Black Leaves
Chapter 50
Team 7 arrived at the designated meeting location a few days after departing from their home village. There were no issues along the way and, so far, no foreseeable issues that could possibly occur.
The actress, Yukie and her manager, Asama, arrived at the meeting spot at a much later time then expected with both looked worn and ragged. Sasuke and Kakashi looked as bored as ever while Sakura was looking up at the actress with sparkling eyes. Naruto was trying to ignore Venom's perverted ideas of what could have caused the two to be in such tired conditions.
The group had to wait while the actress's camera crew and director before they could get a move on and met the rest of the acting crew a few moments later on the way. When they did start moving, Naruto took the lead with Sakura and Sasuke taking either side and Kakashi taking up the rear while the civilian crew staid in the middle of the lot.
The group eventually arrived at a harbor where the director said a boat would be waiting to transport them to the Land of Snow. Naruto groaned as they all climbed aboard.
"What's your problem kid?" The director asked while his crew started to set up the cameras and audio equipment.
"We don't like the cold that much." He groaned without realizing who he was talking to. "We get real sluggish and tired."
"Then why are you even here? Couldn't they have at least sent a team with actual adults instead of some brats?"
"Just you wait and see what we can do." Naruto said with a smirk. "You'll change your tone then."
The film crew decided to start filming once they started to get close to the Land of Snow's border. The graying sky and the low hanging sun made for a good dramatic backdrop.
The ninja took the opportunity to quickly change into warmer clothing while Naruto volunteered to watch over the crew. While they all watched the filming, the cold finally started to get to Naruto. Being part symbiote did have it's downsides; and being vulnerable to loud sounds, heat and cold were pretty much the only one's Venom could come up with. Everything else was great.
He reached into his coat and pulled out one of the small packages the current Hokage had given him. He sighed before reading the little instructions on the back and tearing the packet open.
Inside was nothing more then a simple hand warmer, made a little bit better by ninja magic bullshit so that it would last a bit longer then normal store brand. With a sigh Naruto ripped the fabric of the hand warmer, and took a deep breath before swallowing it's contents all in one go.
His team watched in shock and even the actress had to stop when she say him rip open and swallow another hand warmer's contents. She quickly jumped up and rushed over to the boy and quickly grabbed his wrist to stop him.
"What are you doing you dumb brat?!" She shouted before trying to yank the empty wrapping out of his hand. As she tried to do so; Yukie looked over at Naruto's teammates and shouted. "Why the Hell are you letting him do this?!"
"Naruto has always been a strange boy." Kakashi said; finally looking up from his novel. "Whenever he does something like this, he usually explains why later."
"Our body is different." Naruto said while tearing his hand out of Yukie's grasp. "We do not handle extremes very well and these things help us warm up. Our body can filter the toxic aspects of this stuff so all we feel is an almost unbearable burning heat from our gut" He finished by swallowing another hand warmer and made a very disgusted face. "Doesn't stop them from tasting so damn bitter."
"Did you have to hire the weird ones?" Yukie asked her manager before getting back on the set and continuing the filming. The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful until ice started to form on the ship and snow started to fall. Naruto had to go below deck at that point and refused to come back out despite the manager complaining about being paying for nothing.
Most of the trip was uneventful; until the ship neared a very small harbor town. Upon arrival, the ship was swarmed with Yukie's adoring fans. akashi decided that the small town would be a good place for the group to get some rest and allowed his team to do as they please while he stayed with the movie crew. Naruto had still not left the ship, leaving Sakura and Sasuke to their own devices.
The two went about the town together until Sakura got distracted by some trinkets in a store; leaving Sasuke all on his lonesome. The young Uchiha eventually found himself near the edge of the small town and started to notice the sudden lack of townsfolk around him.
His instincts told him to be careful; so he was sure that his hand was wrapped around a kunai while it was stuffed into his pocket. He continued onward until nearly everyone within visible range was gone; then he heard a tiny bell chime.
Too quickly for Sasuke to properly react; nearly a dozen Sound village ninja leapt out from their hiding places and completely surrounded the boy. Sasuke quickly pulled his weapon out and dropped down into a fighting stance. Right from the get-go, he knew that there was not too high of a chance of him getting out of this without at least a scratch or two. He had a tag in his pouch which he could use to alert his team; but Sasuke knew he would never get the chance to use it.
