Sorry for the incredibly long wait, but this one is really really good! i swear! ^^
It was dawn. The sky was still dark as the sun had yet to show itself. Naruto was used to getting up this early so he had decided to come to the meeting place early. Kyuubi was yawning by Naruto's feet, his fangs glistening in the morning night. Sitting cross legged by a post of the bridge, Naruto decided to meditate. He needed to organize his thoughts of the past couple of days, plus it helped him focus, so he would be ready for the day. Tsunade was always yelling at him to focus, especially when it came to medical ninjutsu. Thinking about his mother brought a sad smile to his face. He missed her. Breathing in deeply, he cleared his mind and began to meditate.
Mediating was always one of Naruto's favoured and most hated hobbies. With his unique chakra system, he did not merely think about certain subjects and feelings, but was able to walk among them. He could relive events from his life to remember certain aspects or details. It was like a photographic memory, but in video. In his mind, his thoughts and feeling were catalogued in books so he could find what he needed quickly and easily. When he read a page or chapter of a book he was instantly transported to the day and time of the event. This allowed him to also see details he previously missed. Of course this means he could recount and relive all of his earliest memories in full detail. Every beating and torture, every insult and jeer. That's why he had a different bookcase for them, so he didn't accidently go through them experience those horrors again. These bookcases were different then the other mahogany ones. They were made out of black wood and had many chains across them with a giant steel lock in the middle. On each of the four corners of all of them and in the centre of each were sealing wards locking the information deep within his psyche, in case he was ever caught and his mind read. He didn't need other people knowing his weaknesses.
The latest information was in a giant pile in the middle of the floor, yet to be organised. The room that he was in was a carbon copy of the living room in the Namikaze household, aside from the countless bookcases along the east wall and the many large doors that lined the south wall. A very high ceiling supported a glass chandelier, candles light to softly light the room. A roaring fireplace stood in the centre of the north wall, casting a warm glow across the room. It was a high as a tall man and wider than five. A comfy couch was opposite the fire, far enough to not be burned by the heat, but close enough to feel the warmth. The floor was lined with plush carpet covered in an even softer rug, coloured blood red. The walls were a dark blue that complemented the red beautifully. Next to the couch was a giant plush cushion that usually held a giant nine-tailed fox, but was currently out in one of the fields that lay beyond the various doors along the south wall. Kyuubi had taught him this when Naruto asked why he was in a sewer.
Flashback
"Hey Kyuu! How's it going?" asked Naruto, the five year old full of excitement. Kyuubi opened an eye to see the energetic blonde slide through the bars of his prison and leap on to one of his paws and sit down as if on an enormous, comfy bean-bag.
'And why are you so cheery kit?" the demon fox yawned, fighting back the last traces of sleep. Naruto rolled over to look the fox in the eye.
"Kaa-san has taken us to meet one of her friends. Her name is Shizune! She's really, really nice! But that's not the best part! We're at this place called a hot spring! They have these giant pools of water that never get cold, and then the comfiest clothes ever! And I can run around and play all day and we don't have to go anywhere for a while-"
Naruto kept going on about the hot spring, but Kyuubi had stopped listening for he had gone off in memories. Memories of days not being caged and being able to run through forests and swim in lakes and hunt wild animals, memories of freedom. Naruto seemed to notice the sad aura surrounding his friend and mentor and stopped talking. Looking around him, he knew why. The great demon lord, the Nine-tailed fox, was caged in a sewer.
"Hey, Kyuu," Naruto said trying to get the kitsune's attention. It took a couple of attempts, but he finally brought the fox out of his memories. "Why are we always in a sewer?" Kyuubi smiled sadly at the child, as much as a fox could anyway.
"This is your mind, you decide consciously or subconsciously what it looks like. Remember when you first came here and there were cracks and bits of the wall crumbling down?" Naruto nodded. "That is because you were so very close to breaking down mentally. The torture and loneliness was winning and slowly but surely destroying you. It is a sewer because that's what your mind was reduced to. Now though, it is because you are used to seeing it this way. When you come to see me in your mind, you visualise this place, yes?" Naruto nodded again. "You do not need to do this; you have to simply think of me to see me. I can show you how to make your mind the landscape you want, so you literally have an inner sanctum."
Naruto thought this over. It would be great if he could visit Kyuubi in a normal room instead of a sewer, but what could he do to help his friend? As he pondered this question, he agreed to Kyuubi's offer and they started the training.
