Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
A.N: Hope it hasn't been too long of a wait, it took a while but I'm getting used to writing for this story. Next chapter should be up in a month or less. It all depends if I write on it on a daily basis.
All I could smell was the bitter, metallic smell of blood.The smell made my nostrils flare, and a shiver go down my spine. I hate the smell of blood, its sickening.
I can't see but I can feel.
I can feel my hand go through flesh as I tear a person apart. Limb from limb, so quick and soundless I do it again and again.
I can't see them but I can hear.
I can hear their screams as they run away from me. I must look terrifying, I must be death itself to them. I know I am, and I hate it. I don't want to do this but.. I-I don't want to stop.
I know that I am alive when I kill, they will prove my existence. Because I took away their life, so surely something living did that…right?
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
"So how has he been doing?" he asked the impatience not evident in his voice.
"He's been doing marvelously, his healing rate has increased by an alarming rate since his last check up-"
"I don't care about that, I want to know how he is doing?"
"Oh, well from what the reports say and from what I've gathered from my observations he has withdrawn, well better yet he's been pushed, into the deepest recedes of his mind. The demon, it seems is now the more dominant of the two. Though there is the possibility that they're both blending together into a completely new-"
"Alright, that's all I needed to hear. Now leave us" Madara ordered.
The soft sound of footsteps faded into the distance, leaving only two people in the small room. He knelt in front of the unconscious body that was drenched in blood.
"Oh Naruto, wake up"
The figure did not stir, there was barely any movement that indicated that he was breathing, you couldn't even hear the exhale and inhale of breath. He was soundless.
"Its time for a bath Naruto"
Fingers twitched, and slowly he rose from his laying position. His eyes were half lidded but there was no recognition in his eyes. They weren't red, they weren't even blue…they were blank. He was on auto pilot.
His limbs rose, hands glided through the air, feeling his way around the room until his fingers grazed a knob, turning it with care.
Beyond the door there was a large tub, steam thick in the air. He walked and slipped into the scathing hot water, still clothed with his bloodied garments.
He was completely submerged in the water, he rose when he couldn't breathe, his animal instincts taking a hold of him. His head was tilted off to the side, cheek pressing against cool tile staring directly into Madara's eyes.
Madara's shadow loomed over his face and still he looked right past him, not because he was ignoring him but because he couldn't see. And he planned on it staying that way.
"So how have you been, Naruto?"
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
He couldn't breathe, his lungs ached, no they burned with pain. He was used to this pain, it happened frequently but he didn't know why. His head hurt when he tried to completely grasp a time where he had felt like this, felt this pain.
He gripped his eyes shut, had they been opened?, and knew that this feeling was because he was drowning. 'Breathe, breathe' , he chanted to himself. Willing himself to breathe, forcing himself to breathe.
When the pain receded, the pressure in his lungs gone he felt something cold touch his face.
He couldn't see what it was but he could feel it, and he liked it.
There was something about this whole thing that had become routine. He could faintly hear someone speaking to him. He found himself answering. He wasn't sure if the other had heard him, he couldn't hear his own voice after all so how could someone else hear it?
He felt horrible, that was certain.
He always felt horrible, when it came down to it. He could never truly be happy, someone must hate him, someone must be praying for his unhappiness and sometimes he encourages them. Only sometimes.
He was a murderer, and he liked it.
He had killed countless people, feeling alive and so human as he tore those people apart. So intoxicated by the act itself that he felt mad joy, it disgusted him.
He didn't know what he was and that scared him.
A monster, a killer, an animal? Could he really be considered human, he didn't think so.
He was a murderer and he hated it.
He had killed countless people, not knowing exactly why he was killing them but knowing that he had to.
He was afraid to admit that he wasn't sure whether or not he was alive.
He was weak, he was becoming less and less self aware. He couldn't tell if he was alive or not, but he liked to think that he was, prove that he was as he killed many.
He had to be alive.
Just had to.
