(First off. I apologize for this super late update. I got lazy for a while and focused more on college. Second, I played with the idea of Kurama having a human form. I decided against it, thinking it'd be better if Kurama simply adjusted his size to fit any needs he might have, but it will be up for poll eventually, I suppose. Third, in the case someone thought this up, no pairing unless one of you leave me a decent reason for it. Fourth, I have no beta, being a new user, so any mistake I make will likely take some time to be corrected. ...One more thing...I'm glad you all want this to continue! I'll give it my best from now on. Some more 'notes' at the bottom.)
'Single Quotation Italics': Thoughts
"Double Quotation normal": Speech
Italics: Emphasis
Underlined Italics: Move/Attack Names
'Single Quotation Bold Italics': Titan/Tailed-Beast Thoughts
"Double Quotation Bold": Titan/Tailed-Beast Speech
Chapter 1: First Contact
-First Person-Kurama
It wasn't until I neared the distant silhouettes that their forms had a definite shape and became bathed in color. They were humanoid albeit rather disproportionate and...big, although that could be a trick of the mind since they're a little ways away; and are—'Are they nude?' That was an observation not truly uncommon at all to me, for humans have, in various periods on many occasion, been in the buff for whatever reason; whether because they simply hadn't the mentality to create clothing or when they slept at night after a romp. It didn't matter to humans as long as they felt comfortable in their own skin. That comfort, however, after the last moment I was awake, when there were skyscrapers and the such, was practically nonexistent. Humans covered up because for some reason they didn't feel right with themselves. That didn't seem to be the case anymore. The nudist shapes were, as Naruto might put it in simple terms...buck ass nude.
The trees that these humanoids lumbered under were enormous. Each arboreal growth going on up to eighty meters and then some in height with respective diameters. 'I'm still the king! Humph!' As if a piece of wood could reach altitudes higher than I. Each colossal—colossal to humans, that is—tree towered over the humanoids beneath them and offer shade with their leafy growths and other processes. I wasn't yet close enough to properly examine the trees. Be that as it may, I was closer to some of the humanoids lingering just a tad away from the tree line. I neared the humanoids even further to better examine them and whatever behavior they might exhibit; depending on their level of intelligence will determine my following actions. Hopefully carnage wasn't one—'Naruto, you've made me too soft. I would've blasted these things to hell if it weren't for you.'
"Here's hoping, I guess." I grumbled, dissatisfied thus far by the lethargic behavior of the giants-by-human-standards.
Upon coming close enough that the forms of the giants were clear, I more heavily scrutinized them only to see that the previous idea of the nudists' disproportion of their bodies was undoubtedly true. I'd kept a vigil over the seemingly slothful giants for a time; and time has indeed past by since the second I decided to observe. To say the least, I wasn't impressed by their habits. The titanic humans do nothing but linger under the trees, stroll through any nearby areas, or just sit there with their proverbial heads up their asses. From the titans to the trees my focus shifted. I lowered myself onto all of my limbs, decidedly walking like a beast would, to peek closer at the trees that barely extend past a quarter of my height whilst standing on my hind legs. Extending an arm towards the tree, I press the palm of my paw-hand against its bark. 'Sturdy. Rigid.' Those were the two words that came to mind. These trees must be deeply set into the soil. It might be possible that it wouldn't uproot and fall over from a Tailed-Beast Shockwave. 'Impressive, for a bunch of trees.'
Returning my attention to the titans that just dawdle aimlessly without goal, I wonder if there was more to them than shown by their current behavior. In all honesty, the titans are only amongst their kin–within my illusion, I remain unseen, I'm sure I don't count, yet–and I have yet to witness what occurs if another creature were to be present. Despite the dampening effects of my illusion I tread lightly in the case that the effects this camouflage offers isn't enough to conceal my thundering steps.
I swivel my head around in search of any other living organism that isn't a giant humanoid; none were present to utilize as a guinea pig, unfortunately. My brow furrows and I shake my head, uncertain of whether I should or shouldn't dispel the light bending illusion to reveal myself.