After a couple of weeks under Kyuubi's guidance, Naruto had made his mind more homey. No longer was it the dank, dark sewer that it had been reduced to. No, now it was a warmly lit living room with high ceilings and a giant fireplace. Naruto did not know why he had decided to make it like this, it just seemed right. Though one of the walls was non-existent, instead it was Kyuubi's bars that made up the wall. The giant fox looked out of his prison at the boy with pride, not many shinobi were able to master their thoughts enough to make their minds into a sanctum and Naruto had done it in mere weeks! Truly, when he was older, he would be a force to be reckoned with. Naruto's voice broke through his musings,
"Hey, Kyuu, I'm gonna try something, 'K?" Kyuubi had no time to respond and the boy had started to concentrate very hard. The cage surrounding him warped and went out of focus. The bars started spinning and merging together to form a single, golden band. The gold band floated over to the giant fox and wrapped itself around his neck. When the two ends met a blinding flash lit up the room. When the flash died away, the kanji for seal was burned into the metal, and Kyuubi had a brand new collar. Kyuubi felt the metal around his neck, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Not too tight or too loose to get in his way. He experimentally stretched, standing for the first time in five long years. The place where his cage had been was now replaced by blank wall with a single door on it, and the ceiling had been adjusted to accommodate his height. The giant fox looked at the boy in wonder, he had never thought it was possible to change his cage's surroundings, he thought the seal way impenetrable, that only removing it would give him any form of freedom. He stared down at the child who although had every right to hate him and was his prison guard, had tried his hardest to make him as happy as he could be.
Kyuubi lowered his great head. It took Naruto a second to realise what he was doing. The great Demon Lord, Kyuubi, the Nine-Tailed Fox, greatest of all the Biiju, was bowing down to him. He was speechless.
"W-wait! What are you doing?" exclaimed Naruto. Kyuubi kept his head to the floor.
"I have taken almost everything from you and have offered nothing in return. You have suffered greatly at the hands of other due to my presence, yet you have sought no vengeance against me. Instead give me freedom, as much as you can. Other would see me as just a giant power source or a mass murdering demon, yet you act like I am an actual being and treat me with kindness. You are my mortal vessel and yet you choose to help me rather than make me help you, so I have come to a decision." Naruto cocked his head, waiting for the fox's response.
"I, the Demon Lord Kyuubi, hereby swear an oath of fealty to you, Naruto Namikaze Uzumaki, and promise that me and my heirs will serve you and your heirs for the rest of time, in mind, heart, body and soul. I am yours without reservation, this I swear" Naruto was speechless... but not for long.
"No! You misunderstand! I didn't do this so you would become my servant! You have done heaps for me and I wanted to repay you somehow! You heal me all the time and your always there when I need to talk to someone! I don't want you to be a slave to me for the rest of your life!"
"And that, kit, is why I swear myself to you. You are the first mortal, no, the first being whom I have deemed worthy of my power, and so, I will serve you willingly. Don't get me wrong though," Kyuubi adopted an evil grin. "I'm not going to be some little pet that meekly obeys you. I will teach you all you need to know about the shinobi arts, or 'ninja skills' as you so graciously named them. I will not only be your servant, but your teacher and comrade, and my training will make that old woman's seem like child's play"
Naruto smiled. "So we're friends then." Kyuubi smiled too, as much as a fox could.
End Flashback
That was one of Naruto's most treasured memories. He smiled softly before a giant wave of pain broke through his mediative state. Opening his eyes he frowned, usually Kyuubi alerted him to any danger that was near him. Looking down he saw a wickedly sharp kunai sticking out of his arm. Gazing round for the fox, his heart froze with fear and blood boiled with rage.
A group of village youths had dragged a small, bloody, furry body further down the road and dumped it there. They were now standing around it in a circle arguing. They looked a few years older than Naruto, fifteen, maybe sixteen years old. One of them brought a stick sown upon the red lump and another wave of pain entered Naruto's head. The pain hadn't been his; it had been Kyuubi's. The red lump was his fox. The kitsune was covered in blood, staining his dark red fur even darker. His paw was twisted at an unnatural angle and there were several kunai stabbed into his body. Kyuubi whimpered pitifully. Unbridled rage ran throughout Naruto's body, his heart was replaced by an iceblock, both with hatred for these strangers and fear for his friend. Standing quickly, he raced over to the group, just in time to catch the last of their conversation.
"I caught him! So I get to kill it!" argued one
"But I'm the one who found it! I should be the one to end its miserable existence!" the one who had hit Kyuubi with the stick retorted.
