The first of two challenges submitted by my friend Gouken 2012 as a starter for stories to build off of. Have at her folks!
Bowed with age and a bitterness over the fate of the once beautiful landscape around her, the once mighty warrior tightened her cloak about her chest as she held onto her staff. Her troops, the brave kunoichi of the Kitsune Warriors, had told her that this was the place and the time that the mighty Kurama-sama had agreed to meet with the leader of the remnants of the beautiful country.
It was a bitter irony that they were meeting here, the very site of her greatest failure, and Kurama-sama's final freedom. A bitter irony that she knew that the powerful being that she swore fealty to knew and was using to reinforce just how much she suffered Hinata's continued existence.
"There you are, Yuurei-no-me, Come to look at the dead body of your precious boyfriend?" a silky voice asked from behind her, causing her to turn around slowly already knowing the owner of the voice.
"Kurama-sama, I your humble servant thank you most deeply for granting me this audience," Hinata responded formally as she dropped to her knees as quickly as age would allow. Something that she knew annoyed the kitsune.
"You might fool Inari-sama with your masks and the fact you have allowed her precious worshippers exalted status, but I know your real feelings. You hate me, don't you? Hate that I took the boy from you that you loved..." Kurama purred.
"You had no part in what took him away mighty Kurama-sama, the mistakes of fools shall not be paid upon your greatness," Hinata answered nearly automatically, something that she knew would annoy her some more. She may not hate the demon-fox, currently standing in a form that the last Hokage of Konohagakure bore herself when she surrendered the services of her nation for its survival. However that did not mean it didn't grate upon her to be subservient to a constant reminder of the death of her love, a love that was never fulfilled.
"So, what do you want that brings you into a place that, if it wasn't for my order, would mean you join the thousands who died here before you?" Kurama asked with a slight twinge to her eye. The girl knew her buttons to press, and used them well.
Hinata paused for a moment before taking a deep breath as she readied herself for what she was about to do. It had weighed on her mind since the first she had been offered, and now she felt she knew what to do with the opportunity granted her. "I am here... to accept your offer of returning to the past."
"Your youth, your strength, everything returned to you, for a simple price. To become a kitsune, past, present and future, if you fail to deliver peace to this world without my victory." Kurama purred, "I will not claim your past yet, little fox. But, when you fail, you will not be able to taunt me, tease me, and cajole me into thinking you care."
"There is one final condition before I agree and sign my blood to your contract..." Hinata stated as she pressed her hand for all it was worth, what little that was, she wasn't certain but it could not be overly much.
"Naruto's soul was always going to be yours, little fox," Kurama offered, "Well, he died in my service..."
"In lieu of that, I ask instead for one thing my liege," Hinata cut in, adding another layer of formality and finality to the negotiations. "I ask that the condition you make yourself known to Naruto immediately be exchanged."
Kurama laughed. "Guess what, little fox. If you meet him, well, your word will be like my word in the mortal realm, since.." She declared, pausing before she explained it more, "Your soul is tied, for eternity, to whatever vessel my soul is in, as soon as the contract is signed... So, if Naruto doesn't die..."
Hinata's breath hitched for a moment. That was the big catch. Her present-day self would be Naruto's slave, through Kurama, while her past self would be unaware of the contract for all time. "Yes, Little Fox, the reason you can go free from the contract as it stands if Naruto survives, is that you will be his kitsune, not mine. And there's no other way."
"Naruto... is a fit man and always has been, for my humble service. Should it be called of me, I would give more than just my soul to protect him," Hinata answered after her breath came back to her. It was time for the contract to begin. "I, Hinata Hyuuga, the servant of Kurama no Yoko, the great Kyuubi no Kitsune, offer my eternal soul in service in return that my youth be returned and granted the chance to right wrongs of the past."