Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Never have, never will.
Naruto didn't like waking up alone.
He knew his brother liked to stay up late and think, but every time he woke up with one side of the bed cold he still felt a little lonely. When they were younger Natsuki would be on the window sill, but ever since Iruka-sensei taught them the wall walking technique his little brother would spend his nights on the roof looking at the stars. Naruto didn't blame him, the stars were very pretty, but he preferred to sleep. To help ease the loneliness he would always reach out to feel his brother's presence, his chakra he learned later when he asked about it and Iruka-sensei explained. The soft hum of familiar chakra always sent him back into a restful sleep.
Tonight, however, was different.
Naruto stared up at the ceiling as worry creased his brow. His stomach was twisting and churning, like that one time he had food poisoning when he was eight. His heart hammered in his chest as he reached out once more to try and confirm what he had immediately noticed in his half asleep state.
His brother was not on the roof.
He wasn't anywhere in the apartment.
Natsuki wasn't here.
His gut twisted. Something was very wrong. Naruto slipped out of bed slowly, still not quite believing what his senses were telling him. Natsuki and he had never been far enough from each other for him not to sense his brother's presence.
Shakily he climbed out the window and pulled himself to the roof with chakra enhanced limbs. The frigid air cut him like sharp kunai. His brother was nowhere in sight. Naruto knelt on the cool tiles and picked up the only sign his brother had been here at all.
A new Konoha headband.
He swallowed the bile that rose as his stomach twisted painfully. He could feel his chakra fluctuating with his panic. If he concentrated enough he could even feel that things' chakra rolling around in an irate fashion. He clutched the headband to his chest as looked around at the empty rooftops. It was almost midnight and no shinobi were visible to him.
As if on autopilot Naruto climbed back into his room got dressed and headed to the only place he could think of in his panic idled mind.
Naruto would have cackled at the complete shock on Iruka-sensei's face when he opened the door, but he was still lost in his own confused panic. The look on his face must have been bad, however, since Iruka-sensei pulled him inside asking what was wrong with the most serious expression Naruto had even seen on the man's face.
"Natsuki." Shaking off the man insistent hands trying to push him into a chair he tugged at the man's nightshirt. "He's missing Iruka-sensei! Somethings wrong! We gotta find him!"
Iruka-sensei paused for only a moment before nodding. "Okay, Naruto. We'll notify the night guard."
"But-!"
"No. Naruto if you think this is serious then we need to sound the alarm. You came to me for a reason, now listen to me now." He knelt in front of him smiling softly. "Trust me Naruto. We'll find out what happened to Natsuki, but we can't do it alone. What is Konoha's biggest strength?"
Naruto scowled and kicked the floor in frustration, but answered anyway. "Teamwork."
"Good boy." Iruka-sensei ruffled his hair. "Let me get dress and then we'll hurry to the tower and notify the person in charge."
Naruto nodded mulishly. He wanted to go and search for Natsuki himself. He should have just started searching on his own. He knew if he left now Iruka would find him. The man had an uncanny way of finding him when he didn't want him too, especially after a prank. He rocked on his heels while tapping his fingers on his thighs. A thousand different possibilities flew through his mind each one worse than the last.
"Natsuki, where are you?" He whispered.
Kurama curled his hands around his knees as he brought the appendages to his chest. He gritted his teeth and held back a growl. He should have been more alert.
Had he paid an ounce of attention to the sudden flux of Mizuki's malicious intent he wouldn't have been taken like he had. Instead, like a fool, he ignored any warning signs, tuning out the consistent negative emotions of those around him, simply because of the monotony of it. The endless fears, hatred, and anger of those around him were migraine inducing in this human form, so he began to ignore them. He was the architect of his own failure in the end.
He glared petulantly at the world around him.
His eyes roved over the towering bars, disappearing towards a ceiling he couldn't see. Beyond the vast expanse of his cage, now enormous given his current form, he could see the decimated remains of what once was a hallway. Rubble scattered outside the bars, half immersed in dark water. Without the walls, the world beyond the bars stretched on seemingly endless as the shadows swirled ominously.
The paper seal lining the bars gave off a soft light. It was one of two light sources in his mindscape.
That, and the raging inferno beneath his feet.
He looked down, reluctantly, beyond the frail looking glass and into the wild eyes of his former self. His chakra curled and flared, rolling around the huge body like it had a mind of his own. He watched a flare reach up towards him, briefly touching the glass before retreating.
