A/N: Wow! So many reviews! -dances- Well, I hope you enjoy this sorta filler chapter. I wanted a little more build up but my mind says f' it and so now I'm getting into the mission (well that's next chapter...). This one is a tad confusing and I apologize for any spelling/grammer errors. Also, re-check the 1rst chap, I edited the authors note hoping it would make more sense. Thanks as always!

To Reviewers: I love you, and I love the alerted/favorites guys too! You really made this chapter come out faster!

Reading Legend

normal

"talking"

thinking

SHOUTING

Expressing/Exaggerating

Blackened Chains

Chapter 2: As They Expand

To a normal person, chains are a sign of imprisonment. A sign of a sin that cannot be undone. That is why they cringe in fear when they hear the clatter. However, a listener see's the chains as connections and allows them to grow inside their skin. They feel that even though they are chains, they are not what the humans see and thus, the blackened chains bless them with their funeral rings.


Naruto breathed slowly in his fever induced sleep. He had tried to open his eyes earlier but it felt like they were glued shut and he eventually gave up. He could tell by the pain in his arm and the soft dropping sounds that he was hooked up to some sort of IV bag. He let out a shuddering breath as he tried to distract his wondering mind. He didn't want to be in the infirmary alone, where horrible smells and sounds linger.

He opened his mouth in an attempt to shout to alert someone that he was up but only a hoarse whisper came out. His lungs burned and his body felt so cold. Naruto attempted to move his stiff arms, only to get them to drop back beside his body. He felt trapped, unable to move as the cursed sounds of the IV bag tormented him.

The blond didn't want to believe that he was in the hospital by himself, that he was hurt. The more he struggled to move his body, the more he wanted to cry out for help. The boy tried to keep his mind off of his predicament, but it would only distract him long enough until he heard the IV give another drip. Why, why is no one here? He asked himself. No one loves me… he shook his head. This was not the time to be depressed!

Naruto finally opened his eyes and wished he had never done so. Now, he could see the IV bag and see the white walls of the room. Why did he feel so intoxicated? Please, don't leave me! He cried out as he felt tears well up. Don't leave me here! But no one could hear the teen's thoughts because he was alone in the room. No nurses, no friends, no family. That horrible feeling of separation hit him full force and he wanted to cry out, but his body refused to listen to his orders.

It was probable around then did he hear their sound. It was soft and delicate. He listened to it, not wanting to lose the sound that felt so important. Naruto's eyes began to feel heavy as he continued to listen but he would not allow himself rest. He had to hold on; he had to hold onto that sound. And, as he arched his back, forcing his arms to move, he felt the IV patch rip out and the bag fall. He reached out the window, towards the sounds of dancing black chains.


The first thing Sakura noticed when she entered Naruto's room was the lack of said idiot. The other was the shattered IV tubes and the tipped over bed. And finally, she noticed the drops of blood that littered the room.


"TSUNADE!" she shouted out, forgetting her manners. The hokage was not too far behind her and came running into the room. She too gasped at the sight. The far corner of the room was covered in blood and Naruto's bed lay on its side the blanket died red as well.

The two women quickly ran over to the now open widow, Tsunade shuttering at the amount of blood, her old phobia coming back to haunt her. Sakura leaned over the window, wincing at how coated it was in the sticky red substance. "NARUTO!" She called out; hoping to hear him, or better, see him. Surprised glances from the people below were all that greeted her. Tsunade called her anbu and gave them orders to find the boy.

"If you come back empty handed, it will be the end of you!" she warned. The anbu gulped and with that, began their search.

"Master…" Sakura called.

"Yes?" she whispered out.

"Please allow team 7 to also look for Naruto, he is our teammate!" The older women nodded, her eyes fixed on the bloodied corner.

"Just make sure to hurry and have Team 8 help as well, they have good tracking abilities." With a quick nod, the pink haired kunoichi headed out to scramble her team and friends.


Naruto hid silently in one of Konoha's several alley ways. He could still feel the constant run of blood that dripped like tears from his eyes. The last thing he could remember was reaching towards something, something important. Suddenly that thing reached out and forced itself into him as he fell out the window. It was because of this that he could no longer stand to look at any one and had hid in the alley. They all looked like corpses and it frightened the teen.

The blond boy gave another shudder as he resisted the erg to vomit. The crimson tears flew endlessly and soon all he could smell was his accursed blood. But this was not what bothered him. No, it was the feeling of 'it' inside him, wiggling around and stretching throughout his entire body.

"Leave…" the boy ordered. "Leave. Now…" he felt the pressure build up like it had in his dream. "LEAVE N OW DAMN IT!!"

Then… he felt his back explode as his blood burst from his spine (1). He let out a silent scream in pain as he felt his blood thicken into a chain that was coiled deep inside him. Naruto felt it tug, as if trying to pull his somewhere. The thing inside him pulled him the other way. He wanted to trust the 'thing'. It felt more relatable, as if it knew what the cursed chain wanted. Naruto screamed again, the air rushing through his lungs as more chains replaced the blood that now littered the alley walls. He could hear voices shouting as the sound of footsteps reached his ears.

No. Stay away! He muttered, backing up as the chains rattled against themselves. I don't want them to see this.He felt his breath escape him and his body run cold as the chains forced themselves into his body, sealing up the torn back. Vomit rushed through his burning throat as he felt the chains coil inside him. Naruto leaned against one of the blood covered walls as he felt the cursed things disperse inside of him.

"Naruto!" the sun-kissed boy heard. "Naruto where are you?!" It was a gruff sound followed by a dogs bark. A dark shadow made itself known in his head. He felt the stupid thing wrap clawed hands around his brain. It applied little amounts of pressure around it.