'Such a disappointment, just when humans actually become a modicum of a threat by their looks alone.' I sighed, discontent with the current situation.
Back when they were nothing but flies, humans were able to move around swiftly on their proportionate legs with the capability of keeping up with at least a wild cat—and that was during the time that chakra was evidently falling out of practice. At least back then humanity wasn't a disappointing sack of potatoes that looked like they had Down Syndrome.
It wasn't until I brought myself towards a nearby motionless giant that sat against one of the trees and crouched to its level, about face to face, that I realized just how much humanity degraded. Its eyes were in a haze, dark and lacking the luster of life and intellect that any human would naturally possess. There was no energy to achieve, no ambition, no emotion. The giant seemingly had no drive to live; it was about ten meters or so tall, small enough for me to grab it with my paw-hand if I so wished it. So I did. I reached out for the second time this day and nabbed what some would call gargantuan, then proceed to drag the giant into my camouflage illusion, holding its disproportionate body tightly enough to cause its ribcage to groan audibly. My ears twitched in response, the sound appeasing my vexation somewhat. The uselessness and lackadaisical mannerism displayed to me by the other giants only causes a surge of negative emotion to well up within me. What had occurred to the humans that thought? To the humans that advanced? To the humans with values and virtues? In my burst of anger I ended up utterly crushing the creature's chest cavity.
'As a species you've reached titanic heights, but your individuality and form doesn't have anything to be desired.' The ten meter in my hand recognizes pain, apparently, since it cried out when I caused its torso to cave in; I assumed the giant was dead immediately after, considering I turned its internal organs to paste. Right then after satiating my burst of emotion I dropped the giant's body, only to reach towards the tree afterwards to —right as I was reaching for the tree I would have cleaned my paw-hand on, the blood in my fur just evaporated. The giants have a high body temperature, it seems. Enough that the slightest contact of the outside world would destroy the homeostasis and stability of its cells were they to part with the body. Briefly I glanced at the corpse I left behind before huffing and turning my back towards it and delved into the forest.
-Third Person
If Kurama were to have looked back as he parted from the supposed corpse, he would see a body that was gradually regenerating and repairing itself. The very body of the titan he thought he had killed.
Anyhow, days have past since the experience with the giant, and Kurama is eagerly headed towards an unclear figure way far off from his current position, illusion put up around himself to avoid detection until he felt it prudent to do otherwise, or if a situation were to come up in which Kurama would have to make a decision. Kurama may or may not be prone to showing off, either. There weren't all that many giants after he had past the forest of giant trees, leaving it behind several days ago whilst grumbling curses and cusses and a few censor worthy phrases that would leave Tayuya proud— plus fussing over not seeing a single intelligent being whatsoever. As of after that forest, Kurama had found that a majority of this place was barren with the occasional small animal. It was as if some explosive force tore through this place and demolished everything without a care in the world.
'Perhaps that was the point of change for the humans?' Theorized the titanic fox. If it were, then Kurama supposed that the lifeless gaze of the humans was more something they picked up after having evolved for some time. Maybe it gave the interpretation that it was looking at something else whilst it moved in the general direction of prey? Quite a couple of questions surround the giants; for instance, what made them grow to such proportions? Was there some sort of predator that competed with them for food that caused them to turn out that way? Maybe a common enemy? Nevertheless, there's plenty time to think these hypotheses over later, right now there was silhouette to investigate; and so Kurama shot into a mad sprint, all four of his appendages clawing and kicking at the ground with much fever that it would have made that Rock Lee kid cry about youth or something or other. The mad dash was in the hopes that Kurama had discovered something other than some unrepentant sloth of a giant. The shadow in the distance, hopefully it wasn't just another forest, Kurama was getting tired of those as it was. The closer Kurama made it to the shape, the more distinct it became. It was at first a slab, far off in the horizon, then it progressively grew more detail. The slab has become a seemingly oval shape, then the oval shape grew in size and form as if to accentuate itself for the whole world to see. Every small addition of detail only caused Kurama to charge with much more intensity; his illusion couldn't dampen the thunder in his sprint, and thus he let it fall. The closer Kurama was to the ever growing shape, the more features came to the figure. Small objects riddled the very top of the article shamelessly like some sort of decorum made to accentuate its existence.