It was easy, so easy to pretend.
Without knowing what humanity really was, he had pushed himself to pretend. He pushed himself to blend in with his newly human body. He was uncertain of the limitations and the effects the seal had on him, so he decided to wait. He decided not reveal himself until he was strong enough to break free without fear of being sealed once more.
It was easier than he thought, though he struggled with some human oddities. His body, mortal and frail, needed sleep, food, and other necessities in order to function. Although he longed for his former self, it was easier to adjust when basic instincts, foreign but strong none the less, pushed him to comply.
It was easy to smile, to laugh, to be happy- like the child he was supposed to be- when emotions flooded his very being, filling him the brim with their intensity.
Human felt so much emotion.
It was easy to get lost in them.
Without the strong bond to the earth and natural chakra he easily pushed aside the faint ache from the loss of the connection. Somewhere along the way, he forgot to pretend. Somewhere along the way, the lines blurred and he never noticed the transition.
Kurama never noticed until now.
He stared at his former body. At the crackling, breathtaking power of his swirling red chakra. Even at half strength, his power was impressive.
He touched the glass, noting how thin and frail it looked.
He couldn't use even a fraction of the power he once wielded without a care. To do so would harm his new body. It would tear it apart.
He had known that from the beginning. But, it was here that the understanding fully hit him. This glass, frail as it looked, separated him from his former self. An invisible barrier that protected his human form from the corrosiveness of his pure, unrestrained chakra. It protected him and trapped him. Prevented this body's destruction, but held back his immortal soul. The disconnect between the two was startling, now that he noticed it.
Kurama looked at his hands. So, small and frail. He looked down at the sharp claws glinting in the light of his chakra. He remembered how it felt to run in that form. So, large he would block out the sky for humans. This body was a mere speck in comparison.
He looked and he longed.
He tore his gaze away and looked up at the looming bars and the faint glow of the seals woven around them. A few quick changes to the original seal and a miracle worthy of the Sage of Six Paths, himself, had allowed his current situation to occur without the very sudden denigration of the human body he resided within. He imagined the Shinigami had something to do with it. Whatever deal that foolish man had made to tear his soul apart and seal it away must have stabilized his body just enough to function.
Anger ripped through him, sudden and fierce.
He had been free.
Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the incident, for one glorious moment, he had been free. He had tasted the air in his former power and glory.
He had been free.
Then that damned Uchiha took control once more and he was left to the mercy of the Minato Namikazi who ripped him apart and shoved him right back in a seal.
Kurama's hand formed a fist and he slammed it down violently. In this false world, his hand didn't even ache from the force of the blow. He watched with a sort of distant awe as spider web cracks formed through the glass. He looked up at the seals again. They were glowing brighter now, but the sharp pain he had grown used to during his previous internment was not present for this act of rebellion.
He could do it. He realized suddenly.
He looked down at the cracks in hysterical astonishment.
He could break the glass.
He could break the seal.
It didn't recognize him as the Nine-Tails. It thought he was human or at least the man who made it did. It would undoubtedly try to prevent him from completely breaking it, but it was weak enough that he knew, if he threw all of his concentration into it, then he could…he could…
He could be free.
He could release his true form. He could have all of his power once more.
No longer would he have to limit himself. No more pretending. He could destroy the pathetic human who kidnapped him. He could wipe him off of the earth. The earth…He could once more have his connection with the nature chakra the permeated the soil and plant life. He could feel the wind in his fur and be able to use all of his senses to their full extent!
His hand trembled as the thoughts raced through his mind.
He could…
A flash of blond flittered through his thoughts.
He froze.
He looked down at the chakra and his former self. His former self.
If he broke the seal now. If he reclaimed all of his power, not only would he still not be whole, but this body would be destroyed. He could see his startled expression in the glass. His face, which had been flushed with excitement, now lost most of his color. He traced his childishly rounded features in the reflection.
This was a face he had resigned himself too.
A face he had learned to expect in the mirror.
A face he had come to see as his own.
A face he shared with another.
"Wh-what do you m-mean N-Natsu? Wh-what are you saying?!" Fearful blue eyes met his own. "You think…you're saying that we have a…a monster inside of us? A-A demon that almost d-destroyed the village?"