"Both of you shut up! I'm injured it the most so it's only fair I get to kill it. If I didn't it could have escaped." Naruto made sure he remembered that face
"That's not fair! You've already hurt it enough for three of us! I came up with the plan! If I don't get to kill it I at least want a couple of tails to take home and show my dad. He'll be sooooo proud that I killed one of the demons!"
"Me too! Ok, here's how we're gonna do it; Hiroto, since you saw it, you can kill it, but since Yoshiro was the one who caught it, he can have its head. The rest of us will divide up the tails. Sound fair?"
"Fine, how many tails are there anyway? It's the most I've ever seen on one. Maybe we should take the body back and show someone, this one could be an Elder Fox. They're rare."
"Elder Fox?"
"Yea, I heard from my dad they're the first sons of the Kyuubi, they're kinda like the alpha's of a pack of dogs, except they all work together. Anyway, there are only nine of them, and each one of the Elder's has the power of a tail of the Kyuubi and when they all meet together devastation arises. You can tell it's an elder coz they have eight tails. That's how you tell how old one of the demons is. Each generation has one less tail than the one before it 'coz the power of the Kyuubi is lessened each time they mate with another fox or something. If we got one of the Elders, we'll be heroes!"
"But it's tiny. If it's an Elder, shouldn't it be huge?"
"True but it has lots of tails. Had anyone counted how many it has?"
"Yea, but I must be wrong, Oi! One of you guys count them!"
"You are how old, Hiroto? And you can't count? Ever thought of going back to the academy" another teased
"Shut up! If I'm right this is so not funny!"
"Why?"
Yamato didn't have a chance to answer as a whirlwind blew through their group, sending them all flying. Naruto stood over the fox, rage barely contained. Oh, how he wished he could tear each of their heads off and burn their eyes out! His fingers twitched towards his kunai as he contemplated the thought. A whimper from Kyuu broke through his hate filled haze, and his attention immediately shifted to the wounded fox. Looking over his wounded friend, his breath caught in his throat. Cuts littered his body, the paw that was twisted unnaturally was undoubtedly broken as well as a couple of his ribs. Kyuubi coughed weakly, blood spilling from his jaws. Scanning his body with chakra, he noticed that one of the broken ribs had pierced a lung and was failing rapidly.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" one of the boys yelled
Naruto stilled, holding himself back from turning and snapping the neck of the one who yelled at him. He heard the one called Yoshiro whisper,
"Hey, isn't that the kid who the fox was protecting?" Naruto's blood ran cold. This was his fault?
"Yea! Looks like he's friends with the monster, we should thank him." Hiroto grinned.
Naruto turned and faced them his eyes dead, the only sign of his rage was his fist curled tightly at his side, blood dripping from them from the nails that had bitten into his palms. "Thank me?" he questions, his voice flat with no emotion.
"Yeah, you see we tried to catch him before but he evaded us, when you were sleeping against the tree. We tried for ages, it was like the thing was playing with us but then when Yoshiro stumbled close to you, I dunno, it was like a switch was flipped or something, he went feral and bit him. We're not idiots, the thing likes you, so from then on we aimed most of our attacks at you, and waited for it to slip. It couldn't protect you and itself at the same time. Have to admit, it took a couple of kunai before it finally collapsed. So it could be an Elder. How would anything other than an Elder last so long against the five of us, whilst protecting a sleeping person and itself for such a long time?"
"Anyway, its coz the thing was distracted protecting you we were able to catch it" Hiroto finished smiling. Agony washed through Naruto. It was his fault Kyuubi was like this. If it wasn't for him he could have easily taken down these five bastards.
"But anyway, move aside. We still gotta divide it up."
"Hey! I thought we were taking it to show someone?"
"Nah, too much effort, let's just kill it now."
Naruto's agony was lost to the fresh wave of anger. An inhuman growl emerged from his lips, causing the youths to turn and look at him. They had time to blink before each of them was met with a fist. They all flew backwards and hit a wall of one of the buildings that surrounded the bridge. He was about to run after them and paint the building a lovely shade of red when someone grabbed onto his arm and stopped him. Naruto didn't even see who it was before he landed a fist in their face. He turned to go back to the assholes that had dared hurt his friend but was blocked by a solid chest. Looking up he saw the one eye that had haunted his nightmare for the past ten years, but even that mighty terror was lost to his rage and thirst for revenge.
"Get out of the way Kakashi." He growled. Kakashi flinched at the hate in the young boy's voice.