It wasn't until another several kilometers more that the entity became clearer to Kurama. A wall. That's what the item in the distance is, a wall. Then if he were to get closer...the items on top weren't meager decorations but something cylindrical of a sort. Cannons, maybe? If those were cannons, an age old invention, then any intelligent creature that lived in this time is more than likely sheltered behind the wall o'er yonder. It was at this point that he came to a sudden halt, right ear twitching as a yell came from just over a hill...a cry of panic and commands.
Kurama took a glance towards the general direction off towards his right, and pondered on the decisions he could make. Either investigate, or make a beeline towards the wall.
Kurama made his decision and slipped into his illusion.
-First Person-Kyukuro
'I'm—I'm not a titan! I'm not a titan's child!' Elation ran wild through me, coursing without restraint as I looked upon the jaws of a mismatched titan. The abyss within its maws was horrifying, its teeth made to tear and crush humans like myself apart without discrimination. Fortune did not favor those who remained still in the face of danger, of that I was sure just momentarily after my excited high wore off. Something was wrong, however. I couldn't move. My legs wouldn't respond for they felt numb. Fear. For good measure I beat each leg to force feeling into them, the sensation of pins and needles wracking them as I made a made dash for the wagons I had stowed myself into during the morning.
"Run! Get on your horses and make for the wall!" Called the leader of the survey troupe of this expedition gone wrong.
I immediately dove onto the back of a wagon and scrambled to the space just behind the riders before taking a look over my shoulder. What could be more fearsome than the distant yet approaching form of the titan making a mad sprint for us? I wasn't sure, but I didn't want to find out...and it was just then that a five-fingered print came into being just in front of the titan, as if some protective god expelled a kinetic force to cause a depression that would trip the titan, from the sky. That wasn't the case. I wished it was the case, for the titan seemed to run into something that stood in the very place of the print. As if coming from nowhere, a large furry appendage began to fade into existence...one much...MUCH larger than the titan itself. Then the appendage gave way to a shoulder, then a neck and torso, a vulpine head with elongated ears, a lower body, and nine, long, colossal tails that swayed lazily. It was something that depicted an animal one would only see in books of the outside world, only in the form of a terrifying beast. This was something that trumped even the largest of titans, and more than likely even the walls of our home. If anything truly deserved to be called a titan, it would be this monstrosity.
My breath hitched alongside the panic-stricken men whose fear only intensified a hundredfold with mine in tow. This was it. More than likely humanity's end, the finisher of civilization as I and everyone else know it. 'If this beast made it back to the wall...' I thought, 'then...—no! Charle! She'd be in danger!' I leaned over the back board of the wagon that the riders sat against and called to them, my voice was loud and panicked. "We—we can't go back to the wall! We'd end up leading that thing to the cities!"
The survey members didn't appreciate my words, for they they gave me incredulous and fearful looks. "Are you nuts, kid?! That thing'll kill us the moment it gets a—" the soldier never managed to finished his words. A shadow soared overhead and landed in front of the whole troupe as hot blood sprayed from the mangled corpse of the titan. The earth shook with heavy vibrations upon the landing of the dead titan. Every rider in the troupe turned at least somewhat to gaze at the giant that bested a titan with ease. It was a miracle to have seen this. Something that seemed to prey upon titans, that was a Godsend. Now the concern is over whether it would target all of us or not.
Much to my—and every single survey members'—dismay, the beast began to move towards us, a slow gait with its bloody fangs bared in a threatening display.
