Disclaimer: Naruto, Naruto Shippuden and other related series are not owned by me. This is a work of fiction.
Date of publishing: 30/10/2021
Most recent edit: 30/10/2021
A/N: This is a rewrite of "Hatred" (2014) (Story ID: 10511891)
Please review, Criticism is welcome, I hope I improved since then.
October the tenth.
For many denizens of this world, this was just another day – another day of carrying out their lives, whether it be as they saw fit, or someone else saw it for them. Another day for trade, for commerce, for work. Opportunity.
For others, particularly those that lived within the country of Hi no Kuni, the land of fire, this was a day of mourning a great loss – the day a great evil, the Kyuubi no Youko, ravaged the countries greatest and most influential village, Konoha no Sato, the village hidden within leaves. The great fox did not spare any victims – civilian or shinobi, young or old, male or female. Those who stood on its path felt the strength of its fury, and across the country countless people were left devastated as land, family and flesh were torn asunder.
For some of those within the Leaf, however, this was not a day for mourning – no, this was a day for rage. For you see, the story grows much greater – The Kyuubi no Youko was not defeated that day. For as great as their great leader, Namikaze Minato was, he was nothing when compared to the power of one of the tailed beasts. He did what he could – He bound the soul and will of the Kyuubi to a fragile vessel, sacrificing his life, but leaving the tainted demon vulnerable.
Why was it so that when the beast was so vulnerable that they were not meant to destroy it once and for all? Nevermind the shape that the beast had been bound to – it might look like a young, innocent child, but all those who were there for the great loss, who felt the fury of the great fox hang over them like a blanket of dread that spoke of their doom, knew the true face behind those eyes and… whiskers.
It was their very Kage who had told them of this! He announced it to the whole village as he took the mantle once again, how their deceased great leader had sacrificed himself to bind the Fox to that… thing. Only to but a couple days later take it back and make it talking about the events or the identity of the child a criminal offense of the greatest order – punishable by swift and summary death.
The true circumstances of the creation of this vessel would never be fully known by them. In an attempt to protect the innocent, that senile old fool had only spelled doom.
When he woke up that day, he knew things would be bad – they were always bad this day of year. Old man told him that it was his birthday, and he was supposed to be happy. He asked to the old man then why was he supposed to be happy if everyone around him was sad and angry. The old man did not reply, just gave him a pat on the head – but the boy could feel how miserable the old man felt.
Old man was not around today. Old man was rarely around – He kept giving him excuses, excuses about how busy he was… how things got complicated… about how he had to tend to the wishes of everyone – he could not pick favorites.
He knew better. He had heard many things – many things that he did not understand, but he wasn't dumb, despite what he had other people believe. No, he could understand what was going around him at all times, thank you very much, even though he had no context to all the things that were said... Demon, he was no demon! He was just a kid! A sad, lonely kid in desperate need of affection of any kind, but still he was denied even the simplest human decencies at every turn.
He still missed his friends from the orphanage – he was very young when they almost forcibly kicked him out. Well, they did kind of sorta forcibly kick him out, but as little as he liked admitting it, he was being a brat… But that did not warrant making him sleep outside in the mud. He liked Youta and Kiroshi and Nusume and Akihiko, even though they were mean to him at times – he knew that they were still buddies, even though the orphanage ladies told them frequently to stay away from the "Nasty little demon child!"
…He never did hurt anyone.
Then, Old man came around and decided that he would be better on his own. Not a word was spoken to the mean ladies – though they did pale at the sight of the old man. Then, old man took him to a dingy old apartment. He told him that he would live here now – Sweet! He thought, no more getting kicked around and getting punished by the angry mean ladies, no more being bullied at bed time, no more cleaning alone while everyone else played, no more being left out of dinner time!
He never did think how lonely it would be. That, even if somehow packages of instant food kept mysteriously appearing in his pantry and being able to take showers at his own volition (Which wasn't often) he'd still… felt so… empty?
…How come nobody wanted him?
He just… Wanted a friend.
Fury… So much fury, and rage, and anger!
Killl… Kill… Kill!
He had killed his family, his partner, his children!
He had left him a crippled, wounded mess, never to be able to return to his former glory!
He felt so angry… but he still sobbed.
A callused hand rested on top of his shoulder – where his arm used to be – and gently pressed. He looked to the side, to see the sympathetic, but also dejected look on the man's face. They both just nodded at each other, closing their eyes trying to hide their tears.