"We're not here to fight." One of the Sound ninja spoke. "We are just here to insure that you hear everything that needs to be said."
Sasuke did not reply and kept his weapon ready while still trying to find any opening for an escape.
One of the enemy ninja suddenly went limp as he went unconscious for a moment before slowly straightening back up.
"Hello Sasuke." A familiar voice hissed from the still unconscious man's lips. "It's been a while."
Again, Sasuke did not reply. Instead he simply glared at the ninja that was allowing Orochimaru to speak through him.
"Not happy to hear me?" The voice chuckled. "Maybe you'll change your tone after you hear what I have to say."
Once again, Sasuke showed no signs of reacting in any way.
"Hmm. I bet you want to get a little bit of revenge on the one that destroyed your clan and family; and forced your brother to leave?"
That got Sasuke's attention. "I'm listening." He said while lowering his weapon a bit. "How do you know who did it?"
The sound of Orochimaru chuckling yet again left the man's lips. "I have my ways. Ways that I can show you." He started. "The Village Hidden in the Leaves knew all about that little massacre before it even started."
Now Sasuke was paying his full attention to the man. "What do you mean?"
"Did you ever wonder why nobody ever did anything about the massacre? Sure the Hokage said he was having it investigated; but that was a while ago, yes? Why is it taking so long?"
Sasuke did not respond.
"You know the answer; the village wanted them dead! The only reason you and your brother were spared was because you could still be useful to those selfish old geezers. When that pesky little demon showed up and they hired that little club to 'hunt it down' they were more then happy to hand over your brother. And he was more then happy to leave."
"Why?!" Sasuke asked urgently.
"Because your brother is smart." Orochimaru chuckled. "He knows that the Hidden Leave Village is weak and that he could never get any stronger staying there. He also knew just how weak and disappointing you are. Your the reason he left."
"Very helpful." Sasuke said sarcastically before getting back into his fighting stance.
"Well, don't you want to be stronger? I can help with that." The snake ninja said confidently. "Don't you want to show your brother that your the better ninja? Don't you want to get revenge on the village that forced him away and destroyed your family?" He continued for several full minutes; whispering sweet nothings to the boy. His words slowly startled to wriggle deep into Sasuke's mind; planting ideas that should never have been there.
Sasuke was silent for a good amount of time.
"Think about my offer. I'll send for you when your ready to become so much better then you ever could imagine." The ninja stopped speaking and the body went completely limp. Two of the other Sound ninja picked up their fallen comrade before all of them quickly left in different manner of escape.
Sasuke stood at the spot for a moment until normal civilians started to enter the area. He decided to go meet up with his teacher, but noticed a weird ripple in the snow a good distance away.
Sasuke arrived at the meeting location, a small hotel, and saw everyone leaving the building. Even Naruto was there, but he was so bundled up in warm clothing that only his eyes could be seen.
"We'll be taking a train car the rest of the way." The film director said before leading the group to a very small train station at the edge of the small town.
Instead of a full train; the group were met with a small trolley with a second small platform attached to it. Everyone but the director were dumbfounded by the measly little form of transportation.
"As you can see, I spared no expense." He said while puffing his chest out.
"The tracks are frozen." Sakura said before doing a few hand signs. She motioned for Sasuke to do the same. The two finished and quickly placed their hands just above the frozen railroad tracks. Naruto unconsciously licked his lips as he felt the chakra leave his teammates' and flow through the metal tracks; thawing the ice.
The two got on the front of the cart so that they could thaw more of the tracks that the group would eventually encounter. The film crew got on as well, with the actress cursing the film director/apparent producer under her breath.
Kakashi and Naruto looked at each other before silently climbing aboard and grabbing one end of the crank that operated the trolley cart. With alternating heaves, the two slowly started to move the old junk pile forward.
So, the group was on the move once again; only much more cold with Naruto starting to shiver violently. He had to stop several times to pop more hand warmers in his mouth just keep his hands from shaking.
"Why is it so cold!?" Sakura shouted as the wind started to pick up.
"This horrible land is cursed!" Yukie shouted as the wind become more powerful and snow started to beat into the group. "I don't know the specifics, but there was a curse put on this land long ago for it to remain frozen forever!" She tried to hold her hair out of her face. "We must be getting closer to the curse's focal point!" Her eyes widened before she shot a glare as cold as the air around her at her manager.
