Chapter 2: Taka
Eight years ago.
Lekali had been training all afternoon, ever since class ended at the academy. The sun would be setting soon but she wasn't worried. Being an orphan had made her quite independent and she usually did what ever she pleased along the lines of where she went and how late she stayed out. It was a week before her birthday and the only thing she was hoping for was that the voice didn't get worse (since all this began on her eighth birthday). She had exhausted herself training and flopped down at the base of a tree staring up at the darkening sky. Feeling too tired to move she considered staying in the forest clearing all night when the voice spoke.
"All that effort and yet you receive so little in return. Why do you even bother?"
Lekali had never tried having a conversation with the voice, normally she would pretend that it hadn't said anything at all and flat out act like it didn't exist. But today she was too hot, too tired, and completely sick of it's criticism.
"I'll take everything I can get out of it! I'm sick of hearing what you think so just shut it!' snapped Lekali at the empty air.
The voice laughs in amusement, "She speaks!"
Lekali had never heard the voice laugh before but she wasn't about to change her mind how she thought about it. "Why cant you just leave me alone who ever you are!"
The voice replies in a mocking tone, "Because I'm trapped in your body you idiot little girl!"
Lekali's heart quickened as she continued to lie on the ground trying to make sense of what the voice just told her. She whispers anxiously to the air, "W-who a-are y-you? W-why are you inside of me!"
The voice retorts in clear annoyance, "I am Taka (Hawk), a demon. Foolish child, do you not remember the story of the day the Fox attacked your village!"
Confused and not getting the point, "Fox? ...the Nine Tailed Fox?"
"Yes! What other idiot Fox would I be talking about human!' Taka snaps impatiently 'I too was sealed that day into your retched little body!"
"No! Get out of me!" shouts Lekali sitting up in a panic.
"Idiot girl!' snaps Taka, 'you think I want to be trapped inside a damn human! You are a piece of worthless shit! Being trapped under your skin is like a punishment worse than your human hell!' she roars in Lekali's mind.
Taka continues screaming curses at the top of her lungs inside Lekali's head. She's so loud Lekali feels like there's no room for her own thoughts. It's becoming painful, she holds her head in her hands and when she squeezes her eyes shut she can almost see the enraged Taka, serrated beak snapping at her face, giant wings beating in anger and razor like talons wanting to tear her flesh apart. And then it stops. Lekali's eyes fly open, she's shaking, terrified more of the sudden silence than Taka's curses. A wave of nausea grips Lekali but there's nothing in her stomach so she vomits acid. It burns her throat and leaves her gasping for breath. She pushes herself back up with one hand the other holding her stomach, looking around she notices everything is deathly quiet. As if the demons anger was felt through the whole forest, no birds sing, no insects hum, just the sound of a barely breathing breeze twisting it's way through the trees. Lekali's trembling gaze flicks around the clearing, her breath terrified, short gasps.
Then a burning sensation erupts from the skin under her hand. She cries out in pain as it spreads like flames along her torso. With a trembling hand she lifts the fabric of her shirt to look at the burning skin. Her heart skips as her horrified eyes alight on the mark on her skin. Taka's cold, angry voice echo's her thoughts.
"That is the cursed seal that locks me within this pathetic human body of yours. Fox's host bears the same."
Lekali's wavering hold releases her shirt letting it fall back down to cover the image she has clearly imprinted in her mind. She manages to stutter. "H-host?"
"How else would Fox be sealed fool?"
"Wh-who?"
"It matters not."
"W-who?"
"The boy you know as Naruto Uzumaki."
In flashes Lekali remembers the loud, blonde boy in her class. How he always seems to be joking, pulling a prank, or just plain being dumb. The one person she would least expect.
"H-him!' eyes wide in shock.
"Yes, but Fox still lies dormant within him. He has no knowledge of Fox's presence yet."
Lekali sits shaking, mind feeling numb as the world she knew is being ripped apart before her eyes. Taka laughs wickedly. "Don't worry little human. I shall end both our suffering here and now."
Lekali feels a strange tingling sensation run down her spine. Everything becomes a hazy blur as the sensation travels through her whole body. She screams as every nerve feels like it's being ripped apart. If this is the last sound she ever makes someone must hear; someone will know she existed. Lekali screams inside as Taka tears her life away. She writhes on the ground holding her head, screaming with the full capacity of her lungs, the whole forest echoing every octave.