"Is, that is…did the demon kill our parents, do you think? The Hokage always said our parents died that night…do you think…"
He had never seen Naruto cry. The boy was so stubborn, he wanted to protect 'his little brother' from everything. So, he never cried. He never showed how affected he was by the looks, the insults. He always smiled. That stupid bright smile. The smile that lit up his eyes and reminded him of a man he often tried to forget.
He wasn't smiling that day.
No, Kurama could remember, with great detail, the way the boy broke down. The way his small shoulders shuttered and shook as he tried to hold back the sob that wracked his tiny form.
Kurama had stood there dumbfounded.
"So, that's why they hate us."
He remembered how the other boy's voice had shaken him out of his trace. It had trembled in an entirely foreign way and held a level of bitterness Kurama had never thought the kind boy could achieve.
"Am I, are we…monsters too?"
His hands were shaking for an entirely different reason now as he stared at the combination of his reflection and the huge form bellow it. The glow of the chakra suddenly seemed ominous as he crouched there frozen.
Humans felt entirely too much.
He had learned this early on, but the sudden onslaught of emotions still took him by surprise when he let down his guard. When he was younger they would overwhelm him at odd times and leave him speechless. He had learned to deal with it, for the most part, but pushing them to the back of his mind and ignoring it only last for so long.
He looked at the cracked glass with a sudden and strong rush of horror.
"…you're saying that we have a…a monster inside of us? A-A demon that almost d-destroyed the village?"
He could be free…
(A flash of a crinkled old face smiling down at him. A gentle hand in his hair. The smell of food cooked right for the first time. A wide proud smile and gentle voice teaching him things he never knew existed. The flash of silver hair and warm laughter. A feeling of acceptance. Blond, bright and shining. Unrelenting cheer and unfaltering kindness even in the face of hatred and fear.)
...but at what cost?
He placed his palm down on the glass. It was warm to the touch. His chakra beckoned him like an old friend. It begged to be whole once more. Whole and free. It whispered to him. Reminding him of old times. He could tower above the mountains once more. He could run, he could leap. He could truly see the world in ways his human eyes could not perceive or ever match. He could feel the ancient chakra of the world and connect to the natural chakra still thrumming with power in the earth. He wouldn't have to fear death or face the inevitability of aging. He wouldn't have to be overwhelmed by foreign emotions he could not control nor lower himself to human interactions.
Kurama; the Nine-Tailed Fox. The Age-Old Natural Disaster. The Ninth Biju would have taken whatever chance he could in order to escape, to be free…but would Natsuki? He knew what he former self would do. He knew what choice he would make. But…he was different now. Even if he tried not to acknowledge it. Even if he ignored it.
The twelve years he had spent as a human had changed him.
He lowered his head as he felt the stirrings of consciousness softly touch his mind.
(He didn't acknowledge the single drop of liquid that splashed onto the cracked glass.)
Humans truly did feel entirely too much.
The sudden shriek of the alarm nearly made him claw the ceiling. Iruka had just exited his bedroom dressed and ready to go when it went off. Naruto watched as the man went very still for a moment and tried to remember what this specific pitch meant as far as emergencies.
"Naruto. We need to go to the Hokage tower now." Iruka-sensei turned and crouched down. "Get on my back, we need to move fast."
Naruto scrambled to do as he was asked his eyes wide and worry coursing through him. Normally he'd be excited to travel this way.
Normally his brother wasn't missing.
He clutched the older man's shoulder tightly, watching as the roof tops flew by. He reached out to try and feel for his brother's chakra, but he still couldn't feel it. Tears burned his eyes as he tried to hold them back. His stomach hasn't stopped rolling and now he felt like he was going to throw-up.
He closed his eyes and ignored it.
He was a shinobi now. He had passed the exam all by himself and earned his headband. He had to be strong. For the village. For Natsuki.
He would be strong.
When he opened his eyes they had arrived. He slipped off of Iruka-sensei's back and glanced nervously the large gathering of shinobi around him. He could see the masked shinobi, Anbu, flickering around. He watched as groups of them arrive, reported something to the Hokage before flickering away again. Everyone was tense, waiting for the Hokage to speak.
But, Iruka-sensei wasn't waiting.
He dragged Naruto forward, his eyes flashing and face serious, towards the Hokage. The old man straitened when he noticed them and sent Naruto a small smile, before turning fully to Iruka-sensei.
