Chapter 6: Who's angry?
Naruto let the silent tears make their trip down the curve of his cheeks as his chest heaved in and out quickly. The feeling of being alone again had never hurt him this much. The boy hastily wiped his tears with his hands, not wanting to damage Inu's shirt after how kind he was to Naruto, but the boy did not sob. No, he never sobbed. He always distanced himself from others that being hurt was a normal event he no longer had the energy to care about. Sliding down against the closed door he looked up at the ceiling only to feel a harsh tug on the back of his mind. It didn't hurt but it wasn't a gentle pull either. Ignoring the now growing thumping in his head Naruto closed his eyes holding the book close to his chest.
Immediately he brought his legs together and opened the book to once again find escapism in the enticing book. But the headache had increased and left the boy grimacing as to what was happening. What is wrong with you? Naruto angrily scolded himself in his head only for the hammering to grow in strength. Gritting his teeth he slammed his head against the door repetitively to try and overpower the growing pain, like he was trying to illogically fix a broken toy by hitting it once or twice. But normally this method does not work.
A hostile tug pulled him out of his conscience and left him feeling lost.
His body felt weightless. Drifting in an infinite space of dark emptiness. Opening what he felt was his eyes Naruto choked on the sudden rush of liquid entering his nostrils. Coughing out in surprise Naruto's body jerked to life as he promptly jumped to his feet and leant against the wall for balance. His brain spinning in, a tornado of rapid thoughts as he greedily took deep breaths of air only to stop. His mind went blank.
Moving his hand he felt a heavy liquid soak onto his clothing. In the dingy red light his eyes took a long time to adjust as he blankly stared at his hands in puzzle. Flesh. There was a distinct odour of freshly spilt blood, which Naruto normally reacted indifferently to, dominated the air. But his rational side kicked in. A chill ran down his spine as he stared in horror at the black blood which was freely oozing out the cracks of the mouldy grey walls. Mixing in with the fresh water which reached up to his knees. Jerking away from the wall, he was leaning on, Naruto noticed how narrow the passageway was. His breathe quicken as he felt the familiar claustrophobic pressure weighted down onto him like a tonne of bricks.
Without thinking the boy bolted along the maze of passageways. Some spilt into multiple lanes. Some he could clearly see had a dead-end. Some made him feel like the wall were closing into him making him hyperventilate with the feeling if impending doom. The contaminated sea of diluted blood slowed him down, splatters of the liquid assaulted his face as his stomach flopped at the thought of blood. Splashing around unhelpfully Naruto felt disgusted as he thought about what Inu would think when he saw Naruto drenched in crimson liquid. He will leave me for sure. No I won't let him! Naruto screamed in his head which allowed his legs tap into an unknown source of power- with a fierce will.
Paddling through the dirty waters he finally saw a bright light at the end of corridor. His determination now renewed Naruto ploughed through the murky passageway only to notice the light had not grown any bigger with closeness.
"I see him…" A gravelly voice echoed in monotone, along the corridors.
"It's the demon…" The voice spoke again with a delusional laugh. Launching spears of fear into Naruto's soul. From the corner of his eyes he saw a brewing mist of shadowy figures surging towards him. Withering hands reaching out to clamp onto Naruto's limbs to prevent his escape. Detrimentally shivering to his bone the boy could only frantically paddle through the water as the liquid became more unfavourably viscous. Soon he could no longer move his legs as the level of the viscous substance began to rise and creep up to his abdomen. The ghouls approached Naruto as decaying wisps of rotting green delicately outlined the curve of Naruto's visage. The touch was cold and sharp like the edge of a knife made out of ice. Ghostly whispers tormented Naruto, playfully the voices chanted his worst fears like an exorcism meant to eradicate all evil beings.
'Let him go…You will only hurt him. You monster!' The harsh voice pushed through Naruto's now flimsy mental barriers. A long throaty laugh echoed in Naruto's head like a never ending tune meant to spread misery.
A distant crack vibrated and the walls shook with much intensity. The cracks widened under the strain and the flow of blood fluctuated, filling the halls quicker in the slimy substance. Naruto looked up desperately hoping that his air way won't get blocked. One line was all Naruto needed to repeat as a mantra to get through this situation. Do not fear, as those who wronged me have shown me worse….The liquid dominating his surrounding tried to drown him. Taint him. But then everything froze.
The voices were immediately silenced as a more morbid laugh, reflecting pure amusement, reigned the passageways. It was harsher but held a strong undertone of authority, one would have to stop and admire. The water stopped climbing and Naruto took in frenzied gulps of air. Then his vision blacked out.
Once again Naruto awoke assiduously. Luckily he was lying on the concrete ground but he did not bother to show his joy as he felt an ominous pair of eyes observe him, down to a single twitch of a muscle. Judging from the feeling of pressure the watcher was not hostile. But neither was it a friendly welcome. Turning towards a dim light in the air Naruto quickly backtracked having encountered his onlooker.
A large pair of hard eyes hawked intensely back at him. The vivid glow of the eyes reminded Naruto of burning coal. The unnatural black lumps of useless rocks which when burnt flared in alluring colours of flickering yellows to dying reds. The colours breathing like us to glow mysterious ambers. The ferocity of the fire underestimated, they watched Naruto as if to burn all lies, deceits and trickery only to uncover the truth. The truth which gave Naruto the energy to live another day in hell.