"Naruto, I-"
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" he roared and punched the jounin out of his way. He didn't see but he was pretty sure he landed near the bridge he had recently vacated, he didn't care either. Turning towards the boys, he stalked towards them. They were still on their backs and groggy from when Naruto had knocked them into next week. He reached the one closest to him and pulled out a kunai. As he brought it over his head, ready to bring it down and pierce the child below him, he heard a weak voice,
"Kit...your...oath..." Naruto paused, debating with himself quickly he turned and ran back towards the fox, choosing on trying to save him rather than killing the scum that now lay sprawling on the street. When he reached the fox, he wasn't the only one there.
"Come to your senses have you?" Sasuke said to him, a nasty bruise was forming on his cheek. He must have been the one who tried to hold him back. He was pretty sure he fractured his cheek bone, but the raven showed no indication of his pain or discomfort. He had Kyuubi in his arms and wrapped in what was probably a nice shirt but now a bloody piece of material. Naruto's eyes narrowed.
"What are you doing with him?" he demanded, kunai still held tightly in his hand.
"Calm down, baka. Unlike those other peons, I actually like Fang, so I was on my way to the vet, unless you can do that jutsu you used on the birds...?"
Naruto's face fell. "I can't use that jutsu on him. No jutsu will work on him, he needs old fashioned medical techniques, and I only know stuff that's for humans, not animals. He needs a vet, and a really good one. One of his lungs is punctured as well as numerous bones being broken."
"Then we should take him to the Inuzuka compound" a new voice broke in. Both boys turned to see Kakashi standing next to them. Ignoring the familiar terror in favour of worry for Kyuubi, he eyed the jounin, waiting for an elaboration. "Inuzuka is a ninja clan here that specializes in breeding canines. They should be more than adequate in healing your friend."
Naruto just nodded before turning towards Sasuke and holding out his arms. Not needing an explanation he handed the wounded fox over to the blonde. Naruto quickly checked his vitals before saying in a calm voice,
"Then let's hurry, he is getting weaker," The others didn't miss the undertone of worry, sadness and urgency that was laced in his voice. Kakashi nodded before saying,
'Follow me then," he jumped onto the roof of one of the near buildings, turning to make sure his new pupils were following him, he raced off towards the Inuzuka veterinary hospital. What a great start for their first day as a team.
...
As they left the scene, they didn't notice that the one called Hiroto was still conscious, but deep in thought. "I couldn't be right. I must be wrong. It couldn't have had nine tails..."
...
"We've told you already, GET OUT!" a nurse screamed at the group. Kyuubi was limp in Naruto's arms; his blood had started to seep through Sasuke's shirt and was dripping steadily onto the floor. The nurse who had yelled at them looked at it in disgust. "Great, now I'm not only going to have to wash the floor but bleach it too now that that thing's blood has touched it," she said. Kakashi tried reasoning with her again.
"Please, you have to help him, he's really injured! He's only an animal!"
"Only an animal? Its spawn! It deserves to die! I can't believe you have the audacity to bring it in here! You should have left it where you found it, or better yet: killed it where it lay! Now GET OUT!" at this point Naruto was shaking with rage. How dare they turn them away? Kyuubi was injured, he needed help! And they would turn them away? Even say that he needed to die? These people know nothing! Even as they stood there he could feel Kyuubi's heart beat get weaker, his breaths coming in short gasps, blood dribbling out of his mouth. Blood was pooling into the lung that had been pierced by one of his broken ribs. It was his entire fault! If it wasn't for him, Kyuubi would be fine. In the back of his mind he could here Kyuubi reassuring him, but even his mind voice was filled with pain.
"Kit...its ok... I'm not going... to die."
"I know! It- It's just! It's my fault your feeling all this pain, and if they don't heal you, your body will die!"
"I... am the... great... demon... lord... Kyuubi. Like... five cretins... could... kill me." Despite his worry Naruto snorted with laughter.
"Even though you're dying, you're still an arrogant ass" he could feel Kyuubi smiling weakly in his mind. Frowning Naruto continued. "Don't try and play this down Kyuu! If you die, you'll DIE! It may not be permanent, but it will be ages before you recover enough to be even able to talk to me through our connection!"
"We... knew the... risk... I wanted... to do... this. I... will... not be... gone for... long"
"Do you know how long is long? I don't know if I can cope without you Kyuu! We've always been together! You're my closest and best friend! What am I going to do without you! It may not seem like dying to you but it will really be like your dead to me! I won't be able to talk to you or see you in my dreams or in my mind! It will be like part of me is missing! Kyuubi's heart warmed when he heard those words. Truly, the most important thing to them was each other.