"The Scroll of Sealing has been stolen by Mizuki."
Naruto could feel Iruka-sensei flinch subtly from the hand still on his should, but his face didn't change.
"Uzumaki Natsuki is missing."
Naruto heard the intake of breath from the shinobi around him and shifted closer to Iruka-sensei. He remembered the day Natsuki had shared his suspicions with him about the Kyuubi attack. He remembered going to the Hokage and learning that Natsuki was right. He had tried not to think of since, but…
Every flinch, dirty look, whispered insult; they all reminded him. He tried to ignore it, but it stung. It hurt to know that everyone saw his brother and him as monsters, because of the demon they held within them. Now as he glanced around at the suddenly very anxious shinobi, he remembered.
He looked at his feet, trying to ignore the glances sent his way. Other shinobi never bothered them, but he felt uncomfortable now knowing that they knew what was inside of him.
What was also inside of Natsuki…
"Do you think…" He looked up at Iruka-sensei. "…do you think that Mizuki-sen…that Mizuki would try and use the scroll to well…"
Iruka-sensei grimaced. "I don't know Naruto. We don't even know whether he has Natsuki or not right now."
"He stole a sealing scroll, though." Naruto continued stubbornly. "That what the Yondaime used to..well. And Natsuki wouldn't just leave. He likes to look at the stars, but he's never left!"
He glared at the ground feeling a sudden rush of anger and frustration. His brother was missing and he was just standing here. He looked at the Hokage, seeing the 'no' already halfway on his mouth before Naruto could even ask.
He met his gaze stubbornly.
"I can feel Natsuki's chakra. If I'm close enough I can find him."
The old man frowned. "We have chakra sensors already out looking, Naruto."
"But, do they know Natsuki chakra!? I do!" He stepped away from Iruka-sensei and tried to stand up straight and look more mature. "I'm a genin now, not an academy student. Natsuki's in trouble. Please, sir, let me help."
He could feel the moment the Hokage gave in, but restrained himself from cheering. He was a genin, not a little kid and Natsuki needed help.
"I can go with him, Hokage-sama." Iruka-sensei murmured while stepping up beside him.
The Hokage nodded. "Genma, accompany Iruka and Naruto as they search for Natsuki. If you find Mizuki, do not engage. Signal for Anbu and attempt to get away. If Natsuki is being held by Mizuki still do not engage unless his life is at risk. Protect Naruto and signal the Anbu."
He knelt in front of Naruto and put his hands on his shoulders. "Naruto. This is your first mission. Iruka and Genma are your teammates. Remember, Konoha's greatest strength has always been teamwork. Listen to them and do what they tell you too. I know you are worried about your brother, but your life is important too."
Naruto nodded, reluctantly, feeling slightly overwhelmed. The Hokage nodded back and ruffled his hair. Naruto glanced at the other shinobi who was joining them. The man grinned at him, somehow managing to do so without dropping the senbon in his mouth.
"Come on Naruto, you're going to have to get on my back again." Iruka-sensei knelt beside him smiling gently.
Naruto nodded and they were flying across the rooftops a minute later.
"Alright kid, we're going to do a circuit around the city. Then another through the training grounds and forests. Tell us when you sense you brother's chakra." The other shinobi was still grinning and Naruto smiling uncertainly back.
He didn't know this man, but he seemed nice enough. He turned his attention to his own chakra, stretching his senses out in search of his brother. He stretched it further than he had even done before, trying to be useful.
"So, the kid's a sensor?" Genma asked.
Naruto opened his mouth to respond, but Iruka-sensei beat him to it.
"No, I don't think this is just chakra sensing." He shot him a significant look that took Naruto a moment to understand. Once he did, he shifted uncomfortably. He could only do this because of the monster inside him and Natsuki. He frowned.
"Ah, damn, I guess that means I have something to be grateful for because of that damn demon then."
Naruto glanced at him in surprise, but the man just continued to grin.
"If you guys didn't house the darn thing, then you wouldn't be able to sense his chakra and we might not have a good chance at finding your brother."
They were silent after that, for which Naruto was grateful. He wasn't sure what to make of the other shinobi's words. He never talked to anyone directly about the Kyuubi beside Natsuki and the Hokage when he first found out about it. It was odd, but kind of nice the man treated it like no big deal.
