Neonn: Grrr...I'm not too pleased about how this bit turned out. In addition to being, once again, extremely short, some of it takes place mostly in the way far future, meaning you can say good bye to chronological-order-ness. (Does that make any sense?) I have a few other bits written, but they need a LOT of fine tuning, and I'm not sure how much I like them as they are...meh. I'll get it figured out eventually. Lol, anyone have any ideas or character requests?
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Alone, he traveled; he took in all the sights he hadn't had time to see while he was on his missions. It was hard on him, though. For a long time, he had to be careful, he couldn't risk meeting any of his old friends—with the exception of Shikamaru, who wouldn't remember anyway. Naruto found the solitary life didn't really suit him, however. He was a veritable social butterfly, always making new friends wherever he went. It hurt him, though. Whenever he left a place, exchanging goodbyes, promising to write, he broke a little inside, knowing the promises were empty. He wouldn't see the people met again. Often, by the time he got around to returning, the friends he had made were usually long dead of old age.
Before his supposed 'death', he had visited Gaara often; the two had become close friends. As a former jinchuuriki, the two connected on levels others could not. Both knew the pain of loneliness, of being someone not-needed. Of being a mere vessel for a demon. Of being a monster—of the feeling of invincibility as the chakra of their demonic parasites coursed through them.
Now, Gaara was dust, part of the sand that had been such an integral part of the red haired ninja's life. Naruto often wondered if, had Shukaku not been taken, would Gaara still be around? Still have that serious, thoughtful demeanor so unlike Naruto's own? Not that it mattered anymore—Gaara was long gone. And in some ways, Naruto was glad. He wouldn't wish his existence on anyone. An aimless, wandering, eternal existence, with only a voice in his head for company.
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Inside, he could hear the Kyuubi, laughing, talking, whispering insidiously. Occasionally Naruto wondered if it was actually the fox, or if, sometimes, it was himself. Someimes he couldn't tell the difference--were the thoughts in his head his own? The seal was weakening, after all. It had slowly, steadily, been losing its strength for a long time. After Jiraiya had died, there had been no one to oversee it, no one with the skills and talent necessary. Kakashi had tried, but he wasn't familiar with the seal the Fourth had used, despite being his former student. Yamato had tried, using the abilities of the First Hokage...but he had died, killed when Naruto had gained a sixth tail.
Naruto had been horrified to find that he could see and remember everything that occured, although he was powerless to stop it. When it was over, when he was able to get the Kyuubi back under control, he found he had...changed. A little, anyway. His senses were keener...and he couldn't access his own chakra system anymore, as though the points had been sealed. He was now dependent on the Kyuubi. The old fox had seemed especially pleased about that. It had laughed long and hard, the sinister sound echoing in his head for days.
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Neonn:...bleh...