"When... we discovered... this jutsu... and... you offered... to do it... for me... it, was the happiest... day of ... my existence. You... a child... were willing... to risk everything... for me. You... gave me my... freedom, as... much as... was possible... without killing... me. I was... able to run... through the... forests... feel the... soil in my... claws... the excitement... of the... hunt... the wind through... my fur. You... have given... me more... than anything... any other host... would have... you are the first and only... human to hold... my respect and friendship. I... do not... know how... much longer... I can last... but for you... I will last... as... long... as... i... can..." his voice faded in Naruto's mind.
"Kyuu? Kyuubi? KYUUBI?" Naruto let out a strangled sob causing Kakashi and Sasuke to look at him. Sasuke's heart wrenched at the pure agony and distress on Naruto's face. Tears flowed freely down his scarred cheeks. He looked up at them, his blue eyes clouded in anguish. "I-I can't hear him anymore," he said softly, brokenly. Not questioning how he was able to communicate with the fox he turned to the nurse.
"I demand that you heal this fox!" His voice cold and ringing with authority. The nurse frowned at him.
"And why should I listen to you?" she sneered.
"I am Sasuke Uchiha, and I order you to heal this creature!" The nurse faltered. Uchiha? As in the Uchiha? Even if his clan was slaughtered, he was a very powerful boy, holding all of the Uchiha assets, influence and money. But rules were rules; those things were not animals and therefore were forbidden to be treated in this hospital.
"You could be the fire lord and that fox would still get thrown out along with the garbage it deserves to rot with." She scoffed at the boy. Needless to say Sasuke was outraged.
"I DEMAND YOU TREAT THIS FOX NOW!" he yelled. The nurse just refused again.
"Oi, what's with all the noise?" Everyone turned towards the new voice. Kiba stood in the door of the hospital taking in the scene before him, Akamaru on top of his head. The nurse grew flustered.
'Y-young master! Why are you here? Don't you have training?" Sasuke's eyebrow rose at the young master bit. But Kiba was ignoring them all and staring at Naruto's tear-streaked face and small bloody bundled in his arms. Smelling blood Akamaru jumped down from his head and ran over to the blonde boy and his friend. Recognizing the fox, he started barking, growling and whining all at once. Making up his mind he ran to the boy and grabbed the fox from him before turning and hurrying towards a pair of double doors that lead deeper into the hospital, Akamaru following faithfully at his heals. Looking over his shoulder he saw that Naruto was staring at the empty space in his arms that once held his most beloved pet.
"Oi! Follow me if you want your friend healed!" before disappearing through the doors. Naruto's head snapped up just as he saw Kyuubi disappear from view by the door. Without another thought he was up and pelting after the dog-boy who had whisked away his fox, Sasuke and Kakashi not far behind him, leaving the nurse in the middle of the waiting room, wondering what had just happened.
...
Kiba took them to a white room with pristine steel operating table in the centre of it. Many different doctoring instruments surrounded it; most Naruto recognised from his time with Tsunade, others were completely foreign to him, probably meant for use on animals only. Not wasting any time, the brunette set Kyuubi down on the table an arranged him so he could be examined easily. Holding his hands over the fox, they were enveloped in a soft green light. After a while Kiba frowned and let loose a long string of curses. Whirling round he turned to Naruto, but before he had a chance to speak, Naruto beat him to it.
"Jutsu don't work on him, that's why we came here otherwise I would have healed him myself. He needs operating on, without chakra. He has a pierced left lung, severe blood loss, four broken ribs, one of them is piercing the lung, while three are cracked, his right front paw is broken as well as a dislocated shoulder. They're the major injuries; the lesser ones are all the cuts and bruises you see. The deepest on is the one on his shoulder; it has cut through a lot of muscles but is nowhere near any organs or vital areas. Please, can you help him?" he near begged of the boy. As Naruto had listed the fox's injuries, he had frowned deeper and deeper.
"What the fuck happened to him?" he almost demanded. At once Naruto's demeanour changed. His anguish filled blue eyes became icy cold and his jaw was rigid with rage.
"Leaf villagers happened" he hissed, venom dripping from every word. Kiba looked confused before noticing and remembering the many tails the fox has. Understanding sparked in his eyes.
"Ah, he's one of those foxes," Naruto whirled to face him, every inch of his body promising a very painful death if he dared to insult his fox. Kiba held up his hands, trying to show he meant no disrespect. "Hey dude, I don't have a problem with them. All animals are equal to me; and I understand what you're going through. If anything like this happened to Akamaru, geez I dunno, I'd be a massive wreck. Almost feel sorry for those guys though, I've seen what you can do and that was when you weren't as pissed as you are now." A bark interrupted the boys. Turning they saw Akamaru standing in the doorway, a woman behind him. She was about a head taller than Kiba but had the same fang marking on her cheeks. A relative? Naruto asked himself.
