Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of it’s characters.

Summary: Sent to a mental ward as a child, Naruto has spent thirteen years in a closed environment of insanity and secrets, until Tsunade finds him. Will her greatest mistake be letting him out into the world?

Threshold

Changes

“Your problem is that you cannot seem to accept the disappointments that life is sending your way. Most people in the world do, which is why for the most part, they live out there and you live in here.”

The blonde person sat in the fading white chair in the fading white room, and stared at the man in the fading white lab coat. What the man had just said belonged to a long list of disturbing nonsense that was daily shoved his way. That it made almost no sense to him was no longer important since he first decided to ignore the jargon the men often spout his way. He had completely mastered the vacant expression of glassy eyes and slightly ajar mouth. He was now able to transport his mind to a happy place, a place in which the lab coats completely disapproved of. However, if they ever sat a moment in his seat and listened to the crap that spewed from their lips, they too would find any means of escape. But of course, that would never happen and, according to the lab coats, this was his initial problem. He was not accepting what was happening to him.

But he had accepted everything. How could he not when he had spent so many years living in the fading white room, sleeping on the fading white bed? How long had he been here? Since he was seven. Or was it six?

No.

It was five.

They sent him here after he had bitten that man. The one with the oily smile and the hot hands. He hadn’t like those hands so he had taken a bite at them

They sent him here, to the mental institution, because they didn’t want to put him to sleep-or more like they couldn’t. The old man had said no.

Put to sleep.

Ha.

One would think they were talking about a rabid dog.

“Naruto. Are you sleeping?”

He wished he was. If anything, he loved to sleep. When he was asleep, he would enter his own sanctuary, a place of grassy hills, infinite blue skies, and that damned demon slinking behind his view. Always watching him.

“Have you eaten at all today? You know that food will solve almost any problem.”

Food. Another thing that the lab coats spouted out. They were all under the impression that food was going to make them happy-or was that it? It had become clear to him years ago that the lab coats had no credentials in the psychological field. No body who went to them ever came out enlightened or sobbing with relief.

They are scientists in disguise, the demon had whispered once when he had watched a patient leave a room laughing and unstable. Later he had found out the reason for the strange laughing patients.

Shock therapy.

Even thinking about it made him groan. Why the lab coats thought strapping a person down and sending a couple watts of electricity through their body was a great way to improve any mental and emotional problems was beyond him. Even the demon was a bit puzzled at their antics.

He, unlike other patients, did not leave the room laughing, nor did he leave the room smiling. Instead, they would drag him away to solitary confinement while he screamed and bled from his eyes. Then, after he would spend an hour clawing the fading white walls and losing his fingernails, they’d come in and sedate him for the rest of the day.

Why they thought that locking a hysterical person in a small confined space would help them in any way, was beyond him.

But the demon had said that they had been watching him the whole time, for they were scientists and we were the lab rats.

It constantly annoyed him that the demon seemed to have more wisdom than the stupid lab coats. What was the world coming to?

“Have you eaten?”

“No!” he shouted, unable to hide his annoyance. “It’s seven-o-clock in the morning! You know I don’t eat breakfast! I can’t stand breakfast! You know this yet you ask me every day!”

The lab coat was staring at him with wide dark eyes. He could feel the guards just outside the door tense up at his shouts. Sometimes, when he was angry, he would become aware of minute things like people outside doors.

“Why do you keep asking me! I’m not going to eat because you are torturing me with your stupid repetitive questions. Ask me something useful for a change!”

He slumped back into the fading white chair. Maybe it was because he didn’t sleep well yesterday. Maybe it really was lack of food that made him so cranky. After all, humans weren’t made to live on one meal a day. But so many humans lived on one meal a day all the time.

But did that make them happy?

“All right,” the lab coat said suddenly. “I’ll ask you something useful. Do you talk to the demon?”

Well…now that was new. Yet, he felt such alarm radiate from the demon that he settled for a vacant stare. Of course he and the demon talked. Who was he supposed to talk to in this false place of fading white walls?

Naruto slumped down in his chair and stared at the bite marks on his hands and wrists. Sometimes, he couldn’t help it. The demon, was a creature of action, a creature of violence and death. The only violence the two of them ever saw was the occasional angry patients of shock treatment. This was obviously not enough for the demon and so Naruto often found himself biting his fingers and wrists, and watching the blood ooze out of the marks. With each bite would come the taste of copper, salty copper, and the sweet erotic pangs of pain that would lash up his arms.