He turned back to his glass. The gentle yellow coloring of his drink, his only real friend through this whole mess, helping him keep it together… keep it together… keep it together…
He was… an ANBU captain. Breakdowns of this order were not becoming of someone of his status- who he was kidding. He was nobody anymore. There was no room in the roster for an ANBU who limps everywhere and doesn't have one of his arms.
The third had tried to gently let him down when he tried to re-join the forces after he was back to being able to walk. He was shot down… He asked again, more firmly. The third had no room in the roster for a cripple like him…
A cripple, who had sacrificed everything he had during that cursed attack, and only consoling words he received were "This was a great tragedy, I thank you solemnly for your work…"
And then the third on to protect that abomination of a child! When they were so close, so close to finally getting some closure, so close to finally putting an end to that awful chapter of all of their lives, he went ahead and protected, the, demon, child! More than he protected his own men and women who died to protect the lives of innocents! More than he protected the legacy of the Fourth! More than he protected those who were already gone! He protected the one thing that had taken from them so much!
Bullshit!
…Fuck.
He looked at the shattered glass in front of him. Shards of sharp glittering glass piercing through his hand, dripping a deep red onto the table – the alcohol that was previously within said glass was meant to sting so deeply…
But it did not.
He lifted from his seat. Looked around in shock.
People were staring, but they seemed understanding. They knew what he went through.
Unlike that son of a bitch Third Hokage!
Those that were not paying attention to him before now were completely focused on him – his anguished yell of pain piercing their ears and souls.
This was no random establishment – no, this was a place that exclusively served those like him – Shinobi. Those like him who had lost so much that day.
Those who understood him.
Those who knew what really needed to be done.
It did not take many words to convince them all to follow him into action.
"Today… Today is the day that the Kyuubi finally dies."
The choir of cheers could be heard throughout the village.
I am sorry… I am so sorry.
What was he thinking, all those times? Of course, it was his fault. He never listened enough, he never tried enough, he was never strong enough… Everything was just always just out of his reach…
If he wasn't just always so… useless…
And don't try to show him his excellent marks, impeccable record or exemplary mission statistics – those numbers meant nothing when he failed those who he was really meant to protect.
…Was it rain, or just his tears?
Nevermind, he didn't have the energy to lift his head up from the faintly glimmering black stone – carved with hundreds and hundreds of names.
Some of them, there because of him.
He traced a few of them with his thumb, wiping away a slight excess of dust that had accumulated.
Nohara Rin. She was so Young, so innocent, how could it ever come to that? He outrank her, she should have been protected under his care.
Namikaze Minato. Had he been there to help fight against the fox, everything would have been different. So many people had died… because he was not there. He should have been.
Uzumaki Kushina. Like a surrogate mother to him – he never did really know his real mother. He was too stoic and too angry to see that behind her fierce smile was someone that really just wanted to help. He should have appreciated his time with her more.
Uchiha Obito. His first great failure – he was still coming to see him, even today, buddy. Even though he felt like he couldn't make it out of bed, he forced his nerves and muscles just to fullfil that one promise he had made to himself.
"Obito… Why am I so useless? You used to be… jealous of how much better I was when compared to you… but… you always were the stronger one between the two of us. Just how did you do it? Obito? How can I be as strong as you?"
He paused for a moment.
"Obito… I'm afraid I will fail, again."
He crumpled to the ground, exhausted. Not even dignified enough to try to at least land on his knees, he fell to his side, quietly sobbing. Nobody was there to comfort him this time, they were all dead. They were all here.
He would have so little time to realize that he was right, and how awful that was.
A very small piece of him felt remorse. He felt so sorry for what he had done, and wanted to take it all back. He wanted to go there and comfort the friend that lay there agonizing about his past failures, and tell him that no, he was not gone after all.
That piece was quickly crushed. Annihilated. Every piece of it demolished and deconstructed and sent back to the bowels of his mind to be completely erased.
The man before him was not a friend, not a comrade, not someone who he could trust. The man in front of him was a cold-blooded murderer, who had taken the lives of his friends and family, who had taken the life of his love!
After he told him to protect her at all costs!
Though his blood boiled so hard in this moment, he knew better. To act now would be suicide, be the forces of the village as frail as they were.
He continued to watch the man – like many times before, in this same place, in this same time. He continued to listen for any valuable information that the man was willing to share with the dead – though the breakdown was hardly helpful. But he was patient – the crumpled man's tongue slipped more than once.
And he planned, he planned all the ways how he would hurt that man even more, how he would make his world crumble into a million tiny little pieces, and then crush those little pieces into even more millions of little itty-bitty pieces.
