed the depths of your emotions for this Terran. And I say to you now, I wholly understand your need to fulfill promises long forgotten. If it pleases you, then so shall it be. Yet you must stay your zeal. For I have found another creature that may yet become your sister. Watch over her rebirth into the swarm. And I may yet let you pursue your search for this Terran."
"Really?" Naruto poured his excitement into this link, and in that instant, the Overmind was briefly overwhelmed by the sheer depths of the emotions of his son. Just how far does this feelings go to create such an ebb and wave within their own psionic link? Still, the Overmind steeled himself, knowing that for all the terran's flaws, Naruto is his creation and will continue to be subservient to him just as any other creation.
"I assure you my son, that you will have the full might of the swarm to bear at your back when that time comes. Kurama…"
"Yes father?"
"See to it that Naruto's search is fruitful. But for now, you two must aid Daggoth and Zasz in your vigil for my latest prize. Do that and I shall be pleased. And so long as I remained pleased, I shall continue to permit whatever wish and desire that you or Naruto may have."
"By your will father."
"Thank you father!" Naruto added, excitement bubbling from deep within him. For added measure, he sent his feelings of gratitude through the link, nearly giving pause to the overmind itself by the sheer intensity of such emotion. Still, the creature was able to maintain its resolve. He has not traversed multiple worlds and consumed countless of lives just to be affected by a mere Terran after all.
"Behold!" The Overmind declared and unveiled his latest creation in the link; another chrysalis in Tarsonis appeared before them. "This creature's incubation period is far longer than your own, Naruto. For the sleeper's power within is beyond anything that I have borne witness throughout the millennia. Watch over your sister's slumber, much like how Kurama watched over yours, and I shall wholeheartedly support your endeavors for your missing Terran. See to it that the chrysalis is safe and deliver it to me here on Char. Go now and keep safe my prize."
"Understood father." Naruto replied and Kurama promptly shut off the link, either through gratitude or sheer exhaustion at having to maintain such a link for a long period of time.
"Do you think it wise, father? Naruto still thinks so much like a Terran to me." Zasz inquired and the Overmind dismissed him.
"Fear not his designs, my son. Truly, just as no Zerg can stray from my will, Naruto will follow when the time comes. All shall be made clear when the fateful moment arrives. For Naruto serves a purpose that's beyond any of our wildest dreams. For now, the greatness of his spirit have been preserved for a purpose. Just as I have wrought any of you for a specific reason, his indomitable will and courage have been left for the greater good of the Swarm. All that you are lies wholly within me. Naruto is free to pursue his desires and wishes."
"By your will, father." Zasz replied. "If needed, I shall locate this Terran myself."
-o-o-o-
Naruto gazed upon the conquered city of Tarsonis. It had been two years since the Swarm obliterated its defenders and wrested its control it from both Protoss and Terrans alike. Kurama and his brood were resting after they supported Kerrigan's rebirth into the Swarm, still tired from pursuing General Duke's terran force and they traveled a long way from Char to their home in Tarsonis when Daggoth opened a link through their hive connection.
"Kurama. Naruto. I bring news most dire from brother Nargil and his tracker broods. The carpenter experiment on Brontes IV have escalated to new levels beyond what the Overmind has intended. He requests that you aid Nargil's Fenris brood in exterminating this insurgency once and for all. Only a quarter of my Tiamat brood can assist you, but a new cerebrate has been created to oversee the creation of a New Swarm in that region. This Swarm shall be yours to command and oversee. Take the best of my Hunter Killers and go to the planet's surface. Once there, establish contact with this New Swarm and assist the Fenris brood in exterminating all enemies in the area. Do this and the Overmind shall be pleased."
"Understood brother." Kurama replied as he prepared to summon his leviathan, overlords and queens to prepare their journey to Brontes IV.
"Oh and just a bit of an incentive to you, Naruto. Zasz have some interesting news regarding some Terrans in this planet." Daggoth's amused voice was nearly drowned in a wave of excitement as Naruto's presence made itself known strongly within the Hive Mind.
"Really? Is that about what I think it…" His excited shouting was interrupted with Daggoth as he delivered his instructions.
"Yes yes, Naruto… It's about your little Terran. Now go and converge at the designated rendezvous point. Zasz's Garm Brood has already conducted some diversion operations within the planet's surface in an effort to steer conflict away from the fledgling New Swarm. During his excursion, a few of his scouts reported a small Umojan camp trapped between warring factions of Protoss warriors and Carpenter's renegade broods. This camp is where your Terran is holed up. While you are free to pursue and defend this Terran base, your priority is to establish a presence sufficient to defend both this base and the New Swarm from all hostiles. Your task therefore is to ensure the New Swarm grows enough to match not just the Carpenter brood's force but the Terran pirates and Protoss fleets in that sector. Thus, you must see to it that the New Swarm in Brontes IV survives while it amass its own brood and resources. Oh and Kurama, you have endured numerous rigors and trials within the Tiamat brood to become a senior cerebrate on your own right. Go and mentor the new cerebrate of this New Swarm so it can better aid the Fenris Brood in its coming conflict with Terran, Protoss and Renegade Zerg forces in the system. Once this is over, the brood shall be named under your direct supervision and care. Failure is not an option."
"Understood brother. Come Naruto. Our broods are ready. Prepare for an interdimensional warp." It cannot be denied that Kurama, too was a little bit excited. Imagine, if he's to succeed in this mission, he'd have his own brood to call his own. And he won't have to rely on Daggoth's Taiamat brood for his tasks. While it will be an undertaking to nurture this New Swarm from the ground up, he believed that it will be worth it in the end.
And with that, Kurama, Naruto and a small force from the Tiamat brood separated from the Main Swarm to travel to Brontes IV.
As for Naruto, an excitement welled up from the pit of his stomach. He had been waiting for so long for this chance. He won't screw it up if he can help it. He bets his life on this promise of a lifetime, you better believe it.
Hold on Sasuke, I'm coming.
-o-o-o-
A/N: I am actually not sure if the Insurrection expansion took place before or after Kerrigan's transformation in the swarm. It's been a long time since I played Starcraft 2. So let's just say that she's now in the swarm in this fanfic and Zasz is still alive. My apologies to the die-hard Starcraft fans out here if you find any inconsistencies with the timeline.
My brain's been turned to mush all through this week and last week. I still have trouble concentrating and I just want to have fun with this fanfic right now. I hope you'll still enjoy this little insight into how my head canon works for the Zerg swarm in this era. And as always, feel free to tell me what you like or don't like about this chapter.
Btw, while I enjoy reading and listening to the original Starcraft and Broodwar's dialogs, writing them is another feat entirely. I have a newfound respect for the writer. It's actually quite difficult trying to capture the Starcraft way of speaking and the Naruto's dialogs. Oh well. I'm learning hehe.