Because if he wasn't alive then there would be no justification in killing those, innocent?, people. Yes, everything had to happen for a reason…right?…right?!
Had all that he'd come to know been fantasy all along or was it really just the cold and unforgiving, harsh reality? He didn't know, and he really didn't want to find out b-because he was terrified of the outcome it would bring about.
He really wanted to know.
But then again, he really didn't want to know.
Indecisive and confused, that's what he was feeling. It felt like he had two minds and he hated it.
He hated himself and he wouldn't change a thing about it.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
She stomped on the ground, her face twisted into a scowl. She was irritated and her fingers twitched, ready to punch something or better yet someone. She restrained herself though, she couldn't very well punch a hole in a building without having some consequences and she really didn't want to deal that mess all over again. Shizune wasn't very approving of it either.
"Sakura!"
She turned at the mention of her name and was surprised to see a very flustered Hinata.
"What's wrong?" she asked out of habit.
"Tsunade sent me to find you, your needed at her office immediately"
"Did she tell you why"
"No, um but she also asked me to bring Sasuke. He should already be there, though" Hinata looked at Sakura carefully, letting this tidbit of information sink in. She gave a sigh when emerald eyes flared.
'Sasuke' Sakura silently growled.
With that Sakura disappeared leaving Hinata all alone.
"Those two will never get along" she whispered sadly.
"Who won't get along?" came the boisterous voice.
She turned and gave a dismissive wave "No one Kiba"
"You sure?"
"Yeah"
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
"You three will investigate what's been going on around the neighboring towns of fire country. There have been rumors circulating about a few attacks occurring" Tsunade said with clasped hands.
"There is no time limit for this mission. If you find anything act upon it and send a messenger bird to give me the details, however if there is nothing report back"
The three nodded.
"Now go and pack your things, you head out in two hours"
Sakura, Lee and Sasuke gave a bow and they filed out of the hokage's office.
By the looks of things, it was looking like a long mission and she couldn't help but give a tired sigh.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
"Nnnnn" he grunted out.
He could feel the blades and kunai that pierced his flesh and didn't bother to pull them out.
His fingers twitched with anticipation, and he felt sick.
'Come on you know you want to' a voice purred and he looked around for the source of the voice that sent chills down his spine.
'Its easy, just get a hold of them and rip them to ribbons.'
He hesitated his brows knitted together in apprehension. The barrage of attacks still being throw at him as he stood there motionless.
'It'll be fun, I promise.'
I-I...alright.
And just like that he grasped one by the neck, twisted with force and heard a loud snap. It was strange, he could never see into the eyes of his victims- no prey. He could just sense them.
He scrunched his nose in distaste, smoke…fire.
He continued this dance, this dance of madness. A dance that was bathed in blood and enveloped by mad laughter. It was strange how everything suddenly seemed so funny. He let the hysterical laugh rip out of his throat and licked the blood off his fingers as he killed people, over and over again.
Would this dance ever stop?
Soon.
'Never' a vicious voice growled.
He felt weightless in that moment. Never? And he felt a smile blossom. He would live forever. He would live!
The voice laughed a cruel laugh 'Sure you will' but he wasn't paying attention to it anymore, so overcome with such a twisted sense of joy.
'Go on, Kill them. Kill them all! Kill everybody!' the voice bellowed.
Yes, kill them all.
He flexed his fingers, red chakra licking his flesh and he raised his mighty hand and gave a deafening swipe. Screams filling the air once more.
He closed his eyes, so drunk on the scent of blood he let out a sensual moan.
He did not stop, and now he knew that he would never stop. Yes, never.
I will never disappear.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
They all knew something was wrong when the prominent smell of blood was in the air.
"We should hurry" Sasuke dispassionately remarked.
Sakura and Lee gave a nod and the scenery around them became a flurry of dark hues.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
His ears twitched, something was coming. Very fast and powerful. He sniffed the air, no signs of life left. Everyone was dead.
