AN: I'M NOT DEAD!
I am SO sorry for such a late update. For some reason this chapter did NOT want to work with me so i literally just beat it over the head until i got 3000 words. Also school started up so that puts a real hamper on my schedule. And I was hiking in Europe for the summer where like, I had no data on my phone. Cuz I'm American. But ANYWAYS! I'm BACK and I'm EXCITED to move forward!
The air in the cell which at first had at first been musty now seemed to crackle with electricity. Gaara of the desert stood in silence as he stared unblinkingly onward at the kyūbi jinchuuriki, who met his gaze just as fiercely. On the sides, the other two Suna genin watched with bated breath, fear keeping them in place. No one had spoken to Gaara like that before and lived. No one.
The proclamation of Naruto's status as a jinchuuriki did little to phase the occupant of the cell. The only indication he was even remotely intrigued was the slight narrowing of his eyes.
"You," Gaara finally rasped out. His pale eyes were fixed on Naruto, the only light in them the reflections of the lamps lining the walls. Naruto felt himself stiffen inadvertently. He hadn't seen this look in Gaara's eyes for nearly five years. The bloodlust behind it was practically tangible.
"You're that boy from the street aren't you?" Gaara finished.
Instead of answering audibly, Naruto just nodded.
"So you're a jinchuuriki too, huh," he drawled. There was little inflection behind his voice, as if there was nothing less interesting to him. In their respective cells, Kankuro and Temari both seemed to shrink back some, wide eyes fixed on Naruto. He wished they wouldn't, but it was understandable as they didn't know him. Yet.
"Well," Gaara spoke up again. "I have nothing to say to you."
The words came out like stone grating on stone. But Naruto wasn't going to let that stop him. He never backed down from anything.
"Well I got a lot to say to you, so you're gonna listen, y'know," he shot back.
Gaara's only response was to narrow his eyes further.
Taking a deep breath, Naruto steeled his nerves and stepped forward. He was now about two feet from the cell - an uncomfortably close distance for anyone who knew what Gaara was. But to Naruto that didn't matter. All he saw was a friend in need, and by God was he going to help him.
He held up a fist.
"What… is this?" Gaara rasped, his eyes were training on Naruto's outstretched hand. It was the same thing Killer Bee had done way back when, and it had given Naruto the idea.
"Just do it too, asshole," he bit back.
On the sides of the room, Temari and Kankuro watched the exchange wearily. They didn't look nervous of Naruto, but scared for him. Not that Gaara could do anything with those chakra seals in place, anyways. Thank you, Anbu.
"If you don't cooperate," Kakashi-sensei cut in from behind him. "Your stay here will be much more uncomfortable."
Narrowing his eyes, Gaara finally relented. Through the bar he held up his fist, pale and unblemished. Well, no going back now.
"See ya in a bit, guys," Naruto said. Then he hit Gaara's fist with his own and the world around them vanished.
White.
White light surrounded the two shinobi, an empty void of stars and color. Opposite Naruto stood Gaara, feet planted on the empty space beneath them. It was a familiar scene to Naruto. He'd met his dad here, met his mom here, spoken with others here. It was a place of peace. Somewhere where no harm could come to you-supposedly.
"What is this place," Gaara finally rasped out. He was glaring all around with suspicion in his eyes. Clearly this new setting wasn't as calming for him as it was for Naruo.
"Honestly?" Naruto shrugged. "No clue. Probably like a mind-scape or somethin'. No one's ever really explained it to me." Gaara didn't appear to be satisfied with his answer but let it go nonetheless.
"So why are we here?" the redhead demanded.
"Cuz we gotta talk, dipshit," Naruto glowered.
"About what?" Gaara growled back. "I don't owe you my time or breath."
"Fine, but you're still gonna listen to what I have to say if you ever wanna get outta this place." he shot back. "You guys are war criminals and my village would be happy to keep you here for however long it takes. No one cares if the Kazekage's your dad or not."