He would not tell him yet that the deaths of those most precious to him were caused by him and him only, we would not tell him yet that the fox's attack on the village happened only because of his big, fragile heart and his loose lips. No, no, he would make him wait for the right moment, when nothing else could be done, where everything he treasured was lost – and then he would leave him. Leave him to face his actions. Leave him to ponder over what he had done. He knew after all, that he could not torture the man any more than what his mind could do to itself.
He would never actually get to tell those words to the man in front of him.
He decided he needed some air. Being stuck inside the apartment was only good to a certain point – after that, even the constant glaring and occasional insult was better than being locked alone in the dark.
It was after all, a festival – All he knew is that it commemorated the day that the Kyuubi no Youko was killed by the Fourth Hokage (His hero!) and mourn the ones who had died to protect the village that day. He never stopped to think that it was a convenient coincidence it was that it just so happened on his birthday.
Old man told him that his birthday was a day to commemorate – and he was feeling just a little bit more glum than usual, so why not spark the day with a little prank and maybe buy something fun with his allowance then? Maybe that would even get these mean old folks to pay a bit of attention to him this time! Don't tell old man though – old man told him that the money was strictly meant to buy his necessities and food. He had gotten an earful that time he bought a toy (He forgot what it was, but he had really wanted it) that he wasn't going to forget anytime soon.
Soon enough, and he had all of the things he had required. A piece of old plastic pipe, some miscellaneous components, a bit of wire, and a lot of extremely stinky powder/goo thing – he had no idea what it actually was, just that it stunk really bad and left green stains on your skin if you touched it, extra points for added mayhem!
He had really orchestrated his plan this time – he would target one of the meanest vendors, who constantly bullied him and denied him to buy anything, and then sneakily place his makeshift stink bomb device thing under his stall. A few moments later and… boom! He would be all covered with the stinky compound and painted green all over, and then he would pop out and announce that he was the culprit! Commence chase, they never really managed to catch him anyway. They always failed just before they managed to get their hands on him. Why, he would never know. Guess he had a little guardian angel after all!
When everything was ready, he sprung his plan to action, and after a plume of green dust caused several people to gag and a handful to actually lose their lunches, he shouted for all of the village to listen that he, Uzumaki Naruto, was going to be the Hokage, so that everyone would listen to him and respect him, better believe in it!
He did not get the reaction he was expecting, whatever it was that he was expecting.
There were no boos, or angry shouts, or people actually running towards him to teach him a lesson.
They just glared. They glared so hard, they bore holes through his head and straight into his skull and- make it stop!
He looked wide eyed at the little crowd he had formed. None of them moved, but he felt… so much hate. So much so much so much – please stop, stop stop stop! It hurt!
They wanted to do bad things to him… Awful, terrible things; Awful and terrible things that would hurt so much and so much and forever! No, no no no NO!
And so, he ran. He ran as fast as his short legs could carry him – he tried to run away. He tried so hard. But those feelings… they wouldn't leave.
He didn't know that running wouldn't fix it this time.
Close, closer, ever closer…
When the crowd formed, just hate. Hate all around. Glares, vile glares that threatened to tear the beast apart just from the sheer focus of their spite.
As one once said, if looks could kill… 'death' would be a poor description of what would happen next, for it would be so much worse. They would make sure of it.
It all only started when the demon brat began to run – before that, everything was so still.
They could see the look of fear in his face and it was so… delicious.
And then they began the chase. After each consecutive city block that they ran past, more and more and more people joined the chase – the mutual feeling of hatred inspired these people so much.
The beast was vulnerable they said, it was time to attack now. Those that would stand in the way of their revenge would be crushed!
And so they were – some on the path of revenge would inevitably be stopped by the demon-lover ANBU that protected him. Of course, on the other hand, you had the ones who stripped their masks and threw them to the ground, engaging those that tried to protect the Demon. Each pawn of the beast that was slain was a little victory. They cheered.
Those that were experienced Shinobi amongst the ranks of the mob were exhilarated to see that the spiky-white-haired ANBU that always came to the effective defense of the demon brat was gone – maybe he had finally seen the wrong of his way. He would be congratulated for changing his mind. It was never too late to choose the right side.
And, despite the size of the mob, and the identity of the one who was being chased between road, house and alley, it was relatively quiet.
That was of course, until weapons and techniques began being thrown. Some of them came so very close – the back of the demon's shirt was completely singed, showing a slightly reddened skin beneath. They watched as within a few blocks the burn had completely healed – it wasn't enough, they needed to hurt the fox and hurt it bad!