He pushed that thought to the back of his head for now.
He needed to focus on Natsuki.
They were looping through the training fields when he felt a faint flicker of something. A burning sensation swelled in his stomach making him gasp and grip Iruka-sensei's shoulder tightly. He could feel the swell of foreign chakra. Foreign, but somehow familiar. It licked at his own chakra leaving behind a faint burning sensation that made him uncomfortable. Nearly as quickly as it started the chakra seemed to cut itself off and reseeded completely.
"Naruto?"
He nearly opened his mouth to comment on it, feeling scare all of the sudden, when he felt a familiar chakra touch his senses briefly.
"Naruto?!"
"Natsuki!" Naruto pulled at Iruka's hair in excitement. "I can feel him. Go that way sensei!"
The two older shinobi turned sharply and followed his instructions as they delved deeper into the forest. Naruto wondered if they were still even in the training grounds, but shook the stray thought away.
Natsuki was close.
The group came to a halt in a clearing. Naruto nearly cried out in joy when he saw a familiar head of dark orange hair, but his shout was stifled when he noticed his former teacher standing next to the unconscious body of his brother.
"So, you managed to find me?"
Naruto shrunk behind Iruka-sensei briefly at the sheer amount of venom dripping from the white haired man's words.
"Mizuki," Iruka-sensei whispered.
"Ah, Iruka. Shocked? Really? Heh." The man rolled his eyes. "Honestly, for a shinobi, you always were uncommonly blind to the intentions of those around you."
"You're a traitor, Mizuki." It was Genma who spoke this time. "You know what that means, don't you? You're smart enough to understand that you're not getting out of here."
Naruto glanced at the man in surprise. The grin was gone, in its place a scowl and narrowed eyed look of determination. He felt Iruka tense underneath and realized suddenly that they were preparing for a fight.
"Hah, maybe, but I got a trump card." The man gestured beside him, to the stirring form of Naruto's little brother. "I wonder what happens to a jinchuuriki when they die? Is the damn beast they hold released?"
Naruto didn't like the grin on his face. It made him shiver at the waves of ill intent rolling off of his body. It amazed him that this was the same man who helped Iruka teach the class. This was the same man who corrected his stance when throwing shuriken and taught him how to do it right. Now, his face was twisted maliciously while the shadows deepened the lines making him seem more menacing.
He was scared.
He glanced at Natsuki.
"Leave him alone, you bastard!" He shouted, trying to ignore his trembling hands.
"Ah, so the other half of the demon is here too." Mizuki laughed. "I've always wondered, monster, whether you felt your brothers pain. You're two halves of the same whole, after all."
Naruto watched in horror as he grabbed Natsuki by his hair before slamming his head on the ground. Natsuki cried out in pain as Mizuki preceded to pull him up and hold him in front of him. Naruto could see the blood running down his face as his brother flinched and twitched in pain. Mizuki looked at him with something akin to disappointment.
"Hm, guess not."
"Shit." Genma murmured. "Iruka…"
"Yeah."
Naruto couldn't even process his two companion's brief conversation and exchange of looks. He was too focused on his now awake brother in the clutches of his deranged former sensei.
"Naruto."
"Naruto!"
It took a lot of effort to tear his eyes away from his brother's attempts to pull free while Mizuki laughed. He glanced at the other man as Iruka-sensei shifted to allow him to stand on the tree branch between them. He jumped as Iruka-sensei began to engage Mizuki in a conversation.
"Mizuki! Why would you do this!? You're a Konoha shinobi! You have a fiancé!"
A tap on his shoulder brought his attention back to Genma. The man wasn't even looking at him. His eyes were focused on Mizuki as he talked quickly and quietly to Naruto.
"We're far away from the village right now. Any help will take precious time to get here. Time that Mizuki could use to escape with your brother. However, if we attack Mizuki right now he's going to use your brother as a shield."
Naruto gritted his teeth as frustration welled inside of him. "There must be something…!"
The man glanced at him briefly, sending him a tight smile. "I think this counts as a threat on your brother's life, so we will have to engage. Iruka and I will attack and separate him from Natsuki. Your job is to grab your brother and the scroll sitting on the ground next to him and run. You know which direction the village is in?"
Naruto nodded shakily, wondering for the first time if he could handle being a shinobi. A hand on his shoulder cut off that thought. He looked up at the man.
