Naruto: The Darker Temptations
Chapter 2
Naruto continued looking into the entity, still not being able to make out anything but the Eyes, that colour of blood. The slitted pupils bearing down upon him, yet no emotion was shown, expect for a slight flinch in his right eye, unnoticeable to a human, however the thing in front of him was no human.
'So,' The great being thought, 'there is still emotion in this one. Though by looking through his memories, it won't be long until he is fully broken, I'll have to 'help' the process it seems'
"Before I begin, I wish to ask you one simple question" The being proclaimed to Naruto, who finally stopped staring at the eyes and this time focussed on the voice. "Tell me, do you know who I am?"
Naruto pondered the question, what could it mean? Surely knowing what this thing was wouldn't mean much consequence to him, plus he needed to find a way out of this place, or the kind old man Hokage, his surrogate grandfather, would be worried for his wellbeing.
Naruto just shook his head, making the being smile, a cruel jagged teeth filled smile. It was then that the rest of the being was revealed to the six year old. An humongous fox, larger than the Hokage tower, stood behind the bars, nine tails swishing behind its form. The being smiled even more when Naruto's face betrayed itself, as recognition and fear crawled onto his features. There was only one being that had the description of the entity in front of him.
"Your-Your" Naruto stuttered, as he stood ramrod stiff, unable to move the fear being to powerful for him.
The being smiled even more, gaining sick pleasure from the boy's fear. "Go on" It almost purred in satisfaction.
"You're the...Kyuubi!" Naruto exclaimed.
Kyuubi just laughed evilly at the boy's expense. "That I am, boy. And know that right now, we're in your mind. I know you; I have been locked inside of you for quite some time, and know you have great intelligence for someone your age. So, if you're in your mind, and I am also here, along with this little piece of paper here, what can you deduce?" Kyuubi asked, waiting with unbridled anticipation at the pain the boy would most likely feel.
Naruto was thinking a mile a minute, what the Kyuubi said was true. He had developed a mind more mature than his age, but being hunted down nearly every day of your life would do that, it was a miracle he wasn't broken yet. But what could Kyuubi possibly mean when it said that it was here in his mind. His eyes widened considerably, making the Kyuubi smile in manic glee.
It was clear now, the beatings, hurtful remarks and the sneers of everyone in Konoha. The Kyuubi was sealed inside of him. The very thing that nearly brought Konoha's destruction was SEALED inside of HIM!
The Kyuubi was enjoying every moment of Naruto's anguish right now, any second now and he would probably be screaming at Kyuubi for it being its entire fault for his pain and suffering, or he would break down and shatter his already fragile mind.
However, before that, the Kyuubi wanted to have a little bit more fun, it had seen the look the Hokage gave Naruto when he wasn't looking. Surely this little piece of information would be the final push Naruto needed to fall over the edge. How right Kyuubi was.
"Hehehe, it's true Naruto, I am sealed inside of you and you know what else?" At this Naruto looked up, into Kyuubi's visage, surely there wasn't something else bad, was there?
"Everyone hates you Naruto, you know that, right?" The Kyuubi baited him, he knew what his reply would be, and then he would release the trap. Kyuubi had to refrain from laughing madly; it was just too much fun toying with his mind.
"That's not true!" Naruto yelled. "The Hokage cares for me, he's always there for me after each beating-
"A bit too convenient, don't you think?" The Kyuubi interrupted.
'No!' Naruto thought to himself, the implication clear as day. 'There's no way that can be right'
"YOU'RE LYING!" Naruto yelled, pointing at the Kyuubi's bulk. "YOU'RE EVIL AND TRYING TO MANIPULATE ME, I KNOW IT!"
Kyuubi smiled again, just as predicted, Humans were so easy to read; each were an open book to it.
"Really?" The Kyuubi replied "I'm the evil one? Well I happen to have proof of your so called 'Grandfather's true feeling towards yourself" Kyuubi then turned to one of the brick walls, as it soon dissolved into a black emptiness, before colour began to seep into place and Naruto found himself looking at a memory of one of the many times he awoke in the Hospital, as always the Hokage was by his side.
"Hokage-jiji?" The memory Naruto mumbled, his eyes still closed from the pain he still felt. The memory suddenly paused before it could go on.
"Pay attention to your beloved Grandfather's eyes when he responds, then you will know" Kyuubi stated, making Naruto stare at the Hokage's eyes, which were paused at the moment of him looking at Naruto. He dreaded what would happen next, the Kyuubi seemed to purposefully extend the time that the memory was paused, obviously for its own sick pleasure.
'What if, what it says is true? What if Jiji is one of them?' Naruto thought, but quickly reprimanded himself 'NO, He would never be cruel to me, he loves everybody, Kyuubi id just trying to manipulate me, heh, nice try Kyuubi, but you fail' Naruto thought with renewed vigor, this whole experience livening him up from the almost husk like person he was before. His resolve now strengthened, Naruto looked Kyuubi in the eye, as if daring it to continue the memory to prove himself right.
Kyuubi smirked, its victory already in hand. "Remember" The Kyuubi said "Look at the eyes" and so, Kyuubi started the memory again.
"What is it Naruto-kun?" The Hokage asked, in his kind hearted voice. Naruto smiled and was about to gloat at the Kyuubi, when he saw it. In the eyes of the Old Hokage; unbridled hatred, directed towards his body on the bed. It couldn't be, not the Hokage, no way was he the same as the village, it had to be fake, fabricated by the Kyuubi to help in its indoctrination of him.
"You think I believe this? HAH! Better think of something better than that, Kyuubi!" Naruto proclaimed confidently.
Kyuubi just smiled wider, time for the final strike. "I'm lying am I? Well, with me being behind this seal, I can't manipulate your mind in any way. The memory on the wall is therefore true, along with the Hokage's hatred of you!" Kyuubi cackled, as it watched realisation adorn Naruto's face.
It was true? Even the Hokage hated him? Suddenly, nothing made sense to Naruto. He fell to his knees, tears falling from his eyes. His mentality suddenly cracked until finally, it smashed.
Naruto began giggling to himself, he was all alone. No-one loved him. Suddenly his giggling turned to full-blown laughter as he lost his mentality.
Kyuubi looked at its masterpiece; another broken human mind. It chuckled. 'All too easy' The Kyuubi thought.
Naruto had stopped laughing, but the crazed look remained in his face. He was truly far from repair now, he looked upon the Kyuubi, no shred of fear in sight, instead manic glee, as he looked into Kyuubi's eyes, causing Kyuubi to smile back, the same grin. 'One last step' Thought Kyuubi.
"How would you like power?" Kyuubi asked, "The power to make them pay, the power to get your revenge?"
"I want it" Naruto declared immediately, though in a crazed state of mind, what Kyuubi offered was what he wanted.
"Then all you have to do is rip half of the seal, then you can have what you want" Kyuubi smiled; all was going according to plan.
Naruto looked at the Kyuubi, then the seal...and smiled evilly, he would have his revenge, he wouldn't be pushed around anymore.
His choice made, he reached for seal and didn't even act surprised when the seal slid down so he could reach it.
Before he ripped the seal, a thought ran through both minds.
'Revenge is supposedly sweet, - good, because I like candy' Naruto chuckled manically at his own joke, whilst the Kyuubi thought.
'For evil to manifest, it needs a motive' It looked down at the crazed six year old, the one who had just sealed the fates of those residing in Konoha. 'Looks like this evil, just found its motive' The Kyuubi smiled darkly, its revenge would come in time.
Naruto then proceeded to rip the seal, his soul now tainted with darkness.