Sorry, this is short and extremely delayed. I also apologize for the slow moving plot, but I will get to the thick of things eventually. If you could stick with me till then, I would love that C: I was thinking of deleting this story and working on it, and it's still in my mind, but for now you get this.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Just my hopes, dreams, aspirations, and my fuzzy blue socks.
Warning: Ummah... simple filler. I was going to go over some Naruto rampage but I decided against it. Sorry.
Enjoy.
Chapter Seventeen: Comfort
"The beast's unleashed. I don't know myself anymore. It's like my soul's been burned away. Dad... why did you have to die?"—Naruto Uzumaki, age 17.
He was trapped. Chained to a wall in a cell at least three hundred feet below the ground. Underneath the castle, to be exact. In this state, Naruto really couldn't think rationally. All he wanted was blood. Particularly the blood of the person who had killed his father. Before the city began to crumple and fray into chaos, there was a funeral. The images bombarded the demon prince over and over again as he snarled at snapped at the magic keeping him sealed.
It was raining. The heaven's were crying. Minato's body was being lead deep into the chamber where all the past kings were laid to rest. Naruto wanted to go there, to be with his father. Pein held him back, though.
"Let me go!" he snarled, his fingernails a little sharper than normal. His whiskers were a shade thicker than usual, as well. "Dad! Dad! Don't go... Dad!"
Music filled the air, a song of mourning. The citizens all had their fare share of glances towards the blonde prince. Some were drenched in pity others were a cold indifference. A few citizens could see passed the beast, like Konohamaru, Sarutobi, Deidara, and even Kiba... Kiba stood in the far back with his group of friends. They were all silent, but Kiba more so. His eyebrows were crunched and his heart ached silently watching the prince flail and sink even deeper into desperation. He could sympathize with the prince. It was hard to lose a love one, especially someone so close as a father.
"They should really put a leash on that guy," a lanky and snot-dripping teen snorted, along with the rest of the group—minus Kiba.
A punch was the retort that kid got, followed by landing harshly on the ground.
"Ouch... What the fuck was that for, Kiba!"
"Shut up," Kiba's eyes narrowed dangerously at the boy instantly shut it. "If you're going to run that damn trap of yours then fucking get out! We're at the King's funeral for God's sake. Show some respect."
No one wanted to be at the end of Kiba's brute strength, so they all calmly watched as more words were spoken, more tears were shed, and the funeral dragged on...
Kiba's eyes never watched the blonde, though. His heart ached dully watching the life sap out of the blonde teen. He was just a shell now. A shell of a boy who would, sooner than anyone realized, would have to take over the crown, the title, of a kingdom threatening to implode. Before, Kiba would have inwardly sneered at the idea of a demon-becoming king. But now, his sympathy was winning... along with a memory...
Before Kiba had the chance to talk to the blonde prince, chaos descended, and Naruto had finally snapped.
+Eclipse+
'He's dead, Kit. Get over it already and fucking get out of here! I'm itching to spill some blood.'
'Shutup,youdamnfox.'Crouched in the cell, chained by the neck, Naruto's new tail whipped around viciously. The red chakra that had once consumed his body earlier that day was now gone thanks to the restraining magic placed around the cell. All the evidence left on his body showing that the Kyuubi was still unlocked was Naruto's new tail, a pair of orange ears, darker whiskers, and blood-red eyes.
The transformation was brought forth from the anger, and a deep, numbing pain. Naruto still couldn't fathom a world where his father was dead. He couldn't accept his father had gone down that easily.'He'sthefreakingkingandhewaskilledsoeasily!'Naruto's nails scraped at the cold floor. They left gashes. 'WhydidyouleavemeandPein,Dad?Doyouknowhowmanypeoplehavelostfaithinourfamily?'
He realized now, that he was finding a lot of things to be mad out. They way his father died so easily. Pein's emotionless face during the funeral. Everyone pities gaze. The person who killed his father. He wanted to take them all down. He wanted to go into that wretched tomb, pull his father's body out, and shake it around until he came back to life. Then, he would find Pein and beat him to a bloody pulp until that emotion-void mask disappeared. He'd rip away at everyone who gave him pity after they spent their whole lives excluding him. And then, then he'd go out and find his father's murder. Rip out their vocal chords, and tear their body to pieces.
As you can see, Naruto wasn't thinking very rationally.
"I've seen some wild temper tantrums in my life, but this takes the case." Pein said, as if Naruto needed to see himright now.
'Kill him! Do it! You know you want to, Kit. His blood would look so pretty on your nails.'
'Didn't I tell you to shut up, you damn fox?'
Naruto snarled. "What do you want?"
Pein regarded the demon prince coolly, folding his arms across his chest. "I would like you to stop acting like a child and grow up, Naruto."
The blonde bristled. His tail whipped around violently once more. That had struck hard, and deep. "You don't understand a damn thing, you emotionless prick! My father's dead! Your loveris now gathering up cobwebs in some fucking tomb! And you want me to stop acting like a child?"
"Pretty much, yes."
It was hard to hold back the urge to lunge at Pein and rip out his heart. So hard... but pleasant to think about.