-Third Person
It was just after Kurama had slain the titan—apparently what the real humans call the giants—that he turned towards the small beings he had once deemed insignificant and stared at them with annoyance. Kurama could not help but lay his deadly choppers bare to these people, for it seemed obvious that the humans were more than shocked by Kurama's appearance and intervention. To be honest, Kurama didn't blame them, especially since a giant 390 meter fox definitely wasn't something that anyone would expect to see in their lifetime. It was, however, an irksome thing to have to deal with. Kurama also supposed that the manner in which he slaughtered the 'giant' was somewhat gruesome; not overkill, mind you, just not a pretty sight. Kurama, after having intercepted the titan, leaned in and bit into it before shaking his vulpine head wildly, tearing heated flesh apart and even mangling the titan's body beyond recognition. Not a single part of the titan was left untouched. Unlike the supposed corpse Kurama left behind some time ago, this one didn't regenerate whatsoever. It remained dead. It was after the brutality against the titan that Kurama had launched it over the troupe of humans he had encountered just now.
The looks of increasing fear the humans gave Kurama served no positive purpose except to further annoy him. It did not mean Kurama would cause the humans harm but it did not mean Kurama would not take a moment longer to terrify them; and with that it mind, Kurama stood on his hind legs and rose even higher than he already was while crouched and parted his maws. As soon as Kurama reached the peak of his height, the nine-tailed fox released an earth-shattering roar. The immediate ground beneath Kurama gave way and cratered from the Tailed-Beast Shockwave generated from the beastly bellow.
"Move! Flee and lead it away from the walls!" Called the commanding officer. "Fire your flares at it to keep its attention on us!" Further ordered the commanding officer of the exploration party.
Corpsmen and women scrambled to comply with the commands shouted out by their superior, the soldiers taking their flare guns in hand as they rushed their horses away from their home. Despite their fear, these men and women knew the risks of the job, and now that a new risk presented itself not only to them but to their loved ones...every soldier there had steeled themselves. They knew that in a situation like this, their lives might as well be forfeit. Even the corpsman that was in the midst of chiding Kyukuro had resolved to do whatever it took to keep wife and daughter at home safe. Several other riders silently thought of home, their husbands and wives, siblings and children, and how much they loved them...and it was with a mighty cry that they rode off, flare guns pointed at Kurama and firing in unison to draw the fox's attention.
Kurama grunted as the burning colors struck his pelt, feigning a sensation of pain. Immediately Kurama responded by giving a slow chase, playing the sloth because of his gargantuan form. To Kurama the humans weren't very quick at all, not even on their measly horses could they truly outrun the greatest of the Tailed-Beasts. To Kurama, the process of chasing and pretending to lose interest only to be shot at by flares was a long one. It had lasted for three hours or so, especially after the humans resorted to utilizing a cart full of explosive utilities to really catch Kurama's attention. It would be another couple of hours before the horses literally died of exhaustion and the humans stood up to accept their 'impending doom.'
"Eat me first, asswipe!" Cried one soldier. "Yeah, I'm right here, you overgrown rug!" Called out another. "Take me, you shitty mutt!" Another taunted. "Hey, fuck-face—" "—monster!" "Me first you—" the cries of numerous insults went on, each attempting to prolong the lives of their comrades. One voice out them all was the loudest, and that voice was that of their commanding officer. "Devour not my comrades before you do me, titan!" With the booming declaration, the commanding officer threw his sword at Kurama, the blade spinning until it struck and wedged itself into one of Kurama's forearms. The sword melted shortly after due to the caustic nature of Kurama's chakra if he made no attempt to keep it in check.
It was then that Kurama raised his head as he fell back onto his rear, thunderous laughter emanating from his throat. Every soldier, even Kyukuro did a spit take on the reaction the fox gave them.
('Notes': I had no proper order when it came to making this chapter. It was only with make-believe glue and glitter that this final product came out. It seemed so good on paper...oh well, I'll redo the chapter sometime in the future. Anyways, for those of you that haven't read much of 'before the fall,' Kyukuro is the boy born of a pregnant woman that was regurgitated by a titan in the aftermath of a titan attack 70 or so years prior to the main story of SnK. Just take a quick look at it from some English translated manga. Now, as you can tell, I don't have the highest word count, but I try, I suppose. I could make more additions for detail but it simply doesn't come easy to me unless I just about pull the motivation out of my ass.)