Then heavier and stronger things began being thrown. Anything that was within reach was fair game – bricks, rocks, kunai, shuriken, whatever was on hand.
And each and every time the crowd managed to hit the demon boy, they cheered. Like it was a game of throwing knives, and the crowd was particularly excited about this event.
And then, a fast blur flew in front of their eyes, and they only noticed what it was when the demon child collapsed to the ground, convulsing – a large spear-like rock was embedded deeply within it's chest, barely coming out of the other side.
For a moment they tried to find who had thrown the spear, but what did it matter, he was hit! Cheers! So many cheers! They finally did it!
After so many years, after so many years!
This was it… Just a few more steps. Take the blade, and slit its throat. Make sure it really is dead. When you are… we know it is finally over, our suffering is gone.
Those closest by would not even feel anything in their last moments.
He was a busy, tormented old man.
He had failed his country, his village and his family many times, but yet he was confident that the will of his forefathers flowed strongly within him – and that under his command, not matter how much he detested having to wear the hat again, his village would prosper.
Minato's death was so sudden and unfortunate – he was truly a shining star of a Shinobi that put other's lives in front of his so easily, just to make sure that they would be safe. He was and would forever be in his mind as a shining example of what it really means to be a Konoha Shinobi.
But unfortunately, the man put his life forward so often and so effortlessly that he didn't take a moment to think that maybe his was the life that was valued. For how much of a tactical genius he was, his long-term strategy was horrendous. Had he merely asked, the Third himself would have thrown his life away – after all, even though he was still ridiculously powerful by Shinobi standards, he was getting old. No longer was he on his prime, on the contrary, from here on out his health would only decline faster.
Minato was a fool indeed, but he would always think of the man like a parent proudly thinks of his child.
His child…
The poor Naruto boy. So lonely, so traumatized, at a such young age…
He knew he should have done more to help, but he just couldn't. He knew he would have to answer for some things when he went to the afterlife, but he truly could not jeopardize the entire village to focus solely on the boy. They needed him, everyone needed him, more than ever.
This was a moment of calm and peace for him – even though his thoughts were scrambled and infiltrated with surly thoughts, it was October tenth.
A day of so much loss and tragedy… but also a day he took to relax and reminisce.
He walked through the scarred trees and ground of the training ground he found himself at – no longer a training ground as much as it was now a preserve, thanks to him in no little part – and reminisced about long past times. Homura, Koharu and him, So young and full of energy, under the stern but paternal tutelage of Tobirama. A great man, may his soul rest in peace.
But now… Things were fading, so, so fast.
He remembered the days when both his teammates were truly his friends, and would stand behind him to help him on any important choice he had to make, so the village would always be benefitted, but now no longer. They took every step and turn to sabotage him, even if the detriment would be minimal at best. And such animosity between them… how did things ever get this way?
And say nothing of Danzo – the old war hawk had seen so much, but even then, his actions couldn't be defended anymore. He was too paranoid for his own good, and didn't see that his 'methods' of helping the village would only cause for it to be damaged further. So unfortunate that one of the ones that most seeks to secure the village is causing it such harm.
He stopped thinking about things that were bad in life and began focusing on what made life good – in all honesty, he would have to give props to alcohol and pornography (Thank so much Jiraiya turned out alright for the most part, especially with the fantastic writing, but his student did have his loose screws) but truly the thing that most filled him with joy at this moment was his family – his grandson, more specifically. He recalled how slowly the fall-out between father and son was, and when he saw what was happening, it was too late, and he'd driven both his children away. This time however he would make great use of the time still left on him to make sure his grandchild got all the love he couldn't give as a father. He'd make it right this time.
He was however, most rudely brought out of his thoughts as one of his most trustworthy operatives crashed through the undergrowth, panting heavily.
"S-Sir! I've been looking for you everywhere!" The boy yelled – not past his eighteenth year, and yet a seasoned veteran of war. He made for a fine shinobi, but he was sorry how soon children lost their glint and innocence in this world.
"Calm down, child. Tell me, what is happening that so urgently requires my attention?" He said, with a smile, but inside he was already preparing for the worst. After all, not often does one of your most trustworthy subordinates just apparate so frantically.
"It's the Kyuu- The boy, Sir! We tried to stop it, I swear, but we couldn't-"
As soon as the slip of the tongue happened, the third was already at full alert, but unfortunately it was for naught.
When the cold, cruel and dark aura filled the air around them, they already knew it was too late, and that nothing could be done about it.
Ow… Ow… it hurt so, so much…
Where was he? What happened?