Apparently, that struck a nerve. Pale turquoise eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. "Not even my father cares that he's my father," Gaara scoffed. "So good luck using that as a bargaining chip."
Ugh, this conversation was getting nowhere. "Look that's not what we need to talk about," Naruto finally groaned. "So just shut up, wouldja?"
Apparently Gaara wasn't used to people talking to him like that. His mouth snapped shut and eyes widened almost comically in shock. Under different circumstances, Naruto would have laughed.
But not today.
"I know what you think you are," he finally said. "And what you do." His words were met with an empty stare. "I just wanted to tell you it doesn't have to be that way."
"And what way is that?" Gaara sneered.
"Murdering people, calling yourself a monster," Naruto replied, waving his arms erratically as if to prove his point. "Just because everyone says you're one doesn't mean you have to be."
Gaara's eyes narrowed. "And why are you telling me this?"
"Because if I don't, who will?!" Naruto cried. "I'm a jinchuuriki too, people have called me a monster my whole life, I know how you feel and it sucks! But we can do so much good too! We have the power to make change and you're throwing it away by killing people needlessly!"
"It's not needless," was the rasped response he got. "It's my purpose."
Naruto found himself growing angry. He stepped forward with fists clenched. "Says who?" He challenged. "The only people who get to determine who we are is us."
"We were made," Gaara shot back. "Things that are made have purpose, and mine is to kill. I don't care what yours is so you may as well not exist to me." Then, "Only things with purpose should be allowed to exist. Everything else is a waste of space."
An image of Haku flashed before Naruto's eyes. He died the first time around because he believed that was his purpose. But he was saved from that. Purpose didn't define people, People defined people. Now how could he make Gaara see that?
"Fine then," he shot back. "If you need a purpose so badly, everyone's purpose is to love and be loved. Life doesn't really matter otherwise. How's that for a purpose?"
"Jinchuuriki aren't human, we're monsters! Our existence is detested by the very people who created us. We can never be loved!"
"SHUT UP!"
WHACK.
Gaara went reeling back, just managing to catch himself before he could fall to the ground.
Drip. Drip.
"...Blood."
Wide pale eyes stared transfixed at the crimson dripping from his mouth. The liquid ran slowly down his jaw before falling to the ground below, forming a small puddle. If one could even call it that.
"Your sand doesn't work here, Gaara," Naruto said as he straightened up. "We're on equal footing now."
Slowly, Gaara tipped his head back up to meet the other boy's eyes. "Was this your plan all along?" he breathed, voice faint. "Bring me here to kill me?"
Naruto's face screwed itself up into a scowl. "What? No. No, I want to help you."
"There's nothing I need help with. I've survived this long, after all." The words made Naruto's stomach churn uncomfortable. His frown deeped and he found himself stepping towards the boy, who'd since straightened up and was now at eye level.
"That's just it, you idiot, you're not supposed to survive, you're supposed to live!"
The answer Gaara gave him was one that made his blood run cold. "What's the difference."
Naruto blanked.
"Because…" he tried. He didn't know if his words were the right ones, or if they would even do anything, but he still had to speak. "Because if you're not living, then you suffer," he managed. "And then the people who care about you will suffer." And then it's just endless misery.
"People have been trying to kill me my whole life. My own father tried to kill me. How can you say that people care about me when they all want me gone?!"
The exclamation ended with a choked sob. The impassive face of Gaara had finally started to crack, and everything was starting to pour out.
"You say you know me but how could you?" Gaara continued. "How could you know?!"
"No one's ever tried to assassinate me, that's true," Naruto found himself admitting. "But when people are scared, they do dumb things. Lots of dumb things." The Uchiha massacre flashed through his head. "But we just have to educate them. And yeah it's hard, but it's definitely worth it. I used to be a lot like you, but my friends saved me from that. And that taught me I could save others, and have others to care about."
