OLD EDIT: June 18, 2016. Hullo! Before this chapter starts, I'd like to point out that the first, second and fourth ones have been edited slightly. (I've been told that Naruko's speech was a little bit forced, and I agreed, so I tweaked it a bit in the first two chapters, nothing major. The fourth one I recommend rereading if you read it before this chapter was out, as it finishes a bit different.) That said, enjoy chapter 5! :D

NEW EDIT: July 15, 2016.

5

Honestly, the kid could be so stupid.

Naruto protested his claim—mentally this time—but Kurama pointedly ignored him. He had the right to refer to his human's state of mind and general behaviour with any derogatory term he deemed necessary. After all, Kurama couldn't have been asleep more than an hour or so and look where he woke up! In a bloody interrogation cell in their own village. How was that possible?

And to make matters worse, instead of assessing his surroundings with all his senses the moment he woke up, Naruto started talking out loud and to him—in a clearly hostile environment! Kurama really wondered if the brat would have survived as long as he had had he been on his own.

Because, seriously, if the kid weren't so thick, they wouldn't be in this unnecessary situation to begin with. (And Naruto probably wouldn't have suffered half the shit he had during his short nineteen years of mortal, ridiculous life.

Though, Kurama reasoned, it was part of his charm.

How many things could have ended in disaster if it weren't for his host's ridiculousness and bullheaded determination?)

"The question here is, who—are—you?" The interrogator asked sharply, and Naruto's uncertain answer made Kurama want to roll his eyes in desperation. He stood by what he said. The kid could be really, astoundingly stupid.

"Uh… Naruto?"

"Your full name, kid."

"Er… " Help me, Furball! What do I say? What do I do? Why doesn't Ibiki-san recognize me? Am I under genjutsu? Is he under genjutsu?!

'Just tell him the truth. You're a horrible liar,' Kyuubi answered with a sneer, cutting the kid's inner panic. Anyone would have thought that being in constant contact with a fox demon would have made the boy very good at deceit, but no matter how crafty Naruto could be with pranks and traps and disguises, he was totally incompetent when it came to lying—at least to those he considered his allies or his 'precious people'. (He was acceptably proficient at it in other cases, Kurama consoled himself).

The giant fox sounded unconcerned to the untrained ear, but actually wasn't. The chakra suppressant manacles they had saddled his host with were making it difficult for Kurama to pick up the slight disturbances in the air that would indicate a genjutsu, but he had trouble believing it could be anything else. What other explanation was there for the man not to recognize the Hokage-in-training?

"Well?" Morino snarled, and the boy jumped.

"Uzumaki Naruto, sir," Naruto squeaked immediately. Kurama effectively rolled his eyes this time, tails flickering slightly in annoyance behind him. How was the kid still so afraid of the interrogator after all the years of knowing the man, he wasn't sure. "Nineteen years old, Jounin, Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, sir."

Through Naruto's eyes, Kurama could clearly see the confusion and the alarm spreading over Morino's face, before both were expertly hidden behind a tight mask of cool disinterest and a hint of scorn.

Kurama groaned and smashed his head against a mental wall.

Why? What had he done—apart from razing some small villages to the ground—to deserve such scatterbrained idiot as his host?

'That was too much information, stupid!' He growled in annoyance.

What?! Seriously?! But you told me to tell the truth!

'I did, yes. But I never told you to give that much away! What if this is a genjutsu and you've somehow ended in the hands of a wannabe Akatsuki weirdo or something? Huh?'

That's not…! Uh, er. It could be. Do you think this is it? Oh, damn. What should I do? Naruto panicked.

'What do I know? Your chakra is being suppressed. If you were to let some of my youkai free, the manacles will probably be saturated and break, and then you could make a run for it, but it might not be the best idea, as we don't know why is it that we are here, or why he doesn't recognize you.'

Then what…?

'Shut up! The bag of flesh is speaking. Pay attention!'

"… Really," Morino drawled, scepticism clear as a day. The kunai was pressed closer to Naruto's throat. It nicked skin. Kurama growled and bared his teeth in warning, even though he was invisible for everyone but himself. The kid might be stupid and as thick as a brick, but the fox was rather fond of him and didn't like it that he was being so blatantly threatened. "Why do I not believe you?"

"I don't know…" A small rivulet of blood warmed its way down Naruto's neck. Kurama snapped his teeth. Naruto gulped nervously. "But I can prove it," he offered, and Kurama could almost feel the kid's apprehension at the fox's sudden boiling anger.

The older man narrowed his eyes and scanned the youngster's face suspiciously. Abruptly, cerulean eyes flashed red and then Kurama grinned wickedly, morphing his host's expression into a feral one that made the other man take a startled step back.

"If you don't believe the kid, then I can prove it to you," Kurama growled in his own voice, deeper and huskier than Naruto's will ever be. "And if I'm not enough, then you may call that Yamanaka friend of yours…" He added graciously, before adopting a dangerous tone. "But I'm warning you now, try anything untoward, anything which may harm my host… and I'll rip you all to shreds."

To be sure that he successfully got his point across, the bijuu effortlessly fried the seals on the manacles with a simple overcharge of his purified youkai, and then grinned. It was not a pleasant grin, but a very dangerous one. It showed all of Naruto's teeth, and even if they weren't as sharp as his own, they were much more intimidating than normal human teeth. Especially if the expression was accompanied with demonic red eyes and an aura of complete confidence.

Judging by the expression on Morino's face, Kurama's play was incredibly successful.

That was good.

I love Kurama! It might be because of his characterization in fanfic, but I love him so much (he'll forever be male for me, though I've read some fem!Kyuubi that I've accepted.)

This PoV was a blast to write xD I just hope I was somewhat true to his redeemed character xD

Don't hesitate to make suggestions or criticizing whatever you may find faulty with my writing or the story! (As long as it is constructive and not hurtful, it only helps me to improve! :D)