At one time, crouched in the corner of the fading white walls, and enjoying the sweet pain of each bite, he and the demon had been annoyed at the presence of the lab coats, who had crowded at the door to watch him in his masochism.

So they knew, knew that his violent ministrations on himself were because of the demon. Scientists, the demon had said. Would they try to take him apart? Try to find the creature within himself? He hoped not. That would mean he would be truly alone…alone in these fading white rooms.

What a despairing thought.

“Naruto. What are you thinking about?”

What was he thinking about? He looked at the lab coat, with his dark hair and rectangular glasses. His dark, dark eyes…so full of secrets.

“Everything.”

“Everything?”

Naruto nodded and remained in the slumped position. In the back of his mind he could hear the whispers of caution from the demon, feel him retreating into a dark corner.

The lab coat sighed and took off his glasses, rubbing his eyes.

“Naruto,” he said, and for some reason Naruto was compelled to give him his undivided attention. “Things are going to be different soon. Things are going to change a bit around here. Do you like changes Naruto?”

It was a good question. Did he like changes? What did changes consist of? How could anything change in this place? This place of repetition and opaque mysteries. The way this lab coat said changes, he obviously didn’t approve of it. However, that didn’t mean that the changes were going to be bad…were they?

Naruto decided that changes were bad…in his case.

“No.”

The lab coat nodded.

“I don’t like changes either Naruto. Not unless they are in my favor. These changes won’t be. Naruto? How old are you?”

Another interesting question. How old was he? Naruto frowned and thought over the time line of events, eventually coming up with a number.

“Eighteen.”

The lab coat nodded and continued to gaze at him without much expression. Then, he inhaled deeply, put on his glasses, and leaned forward toward Naruto.

“I’m going to be very honest with you Naruto. I know that you’re a very bright boy-er- man.” He glanced at the camera in the corner of the fading white room. Then his voice became a whisper.

“We-they’ve been watching you since the day you were sent here. They’ve been waiting for the right time- the right age in which to begin the experiments. They asked for you…when they heard you were being sent away. They want it Naruto, and they’ll tear you apart to get it. You can avoid this by keeping quiet about-well-It.”

It? Oh…the demon.

Huh…so it seemed, for the first time in thirteen years, a lab coat was not only saying something that was making sense, but also it was to his advantage. Naruto sat in the chair and stared at the lab coat, and for the first time, wondered what his name was.

Suddenly, the fading white door opened and one of the guards poked his head in.

“Is everything alright sir?” a burly voice asked, making Naruto cringe inwardly. It was Takezo. Takezo’s job was to strap all the patients down at night in their beds; Naruto did not like his wandering hands. Now there was something he wouldn’t mind a change. Takezo’s absence.

“No. Everything’s completely under control.” The lab coat said as he stood up. Takezo and the other guard, who’s name he did not know, entered the room. Naruto remained in his seat and careful began to process all the information in his mind as the guard calmly took hold of his arm.

“Up and at ‘em,’’ the guard murmured. Naruto slowly got to his feet and allowed himself to be led out of the fading white room and along the fading white walls…

Of his fading white prison.

It was around noon when they came to retrieve him for lunch. The guard took him by his arm and calmly led him toward the mess hall, where all the patients that could be trusted with sharp plastic objects ate. The mess hall was a large room with five long rows of tables. Patients often sat where they pleased; the institution was a place of one sex…all crazy men.

The guard plopped Naruto down on a bench and went to get him his tray of food. Naruto sat there and stared at the rest of the patients. Two were sitting at the next table over, arguing about something he was sure had no value. Another man was sobbing in a corner, probably frustrated at the jargon the lab coats were spouting. This made him smirk in wry amusement. This prison…would be the death of them all.

A man around his own age suddenly was dragged into the room, cursing and spitting at anyone near him. His mane was white like the rays of the moon, a beautiful halo of silky mess and his eyes the palest green like the early spring grass that dotted the distant hills outside Konoha. His face was delicate and pale, nose straight and aristocratic. When his eyes fell on Naruto, the angry leer on his face disappeared, replaced by unconcealed lust. He never did try to hide his tastes-but then…neither did anyone else.

He jerked his arm from the guard and sauntered over to the table, sitting down next to Naruto and staring at him intently.

Naruto continued to stare straight ahead, face giving away nothing. The man lifted a slim pale hand to touch his face-but was stopped when Naruto murmured gently, “Do not touch me Ashitaka.” Naruto’s face remained impassive and leveled straight ahead, but his eyes lowered to stare at the table, causing his pale eyelashes to almost lay gently against his cheeks.