When he opened his eyes, he found himself on what could best be described as a sewer. It wasn't as… nasty, as an actual sewer, but it had all the looks of it.
The water under his feet, though opaque, felt nice and warm to the touch, and he didn't smell anything bad.
He asked himself again where was he then, anyways, and to his surprise, he got an answer – in the shape of a whisper. Distant, yet distinctly coming from deep within the darkened tunnel.
Although a bit scared – he did, after all, not forgot the situation he just had been in – he had no other reason not to follow the dim noise. And, though he thought that the he'd be walking in the dark, the light on the tunnel just followed him, flickering occasionally.
It was so very weird, and so very… different.
And – ow – why did his back hurt so bad? It felt like he was stung by a wasp- oh.
Oh, it was definitely not a wasp… Why was there a hole on his back and why did it feel so… cold? Dry?
Why was he so pale? Why was it so cold here…?
He heard the whispers again. This time louder, closer. He kept following, whoever made that noise must know the way out of here, right? He had to go to old man as fast as he could – he always told him that he should look for someone responsible, preferably him, whenever he got hurt.
Then, he came upon a set of metal bars – evenly so evenly spaced out, with a horizontal bar crossing them all, not much different from what a prison cell door looked like (Trust him, he knew how they looked, it was not a pleasant experience, but then again it only happened once and never again.)
But he kept walking towards the metal bars. And they never did seem to be getting closer, but… bigger.
And bigger. And bigger. Wow, so big.
He eventually stood just before the huge metal bars – he was astounded at their true size. It was indeed an extremely, extremely large cell door.
He did not have much time to wonder what would be kept inside such a large cell before a set of huge, sharp claws crashed down just ahead of him – missing him only by inches, and leaving huge claw and hole marks in the ground.
The boy looked down, and then back up. Deep in the shadow, he could there see a pair of slitted eyes gazing back at his, and even greater tails that swished behind the figure in a silhouette… Nine, nine of the tails.
Oh. Oh no. Was this…?
So my Jailor finally comes to see me, and only to see me gone. How wonderful. What do I owe your miserable existence?
"You… You're the…"
Never heard of me? The fox said, booming its voice. The boy only gulped, taking a step back. The tone of malice on the voice's voice was almost palpable. Come on, why don't you get just a little bit closer…?
"You're the nine tailed fox…" No Shit. "But… what are we doing here? Where are we? Why are you here?"
The fox only let out a low, guttural laugh.
Kid, I have some fantastic news to tell you. You're going to die, and there is little I can do about that.
The boy froze. Die? He was going to… Die? W-What, why? No, No! That was wrong, something was wrong here, this was all a dream, this was all a bad dream and he would bite himself in the arm to prove that it was a dream and- OW!... Oh… oh no…
Was this the afterlife…? The fox only laughed harder.
So pathetic, the child that he was bound to.
He, the great Kyuubi no Youko, bound to a weak, fragile child, and he spat those words like they were poison – he was no mere beast or tool to be locked within a child! As much as he hated his jail (Curse that damned red head and that bloody tree-hugger) he'd rather have someone fearsome and fierce as his jailor, so that way at least the fame and weight his name carried would only get stronger.
But alas, here he was. He did feel his energy being slowly sapped away – his jailor's damned father made it sure that the fox would eventually be destroyed by that accursed seal, slowly becoming part of a human. How disgusting.
(Nevermind father was a human – but father was really much unlike other humans. Where these were but hairless chimps, father was an actual paragon of change and peace.)
Soon, he'd be dissipated, his chakra scattered along the countryside to eventually reform – and when reform he did, he would be vulnerable. He would have such a short frame of time to get out of reach – and he knew that, as strong as he was, there was at least one damned, bloody, cursed Uchiha out there looking for him. He knew he wouldn't be able to escape, and even if he did, that god forsaken Uchiha would be there looking for him. That cursed, filthy bloodline!
(Nevermind that that bloodline was directly descended from father, too – father knew when and how to use his powers, and not to abuse them. His children… not so much.)
But to see his jailor now standing in front of him – in tears, trying to cast the moment away as if only but a dream – oh boy, now did that make him laugh.
You see, he wasn't really a maniac psychopath fox hell-bent on chaos and destruction, thank you very much, even though some of those accursed hairless chimps made it their life mission to do that. He wasn't a sadist, but the irony of the current situation – oh boy, did that tickle a tail.
But he was the almighty Kyuubi no Youko – no matter what others believed, he was by all means an extremely strategic being, thinking ahead of the ahead, always prepared for the next turn of events.