"Keep running. Don't look back." He shoved a weapons bag in his hands. "If Mizuki manages to neutralize us or give us the slip don't hesitate to use these. He won't hesitate to kill you. Protect your brother."
Naruto nodded again and tied the belt to his thigh. It felt heavier than he expected. Genma nodded and gave him another brief smile, though this one was more of a grimace. He felt the two men tense beside him as Iruka-sensei's conversation came to an end. Iruka-sensei glanced at him and nodded a frown pulling at his lips.
Then they were gone.
Naruto blinked in surprise. They were suddenly on the ground and in combat with Mizuki. He watched for a moment as weapons clashed with one another and the two shinobi moved as one flanking the white haired traitor and distracting him from his brother. He swallowed and ran down the tree as he saw his brother getting thrown aside so that Mizuki could properly defend himself. He caught Natsuki and snatched the scroll before dragging his brother away.
"Naruto." Natsuki glanced at him briefly before seeming to understand what they needed to do and started running with him.
"You okay?" Naruto asked as they leaped into the bushed and took off in the direction of the village. He glanced at his brother and tried not to wince at the amount of blood.
"Yeah." Natsuki glanced at him, smiling tightly. "And you?"
"Better than you! I don't have a head wound." Naruto replied feeling relieved that his brother was well enough to joke.
"It's just a scratch."
Naruto rolled his eyes and adjusted the strap the scroll was attached to, so it stops banging against his back at every step. They both flinched at the scream of pain behind them followed by an angry roar. A shared glance had them running faster, leaping over roots and dodging trees. Naruto glanced up at the looming branches, wishing that they could leap form them instead. For all that they would walk on walls, they hadn't learned the specific requirements for running along branches, a specialty of Konoha shinobi.
"Look out." Natsuki's words and shove was the only warning Naruto got before the sudden barrage of kunai came out of the trees.
They tumbled to the ground in a heap, having barely missed the sharp weapons.
"You little demons," Mizuki growled and he jumped down from the tree tops. He was bleeding heavily from a shoulder wound, but that didn't seem to stop him from advancing on them with fiery in his eyes.
They scooted away in unison but were stopped by the trunk of a tree. Naruto pulled his brother behind him, ignoring his attempts to pull away.
"L-Leave us alone!" Naruto shouted as he reached into the weapons pouch Genma gave him. His hand settled on a kunai, but it shook too hard for him to pull it out. He gritted his teeth. "We're not demons!"
"Hah! Like I'd believe that." Mizuki grabbed the front of his shirt and pull him up, even Natsuki's grip on the back of his shirt couldn't prevent him from being face to face with the man. "You have the Kyuubi, the Nine-Tailed Fox inside of you. You're monsters even if you're not the fox itself."
Naruto flinched back as spittle landed on his cheek.
"Let him go," Natsuki spoke up behind him in a firm voice.
His hand tightened on the kunai, slowly he pulled it out, hoping Mizuki didn't see it.
"You two are nothing more than the vessels for a monster that nearly destroyed this village, yet you're allowed to parade around like you own the place. It's disgusting. Monsters like you two should be locked up. Killing you would do everyone who lost a loved one a favor and maybe the Kyuubi will destroy this place for good."
'He's going to kill me.' Naruto thought to himself his eyes widening.
"I said, let him go." Natsuki's voice was low and threatening.
In a flash, his brother was beside them striking at Mizuki's feet. The man dropped him and turned to Natsuki with a snarl. His brother glared right back, his eyes glowing an eerie red.
"Hah. Look, you really are a demon!"
There was a manic look in the man's eyes. He pulled out a kunai and struck forward as Natsuki jumped back. Naruto noticed for the first time that Natsuki was still in his pajamas. Natsuki grabbed his free hand and pulled him away.
"Come on, Naruto!"
They were running again, but now they could hear the sounds of pursuit from Mizuki. The man leaped forward knocking them to the ground once more.
"Naruto! Natsuki!"
Iruka-sensei's voice sounded panicked as he jumped in front of them blocking Mizuki's wild strike. The man was bleeding from several places along his torso and from a cut above his eye.
Naruto's eyes widened.
"Iruka-sensei."
"Why do you defend these monsters, Iruka!?" Mizuki shouted. "The Kyuubi killed your parents!"