"You knew!" She shouted.
"I'm sorry M'Lady!" Asama shouted over the howling wind. "But you need to return home! Your people need you!"
"I told you that I was never going back!" She turned to Kakashi and Naruto. "Turn this stupid thing around right now! We are leaving!"
"N-n-no!" Naruto shivered. His body was visibly shaking and his movements had slowed down significantly.
"I am sorry to tell you," Kakashi said while trying to get the cart further along as fast as he could. "But you were not the one who hired us, your manager was. We listen to him, not you."
"Cave ahead!" Sasuke shouted over the blizzard. He quickly got up and took Naruto's place; allowing for the freezing ninja to hunker down and nearly vanish in his clothing.
The group finally made it into a tunnel that had been carved out of the side of a mountain and quickly went about starting a fire to warm themselves up. Naruto was directly next to the fire but was still hidden within his cloth shell.
"Why don't you start explaining what is really going on?" Kakashi asked in a calm but demanding voice.
Asama sighed. "Yukie is more then just a big time actress," He started to explain. "She is the sole heir of the late daimyo of this land." He looked her for a moment. Yukie was huffing over in a corner with her back turned to the group.
"When she was still very young, Yukie's father was was betrayed and killed by his brother Doto; who quickly took over. I was order by Yukie's father, in his dying breath to keep his daughter safe and to one day bring her back so that she could take her rightful place at the throne of the Land of Snow. Doto has been using the curse cast upon this land to control the people and claims that he is searching for something important."
He turned to face the princess and bowed low. "Please Princess Koyuki." He begged. "Please return home and take your rightful place."
She did not respond.
"Please Princess Koyuki!" Asama begged harder.
"Do not call me that!" Yukie/Koyuki screamed. "I am not the princess of anything! I am an actress! That's all I am!"
The cave fell silent as her scream's echo slowly faded.
"..." A soft noise came from the bundle that was Naruto. Everyone ignored it until it came again.
"Speak up you dunce." Sasuke sighed.
"Mmph."
"Louder."
"TRAIN!" Naruto shouted while popping out of his clothes and scoping up Yukie and some of the crew. Just before they could protest, the cave started to rumble and a faint light could be seen coming from a tunnel near the track's intersection.
Everyone else quickly scoped someone up before heading in the opposite direction of the in coming train. Naruto; being slightly ahead, missed an outcropping that the rest of his team saw and was forced to keep running.
"Why does it have to be so freakin' cold!?" Naruto shouted as he tried to keep his eyes open. He looked ahead to see the other side of the tunnel coming up; but he could hear the train getting even closer.
Pushing himself past the need to sleep; Naruto continued to charge forward. He did not need to look behind him to know that the train was just a meter or so away.
"Naruto!?" Koyuki shouted just as they were approaching the exit.
"Fuck it!?" Naruto screamed as he quickly used the last of his strength to throw everyone he was carrying out of the cave and away from the tracks. As soon as they were free of danger, Naruto's speed slowed down significantly and he was quickly barreled over by the train.
The crew was found dumbstruck and speechless by Kakashi and his other two genin.
"Where's Naruto!?" Kakashi asked urgently. He got no initial reply until a moment later when Asama pointed at the front of the now stopped train.
Koyuki had a look of complete shock as past memories started to flood her brain. Fire, death, blood. The sounds of burning wood and clashing steel. The smell of death. All of it was flooding back from her suppressed mind.
While she was having a mental breakdown; Sakura and Sasuke bolted to the front of the train despite Kakashi telling them not to. Not because of the potential danger; but because he knew what Naruto's body was going to look like. They may be trained assassins, but they were still kids and still too young to see something so horrifying.
"There is nothing here!" Sasuke shouted before he and Sakura returned to the group.
Before anything else could be said a loud noise from the train alerted everyone to several of the train cars. The side panels of the train cars slid open to reveal several hundred small square shaped compartments while devices operated by masked characters rose from the top of each train car.
While everyone was distracted Asama quickly took off and ran over a distant snow bank out of view.
Out from the train's first car; another platform rose up. On it stood a large old man and three obviously rogue ninja from what looked to be different hidden villages; if their headbands were anything to go by.