"Naruto!" a female this time, one he recognized very well. More pressure was applied and he felt his body go slack as his mind began to rest. He could no longer feel the chains that sung soft tunes inside his head as the strange thing that had got inside him relaxed his tense body.

"Naruto-kun!" He could just barely hear the voice.

Hinata? Wait, who's Hinata? The boy thought as other memories began to tumble down. Na-ru-to? Who's Naruto? Pain filled his body and he cried out.

"I'm Naruto! Right?! I'm him right?!" his body shook as his mind twisted in turmoil against the thing inside him. "Get out. Get out. Get out, get out, get out GET OUT!" And with all his strength, Naruto rammed his head into the wall beside him, feeling the presence seep through the gashed marks from the hard stone. He watched in amusement as the strange black liquid leaked out. "That's right, I'm Naruto!" he said to himself, an insane grin spreading across his face.

"I'm Naruto." He whispered quietly as he spun circles in the strange goo. The chains inside him were forgotten and he could only stare gleefully as he continued to play with it.


Team 7 and team 8 searched frantically for their friend. The anbu were able to detect that Naruto had not left the village but that wasn't too helpful. Akamaru couldn't smell him any were and Shino' bugs had yet to return to him with good news. Hinata and Sakura searched together as the Hyuuga used her blood line to try and find his chakra. Yamato and a fully healed Kakashi searched in the same area and Sai spoke with the people for any signs.

It had already been two full hours and the group was starting to get extremely worried. The room that Naruto was in showed signs of excessive bleeding but there was not tracks of it outside of the room in sight or smell. Everyone was calling out his name, hoping to catch some sort of wind from the missing boy. Then, everything stopped in the village as a bloody scream erupted in one of the far corners of the village. The team all sped off into that direction as they heard the same voice shout out other words, all slurred together. They soon reached an alley way and the smell of blood washed over all of them. Shino stared down at the entrance to the alley, seeing thousands of dead bugs. Hinata had tears run down her face as Kiba gripped his nose, stepping back and forth. Slowly, Kakashi began to walk into the dark way (2) and one after another, the others followed.

There, in the centre of the bloodied mess was a giggling Naruto. The team watched in shock as He squished a strange black liquid between his fingers. Said liquid moved and twisted, as if playing with him back. Sakura gasped as she saw the large gash that decorated the teen's face, blood streaming down from the wounds.

Naruto slowly looked up at his friends, his eyes changing from gleeful to a harsh glare. The black liquid twisted around and the team stood in fear as the sound of chains filled the alley. The boy hissed along with the chains, watching as Hinata and Sakura stepped back. Kiba was visibly shaking and Shino stood unbelievably still. Only the two jounin and Sai held their ground.

"Naruto…" Kakashi whispered, approaching his student. "It's me Kakashi." The hissing and rattling died and the liquid dropped.

Kakashi, where had he heard this name before? He looked up at the man, confusion filling his eyes. "Ka-Kakashi?" he asked, his voice wavering. The man nodded. The boy looked to the side and looked back up at him. "Sensei?" Another nod. The boy blinked as his mind slowly began to remember things. He raced his bloodied finger and pointed at the group, listing each person's name as his finger reached them. He was met with nods all around and he once again looked at the red stone beneath him. He then pointed at himself. "And, I'm Naruto, right?" the questioned shocked the group and Kakashi slowly nodded.

Naruto held his hands out and the strange liquid gathered into his hands, taking the form of a bird. "Na-ru-to." He spoke softly, petty the pure black birds wings. A smile spread across his face. "That's right, I'm Naruto!" the bird moved its head in a nodding motion. He turned back to his friends, all wearing shocked faces. "I can't wait to kill you, Naruto!" and the bird exploded in his hand, as the boy looked up at them, eye's filled with blood lust.


A young adult watched as a small pebble cracked in his hand. He had long, dark purple hair that hung around his body. His face was sharp and pale and he wore a light purple kimono. His pale, blue eyes watched as the pebble soon turned into sand and blew away from the wind. He looked up at the sky through the small window in his room. Everything was stone and it resembled a prison. Chains were wrapped around the man. However these chains were black and if one peered closely, they would see that the chains came from ripped openings of the man's flesh.

"I can't wait to kill you, Yusumi!" he whispered out, a smile spreading across his face.


Team 7 stood silently in front of the Hokage. The women watched as Naruto tilted his head, wondering why everyone was looking at him oddly. After he had said the disturbing line, the boy had passed out and the blood evaporated into a black smoke. The anbu blocked of that side of town. A few minutes later, Naruto had woken up with no recognition of what had happened. Seeing as how his body was fully healed and Kakashi was back, Tsunade had gathered them to give them a new mission. Though she was worried about sending Naruto, she knew that he would go no matter what she did.

"Alright, this is a simple mission. I need you five to go to the small village of Cain. It's only three days from here. Once there you will pick up a package and bring it back to me. It is very important!" the sternness in her voice silence Naruto as he was about to ask if it was some debts or money. "You are to leave at once and Naruto." The boy turned around as they began to leave. "Don't push it." The boy huffed and sped after his team. He was glad that Kakashi was with them again, but he knew that Yamato would have to stay with them.

Tsunade watched them head towards the gate as she called in Team 8. "Now, I want to know, in full detail, what you saw when you found Naruto and what state you assumed him to be." The team nodded and began.

Story Notes

(1) Manly around the spine since it is a bone and can not bleed...

(2) What I call an alley...

-Yusumi is a name I made up right off the bat. If it means something, please share.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and i can say that things will definitely get interesting after this. This one is confusing but everything will make sense eventually...