Ashitaka shivered and lowered his hand. Naruto had no idea what he did to people, what he was continuing to do to people. Ashitaka’s hand itched as he thought of what it would feel like to run his hands through that golden sunshine nest of hair that framed Naruto’s lovely face. What it would feel like to have Naruto trapped under him, holding him by that wild pony tail that hung past his buttocks.

Speaking of buttocks…

Ashitaka laughed out loud and grinned at the blonde.

“Can I at least tell you how much I have missed you?”

Naruto continued to stare at the table for a moment before lifting his eyes and turning them on Ashitaka. Such pale blue eyes, with the blackest pupils, pupils that seemed to expand and contract at the merest whim. At the moment, as he stared at him, Naruto’s pupils became large, expanding to a point that the pale blue was almost consumed.

Ashitaka swallowed and lowered his eyes from that all-seeing gaze.

“You know something we do not,” Naruto whispered, causing Ashitaka to look up at him. Naruto suddenly slid closer to him, close enough to make Ashitaka excited and frightened at the same time. “what do you know, Ashi my love?”

Ashitaka stifled a gasp that was trying to push its way out of his throat as Naruto lifted a thin hand, perhaps to touch his face. Unfortunately, they were interrupted by a returning guard that placed a tray of food in front of Naruto, who blinked at Ashitaka and slid away from him.

Ashitaka sighed and waited for his own food to arrive.

Another day Naruto…another day…
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WAKE UP.

Naruto’s eyes opened, his pupils began to expand as he stared at the ceiling.

LISTEN. LISTEN TO WHAT THEY SAY.

The demon’s voice was the stuff of nightmares, deep, chilling, and full of ancient darkness. But Naruto had grown up with that voice, that voice telling him to pay attention, to think about certain things, to listen to others when they thought no one was listening. Naruto felt a piercing pain in his ears, and felt his hearing sharpen and expand. He could hear a thousand heart beats, some slow and restfull, others quick and panicky. He could hear the silent breath of the person next door, and the whimper of Takezo’s victims two floors up. He could also hear the anxiety of a certain lab coat as he murmured to another.

THERE.

Naruto felt another twinge of pain as his ears zeroed in on what the man was saying.

“I don’t know what could happen. Now that the Godaime knows he is here, she might cause the others to try him too early!”

“Maybe she wants this to happen. We really don’t know how she views the Demon Child.”

“No longer a child now. He is an adult. But she’s coming to see him- the others won’t like it. Would if she hires a real psychologist to see him?”

“Shhh! Someone’s coming!”

Naruto’s hearing contracted back to normal as he lay staring at the ceiling.

CHANGES.

What did Ashitaka know?
Naruto closed his eyes and allowed himself to escape into his dreamworld, the place of never-ending sunshine.

Changes…

Naruto awakened to the tug of straps being released from his waist. He opened his eyes and stared at Takezo, who was now leaning over him to release his arms. The man was avoiding his eyes, focusing on the fading white strap buckles.

Why was Takezo doing the morning rounds when it was another guard who usually made those rounds? Was this part of the changes that the lab coat was talking about?

With the last buckle removed, Naruto sat up and continued to watch Takezo’s jerky movements. Then he stood and stared at Naruto before giving him a shaky smile. He reached out and ran his thick fingers through Naruto’s golden hair, marveling at the feel and texture. At a glance, one would think the hair was tangled and coarse – yet his fingers glided through the silky locks. He looked into the pale blue eyes.

“Things are going to be different now…” he murmured, feeling anger lick his insides at the thought of being separated from his favorite ward. His hand, which had been caressing Naruto’s head now had his hair gripped within angry fingers. He pulled Naruto’s head back and glared at his expressionless face.

“The Hokage will be coming in today. You tell her anything,” he gave Naruto's head a little jerk for emphasis, “anything at all about me, and I’ll get you. I’ll get you bad. Do you hear me? Do you?” he gave Naruto a little shake

Naruto continued to stare at him blankly, however his mind was racing.

Whoever this Godaime was, she sparked fear into everyone. Even Takezo, who was very confident about his own existence, seemed worried and frightened.

“Hey Takezo! Hurry up!” a voice shouted in the hallway, causing Takezo to release his hold on Naruto and rush out the room. To Naruto’s complete surprise, Takezo forgot to close the fading white door, leaving an impossible amount of opportunities for the blonde.