"It is good to see you again Princess." The obvious man in charge said in a mocking tone. "Now why don't you come with me and help me get your family's treasure before something really bad happens to your little friends here.
"Nothing bad will happen to anybody but you, Doto!" Asama shouted from the hilltop. He was dressed in complete samurai armor and was wielding a sword. "We have dedicated our lives to protecting the royal family of this land and will we not rest until the princess is safe once again!"
He pointed his sword directly at Doto's face before an entire legion of samurai appeared over the hill. All dressed in full armor and holding their own weapons.
"Fools are always so quick to rush into their own death." Doto said with an arrogant sigh. "Prepare to fire." He said while raising a hand high into the air.
"Charge!" Asama shouted. The samurai let out loud rallying cries before charging down the hill.
"NO!" Koyuki screamed. "DON'T!" Kakashi had to hold her from running between the army and the train.
As the army ran forward; Doto lowered his arm and the men stationed on top of the trains quickly started to turn large cranks attached to the devices they stood on. A wave of kunai knives launched out of every single square compartment the train had; with each knife heading straight for the charging army.
Kakashi pulled Koyuki's face into his chest so that she would not see the inevitable slaughter.
A sudden massive wall of clear ice erupted from the ground and blocked every incoming blade from ever reaching flesh.
"WHAT?!" Doto shouted when his weapon of war failed terribly right in front of him. His head snapped over to the Leaf ninja. "KI-"
BANG!
The whole train shock violently. The people on board looked around wildly for the cause when another loud bang actually pushed the front of the train off the rails.
Koyuki tore herself free from Kakashi's grip to see a living and very upset Naruto ramming his shoulder into the side of the train's engine; causing the train to slowly slide along the ground.
"We!" He leapt back before charging forward again. "Hate!" BOOM! "Being!" BOOM! "IGNORED!" He slammed once again.
"What are you idiots doing!?" Doto shouted while holding onto the train. "Kill that kid!" He saw his three subordinates leap after Naruto. He looked back along the train to see what the rest of his minions were up to only to see a mess of blood and severed body parts.
Without any other motivation; Doto activated a device on the platform he was on and a small blimp slowly rose from over the cliff on the other side of the train tracks. A sound from behind alerted him to a mass of whirling blades heading straight for him.
"Forget the kid!" He shouted before leaping onto the safety of his blimp. All of his living subordinates did the same as blades and spears of ice started to erupt throughout the entirety of the train.
Doto watched in rage as the princess and her crew quickly fled with the army of samurai and as his train was pushed off the side of the cliff.
"What are your plans, sir?" One ninja asked.
Doto just glared at the retreating group before stomping into his get-away blimp.
"That was awesome!" Naruto shouted. "Is that what you two can do now?"
In front of the boy stood two symbiotes. One had a clear, icy blue colored body with only small black slits where the eyes should be. The other had Large blades instead of arms and legs as well as blades of various sizes jutting out of random location's on it's body.
"We can do more then that kid." The bladed one chuckled before looking at his arms in appreciation. "Oh so much more."
"We were asked by Lady Empress to come and assist you." The icy symbiote stated. "She discovered where you would be and did not wish for you to go into an unnecessary hibernation."
"Looks like you needed it too." The blades symbiote chuckled.
Naruto huffed. "Well it looks like we have a bigger mission here then we expected." He mumbled.
"Would you like us to assist you, Lord Venom?"
Naruto thought for a moment. "Do you have anything else to do?"
"Besides merc-ing ourselves out to the highest bidder?" Blade-man asked. "No."
"We will be happy to assist you in any way we can."
"Then follow that blimp and scout out that man's little hiddey hole." Naruto ordered. "He ran over us with that damn train of his and we want to return the favor."
The bladed symbiote licked his fangs in anticipation while the other nodded.
"No killing just yet. Our team will be crossing path's with him and his lot later. When the apparent princess is ready to take her thrown; that is when you two can have fun."
"Shatter and Cutter are on the job." They symbiote called Cutter laughed before leaping off.
Shatter gave Naruto a quick bow before departing as well.
'Those two are perfect for each other.' Venom said in an overly-feminine tone.