Pein walked to the bars and knelt down, completely impassive as Naruto made a swipe for his face more than once, like an enraged tiger. "Naruto, I want you to listen to me. You are not thinking rationally. The bloodlust from the Kyuubi is driving your thoughts into a spiral of destruction."
"No I'm not! Shut up before I fucking rip out your throat."
Pein rolled his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. "See what I'm saying? I know I seem indifferent to Minato's death but... I..." he swallowed, "He wouldn't want to see us like this. You, his son and heir, trapped in some cage because you couldn't control that demon inside of you. And me, his lover, who "should be" in a crumpled heap grieving over his death. But I'm not, because I know Minato would have wanted me to take charge of the situation and prepare for the worst. And you, Naruto, need to clear your mind of all you rage and sadness so you'll be ready to take on the responsibility Minato left for you."
Naruto felt his anger evaporate slightly. His tail recoiled around him, shrinking as Pein's words started to set in. His stubbornness to accept the truth was finally wearing out... "He can't be gone..."
"I know," his whispered words hit with solid assurance.
The anger was melting, the sadness dripped, Naruto was calming down. "He can't be dead..."
"I know..."
Naruto looked up with teary blue eyes. He desperately wanted to break free from this cell, to have some human contact. He couldn't go through this earth-shattering revelation alone.
"I'm so scared..."
Pein's heart constricted horribly as he fished for the key that would unlock the cell doors. The key slid in effortlessly, the sound of metal breaking off floated through. As if by force, Pein and Naruto met. Pein had Naruto in an embrace, the sobbing blonde refusing to let the man go. Until the days of of true peace were to come, Naruto would have to become stronger. Pein would have to control his emotions. And two, greater beings, were finding it rather difficult to stay silent.
+Eclipse+
"Hm, I guess I owe you five bucks then. The kid didn't go beserk."
"Ha, told you, Mercy!" Grace jumped up and down, her brown curls bounced along with her. "Pay up!"
Mercy grumbled low under her breath. She fished out a wad of dollar bills and threw it at her sister. "There! Now stop jumping before we're spotted. We're supposed to be watchinghim, not drawing attention to ourselves."
"Oh don't get your undies in a bunch." Grace waved her hand flippantly, though her long, blue sleeves covered it. "No one can see us unless we want them too. So get that stick out of your butt and lighten up."
The redhead narrowed sea-green eyes, "Say 'ass' like normal people."
Purple eyes shot a glare right back, "No way! That's a dirty word. And I, for one, am not a dirty person."
"Coming from the whore that's rather unlikely..."
"Hey! If anyone here is spreading their legs more times then they bathe, it's you!"
"Girls, I do hope your bickering is in respect to your mission." the Guardian appeared before them, gold eyes flickering with curiosity and subtle rage.
Both Grace and Mercy exchanged glances and gulped.
The Guardian sighed, "Typical," shaking its head; it looked passed the two and stared directly at the Jinchuuriki prince clutched in the other human's arms. Such a blatant display of affection. "He has not gone on a rampage, I see."
"Yeah, it's kind of weird." Grace placed her arms behind her head and worried her bottom lip. "The Fates said he would have gone out and destroy the city by now. Then Orochimaru would come in, capture him, and extract the Kyuubi."
"Your nonchalance makes that sound like a goodthing," Mercy rolled her eyes and folded her arms against her chest. "Honestly, I'm glad those windbags are wrong. This city doesn't deserve to be destroyed."
"It is a rarity, and a deep concern, that the Fates were mistaken." the Guardian's three tails merged into one tail surrounded by a golden halo. It's purple highlights deepened to a bleeding, darker color. Its blood pumped in calmed anxiety.
"Well they're getting pretty old," Mercy said. "Old age drive people pretty loony."
"But they're neverwrong, Merc!" Grace defended. "You have to admit this is sort of scary. We won't know what's going to happen! How will we step in if we don't know when the right time is?"
"That's why we're watching the, right?" Mercy turned her attention to the Guardian who was still regarding the prince warily. "So we know when to step in and make ourselves known."
"You would be half right." Golden eyes skimmed over both girls before turning back to Naruto. "Tell me. Have you two noticed anything different with this lifetime than all the others?"
"Umm, besides the fact that Naru-chan looks a little shorter than usual?" Grace asked with a tilt of her head.
Mercy scoffed and hit her sister in the back of the head. "Excuse her. She's an idiot by nature." ignoring her sister's protests, Mercy continued. "I know what you mean, though. In this lifetime Naruto and Sasuke are together. That's a hell of a lot more progress then most of the others have had. Also, this prince is the carrier of the Kyuubi, which is also abnormal."
"Correct. I sense something sinister will befall upon those two."
The brunette shivered and hugged herself tightly. "I can feel it too. Chills my bones."
Mercy nodded as well, "We'll keep watch. Make sure Naruto doesn't get too out of hand... but who's watching the Uchiha?"
"I've taken watch over the Uchiha Prince." the Guardian answered. "His destiny is slowly starting to unfold. Sooner or later, the truth will slip out, and I must be there to intervene."
Mercy and Grace exchanged worried glances once more before the brunette spoke up.
"You know... I hope Naruto doesn't die this time. I always cry when that happens."
I've been dying to use Grace and Mercy... :3 So happy I've finally brought my OCs in.