A small smile stretches across his face as he spoke. Memories of his time with Team 7, both from the past and now, the Konoha 12, Iruka-sensei, and so many others flashed through his mind. Gaara, too. He would have so many friends, so many loved ones. He would be Kazekage for crying out loud! EVERYONE would be his loved ones.
Across from him, Gaara's eyes widened in disbelief. They were red rimmed from either being open too long or from emotion; either way Naruto couldn't tell.
"When people keep calling you a monster, eventually you start to believe it," he continued. "And trust me, I know. And it hurts. But there are people who care about you, who know that all those idiots are wrong- and that's what's important."
Images of Iruka-sensei, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi-sensei, Pervy Sage, and many others flashed through his mind. If not for them… Well. The alternative was looking at him.
"Your siblings love you, Gaara," he said quietly. "If you'll let them. And I promise, if you just open yourself up, you will have so many who'll love you and accept you as you are."
I know, he thought to himself. Because I've seen it.
"You don't have to be defined by where you come from. You get to define yourself by where you're going and who goes with you."
The eyes that had remained dull the entire time Naruto had been speaking to them suddenly flashed with a glint of… something. Life, interest, you name it. Whatever it was, Naruto knew he had gotten through, even if only somewhat.
"Is that what you do?" Gaara finally asked. Instead of the usual emotionless rasp, his voice had a hint of uncertainty. "Do you… forge your own path regardless of your past?"
Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "Yup, that's exactly right, y'know!" Then, flashing a toothy smile, added, "And one day, I'm gonna be Hokage so I can protect everyone!"
"...protect?" Gaara echoed. "But why?"
Naruto found himself frowning. "Because," he started. "That's what you do for your loved ones."
And like that it seemed like a switch was flipped in Gaara's mind. Naruto couldn't tell what he was thinking of, unable to discern the expression on his face, but he suspected it had to do with his siblings, and his sand. Or whatever had happened in his past. Whatever it was, it worked.
"Also," Naruto continued with a smirk. "I have a friend who'd like to meet you. You and Shukaku."
"It's been forever; what are they doing?"
Sasuke eyes snapped over to the sand ninja who'd spoken. It was the girl, Temari. She was standing at the edge of her cell watching the two jinchuuriki with growing nervousness. Whether she was worried for them or of them Sasuke couldn't tell.
"Relax," Sasuke sighed. "It's a jinchuuriki thing." I think, he added silently. Honestly Naruto never really explained it so he had no idea. But he wasn't about to admit that to the enemy. "They'll both be fine," he continued. "Naruto just needed somewhere private to talk."
"We're already in cells," Temari pointed out dryly. "What more do you need?"
Sasuke just rolled his eyes in response. "Cells with Anbu guards outside and seals all over the place," he grumbled. "Real private, huh." The sarcastic edge to his voice was not lost to the prisoners.
"Sasuke," he heard their sensei warn. "Be nice."
Tsk. They were gonna destroy the village. What manners did he owe them? "Whatever."
Uncomfortable silence once again returned to the room. The only sound that broke it was the occasional drip of water or someone shifting their weight. It stretched on for another few minutes before someone finally spoke up.
"So he's really got a bijuu?" the guy with the face paint suddenly asked. He was leaning against the bars more nonchalantly than his sister. Sasuke could of thought he was at ease but he knew that was the farthest thing from the truth. Everyone was strung tight as a bowstring, appearances be damned.
"Yeah," Sakura supplied. "He is."
Face-paint frowned. "But he's so…"
Non murderous?
"Put together," he finished. "Why is he so different?"
"That's… hard to answer," Sakura said uncertainty. "He was ostracized as a kid but… he never let that stop him."
"He's driven," Sasuke found himself saying. "No matter how many times people shunned him or said he'd never make anything of himself, he never backed down. He doesn't let what people think of him get in the way of who he knows he is. Of who he wants to be."
"Who he wants to be?" Temari echoed.