He did not completely understand the workings of seal craft – he was after all a force of nature, with no need for the pesky tools humans needed to imitate his might – but he knew that if torn, no need to reform: He'd be free, free like he was so many years ago, free to frolic around field and forest and free to run away, far, far away from all of these annoying little pests.
So, he tried to do just that. Of course, he could not remove the seal himself, but in front of him was a very fragile, emotionally crushed child who would do his bidding with just a little bit of manipulation.
And manipulate he did, and even though the child accused him of being a monster (He was not, he just wanted to be free, dammit) and cried and screamed and kicked – he got through the blonde boy's head.
Tear the seal – he said – tear it and I will be free, and all of those who hurt you will be gone, and you will not hurt anymore. The boy inched closer – he would not dare attack again, after all, he only needed the seal to be torn.
Before the boy managed to pull the seal away, a hand stopped him. Not this man again…
He was back.
Well, he wasn't really 'back', it was just a smart application of sealing techniques. He was after all known best for putting fail safes on his fail safes. A piece of his mind and soul, sealed on his son in the shape of what would most closely resemble a shadow clone, how ingenious of him!
Why was he here again – oh right, the seal was set to go off when and if the seal was tampered with from the inside. He was already grabbing a small hand that threatened to pull away the large seal emblazoned on the metal gates (Purely reflex, he still got it, hooray) – it was truly a work of art this, what he made to jail the Kyuubi.
The Kyuubi, that bloody and vengeful beast. He looked behind the gate – only to see the fox looking back at him, a bit downtrodden he'd say, if he could read the emotions of tailed beast, with the nine large tails lazily swishing behind him.
He looked back to the tiny hand he held on his own – so skinny, so bony.
The bright blue eyes, the blonde hair. So small, his Naruto. he'd thought this moment would come much later – he would never say that his people or his predecessor failed him in any way, it was all the fox he said, he would even take a few extra moments to tighten up the seals – reprocess the Kyuubi's chakra before it was diluted into his son's own.
Oh, right, his son. Looking at him – so cute, his bewildered tiny eyes. Was he crying? What happened.
He reached down and gathered the boy into a gentle, warm hug – he was so, so tiny, so skinny… was he sick? Or was he just naturally this small? He'd thought the slow trickle of tailed beast chakra was going to strengthen his son to unforeseen levels – he'd make a fine man, and one damn scary Shinobi, he predicted.
It came to him as a shock when the Kyuubi laughed a low guttural laugh.
This was… This was the fourth.
It was his hero, his champion. Every time he looked for an inspiration in his life, it was not the old man or his peers or the ninja dressed in black with masks that came by around to look at him – not even the one with the dog mask that always looked out for him.
No, it was the fourth.
He was even more shocked when the man bent down and hugged him, a big smile on the man's face.
Then, the fox laughed. The fourth let go of him, instead opting to stand alongside him, with a large callused hand firmly planted over his shoulder. He shot a look at the fox, who slowly stopped laughing, before he turned back to him.
"Naruto, what were you doing?" The man asked.
The boy's breathing stopped for a moment – what was he doing?
He was going to release the fox…
"Why?"
Because… because they hurt him! They hurt him so bad and he wanted the hurt to stop – and if he released the fox… the hurt would stop.
"Who?"
Who? Who hurt him?
Who did not hurt him?
The old man and the dog-masked ninja. They were the only ones who didn't hurt him. Everyone else… they glared… they pushed… they hated him, so so much…
"Why?"
Why did they hurt him? Why did they hate him?
He did not know. Why would they hate him? He never hurt anyone! – and yet… they hurt him. They treated him like they hurt them! But he never did anything like that, no! He only wanted a friend, he only wanted to be treated like a normal person!
But he never was… He cried, he cried so much. He curled down to a ball on the floor – never mind the fourth, his hero was here, and that he was making a fool of himself… He couldn't help it. It just hurt… hurt so much.
Now… now he was going to hurt them back.
"What did you do to my son?"
The fox once again, Chuckled.
What did you to do your own son?
The man, aggravated, slammed a fist against the gate
"I would never do anything to hurt my own child!"
But you already did, you foolish human!
He never would! No, he made sure of it! Once he died, he passed his will onto the others – he gave specific instructions to the Third, he would say what had truly happened that fateful night, how there was an invasion by a rogue Uchiha, how the man had set free the Kyuubi to destroy the village, how his son was not a monster, but instead the Jailor that kept the village safe from all. He wanted his son to be seen as a hero! Heroes didn't get treated like that.