"With what we saw they could do back on that bridge, it would have been a real shame to just leave them for dead." Naruto said, more for himself then anything else. "Now." He turned around. "To find our team."
A small gust of wind blew by and quickly reminded Naruto of the extreme cold he was in. Shivering, Naruto started to sprout several large tentacles that began to wrap around him over and over until he was safely nestled inside a mass of writhing tendrils.
While inside the warmer ball, Naruto moved the mass in the direction his team went before finding the movie crew's tracks and following them.
Naruto eventually arrived at a rather large city overlooked by a massive castle.
'Well. We think we found the villain's base of operations.' Venom said unimpressively.
Naruto disentangled his limps before quickly making his way to the village and following the very faint scent of his team. As he walked; the boy observed the state of what could be called the capital city of the land.
Despite having a tyrant as a leader, the city appeared to be almost flourishing. Of course there were the usual negative aspects that came along with it, but there did not seem to be any real issues. Except for heavy taxation and an oppressive police force with officers standing almost ever ten feet.
But besides that, everything looked normal. Naruto followed the scent of his teammates into the more sketchy parts of the city until finally coming upon a horribly dilapidated building.
He stepped up to the heavily damaged door and gave a knock only for the door to swing open and several really sharp swords pointed mere centimeters away from his face.
"Who are you!?" A decked out samurai demanded.
Before Naruto could say anything; Asama's voice spoke out from the back of the building. "He's with us." He stated loudly. "He is going to be helping us reclaim our beloved country!"
"We were hired to escort an actress to a movie set." Naruto stated as he walked passed the guards and into a pretty well maintained meeting room. Everyone was present and accounted for. "Not to help a princess regain her throne."
"Naruto?!" Princess Koyuki shouted in shock at seeing the boy standing there.
"What happened to you?" Sasuke asked with very little interest in his voice.
"We got into a fight with a train." Naruto paused while stripping away a few layers of clothing. "And won."
"That ice technique of yours sure saved our asses." Asama stated before turning to a map that was laid out on a table. "Here is the complete layout of the diamo's castle." He pointed to several spots. "If Doto is anything like we expect him to be; then he should have guards at these key locations." He pointed to several spots.
"The second we make any sort of move against the castle; Doto's entire army will be right on us."
"We told you." Naruto spoke up. "We were not hired to help with a countries reclamation."
"We are helping." Kakashi stated sternly. "I have some history here and I would hate to see those memories ruined by a terrible future."
"Fine." Naruto replied in an emotionless tone. "So what should we do?"
"Well." Asama continued. "I thought that our well trained ninja-for-hire would be able to take care of any long distance or hidden threats while everyone else charges in and keeps Doto's army distracted."
He looked up at Koyuki. "You will have to be the one to end Doto's life." He stated with a strong sense of determination.
The princess looked at the man with complete shock. "I'm an actress!" She shouted. "Not a murderer!"
"It has to be you." Asama demanded. "You have to show the people that our late diamo's daughter has returned! Killing your uncle will not only end his tyranny, but will show his supporters that you are more then capable of protecting our homeland."
"I refuse." She stated while crossing her arms.
"The outside defenses will already be taken care of by the time you start your attack." Kakashi said while looking ate his pupils.
"Good." Asama replied. "We will begin the attack at nightfall. The darkness mixed in with the driving snow should provide you with ample cover as well as allow us to get in as close as possible before going all out." He left the table and went over to to talk with his own men; leaving Kakashi's team to themselves.
The group started to discuss their method of attack for a good long while before agreeing on how to carry out their attack on the castle.
"What the Hell was that about, Naruto?" Sakura scolded the blond. "These people need our help and as ninja of the Leave; it is our obligation to do so."
"Now Sakura." Kakashi piped up. "Naruto was not entirely in the wrong here."
Sakura looked at her instructor with a confused glare while Sasuke just raised an eyebrow.
"We are ninja representing an outside party to this country's problems." Kakashi stated. "Our involvement, should Doto win, would be enough evidence for him to launch an all out war with the Land of Fire. The Land of Snow; mostly Doto, has some very powerful allies that could help launch us into another massive war." He leaned forward and smiled behind his mask. "So let's not fail, huh?"
Sasuke gave a shrug before going back to his own thoughts while Sakura sat and mulled over what Kakashi had told them.
