Chapter 1: Soundless
Naruto sat in the hospital, listening to Kyuubi tell another story. This is how Kyuubi started to form a reputation as a Master Prankster. He was telling a story on how he got Matatabi—otherwise known as the Nibi—to fear yarn.
"It was easy really," Kyuubi said. "All I did was use a Kitsune Illusion. Ninja's would call it a "genjutsu". It was funny though. Every time she sees yarn she sees snakes trying to bite her. Haha! Isn't that hilarious?"
Naruto nodded, but neither knew the other was listening.
"Hello, Naruto-kun," Sarutobi said as he walked into the door.
Naruto just smiled, and Sarutobi winced when Naruto didn't call him "jiji". Since he woke up from the attack, he hasn't spoken a word, and that was a week ago. Sarutobi made a note to ask Inochi come and talk to Naruto. Maybe he could get him to talk again.
"I brought you something," the Hokage said, and Naruto's smile got bigger. "It's a journal and a drawing pad. I thought you would like them while your waiting to be cleared."
Naruto nodded slightly. It would be fun to write down or draw out the stories the voice was telling him.
"By the way, Naruto-kun," Hiruzen said. "You'll be released in a couple days. And, when your released I have a surprise for you. (A/N: If anyone can guess the surprise I'll tell them a clue for next chapter.)"
Naruto tilted his head, not unlike a cat, in curiousity.
"No, I can't tell you yet, but I'm sure you'll like it," Sarutobi said chuckling. "For now, however, rest. I have to go to work. I'll see you again soon, Naruto-kun."
Naruto waved good-bye, and when the aged Hokage was out of sight, Naruto started drawing Matatabi and the snake yarn.
"I see, Hokage-sama," Inochi (A/N: sp?) said as he leaned forward in the chair in the Hokage's office. "This is troubling. So, when would you like me to talk to him?"
"Preferably as soon as possible," Sarutobi said. "I had the doctor's check his voical chords, and it has nothing to do with medical conditions."
"And, you don't think it has anything to do with the fox," Inochi asked.
Hiruzen shook his head as he said, "No. I didn't feel the fox's aura."
Inochi hummed and he nodded as he got up.
"Then, I think I'll go have a talk with the boy," he said. "I hope you don't mind?"
"No," the old Hokage said. "Go right ahead."
Naruto was almost done with his picture when a strange man walked in.
"Hello, Naruto-kun," the man said neutrally. "How are you today?"
Naruto didn't say anything, but Inochi noticed that the boy tensed, and started to draw into himself.
"Are you drawing something," he asked as he sat down beside him on the bed.
Naruto wrapped his arms around his legs while holding his picture close to him. He didn't spare Inochi a glance.
"Naruto-kun, you don't have to be afraid of me," Inochi said. "I just want to talk to you. Hokage-sama mentioned you haven't spoken in some time. He's worried you know."
Naruto laid his head on his knees heartbroken. He didn't want to hurt his jiji, but he was afraid. Those men did terrible things to him when he talked.
"Naruto-kun, if you don't want to talk to me, can you write for me," Inochi asked.
Naruto shook his head.
"Okay...," Inochi said. "What about drawing? Will you draw something for me to show me what your scared of?"
Naruto thought about it for a minute, then nodded. He didn't think that it would hurt to draw for this strange man. Strange, but not scary he decided. Kinda like Shikaku when he became gender confused. Naruto silently giggled at that. Shikakau was funny.
Naruto took a moment of pause to think about what he wanted to draw. Then he remembered one of the voices stories.
Mini Flashback no Jutsu!
"I remember when I just got my first tail. I was so excited. You should have seen a Little Kyuubi bouncing around in pride. However, most of his "friends" still thought badly of him. They were already on the second tail; some of them were even halfway to their third. They didn't even congratulate me. You know. The worst torture out there is to be alone. To have people ignore you. To look trough you like your not even there. To have a such a want of acknowledgment, but never being able to receive it. To have to know that people hate you that much. That's the worst thing that could happen to a person."
Mini Flashback no Jutsu Kai!
Naruto nodded. He knew what to draw now. That fear that he could never erase. The fear of disappearing.
As Naruto drew his picture, Inochi took notice of the tears that were streaming down his face. Whatever he was revealing must be really painful. Inochi held back a cringe. He didn't want to hurt the boy, but he needed to get to the bottom of Naruto's lack of speech.
Naruto took fifteen minutes to draw his picture. And each minute that went by was agonizing to Inochi. When Naruto finally showed Inochi what he drew, Inochi gasped. It was of a blond fox kit being ignored by a horde of angry demons. Each one had there backs turned to the fox kit who was curling in on itself and crying. It broke his heart.
"Why did you draw a fox kit, Naruto-kun," Inochi asked.
Naruto turned the page and started drawing again. It was ten minutes until Naruto turned the picture around. In the picture was Naruto in front of a mirror—that two angry people were holding—with people around him and the mirror throwing rotten food and rocks. And, in the mirror was a fox kit looking back at Naruto.
Inochi was furious now. How dare people call this poor child the fox.
"Thank you, Naruto-kun," Inochi said. "But, I have to ask, is this why you refuse to talk to anyone?"
This time Naruto just shrugged.
Inochi just sighed and said, "I'll see you next week, okay, Naruto-kun?"
Naruto nodded and went back to drawing. The voice was starting a new story.