Disclaimer: Nope, I'm not cool enough to own Naruto,

Ignite

Brought to the brink of defeat by an insect.

A wash of shame and humiliation. Disgust tasted bitter in the demon's mouth. The air within his host's psyche was super-charged with fury and a hint of... desperation? Ridiculous. A fresh jolt of mortification stabbed through the caged fox.

During this battle, his little human had somehow managed to descend down into new depths of pathetic. Truly impressive.

The spike of the child's increased feelings made his fur (hair?) stand on end. Kurama hissed, nine chakra tails twitching in irritation. shifting and flowing around his human form. Little runt. What was she thinking, letting the Hyuuga insect get close enough to silence her chakra?

No matter. Kurama could endure. This whole event whispered of opportunity. 'Win over the human girl.' His plan might only succeed if she becomes dependent on him.

...

When she finally appeared, the darkness of his captivity hid the kyuubi's shudder of revulsion. The human kit looked too much like her mother for him to rest easily.

Runt's blue eyes almost seemed to glow in the dim half-light. The little girl panted heavily, water splashing as she jogged towards him. Unfortunately, she stopped a safe distance away. A pity. Kurama barely stifled his sigh of disappointment.

"Oi, fox," she growled. "I'll be taking some of that chakra now."

Perfect. "May I ask the reason, little girl?" Though he already knew the answer, Kurama took on a curious air and leaned to rest his weight against one of his pillars. This is the chance he's been waiting for. How thrilling.

The waif simply sneered, lips curling over tiny human teeth. "Bastard. Just hurry and pay up. I don't have all day."

Insolent chit! Kurama's eyes ignited with crimson flame, a heat that proved difficult to quell. He had to calm down, but thoughts were difficult to discern over the roaring that filled his pointed ears. 'Hush.' Kurama soothed his pride with mental images of a slowly dismembered little blond girl. Of open sky and freedom.

A freedom he won't ever obtain if he allowed a mere human to have such a hold over his temper.

"Hurry up, old man, I think I'm getting wrinkles," The impudent mortal's voice carried just enough high-pitched worry in it to keep Kurama from attempting to rip her smug face off.

Heh. About time the cocky runt got nervous. He could work with this. The fox pacified, "No need for that. Time doesn't work the same in here." Of course, the pup only gave him a blank look. Irritating, stupid little girl. Kurama took a deep, calming breath.

Maybe the simpleton would understand small words? "Think about it," he explained as slowly as he could. "Last time you visited me, you were within yourself for about ten minutes. If that much time had passed in real life, you would be a puddle at the bottom of that canyon." 'If only...'

Her blond eyebrows twitched. "So... You're saying Hyuuga isn't kicking my ass right now?"

"Oh he is," The prisoner couldn't help but to laugh. The insect has been readying his final blow for approximately five minutes. "...however, not for long." Kurama's fangs flashed with bloodlust in the meager lighting.

Runt's eyes widened, before narrowing and glazing over. Possibly thinking about the Hyuuga and her tiny human battle. Assuming she was capable of sentient thought. "You'd better believe it," she promises. Her voice was dark. Hyuuga is going to lose.

The Kyuubi's grin widened. 'Perhaps my plan may succeed after all.' The things he does to walk freely.

"You said you required chakra?"

Several hours later...

'I-I'm choking!?'

Naruto kicked out, her blow lost in the millions of sand particles. The sand swirled around the kunoichi, crushing her in a constantly shifting, unbreakable grip. The tiny rocks were rough and heated, smothering Naruto with the stench of blood.

"Dammit...!" Screw this! Naruto swore, and let the darkness overtake her.

...

The fox was as big of a jerk as always. Deep, echoing laughter bounced around the walls of her subconscious. "Ah, I just love family reunions, don't you, runt?"

Naruto snarled. Him and his stupid monster family. It was weird to think the tailed beasts could be related in a familial sense. Like he's one to make fun of her! "Shuddup, bastard. Shukaku's a hundred times bigger than you are!"

Silence... followed by more laughter.

From her position across the flooded room, the blonde wondered if that was his pale fist thumping against one of his stone columns. "Truly!?" The fox's voice was higher pitched than usual, bordering on hysterical. "Did you truly just compare my human form to my little brother's beast form?"

Wait, what... Human form!? So her demon wasn't deformed? She had been so positive that her demon, of all demons, would be the one that was small and weirdly shaped. Naruto's eyes widened as she stumbled forward. "Have you been holding out on me, old man!?"

The fox sucked in a few gasping breaths before he managed a response. "Surely you did not think this was the only shape I possessed?"

Err... maybe. Naruto certainly wasn't going to tell him that, though. The first time he laughs, and it's at her expense. No more of that, if she could help it.

"Pfft, no. 'Course not. I was..." Naruto scratched the top of her head, brows scrunched in thought. "...just testing you. Yeah. That's what I was doing." The twelve year-old puffed out her chest and gave a short bark of laughter. "Hah! So there." The demon didn't respond. Probably in awe of how badly he just got owned by her awesome comeback. Serves him right; that's what you get when you mess with a top kunoichi.

Fox's voice was devoid of emotion. "I give up. My host is an utter moron. Shukaku's the weakest, but he will kill us at this rate."

This guy is dumb as heck! Ignoring the jab (for now), Naruto kicked up an arch of water towards the Kyuubi's cage. "No he won't! I'm going to save Sakura and Sasuke, dammit! Gaara's going down!"

Shadowed by his prison, the kunoichi could only make out the reds of his eyes and the whites of his teeth. Maybe that image should've inspired fear, but frankly the genin didn't give a shit.

"Big words for a little girl," the demon taunted. "Even if I give I lend you my power, will you be able to back them up? This is the second time you've asked for help today."

Blah, blah, blah. Just keep on yapping, old man. "Hand it over already. I'll take out your bro in two seconds, just watch me." The fox gives a thoughtful 'hmm...' before scarlet chakra begins to bleed into the floodwaters of the room.

"Believe me..." The demon's satisfied purrs parodied her own verbal tick. "...I will."

A/N: Sorry for the insanely long pause. Things happened, and I needed to plot out Kurama and Naruto's relationship chart. Shouldn't happen again. (Oh, and to everyone who is waiting... the romance will indeed pick up. Heheh.)

A thousand thank-yous to everyone who reviewed/followed/favorited! I hope this chapter's not too much of a disappointment, but at least it's something.

Please comment, and tell me what you think. It really helps me come out with new chapters faster when I'm writing for you guys. ;-;