The room was almost completely silent for a while, with the quiet only being broken by the occasional sound of large snow clumps hitting the windows and door.
Naruto's eyes flickered to one of the windows several times until a very faint humanoid shape formed from the snow and ice. The figure made a variety of movements; which Naruto responded with several minor and unnoticeable ones of his own. The figure vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
Night eventually fell and with it, the ninja left the rebel hut and made their way to Doto's castle.
Kakashi halted the team and motioned for Sasuke and Naruto to go in one direction while he and Sakura went in another. While they took out any security personnel they could fine; Naruto decided to hold back a bit and watch Sasuke.
There was something in his movements that were no longer as focused as they used to be. Working with him for only so long provided Naruto with adequate knowledge of his teammates' fighting styles.
He was more then aware that he was the brawler of the group. Rushing in and delivering powerful blows while acting as a distraction against the enemy. Kakashi was the swift striker; going for more hit-and-run tactics to confuse foes. Sakura was a counter fighter; if she could not take an opponent out stealth-fully and had to fight, she would take advantage of her small and light frame to counter and throw opponents off balance before using her hidden strength to beat them to a bloody pulp.
Then there was Sasuke; who fought with the traditional fighting style of the Uchiha; which was designed to attack any enemy weak spot and punish mistakes. However, Naruto noticed that Sasuke was not taking as much advantage of even the most obvious mistakes as he usually did. He showed signs of internal conflict.
'We may need to remove one more annoyance.' Venom rumbled. 'There is no doubt that the little garden snake will work with the 'Phage to end us. The less firepower and knowledge of our homes, the better.'
Naruto watched as Sasuke planted a kunai firmly into the neck of a security guard; his back to the blond. He was completely unaware of the long blade slowly pushing it's way out of his teammate's palm. As he fought the guard to keep the knife in his neck; Sasuke failed to notice Naruto slowly walking closer and closer. Blade held up, ready to pierce Sasuke's torso.
"All is clear on the South and East exterior." Kakashi said over the earpieces his team had equipped.
"Just finishing up now." Naruto said in an almost robotic tone as he pulled his arm back. He quickly brought the weapon down; only to stop it mere centimeters away from Sasuke's back. Memories flashed through his mind. Memories of him and his team. Memories that he enjoyed, that he cherished.
Events went through his head as the blade slowly retreated back into his palm. Naruto clenched his hand tightly.
'What's the matter?' Venom asked.
Naruto did not respond. 'Please.' He thought while staring hard as Sasuke. More images flashed through his mind. Faces of the people he knew continued to rush before his eyes.
Naruto took a step back.
'What are we?' He asked himself.
'We are the great symbiote Venom. The most feared creature in the Hidden Leave and most loved in the Hive!' Venom gloated loudly.
'No!' Naruto responded. 'What are we?! What have we become?! What have...' He struggled. 'I become!?' Before Venom could respond; Naruto continued. 'I see all of these memories. Both mine and yours. They have blended together for so long that I could no longer tell whose was whose. I thought that we were one and the same. But we are not!'
'What are you going on about boy?'
'I...don't want to kill him.' Naruto struggled. 'I can't kill him.' More images went through his mind. The little missions and adventures he had with his and the other teams. The small smiles they were able to bring out of him just by being near. The symbiotes too; Ambush, Nightmare, and all the others.
'We have been living in the dark.' He thought solemnly. 'I was seen as a monster because of what was inside me. So I embraced it when I discovered what you were; what my parents had done to me.'
Naruto clenched his hand so hard blood started to flow from his knuckles. 'I...I don't want to be feared anymore! I don't want to be a monster anymore!' He pushed back tears he never knew he had when the mental images of all of his comrades looks of fear flashed through his mind. The look of terror and despair hurt him; hurt him more then any wound he had ever received in his life.
Venom looked down at the mental manifestation of his host. His multiple white eyes slowly softening as tentacles slowly enveloped the image of the boy.
'Naruto.' The symbiote spoke softly. 'You were never feared.' Images of his terrified friends changed from looks of fear to looks of worry. 'You are cared for. Look at them. They do not fear you, they worry for you. They see what you can do, what you are capable of. What they are afraid of is not you, but what you might become, and us...Me'
The tentacles gently wrapped around Naruto's mental form; acting more like comforting arms then powerful weapons. 'You have such amazing strength that you could become anything. And what you could become could be something just as terrifying as us, or as honorable as the Third. They are afraid of what would happen if you walked down a dark path and are pushed from the light. But we know that they would never let that happen. We know that we would never let that happen.'
