Chapter Eight

Restless Demons

Naruto thrashed violently at the covers as he slept, whimpers escaping his lips as his body writhed about on the mattress and a pained frown stamped upon his face. The teenagers body was absolutely drenched in sweat, beads of it rolling down his back and the sheets were soaked despite the cool temperatures of the house that he lived in. Naruto has fallen asleep peacefully enough, but in his mind something returned that he had nearly forgotten about.

'Stop struggling you foolish boy,' The Kyuubi snarled at Naruto through the gates that it was imprisoned by. For the first time the fox demon had found a true break in the steel gates that kept it captured within the boys body. A clawed hand was wrapped tightly around Naruto's mind, encasing the boy in agony, but his brilliant blue eyes starred back definatly at the fox demon even as it held him in it's death like grip.

"Not a chance fox face! This is my body. You just get to live in it for a while," Naruto yelled back at the thing, all he could see of it's face was the twisted smile of the beast, it's crooked lips curled cruelly up in a sadistic grin as it squeezed Naruto harder. Watching the blonde struggle and whimper beneath the pain that he was being forced to endure. Naruto did not blink and he did not yell out however. The blonde took it all with those defiant and stubborn eyes. After all the blond had built for himself there was no way he was going to let the fox demon rob him of it.

'Hahah! Don't make me laugh you idiot human. You cannot defeat me no matter how strong you think you are. Without me you'd be nothing Naruto kun. Nothing, think of the many times I've let you use my chakara. Now give me your body in return, I deserve it after having to put up with you,' Kyuubi spat back at Naruto's defiance. The malicious laugh echoed throughout the caverns of Naruto's mind and in reality the blonde had crammed himself into a corner of his bed, all the blankets shoved away and his hand clutched at the unravelling seal on his stomach. The taunt in the Kyuubi's voice was nearly unbearable. But Naruto was thinking of more then just himself. He had Sasuke to remember. The blonde had finally made the tension so much more bearable and he was sure that Sasuke and himself would fight less now that they had crossed the boundaries of Sasuke's weakness and the source of his depression. Naruto refused to allow the thought of giving up enter his mind even as the intensity of the pain grew nearly unbearable.

"You're here because the Fourth Hokage put you here to protect the village. Do all you want to me and my mind but I won't let you have my body! I'd die before I let you take control! Maybe I have borrowed your chakara but you only lend it to me because you know that while you're with me; if I die, so do you!" Naruto responded, his voice was strained and this time the pain was evident in every rasping word. Again he was greeted by that wretched laugh. Just the hoarseness of the voice that belonged to the demon made Naruto's grind his teeth at the horrendousness of the sound. Naruto had never realized before how evil the thing that he had sealed within his body and mind truly was.

'Lies, all of them. I don't need you at all. It makes no difference to me if you live or die,' Kyuubi responded passively, his claws running along Naruto's body and he allowed the chakara to consume the boy. Naruto's sweat soaked body in bed began to glow with the red chakara, it was to much for his inexperienced body to hold, and at this rate it would be a painful end to him if his chakara kept building. Naruto's features were contorting to the more fox like resemblance he assumed on the times when he had been allowed bits of the Kyuubi's chakara.

"Then why did you stay around this long? Why didn't you let me die before so that you could escape?" Naruto responded, he sounded a bit more unsteady then the confidence of his last statement. In some cases it was true that he had relied on the chakara of the fox demon to make things happen, but Naruto was positive he could have done without it just the same.

'Convenience sake. I am safe in here. Even I am not fool enough to go up against the many amazing Jounin of Konoha. But thanks to Orochimaru, I don't have much to worry about anymore,' Kyuubi's tone was deadly, filled with wickedness and the plans for all the misdeed and terrors he would bring upon Konoha and even all the ninja countries should his release occur.

"I won't let you! I'm gonna be Hokage one day and you're not going to stop me! Just you see, you can torture me all you want but I'm not giving in to you!" Naruto yelled venomously back at the Kyuubi. It's crooked smile twisted even bigger as it starred down upon the definite Naruto.

'I can see why the Fourth chose you for my container...' As though to test Naruto's words the Kyuubi tightened it's grasp on Naruto and this time the blonde screamed. Outside his mind and within the reality that he lived in, Naruto was tearing at his own stomach, the seal. It burned and the agony was nearly overwhelming. Naruto's finger nails dug into his own flesh and suddenly the blonde was jolted awake by the pain caused to his real body.