Oh, but he was never seen as a Hero.
Why? How!?
You put too much faith on that old Ape.
No, he was wrong! The third would never fail him, not like that! The third was a wise man that once ruled over the elemental nations! He was already a legend in a time where the fight between Hashirama and Madara was still a fresh memory!
But he is no longer a legend, is he?
The third… would not fail him like that...! Would he…?
Look around you
And just like that, the walls around them were shattered – yes, the Kyuubi was still firmly sealed behind the colossal bars that kept him at bay, but all around they saw color, and from color, came noise, and from noise came image.
And then, he saw. The life of his only child, his own hero, set out in front of him like a slideshow.
And he was devastated.
Why… How did it come to this?
The abuse… the mistreatment… the sheer hate that he felt just from seeing the images… How did it come to that? How? How?!
It was your own fault. You put too much faith where it was not deserved. You preserved the lives of fools who deserved only death. It was YOU and only YOU who caused all of this!
And then the fox laughed.
And soon, I too will be once again put at the will of that bloody Uchiha, and all because of you…
The fox rested it's snout at the floor, colors slowly fading, leading way back to the cold damn sewer floor beneath them.
What I wouldn't pay to see the face of that cursed red-head at this moment.
"Well, you won't have to wait!"
He was shocked to hear that voice again – but too crushed to feel any happiness from it.
He saw her boy and her husband there, looking so crushed just in front of her. She saw the fox behind a large gate, just lazily looking at them – that bloody fox! What did it do this time to hurt her family!?
She yelled at the fox, and then ran to the aid of her husband and child – her child, so small, how did he even get so tiny? How did he ever get like this? Had he been abducted? Was he sick? She knew neither Jiraiya nor Mikoto would let things get like this!
She grabbed him from the floor and pulled him into a crushing hug, she was here now for him.
Her son immediately pulled away – he was… afraid? What happened?
No, no baby! Mama was here now, there was nothing to be afraid of, see? She was his mom, she was here to help!
Her son, skeptical, kept his distance – but seemed to be more at ease.
What would make her child so afraid of her?
She looked back at the fox – that cursed fox, that only destroyed and killed and hated!
Her chains sprung from the ground, wrapping around each of the fox's tails and his torso and his limbs! She wanted to hurt it so much, like it did to her baby!
But, much to her surprise, despite the crushing pressure of her chains – the fox laughed… It laughed.
"What are you laughing at!?"
How futile, and how Ironic.
Ironic, what was ironic about all of this!? The goddamn fox only caused problems once again, like every other time! If she could only erase it from existence! But no, the bloody thing just refused to die!
Exactly that. You blame me so much for your problems that you fail to see that I have nothing to do with them.
How was it not the bloody fox's fault!? It had time and time again popped back to existence to kill, and maim, and destroy! She had to hold him as a prisoner for most of her life, and all that time it only served to cause her problems! She hated that fox, she hated it so, so much!
And when did I make so many problems for you?
Always! Just… all the time it was contained within her!
And when, specifically, did those problems start?
…When it was sealed within her, Grandma Mito sealed it within her because she was getting old, and she was the only one that could be trusted to keep the fox at bay!
Don't you see the problem here?
No, she did not! Grandma Mito had told her that the fox was vile, and cruel, and cold, and must be kept at bay at all times!
You blindly trusted that cruel old hag. You forget who she truly was.
No, she did not! Grandma Mito was a legend, she was one of the founders of Konoha! She was only right to jail that blasted fox; else it would just destroy everything she knew!
Why would I do that? Why would I, a great and mighty being, want to interfere with the affairs of mere mortals?
Because…! Because…
Before you hairless apes interfered with my life, I was free! Free to run, free to explore, free to hunt of my own accord! I would have never even thought of interfering with your lives – were it not for them forcing me into doing so.
But he had attacked the village! He had broken free and began killing and destroying and hurting! The moment he was set free by that godforsaken man, his first action was to destroy!
I was controlled once. Do you think it would not happen again? Do you think that given the chance, I would not just run free and leave this cursed village and these cursed people behind once and for all?
No… she did not but… it didn't matter, the Fox was evil! The fox was only going to hurt them, that was what Mito once told her…
Did you even take a moment to talk to me? To understand me? To see why I desperately tried to break free, time and time again?
She did not, and she would come to regret it so, so much.
Despite the current situation, he was calm. So calm, oddly so.