Naruto stood up and stretched his body, allowing all the kinks and cramped muscles to stretch. Lying on your back all night until someone unstraps you was very uncomfortable. The body likes to move around.

He turned then, pulled the sheets off his bed, and as he closed the door, stuck the corner of the sheet in between. He would be able to open the door later. However, right now, he needed a shower.

Years ago, the lab coats must have realized group bathing was most unwise, resulting in that most of the rooms had a toilet and a shower stall concealed by fading white curtains.

Naruto eyed the articles of white clothing that Takezo had left behind and then pulled the curtains aside. There was only one mirror above the toilet; very few rooms had a mirror-but Naruto’s level of insanity was deemed semi-stable enough that he was allowed one. Behind the mirror lay toothpaste, toothbrush, a brush for his hair, bodywash, and hair shampoo. With his favorite scent too…

Naruto giggled to himself and felt vaguely inquisitive today.

I must be in one of my moods, he thought with a hissing laugh before turning on the shower.

After an hour of washing and oral cleansing, Naruto dried himself off with a fading white towel and began to comb out his hair. For the most part, his hair only hung past his ears. However, in the back was a long straight ponytail that hung to his butt. Every once in a while he got the urge to cut the horselike tail off- but the demon had murmured how important it would be in the future. He often found himself listening to the creature more and more.

Groomed to his liking and dressed in the normal white pants and shirt, he opened the door and gazed down the fading white halls.

Deserted. Naruto stared for a moment before he sat down against the doorframe and waited.

Five minutes later, two guards came along, carrying a patient who was laughing hysterically and needed support. The guards looked hassled and annoyed as they passed by Naruto, who watched them go.

A moment later, the lab coat that had talked to him yesterday came rushing down the hall, and froze when he saw Naruto sitting in his doorway. For a moment they stared at one another, a complete look of surprise on the mans’ face.

“Why is your door open?” he asked while walking over to Naruto.

Naruto shrugged and continued to stare up at him.

The man frowned then shook his head.

“Come. Let me take you to the rec. room.” He waited for Naruto to get to his feet then walked briskly down the hall toward the rec. room. He glanced back every few moments to see if Naruto was following him. Naruto’s pace was sedated and careless, while the lab coat was in a hurry. He made it to the room long before Naruto did, who was coasting the hall slowly, but watching the lab coat intensely.

Really, the rec. room was simply a holding place for patients to stand or sit, sometimes paint. Some sat alone, or in a group. Others stood in what was a pale attempt at a cliché.

Naruto’s eyes fell on a man with short black hair and lines along his nervous face. The man was sitting in a corner surrounded by books, cross-legged, though one leg was twitching up and down in a repetitious gesture of anxiety. One hand was holding a dull brown book while the other was being nibbled at. Naruto wandered over to the man and sat down next to him, leaning close to see what was on the pages. The man didn’t look at him but he removed his thumbnail from his mouth.

“This book is about advanced chakra control,” he murmured and put his nail back into his mouth. Before Naruto could ask what chakra was, a burst of excitement ran through him so strong that he groaned and tilted his head back, allowing the waves of pure excitement to rush through his body. He ran a hand down the side of his face, allowing his fingernails to draw blood down his cheeks.

The demon was excited by those words. Such pleasure…

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The man had looked up at him when he had heard the small groan and was now watching the youth run his nails down his own face.

These patients drove him crazy. Initially he had been sent here due to the loss of his family when they had been the victims of a missing nin attack. The doctors had said that his grief for his family had begun to turn into madness and they institutionalized him here. Craving to know more about shinobi, he had begged the psychologists here for some books one them. To his surprise, they gave him the books that the Ninja Academy taught to all the young to be-ninja. Learning as much as he could would help him on the road to revenge.

When the exotic teenager, whom he had seen on many occasions, came to sit next to him, he had felt a wave of nervousness. Never had he had thoughts of other men, not even when there wasn’t a wisp of a woman in the whole institution. Yet, he was aware that this teenager had the same affect on a large amount of patients and non-patients.

And now he was making masochism look erotic. The man knew he wasn’t the only one watching the youth, for the room seemed a little bit quieter.

After making four long scratches down his face on both sides the youth turned to him and surprised him once again by saying, “Let us read one.”

The man looked away, then dug into the pile of books for the one he was seeking. The basics of chakra control. He handed the book to the youth.

“You might want to start here,” he murmured, feeling his face heat up when the tips of the youth’s fingers brushed against him as he took the book. “If you don’t start there, nothing in the rest of these books make any sense.” He then turned back to what he was reading and tried to ignore the presence of the blonde.