Naruto's breathing was laboured and he was still covered in sweat, his eyes were huge from what had just happened to him and the teenagers heart was racing at a speed that Naruto doubted was healthy. "What should I do...? Was that just a dream or did it happen..?" The blonde mumbled to himself. His gaze drifted down to the seal that still burned faintly, when he realized that it was glowing faintly and slowly less and less, he realized that it had really happened. The Uzumaki kid drew a black line on the seal that was going through the carefully constructed seal on his stomach. The line had not been there before, but now it was clearly visible and reminded Naruto painfully of a crack. The blonde pulled his shirt back down and started thinking quickly, his mind running with thoughts that were frightening him. Before he could indulge in any of his thoughts there was an urgent rapping at the door.

The blond had no time to change before answering the door or fixing his sweaty and ruffled appearance so instead he rushed over to greet whoever had come. Eager to dispel the thoughts of what had just occurred from his mind as he opened the door. "Sakura? Sasuke?" Naruto looked confused when he saw the two together standing at his door. He felt slightly jealous to see Sakura holding the Uchiha's hand. For once he was not jealous of Sasuke, he was jealous of Sakura. He did not want her touching his Sasuke's hand.

"Naruto are you okay?" The concern in Sakura's voice was evident, there was a frown upon Sasuke's face but the raven haired boy looked like he was content to just follow along with the conversation for the moment.

"Uh... Yeah I think so... why?" Naruto replied to her, trying to cover up for the 'nightmare' that he had just finished with. He knew that he should talk about it, but with Sasuke's blindness there was enough for people to worry about right now. Naruto was also scared that the villages would not want him around if they discovered how loose the demon was inside his mind. The people of Konoha hated him already for being the demons container, he did not need them to see him as the demon itself.

"Sasuke came to check on you this afternoon and he said he heard you yelling. You didn't answer the door when he knocked so he came and got me. What happened?" Sakura looked sceptical about Naruto's response, she could see the lies in his eyes even as he spoke them. She was one of the few who could catch the blond in the act when he was actually trying. Naruto's guilty eyes almost unfailingly gave him away to her.

"It must have been a nightmare I don't remember it," Naruto responded innocently as he ran his hand along his sweat slick chest.

"Liar," Sasuke said, the first word that he had spoken since the door had been opened. There was worry and concern hidden within the layers of the Uchiha's voice, sprinkled with irritation that Naruto was hiding something from them.

"I am not!" Naruto said indignantly in response, but he had answered to quick and it solidified Sasuke's decision that Naruto was lying. Even the blind Uchiha could see that much was obvious.

"Look Naruto. Maybe you need to get outside again and into the fresh air. It's been a long time since we've had a mission or all been together. How about we try some exercising and training together, just like old time?" Sakura asked Naruto in a friendly manner. Offering to train with him or suggesting that they go work on their ninja skills would almost unfailingly cheer the Uzumaki boy up. But this time was different and Naruto did not even give them a grin.

"No, it's okay guys. I think I will just get dressed and relax today," Naruto saw his mistake in declining by the look on his two friends faces, "but for sure we can do it tomorrow. I have some things I gotta do today. I never meant to sleep in this late." The hasty add on only made it worse. Sakura lifted her hand and started to argue against Naruto's well being but Sasuke interjected. "Whatever," was the only thing he said. Acting as though he trusted Naruto's word and the Uchiha turned around and walked away, free of Sakura's aid. Sasuke had been working on memorizing all of Konoha down to the very last pebble by feel and step. The Uchiha was getting much better as the days carried on.

Sakura took the hint. Naruto, for once in his life, needed some time by himself. Alone and away from the crowds of people and the harassment of life. The pink haired girl smiled worriedly at Naruto but took Sasuke's lead. "Yeah, we'll be around if you change your mind - Wait up Sasuke chan!" Sakura said, then she swung around and trotted off after the retreating Uchiha.

The moment they were gone from sight and hearing range, Naruto closed the door behind him and let loose a big sigh. The blonde dropped his head into his hands, shaking his head. "What am I going to do?" Naruto wondered to himself out loud before he looked up at the ceiling. Absently he was praying and hoping that no one would find out and that he'd manage things on his own. Naruto liked knowing he had his friends there to help him but he hated being dependant on other people.

Uzamaki Naruto realized that his problem was a serious one and needed to be solved one way or another. He just was not sure how to go about doing that just yet.

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Thanks for all your patience guys. I was so happy to see how fast you got me a few reviews, that is more encouraging then I can even begin to express. I am glad you are all still interested and still enjoying.

I bet you can tell I feel guilty for disappearing for so long. 2 updates 2 days in a row. I hope you guys enjoy. )