Naruto felt his brother flinch violently beside him, but he couldn't take his eyes away from the fight in front of them.
"They are not the Kyuubi, Mizuki." Iruka-sensei snarled blocking another attack and striking out with his foot. "They are my students and I won't let you hurt them!"
Naruto felt tears prick his eyes, but he tried to hold them back.
Genma flew into the battle as fast as a lightning bolt. "Heh. Did you honestly think that illusion trick of yours would hold me for long?"
Naruto's eyes widened as the battle flashed before his eyes. He didn't know people could move that fast, the three shinobi were a blur to him.
"Naruto, come on." Natsuki murmured tugging at his arm.
He tore his eyes away and nodded. They stood and back away slowly from the three as Naruto tried to figure out which direction the village was in.
"You little shits are not running away again!"
He barely had time to step in front of his brother.
His eyes widened and his hands flew up in defense.
"Naruto!"
Silence descended in the forest. Something warm dripped onto his hands. He opened his eyes slowly, wondering vaguely when he closed them and stared, not comprehending what was in front of him.
Mizuki had stopped.
Naruto's hands trembled.
He felt sick.
A small hand entered his line of sight, sliding slowly over his own and pulling him away. He let go of the kunai willingly and allowed his brother to tug him back several steps.
Mizuki was the first to break the silence.
He choked. Coughing up blood as he continued to stare at his own chest.
Iruka had them wrapped in a tight hug, blocking Naruto's view of Mizuki before his mind started to function properly again. He brought his hands up and clutched Iruka-sensei as his body started to tremble.
He closed his eyes and blocked out the sound of a heavy thump behind his sensei.
Natsuki was next to him with cool hands on the back of his neck and whispered assurances in his ear while Iruka-sensei held them both. He wasn't sure when or how they ended up back in the Hokage's office. Everything seemed to pass by in a blur. The old man was saying something, but it sounded like buzzing in his ears. He continued to stare at the floor.
It was better than staring at his hands, still covered in blood.
He felt a hand in his hair and looked up.
Genma stood there, a grim look on his face. "Good work, kid. You protected your brother."
The quick burst of indignation extinguished itself before he could say anything. He looked at his brother, who was hovering uncertainly beside him. Natsuki didn't have any weapons. If Naruto hadn't stepped in front of him…
His lips trembled as he tried to hold them back, but the tears came anyway.
"This is what it means to be a shinobi, kid. You protect the lives of those you love, at the cost of others."
He gasped for breath as the sobs wracked his body suddenly and fiercely. He could hear Iruka-sensei berating Genma in the background, but he didn't care. He wrapped his arms around Natsuki and squeezed as he sobbed. After a moment's hesitation, he felt the other boy wrap his arms around him as he ran his hands through his hair. He didn't say anything and for that Naruto was grateful.
He didn't think he could handle any reassurances right now.
Kurama held his sobbing brother as he glared over his shoulder at the man who caused the blond boys break down.
"He needed it." The man replied to Iruka but looked directly at Kurama. "He would have sat there and held it all in if I hadn't said anything."
Kurama took a deep breath and turned his attention to his brother, running his hands through his hair. He felt useless as the boy continued to sob.
"It's a bitter pill, but one that has to be taken." The Hokage murmured. "It's regrettable this had to occur so soon, but it's better that it was here rather than on a mission far from home."
Kurama swallowed as his mind flashed to the frozen Mizuki, staring at the kunai in his chest. It was sheer luck that Naruto managed to lodge the weapon in the man's heart when he had attacked them. Naruto had only really held the weapon out to protect himself, the man's momentum did the rest. He looked down at the blond hair tickling his nose. The boy had his arms around his waist and was sobbing into his chest. Every once in a while, he would choke on his own tears and cough before continuing to cry.
Kurama's own eyes prickled as frustration over his uselessness peaked. He scowled and laid his head over his brothers as he ran his hands down his back. The adults were talking quietly to one another, but Kurama paid them no mind. He let his guard down, got himself kidnapped and now Naruto was suffering.
He sighed.
It seemed as though he could do nothing right.
"Natsuki?"
He tried not to flinch when Iruka walked over to them and knelt down beside him. He couldn't bring himself to look the man in the eye.
"The Kyuubi killed your parents!"
"I'm going to take you guys home, okay?" Iruka murmured. "Naruto? Can you hear me?"