He had after all, nowhere to run. And with that boy's damned parents here again to cause him headaches – nobody to manipulate into doing his bidding. How quaint…
Well, on one good note, he was satisfied how crushed his once-opponents were. He held no animosity towards them anymore – he was a being who was the embodiment of hate and chaos, but he reserved those emotions to those who truly deserved it – like those bloody Uchiha. If anything, the only thing he felt to those in front of him right now… was Pity.
Such pity.
Though… Maybe there was one thing he could do.
How do you feel about your beloved village, now?
The child lay quiet, bewildered and crying and shaking, but responseless. He was already dead inside for all that mattered. The Fourth, once a sparking shine that brought hope to the village, was dull and grim, for he saw all those he had trusted and loved and believed in had only failed him. The redhead only took it better than the other two up to the point she learned what her child she had been subject to – she then took no time to blame herself, she should have been there, she said, but alas, she was not.
Three absolutely crushed, shattered people before him – how pathetic. And soon, all four of them would be – for a lack of better term – gone.
Tell me. How do you feel now? Do you want revenge? Do you want payback? He swished his tails around, lifting his snout a bit. I know the young one does.
They remained quiet, but turned hateful glares towards him.
He knew something could be done here. Yes, an opportunity. Credit to himself, he didn't let a good opportunity pass – and if he could get out of here and be safe from the Uchiha's bloody eye, all the better.
…Maybe... He wants a second shot at life?
Two sets of eyes shot a surprised look at him. He smirked. Hook, line and sinker.
Oh, now that sparks your interest, does it?
"Explain."
You see, you foolish monkey, I am not able to regenerate him because you keep me locked away so tight. Were I to control his body fully, he wouldn't even be in this situation to begin with.
The fox sighed, uncharacteristically.
But even then, I'm split in half. You sent my half to the belly of the god of death that night – Right now, there is nothing that I could do.
"…But if I unseal your other half-"
I would be whole, and powerful. And if you loosen the seal for me to carry out my will, then that Uchiha will not be able to control me – all the better for me, but maybe your village will be safe for one more day.
The fox smiled as the Fourth slowly rose to his feet. The man looked down at his family, then back up at the fox. He remembered what he saw in those brief visions…
Yes, the man wanted his child to live.
The fox was ecstatic when the man reached for the seal – both the one on his stomach, and the one on the bars. They were gone from there in a blinding flash of light.
None of them stopped to think the implications of opening the floodgates at that time.
And in the real world, there too was a blinding flash of light.
Where was he? What just happened?
Oh… Right.
But something felt… wrong. He felt different.
The pain he felt was gone, but he felt so, so sore.
He opened his eyes. He saw the sky and the mountains and the trees and the birds, but he did not see the ground. Where was he?
He looked down. Sprawled beneath him was the crater where he stood – The village? But there were hundreds of scattered bodies around the crater. Did he do this?
He began listening. The sound of screams, the sound of fear.
Who… Who was he? Why were they afraid of him?
He was… Naruto? No, no, that did not feel right. Was he Kurama? No, that did not feel right either… He was… something in between?
He lifted his hands – he sincerely expected there to be paws, but no, he had hands, and he stood on two legs – that felt like such a exquisite experience, but yes, he looked at his clawed hands, claws that were long and wicked. He looked at how his skin was a mixture of fur and blood-red aura that threatened to spill.
He took a moment to recompose – Everything, two lives now merged, was put together.
He was no longer just a boy or just a beast, no, he was something in between. His name, he did not know anymore, but all of his past life… lives, were sprawled out for him to see.
The fox only wanted freedom. To not be bound to the will of others again, to explore and see the land as he desired. All he got was decades of imprisonment.
The boy only wanted love. To not be so despised by all around him, to have people who genuinely cared for him. All he got was abandonment, disdain and abuse, and all for something completely out of his control.
He did not know what he was at this time. But now, the only thing he wanted…
He stopped for a moment, He breathed deeply. He turned around, taking time to get understand the details of all that was going around him.
He saw hundreds of Shinobi, ready to fight back. He saw the place that was supposed to be his home, trying to drive him away.
He was done, he was done with it all. He was done with all of the abuse, all of the glares, all of the hate, all of the loneliness, all of the imprisonment…
He was done with this place.
A place that hated its own people so much, a place that disregarded their desires and their dreams like this… It should not exist.
On one moment, an arm was lifted - a small, completely dark sphere held on it. On the next, a blinding light once again filled the skies.
He knew why they were afraid of him now – yes, because they tormented, they tortured and they abused him at every turn. They should be afraid, because this was revenge. This was payback.
Konohagakure no Sato was no more… But he was still alive.
He was still alive.