"That's right," Sakura smiled. "Naruto's gonna be Hokage one day. He'll do it. Jinchuuriki or not!"
"You need to calm down, you damn tanuki."
That was the first thing out of the fox's mouth as soon as the bijuu entered the mindscape. He towered over the teens with a scowl deep enough to make Danzō jealous. His red eyes were narrowed in annoyance and his tails lashed behind him. Overall; the picture of contempt.
Across from him and behind Gaara sat the ichibi. And while his expressions were harder to make out, annoyance was clear on his face as well.
While Naruto was used to sharing a mindscape with bijuu, Gaara clearly was not. He jumped in startlement and balked at the gigantic chakra constructs. It was almost comical.
"Kuramaaaa!" Shukaku roared. "What are you doing here?"
"Is that really…" Gaara trailed off. Naruto nodded.
"Yup. The kyuubi and ichibi. Say hi, Kurama!"
From above them, Kurama gave a half hearted scowl. "Hey brats."
Gaara was too shocked to speak.
"Anyways," Naruto said, looking up at Shukau. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, jinchuuriki of the kyuubi. Nice ta meetcha!"
Instead of offering a reply Shukaku just looked down at him in disgust.
"What is this?" the tenuki scowled. "Some brat thinks he can speak to me?"
"Hey!" Naruto shouted up at him. "This brat is trying to help you!"
"Oh? And how's that?" Condescension practically dropped from his tongue.
"Well for one, by listening," he pouted.
"He means stop being such an ass and focus on something other than yourself for once," Kurama supplied calmly.
"Have you gone soft, fox?" The ichibi taunted. "You, the embodiment of rage, showing emotions?"
"Better than spending my free time pretending to be some brat's mother," Kurama offered in return.
Beneath him Naruto choked on his laughter.
"You don't get to laugh at me, brat!" Shukaku cried in outrage. "I'm the ichibi, I am nature chakra incarnate! I am infinitely more powerful than you puny thing could ever dream of being!"
"Grow up, you fucking moron," was all Kurama grumbled back. "You lived in a pot and now you live in a prepubescent teen. Get down from that pedestal before you break something."
Below the two beasts, Naruto and Gaara watched in fascination. Naruto with a wry smirk plastered to his face, while Gaara found himself dumbstruck. The monster that lived inside him all his life, that tormented him day in and day out, was… being scolded? It was almost unreal.
Above them, Kurama's expression shifted suddenly to something more grim. All laughter was gone from his eyes, replaced with something harder and more serious. "We weren't made to destroy, brother, as much as I understand the urge to do so," he growled out. "Father made us to protect humans. To guide them. And I can't blame you for losing sight of that, as I did the same for a long time." If it was possible, the tanuki looked ashamed, staring down at the ground beneath his feet. Kurama continued on regardless, driving his point home. "We can hate them all we want, but we at least have to respect them. They've managed incredible feats and harnessed power almost equal to our own. And eventually they might even fight for us." Like in the war, Naruto remembered. "Yes, not all humans are perfect or good, but that doesn't mean you should treat them all like they aren't. Especially innocent children who've done nothing to deserve that." His red eyes lowered from Shukaku to Gaara pointedly. "You'd do best to remember that."
The tanuki sulked in silence after Kurama finished, His golden eyes narrowed and glowering at his feet. Naruto was reminded of Konohamaru being scolded and wearing the same look on his face. It was the expression of someone who knew they were in the wrong but were loath to admit it. Especially to an elder.
Well, Kurama was the older brother, Naruto figured.
"Look," Kurama sighed. "One day we might need to rely on our dumb humans. It's hard to explain why, but just trust me on this. So maybe try being nice for once." The fox glanced down at Naruto, just a moment, before saying. "You'll find that it's better than being alone."
Naruto found he didn't have anything to add to that. Instead, he just smiled.
AN: THANK YOU FOR READING! I love you all so much you have no idea how much all you kudos and comments mean to me. THANK YOU!