The boy stirred and sniffed loudly. When he spoke it sounded slightly garbled and more than a little hoarse. "Yes, sensei."
"I'm going to take you home. Can you walk?"
"Yes, sensei."
Naruto pulled away and Kurama wanted nothing more than to grab the boy and hug him as he caught sight of his swollen, red face and tired eyes. Instead, he helped him steady himself and held his hand as they slowly made their way out of the office, through the building and onto the streets.
The walk home seemed to take forever, but they eventually made it. The door was unlocked, but Kurama wasn't about to reprimand Naruto for it. He led his brother to his room and helped the boy into his pajamas before changing his own to a new, not covered in dirt and blood, pair. Iruka hovered in the doorway for a minute or two before tucking them into bed and kissing their foreheads like a parent would.
"I'll sleep on the couch." He said softly, mostly to Natsuki since Naruto seemed to be in his own world at the moment. "The Hokage will probably push back the genin team's announcement a day or two."
"Okay, sensei." Kurama murmured.
He hesitated a moment, glancing at Naruto. "I'll see if I can get someone to talk to you guys tomorrow if the Hokage hasn't already. A professional."
"Okay, sensei."
Iruka smiled sadly at him before patting Naruto's cheek and leaving the room. "Guard his dreams, okay Natsuki?"
"Okay, sensei." Kurama murmured one last time.
Naruto continued to stare up at the ceiling for another hour before he finally stirred. Kurama watched as he blinked slowly and grimaced. He glanced at Kurama briefly before looking back at the ceiling. When he spoke, his voice was painfully weak and uncertain.
"…Natsu?"
"Yeah?"
"I…I'm glad you're okay…even…even if it means Mizuki's dead. D-does that make me a monster? Like the Kyuubi?"
It took him a moment to catch his breath. He swallowed slowly.
"A-A demon that almost d-destroyed the village?"
"…did the demon kill our parents, do you think? The Hokage always said our parents died that night…do you think…"
"The Kyuubi killed your parents!"
"No, Naruto. You're not a monster."
I...I had a different plan for this chapter. I had a complete outline. It was not supposed to go like this. I'm not sure what happened. One minute I was following the outline...the next minute I was done with this over 6k monstrosity. I'm blaming the music. I was listening to Tokyo Ghoul's "Licht und Schatten". Damn, I'm sorry guys. It was not my intention to angst up your day.
But, we get Naruto's pov finally! I, wow, I had a plan for his character development and was finally confident enough to write him and it turned out like this...Um, changing the subject I'll answer a few things that were brought up and some that weren't.
Yes, Mizuki was talking about Danzo in the last chapter. I like his character even if I hate his actions and want to work him into some of the background manipulations (like he should have been if he had been established before Shippuden). I figured he'd be interested in "Natsuki" as a kid who could use the Kyuubi's chakra as his "own".
Yes, The Hokage was talking about Kushina last chapter.
Yes, Naruto & Natsuki will learn the shadow clone jutsu (I don't think I could get away with not doing that and I don't really want to. It wouldn't be Naruto without it). Just wait, next chapter, I promise.
Yes, Kurama/Natsuki can sense people's negative emotions like cannon, but he filtered them out because he got a little too comfortable and it gave him headaches. (He's regretting that decision now)
Yes, Mizuki did die.
Yes, Naruto killed him. (That was not in my outline!)
No, I have not forgotten Sakura. She will show up and she will have a role, just not as big. I try not to bash and even if I don't like her much she'll be included and treated fine. (I created a team for her that will show up fully during the chunin arc, but I think I'll add a quick interlude with her somewhere in this arc as a break from the action or apparently angst, jeez.)
Dragon Country (Cool name btw)- I hope this chapter addresses your worries at least a little bit. I started this fic with no idea what I was doing or where I was going, but I've started hammering down some details and what I want from it now. The struggle Kurama/Natsuki will deal with (started in this chapter) is one of them. Thank you review, it helped me work out some of the ideas I was fiddling with.
Thanks for all the reviews! You guys are awesome! You make me look forward to continuing this fic and make me write when I'm being lazy. XD
P.s. I changed the image. Do you guys like it? Drew it myself. I kind of want to change the title too, but I suck at them and don't know what to change it to.
P.P.s. Happy Fourth of July to my American readers!