Prologue, part 4

The trees were silent as he walked. They were fearful of the blonde-haired ninja. Was he human? Was he an animal? Could he be both? These questions scared them. They did not dare wish to ask. What if he were to turn on them? That would not be pretty. They kept quiet. The wind, not scared of such a fearful person, blew soundly through the trees. The red burns on his skin began to sink away and rejuvenate into new cells. Still, blood smeared over his mouth. The blood of a false victim. The blood... of an innocent man. Naruto could no longer feel human. The animal within him, he felt, was he. He could no longer look at himself the same way again. The last time he had done such was with the girl he loved. He could never speak of her name after what had happened between them. Even Kakashi-sensei... oh, he could not bear to think of them. All of his former friends... those he had considered family were dead to him. He only had one person left.

"Konohamaru... forgive me," he whispered as he took a kunai out from his back pouch. He turned the blade towards him. He raised his arm. A swing of the weapon and it summoned blood. Warm blood that trickled down his orange jumpsuit. He had pierced his stomach. He smiled, but the wound quickly healed. Naruto's eyes widened and his mouth shook into a frown. Something past fury, past anger, past loathing, burned inside of him like a torch.

His body shook more and more until finally, he thought he could burst into flames, "That's what you want Kyuubi...? Is that it? You want me to suffer?" he whispered furiously, his eyes twitching as he peered down at the wound. Steam came from it, signaling that the wound was healing itself. He couldn't take it. He was going insane, "IS THAT WHAT YOU FUCKING WANT? FINE, GO AHEAD!!! SEE IF I FUCKING CARE!!!" The Kyuubi's aura exploded around him once more. One by one, red tails launched out from him. One, two, three, four, five, six... he didn't care anymore. He had nothing left to live for. But, he was transforming too fast. blood poured out from every pore on his body. He couldn't transform fast enough. Then he remembered. Konohamaru... I don't want the same thing to happen to you... you aren't a Jinchuriki, he thought. The tails immediately receded.

His blood quickly steamed away. It was being taken back into his body. No, he continued, I don't want him to lose everything. Naruto fell down to his knees and fell back instantly onto the ground. He lay there for a moment, collecting his sanity back. It had been like this for two years; ever since he had killed Pain. His vision suddenly began to fade in and out to the gates of the Kyuubi. It starred down on him and his vision trembled when it spoke.

Fall! Fall into the deepest depths of sadness and depression! I wish to be unleashed! Release me!

No, I shall not leave. I shall not obey! You are in my body! Naruto had to fight back. His anger was his weapon as well as his weakness. He could use it to fend the Kyuubi.

I will not be fended off like some puppy! Release me or I will do it myself! I have waited 18 years for this! Release me!

Naruto stood up on his feet. He was a little off-balance at first, but soon caught him. His arms hung limp as he stood hunched over. His left eye was squinting and trembling. The Kyuubi was forcing the transformation. A burning sensation filled the left half of his face. He clamped his hands on it in complete agony. Naruto screamed as burns began to protrude from his left outward. Orange fur was growing out from the burns. He closed his eyes; trying to force the Kyuubi back inside of him. It was no good. His eyes snapped open. A black ring formed around his left eye and it became a bright crimson. His jaw on the left half of his face began to grow out towards his ears and his lips became black. He couldn't stop the change. His left sleeve shredded itself and his muscles began to bulge as orange fur grew out from his own hairs. It mutated his arm into a long, orange claw.

Naruto had to stop the transformation. With whatever control he had left in his arms, he used to form hand signs. He formed a triangle with his middle and index fingers pushed together and a purple seal began to form on the palms of both hands. His hands began to burn. The seals were literally searing into his skin. He thrust his palms down on his chest. The Kyuubi roared in dismay. Its plan had failed. "Fuin Jutsu: Bijuu Chijimeru (Sealing Technique: Tailed Demon Constrict)!" the blonde-haired Jonin choked out. This was a difficult technique to perform, and therefore exclusive to him. This was also because he was the only known Jinchuriki to have this technique done on them. The user would have to have the Bijuu forcefully take over and release itself beyond the current capacity of the Jinchuriki. Since no other Bijuu are likely to do such, this technique was his own.

The fur withdrew back into Naruto's body. His left arm lowered down to its normal size and the fur died off. The black ring around his left eye crumbled away. The red in his eye faded away back to white. Except for his missing sleeve, he was in control again. Naruto heaved a sigh of relief, but he choked on his own breath. Blood flooded out from his mouth. His eyes became glazed. Time waited patiently. Soon enough, Naruto fell to the ground with his blank eyes wide open. He was completely knocked out. He could have been dead.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto expected to find himself in Konoha Hospital. He expected to see his friends smiling before him. He expected to be okay. He expected to be smiling back. But, his expectations never came true. He found himself on his side, cold and disoriented; lying on the dusty earth underneath him. A drop of rain water splashed against his eye, causing him to wince. The sky was crying for him. Dark clouds trampled overtop the bewildered trees as they swayed wildly. A vicious storm was brewing. He could tell by the air. However, it was strange to him that it was cold to brew such a beast in the sky. Shouldn't it have been humid?

"Time to get up, Kyuubi no Yoko," a voice called out calmly the instant lightning struck a nearby tree. A flame was born and it grew, sweeping down the tree and immediately spread to another. Rain tapped at the ground. It came down faster and faster. It was a swarm of bullets firing down on the vicinity. The flames were extinguished. Naruto could feel an a strange aura around him. It began to crush him like a tidal wave. He was stuck to the ground by the force of the chakra. It was strong. Strong enough to instill fear into the trees. Just like the Kyuubi... only it was another.