"Oi, bout time you got here sis," take that as a yes, "I need some help with this one." Ignoring everyone except her new patient the woman started to examine him before Kiba interrupted. "No use, for some reason it's immune to jutsu. But he is seriously injured we need to operate, stat!" Taking all of this into stride, Kiba's sister whirled around the room, washing her hands, getting a white coat on and setting lights so they were ready to operate.
"What are his injuries? Most severe to least" she demanded. Kiba listed them all, not missing a single one, and he ran around the room, preparing to assist his sister. When they were about to start the woman turned to the three still in the room watching.
"All of you! Out! Now!" Kakashi and Sasuke turned to leave but Naruto didn't move, a defiant spark glittering in his eyes.
"No." She turned and looked at the stubborn blonde haired boy.
"Out"
"No,"
"Leave, now."
"No."
"I said to get out of the operating room, NOW!"
"I am not leaving him."He said staring the woman right in the eye. She held his gaze for a few seconds searching for something.
"Yours?"
"Yes."
"Fine, you people can stay but you get in my way, you're out. And not through the door either. You'll find yourself discovering what wall tastes like." And with that she turned and started working on Kyuubi, with the new Team 7 looking on.
The minutes slowly ticked by.
They then turned into hours.
Sasuke had taken to leaning against the wall his eyes closed. Kakashi was out in the waiting hall, where there were chairs and he didn't receive piercing dagger glare from the doctor for reading Make-Out Paradise in a hospital. Naruto hadn't moved at all since the surgery had started. The only part of his body that showed he was still alive was his eyes following the doctors every move but most of the time he was staring at the part of Kyuubi's head he could see and wasn't covered by a thin white sheet, his head. But this meant he could see his eyes, that hadn't had the energy left to close before the fox fell unconscious, so Naruto was forced to stare into his blank eyes, as if the fox had already died. Guilt, anger, hatred, and an endless well of despair were all warring through him as he watched the vet cut Kyuubi open to set his ribs and patch up the hole in his lung.
It was during this part of the procedure that Kyuubi had stopped breathing.
(A/N: wouldn't you all hate me if I left it here? ^^ think of the cliff hanger! buuuut lucky thing I'm nice =P)
Panic gripped Naruto as the woman started yelling stuff at Kiba and Kiba was yelling back. But none of that mattered, Kyuubi had stopped breathing. The flat line was making an endless noise that was drilling itself into Naruto's heart and slowly killing it. Kiba rushed to the side of the room and brought out a machine to jump start Kyuubi's heart, animal size. He charged it and then pushed the metal onto Kyuubi's body. As the electric shock raced throughout the kitsune's body, it lifted off the table before falling back down limply. Naruto just stared blankly as this was repeated over and over. Each time his body fell limply to the cold table with a sickening thud. He couldn't die, he said he wouldn't. He was meant to be with him forever, he couldn't leave. He promised. No. He can't be gone. No. He can't go. No. He couldn't leave him. No. No. No. No. No. No.
"Naruto," a voice said sadly. He didn't realise he was saying it out loud. Sasuke's eyes held sympathy and pity for him. No. They aren't meant to look like that. His face is meant to look cold and smug, his eyes full of arrogance as he states that he was over reacting, and that Kyuubi was ok. The sound of a door opening made Naruto look at Kakashi entering the room. His eye was the same as Sasuke's. No. No. No.
"NOOO!" he screamed Kakashi and Sasuke grabbed at him as he tried to run to the table. Kiba and his sister looked up to see the utter despair and agony of the boy, saw as each second past, a little of him died. They were helpless; there was nothing more they could do. Akamaru whined as Kiba hung his head in defeat.
"NO! He can't die! He promised to stay with me! He was always there! He can't go!" Sasuke was shocked at the state of the blonde. He was usually so composed if sometimes goofy. Why this extreme reaction over a fox. Even though he admitted he liked the animal and was incredibly saddened by its passing, Naruto acted as if it was a father or brother that had died.
Naruto's mind was in turmoil. The room in which he imagined his mind had begun to shake and the walls were crumbling. Naruto was screaming inside, the loss was overwhelming him. There had to be something he could do! He couldn't survive without Kyuubi! Then it hit him. He could! It might leave him bed ridden for a week and he might reveal who he was, but he had to!