"So, insect are you capable of communication?" The voice was rich with amusement and authority, with hints of an aloof tone. But Naruto he was too mesmerised with the beasts eyes that the voice did not register in his brain.
"Great, stuck with an imbecile, what have I done to deserve such an idiot as a temporary host…" The beast muttered. But with slight movement, the light seemed to get brighter to illuminate corroded orange bars. The rust conquering the once shiny metal like a fungus. Looking closer Naruto sucked in a deep breath as he laid his eyes on luscious long tail dragging behind the beast. The hues he saw where a treat as they only appeared in autumn when the trees shed their leaves and leave a mess of rich scarlet to golden yellows.
"Beautiful…" Firstly Naruto is never lost for words- unlike now. Secondly, Naruto even if amazed will never show it- unlike now. Thirdly and lastly Naruto never complimented- unlike now. And the beast knew this.
"Of Couse, it is, you insect!" The beast timidly roared but hesitated to answer Naruto's longing gaze. But with a snap of the beasts shelves of knifes called teeth, Naruto looked up in indifference. Having lost his dazed look.
"Listen insect I will only say this once, this is very important and you should be honoured to even be alive in my presence. You are my host. Right now we are in your sub-conscious. My title and status are Prince Kurama II but I'm also worshipped as 'The Eien no honō' (Eternal Flame). Now has all that information got through that thick skull properly. I made it as simple as possible, right Insect? Or have I overestimated your brains capacity." It has become apparent that this beast was hell bent on keeping Naruto beneath him in all pretence but Naruto had no will to argue. Such an intriguing creature had captured his eyes he could only admire from a distance. Naruto could only watch hoping the light would be able to reach out and once again bathe the animal's fur in white light.
"The cage?" Naruto murmured as if not to provoke the beast but not bothering to uphold the responsibility to showing respect to a prince. That is if he is a prince… But Naruto didn't care enough to dwell on the thought.
"Insect, this cage in designed to keep me in and you out, understand?" The beast having asked the question moved on without looking for an answer. "Now say we think of a way to get me out of here. Question?" Naruto opened his mouth and let out a hollow laugh as his eyes reflected no change in emotion.
"I have my theories on the answer to my question. Who are you?" The beast turned and glowered at the smaller frame which dared to raise its voice again him.
"I have already said Insect. My name is Prince Ku-" Naruto raised his hand to silence him. "Yes, you are a prince. But who are you to us?" Naruto rephrased.
"Well if you stay quiet, insect, then maybe I can explain. It happened long ago when I was on a mission to save a comrade of mine, who just happened to be taken as a hostage as an experiment in your repulsive village, which is a breeding ground for vile and stomach sickening acts. Your Hokage, a fool in his own right, cared too much for his village immediately came up with the bright idea of sealing me inside of his child. You, the insect." Naruto was silent, but Kurama sensed an incoming wave of atomine residue. The concrete walls cracked as odourless brown gas leaked into the air. With a low hum of vibrating machinery the distant sound of gears locking together clanged in the air as the gas illuminated the dim room a rejuvenating sparky blue.
"Father? The Hokage?" Another hollow fanatic laugh resonated in the expansive room. The beast could only watch with raw patience as he watched the show with little interest.
"If you are done with the realisation I would like to leave. You, after all, have no reason to live why not let me go? When I leave you die but since you always have had suicidal thoughts I don't see that as a problem."
"A problem? But I have a better proposal…"
"Ha, what could you give to me which is better than my freedom?" The animal's growl brought a large unnatural smirk to the boy's face.
"But I could sneak around and find this comrade while finding the ones responsible and not getting innocent humans involved," Naruto suggested with a carefree voice.
"I don't care about innocent or guilty death comes to everyone. I'm simply making quickening this process." Kurama countered.
"But I am offering myself to you? I have the power to release you but I want, to put it lightly, keep you on loan…"
"Loan? You little insect expect me to bend to your will!" The beast spat out like the proposition itself was blasphemy.
"To put it simply I want you to be my father."
The beast waited. And waited. But Naruto's face was neutral with seriousness.
"Why not that Inu or Kakashi guy?"
"The reason does not matter. Does not having someone have no choose but to obey you not please you? The control?"
"I want a reason, insect. You may be fun to toy with, have a little to no mercy and have no heart in the end humans all betray each other."
"But you are not human. I am tired of being misunderstood. Becoming your child will just make me who I am destined to be in others eyes. It will bring me a peace and put to sleep the monsters which always threaten to rid of me. They seem to always think that I am fooling others with a human façade. But becoming a monster will make me the true me." Though the description had come off dodgy Kurama could not help but crack an insane smile which displayed his shelve of polished white blades.
"Congratulation insect, you have just been upgraded from insect to my kit. But be warned as my son you will have to achieve more that good. There are challenges and chances of being targeted by beings you had no idea existed. Be ready as you have to forge your own path. I will simply be your guide but will not help you in any shape or form. If you fail I will terminate the contract and this will lead to imminent death. But of course, I escape untouched."
Naruto merely nodded in agreement. There was no explosion. There was no fancy lighting. There were no special hand signs. Just a simple nod and that changed everything.
So Kurama now up there with Naruto. But having a hokage as a father don't matter right? BUT COMMENT AND TELL ME HOW TO IMPROVE ON WRITING. No pressure but it makes me really happy to see and read that you guys are enjoying this so please comment! So peace out and I salute you all.