'But.' Naruto interrupted. 'I am just so, so angry all the time. Towards the village, towards my parents even the Hive.
'Are you really feeling anger? Or are you feeling fear? Worry? Yes, what your parents did was a terrible thing and you have every right to be hateful towards them. It is not our place to tell you otherwise. But the village; it is your home no matter what. It was where you were born. It is where your friends live. Are you going to tell me you hate them?'
'No!.' Naruto's real hand slowly unclenched itself. 'I could never hate them. I could never hurt them. Not after all they have done for me.'
'Then what your feeling is fear. Afraid that you really are the monster the villagers believed you to be. But you are not. We have taken that away from you. By showing ourselves and doing what we have done. The villagers fear us more then they ever feared you. To them you are the son of the Fourth and the jailer of the Nine-Tailed Demon. But that is all. Not a threat, not a demon, not a monster. Simply a ninja that is doing his duty for the home he cares for.'
Images of their past together flashed through both of their minds. Memories that were both their own and each others. Memories of both of their sorrows and joys. Of them having fun together. Of the friends Naruto had made and the kind and gentle glances and smiles.
'Do you remember your dream, Naruto? That goal you had even before we ever met?'
'Of course I do. To become the greatest Hokage the Hidden Leave Village ever had.' He looked solemnly down at his feet. 'But that become nothing but a dream after everything that has happened.'
A tentacle suddenly came out and slapped Naruto across the face hard enough to knock him down.
'What are you saying boy?! What happened to those foolish rules you have? What happened to the way of life you promised us all those years ago?! To protect those precious to you. To never go back on your word. To become the best you could be no matter what. These were the words you said to us. Words you said would define who you were.' His expression became gentle once more. 'And we promised you, that we would help you every step of the way. Not as a mentor, a god, or a monster. But as something you can trust and depend on. A friend. Now; tell us again what your dream is.'
Words and images ran through Naruto's mind an a breakneck pass as a smile formed on his lips. He looked upward as the mental image of Venom's massive form stood before him. 'I want to become the greatest leader that my village ever had. And I want to help all of my friends. Including you.'
Venom could not help but smile at the boy's response. Despite now being a terrible time for this little exchange. He felt that the whole conversation was necessary to help his host. The doubt he had where gone; the darkness slowly ebbing away. He knew that it would mean a great many changes later when the demon of the village was no longer the horrible monster it once was. The boy just knew how to bring the best out of everyone.
Venom's smile grew. 'To answer your question. Who are you?' He raised the mental Naruto up to his massive head. 'You are Uzumaki Naruto, genin of the Village Hidden in Leaves in the Land of Fire. Member of Team Seven and the number one ninja the world will ever now.'
Naruto smiled as he focused back into the real world and watched as Sasuke finally ended his current foe. His smile faltered for a moment when a small pang of fear made it's way through him. 'Please. Don't.'
Venom felt good about easing his host's doubt, but the symbiote's mind was still dark with thought. He always had a small idea that something was wrong with Naruto's memories; and this conversation only reinforced what he though was causing his host the pain that forced this talk. Those memories where not what they should have been; the faces were different, wrong. The expressions were not correctly matched with the experience. Someone had forcibly changed them so that Naruto would be pulled into the very same darkness Venom knew all too well.
He would not allow it. The darkness was a terrible place, horrible beyond all recognition. Naruto was never going to experience that Hell for as long as Venom was alive. Watching as his host took a calming breath and started searching the fallen enemies bodies; Venom felt even more for the boy then he ever did initially.
Not wanting to toot his own horn; but the alien honestly felt like he was the closest thing Naruto really ever had to a true father after the conversation they just had. A concept that would have been bizarre and strange to a younger Venom.
'No one will hurt Naruto ever again.' Venom turned and saw the withered flame of the Fox Demon behind him before looking forward down the corridor leading through Naruto's mind. He pulled his massive bulk through the caverns and tunnels until he reached a specific door.
There were tendrils covering the door. Tendrils that did not belong to Venom.
'No one.'