As Kiba and his sister stepped away from the body of the fox, Kakashi felt an overwhelming sense of pity for the boy. The fox had no doubt been his only friend throughout his life and now it was dead. He felt the blonde stop struggling in his hands and he loosened his hold on the blonde. The second he did the boy dashed to the table that held his friend. Grabbing five kunai he stabbed them around the table forming a pentagram. He then turned and threw more kunai that stuck into each of the corners of the room, but these ones had seals for containment attached to them. All the occupants of the room stared in wonder as he stepped out of the circle and made a series of hand signs. When they looked in his eyes all they saw was desperation and determination. Instead of trying to stop him, they allowed him to do whatever he felt he must before accepting that his friend was gone. When Naruto finished his hand signs, they all felt the sudden increase in chakra. It was at least Sannin level. Staring at the boy in wonder they watched as he attempted to revive the fox.
"Summoning Jutsu! Five Fox Guardians!" Naruto screamed releasing his built up chakra into the five kunai that made the pentagram. As one they all pulsed, reverberating throughout the small operating room. As they pulsed each of the kunai began to change. On Naruto's right, the kunai had stated to melt, turning into a large puddle of water before a figure rose from within. As the body of the creature firmed, ice claws could be seen, protruding from legs made of water. Its tails whipped around, constantly in motion and impossible to count how many, as they split and then splashed back together continuously, never staying the same amount for more than a few seconds. When its eyes opened, they were icy, literally. Two glowing eyes of ice shone out of the pointed face. The creature's watery jaws opened slightly revealing deadly sharp icicles for teeth. When the figure solidified, a fox made entirely out of water and ice had materialized. The creature sat patiently on its marker and the fox of Water and Ice waited for its brothers to form.
To the left, the kunai had ignited and burned, reducing the once sharp kunai to ashes. From the flames a figure started to emerge. A body darker than night stepped from the flames. Its claws were sharper than any weapon and even as they rested against the ground gently, they still left lines from where the slightest amount of pressure pushed them against the ground. Flames danced along the lithe body of the fox, its tail an inferno of frolicking flames. When this fox opened its eyes, they were molten, liquid fire. When it opened its jaws, the saliva dripped from them and fell to the floor, burning straight through the concrete ground. The fox of Fire and Magma sat proudly and waited for its command.
The kunai next in line had been surrounded by a small tornado that grew larger with every second. The winds whipped and thrashed until a hazy form could be distinguished. There was no physical form to this fox. Its tail were invisible as were it claws, the only parts that was the torso, as the air that was meant to be in the area occupied by the fox where spun into a frenzy, outlining its form. When its eyes opened, mini cyclones spun in the centre of each. The fox of Wind and Air had arrived.
Next, the kunai had been shrouded in a cloak of electricity, crackling constantly. When the fox emerged, it was almost as indistinguishable as the one before, made entirely of light, its fur was spiky and stood on end constantly from the electricity that made up its being. When is eyes opened, they were endless black depths, but when you stared into them, you could hear the boom of thunder. Its tail was flickering constantly and even as the fox of Lighting and Sound sat down, it seemed like it was constantly in motion.
The remaining kunai had sunk into the ground, absorbed by the concrete that was a part of the final fox. The last of the five rose from the ground itself. It was composed of many things, any and all that was created in the earth. It body was made of hardened earth and each of its legs were wrapped in vines that had started to bloom flowers. This one had many tails, each made of a different substance. There was sand, stone, metal and wood to name a few. Its claws were made of gold; teeth looked like they were made with diamonds and its eyes shone bright red with rubies. The fox of Earth and Wood completed the circle.
The onlookers stared in wonder at the mythical beasts that had been summoned before them. Each one magnificent and powerful, each one now looking towards Naruto and... Bowing?
"Greetings Naruto-sama." They all said in unison, heads dipped low to the ground. Naruto-sama? Naruto had these powerful creatures in his service? Even one was a difficult to acquire, they were the pure embodiment of the five elements and the sub-elements that very few ever learn. It was these spirits working together with the Sage of Six paths that Justus were even created! He was the master of the spirits that had given all ninjas their jutsu?
Naruto fell to his knees when the Guardians greeted him. Looking up and resting his gaze on Kyuubi he asked, "Please, he was your master too. Help me." His voice broken. Looking towards the table to where the Lord of the Biju now lay, each of the foxes growled. Naruto held out one of his hands and waited. The foxes started to pulse, each of them brimming with power.
"Command us." They stated together. Naruto looked over his shoulder at the small group of people watching. Kakashi looked astounded, his mask slipping down to the bridge of his nose his mouth was open so much. Sasuke's usual blank face was filled with awe as well as disbelief. Kiba was busy trying to pick his eyes off the ground while his sister had sunk down to the floor, legs unable to hold her up anymore.