Piles of lifeless corpses strewed across the flat, grassy earth. He sat in anticipation of the new kill but felt his hands become a twitching mess, pain filled him and he gasped.
His body shuddered and the red chakra covering him slowly receded.
What's going on? He frantically thought.
His body could not sustain the Kyuubi's chakra any longer. It seemed that he taken too long to take down his adversaries. Out of self preservation, the chakra was withdrawing, Naruto's body could not handle the deterioration that was being inflicted upon him. Even though it had self inflicted.
He clawed at the ground, his body arching in pain. His mouth open, in a silent scream. The pain, raked through his body. All previous wounds aching, even though they had healed, he felt them with such clarity and it hurt.
They were coming closer, and he would be defenseless, and virtually a sitting duck. With clenched teeth he crawled, crawled as fast as he could- fleeing the scene, hopefully.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
"How could no one know what was going on" Sakura said with a look of horror etched in her face.
"They were all killed and the dead can't talk"
Sakura turned to Sasuke "Now isn't the time for your know-it-all comments"
Lee looked at the two with unease, at Sakura's angry face and at Sasuke's impassive one.
"We shouldn't just stand around, we should check if there were any survivors" Lee said bringing the rest of the team's attention.
"Your right" Sakura said quietly as she looked around scanning the surrounding area with her critical eyes "we must be careful the enemy could still be lurking around"
"Right" Lee said with a nod and left running.
Sasuke reached into his pocket and gripped the headband that he had with great care taken care of. His good luck charm- it was Naruto's.
Sakura turned to him, the faint wisps of chakra surrounding the headband , making her back and frame stiffen.
She knew that chakra, and turned to its location. She hadn't sensed it before. She stared at Sasuke, and his eyes showed that he knew exactly she had felt. His hand withdrew from his pocket and Sakura's stare hardened.
"Sasuke, what do you have in your pocket?"
"What I have is of no concern to you"
"Let me see it"
"No"
"Sasuke" Sakura said voice sharp and unforgiving.
"Sakura" he said evenly.
"Now"
"Just try it"
They clashed, Sasuke taking the upper hand. He side stepped her hands that reached for the concealed headband. Sakura was fast, but he was faster.
She skidded to the side, looking like she was giving up and Sasuke relaxed.
But it was in that moment that he froze, that familiar weight was gone. Sakura had it, fingers firmly clasped around it.
"Give it back"
Sakura wasn't listening to him, she could only stare at the headband that had blood smeared at its edges.
"Where did you get this" she asked quietly, with a look of dread and silent fury.
Sasuke took advantage of her disbelief and reclaimed his prize with lightning speed, holding it against his chest and gave a sigh of relief.
"Sasuke, don't tell me its Naruto's"
Sasuke flinched at the name, the tone sounding so accusing. Making him feel cornered, feeling that maybe he didn't deserve even one of Naruto's worldly possessions.
Against Sakura's order he spoke what she didn't want to hear "Yes, it is"
It didn't take long until she was making her move, nearing in his direction "How dare you keep anything of his, you're the one who killed him. He was your best friend and you didn't stop not until you left him for dead. Its your fault and you deserve nothing from him."
Sasuke said nothing, but tightened his hold on the headband, the only thing that he had that made him feel close to Naruto. The cold marble of his headstone gave him no comfort, if anything it left him feeling even more frozen and alone. This was his only comfort and no one, least of all Sakura, would take this away from him.
They were at a standoff and if it hadn't been for Lee's appearance he was sure that a fight would have been unavoidable.
He was badgering about the area being clear and that there had been even more bodies hidden by the foliage. He wasn't really paying attention because at the moment he was having a silent stare off with Sakura. The message she sent him was clear: this wasn't over. Well fine, he could take anything that she threw his way. There was no way that she could make things any more worse for him then they already were. No way and that was the truth.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
And as they left, a hand pushed through the throng of flesh and a body rose. Blue eyes- who hadn't seen a thing for the past years- looked around and froze. A scream rose from within him. The silence shattered.
Tbc…