"I need you to swear you will never repeat what is about to happen in this room to any other living soul again. That includes each other." He commanded. Kakashi muttered a weak yes, while Sasuke just nodded. Kiba looked confused but agreed anyway; his sister however, looked calculating, even on the floor.
"Command us."
"You're going to attempt to bring him back." It was a statement not a question.
"Yes."Naruto deadpanned.
"Are you sure it is going to work?"
"No."
"But you're going to try anyway."
"Yes."
"Then I will have no arguments against it. Any and all animals deserve a second chance." She stated firmly. Naruto smiled sadly at this.
"I wonder if you'll think the same after what you witness." He thought out loud. She looked at him in confusion, but he had already turned back to the table.
"Command us." Naruto took a deep breath before he stated in a deep voice that seemed to belong to a much older Naruto,
"I, Naruto Namikaze Uzumaki Senju, Son of Minato Namikaze, Fourth Hokage to the Hidden Leaf Village, Son of Kushina Uzumaki, Princess of the Hidden Whirlpool Village, Adopted son of Tsunade Senju, Granddaughter of the First Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, Hiroshima Senju, and member of the legendary Sannin; Hereby command you before me, Five Guardian Foxes, fathers of jutsu, Lords of the Underworld, Subordinates of the King of the Biju; As the Mortal Vessel of the Nine-tailed Demon Fox Kyuubi, give me your power so I may revive your lord and my servant!"
At the end of his command each of the foxes was now nimbuses of power. A ball of water, fire, wind, lightning and earth circled over his head before combining together to form a ball of pure light. Reaching up with his still out stretched hand he took hold of the light at brought it over the body of his friend.
"As your master and vessel, I summon you back to this body!" As the last syllable left his mouth he slammed the ball of light straight into the fox's chest. A sound like crashing thunder, roaring fire, screaming wind, rumbling earth and pounding water filled the room. Light blinded them all. All of the occupants except Naruto held their hands over their ears trying to lessen the deafening noise and eyes squeezed shut to try and lessen the burn of the light, but to no avail. It was like each of the elements had decided to pound their way out from the inside of their skulls and the light had burned itself to the inside of their eyelids. When the noise receded and the light dimmed to its usual level did they dare to open their eyes and remove their hands.
Naruto was still on his knees, slumped against the table that held the fox. Kiba's sister rushed over to check on the blonde, but he waved her away.
"Did it work?" he croaked his voice returned to normal but rough with over use. She looked over to the table and couldn't contain her gasp of shock. The fox's body looked as if nothing had ever touched it. The fur was glossy and smooth, not a speck of blood to be seen. Running her hands along its body she felt its bones. All were in place and healed. She removed her hands and stared at the boy in wonder and awe. His eyes held nothing but desperation over the fox's condition. She was about to tell him that the body had healed but the foxes spirit was gone, when said fox opened its eyes and slowly got up from the table. She couldn't take it anymore. She fainted.
Kiba hurried to his sister's side, making sure she was ok. He turned to look at the blonde, but Naruto only had eyes for the fox. He watched as the once desperate and agony tortured eyes, filled with relief and uncontrolled happiness. His heart rose when he saw the love the boy held for the animal, but it almost stopped dead by the one word the boy said with the utmost joy before collapsing.
Kakashi was shocked. The boy knew about everything. EVERYTHING! Who his father was, who his mother was! Even what was inside him! The reason for all of the bad things that had happened during his childhood, he knew! He could go on a rampage at any minute! He could actually release the fox whole heartedly! But when the blonde uttered that one word dripping with relief before he couldn't stay conscious any longer, filled Kakashi with uncontrollable hate and anger, but also made him want to run and hide in his bed.
Sasuke stared in shock as the fox rose from the table and turned towards the blonde. Everything that had happened in the past few minutes had completely overloaded his brain, was everything the blonde said true? No wonder he kept everything about himself a secret. That's why he was in the nobles section of the village, his father's house! No wonder he made sure he got their sworn promise not to utter a word about this to anyone! It would make him a target, from enemies as well as power hungry fools. Fools like himself. If he could get the blonde to show him some techniques, he could take his brother down no problem, but what the blonde said in the happiest tone he had ever heard of, made his brain shut down completely as he watched the boy pitch forward in the embrace of the unconscious.
"Kyuubi!"
I've been wanting to use the five guardians for a while now and i was so happy when i got a chance to use them ^^ please tell me what you think!