A minute later he could no longer ignore the fresh shower fragrance the youth was giving off and he glanced at him, only to stare. The boy was flipping through the pages, eyes flicking up and down the pages for about two seconds before turning them. A droplet of blood fell on his hand and the boy absently licked it as he flipped the page again. At first glance, the man had thought the youth was being childish and was looking at the pictures- but by the leer on his face and the intelligence that flashed through his eyes, the man wondered if he was sitting next to a savant.

Five minutes later, the youth put down the book, having flipped through all the pages, and leaned back against the wall, head raised toward the ceiling, eyes closed. There was a sated smile on his gentle pink lips and the man could not help but stare. Despite the nasty scratch marks on his face…

The man grimaced and shook his head, trying to pull his brain away from such thoughts, when he noticed one of the doctors standing in the doorway. The man was staring nervously at Naruto, taking in his scratched cheeks and almost vacant expression. He walked over and knelt down by the youth.

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It was as if some lost knowledge was opening inside of him. The demon was trying to throw large amounts of information at him, thoughts of chakra-thoughts of his own chakra-which he was now aware of.

“Naruto.”

A familiar voice. He opened his eyes and stared at the familiar lab coat from earlier that day and yesterday.

“Naruto you must come with me. The Godaime will be here to see you.”

Naruto slowly got to his feet and allowed the lab coat to lead him out of the rec. room and down a series of halls. In the meantime, the lab coat was throwing nervous glances at him. The lab coat knew the kind of mood Naruto was in and it couldn’t be at the worst time.

The room they put him in consisted of a fading white table, two chairs, and a large two way mirror. Then they left.

Naruto sat down in the chair and allowed himself to grin. He had uncovered something today. Shinobi. People with power. He had heard of them, though he was inside this prison. Heard of soldiers fighting when he was twelve. Something about the Sandaime being killed by one of his students. The world was mostly cut off, when one was put here.

But he could feel the chakra running through his veins! Why hadn’t he known this before? Why wasn’t he aware of all this potential? It was chakra that healed all his bites, which he now noticed was gone. He examined his slim fingers, thought he could see the chakra running through them. With this thought, Naruto put three fingers in his mouth and took a strong, yet dainty…bite.

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Tsunade had been startled when she was going through all the papers Sarutobi had left behind, and had found a document on The Fourth’s Legacy.

Mental institution?

It was only a matter of time until she had an appointment to show up and check on the boy’s condition. She couldn’t believe that they enrolled a five-year-old child into an institution for adults. What kind of childhood had that boy lived? What kind of life was the young man living?

Now, walking down the fading white halls, she could not help but grimace. The patients were probably having trouble with color. Everything was so white; something like red or blue would probably be punishment on the eyes.

The psychotherapists seemed jumpy and nervous, giving each other looks and trying to take their time. However, it was inevitable, and they arrived at a door. Tsunade glanced at her protégé, Shizune, who seemed nervous, glancing at every door and at some of the orderlies.

They entered the room.

Inside was three men, staring through a long rectangular window. They all were unaware that she had arrived, which gave her time to examine their expressions. Two were sitting down at a desk with identical expressions of fascination and hunger, while the third, who was standing next to them and wearing glasses, was looking slightly sick and frightened.

Both Tsunade and Shizune looked at the window and what sat beyond.

What they saw made them both swallow hard and fight not to look away.

There was a young, almost ethereal man sitting at a table and biting his own flesh. Tsunade and Shizune watched in horror as the youth inserted already bloody fingers in his mouth and bit down on them. Though they couldn’t tell when exactly he bit down, they could tell when they saw blood ooze down his hands and out of his mouth. They could tell he had been at it for some time due to the amount of blood that was on his arms, face, shirt, and table. The blonde took his fingers out of his bloody mouth and seemed even more fascinated by them than the doctors did. The bites were deep and probably needed serious operation to make them work again, or so Shizune surmised as she glanced at Tsunade, who’s face was green and looking like she was going to faint. Shizune was reminded that Tsunade had a fear of blood.

As if the horror wasn’t made to stop, the blonde moved on to his hands, in which he began to bite deeply into the flesh then examine it with a look of great pleasure.

This was the Fourth’s Legacy? She could not find the tell-tell whisker marks on his cheeks due to all the blood, yet the youth looked much like Yondaime…except more exotic and ethereal. Even with the blood.

“Shouldn’t you stop him!” Shizune asked incredulously as the youth ventured dangerously close to his wrists.

“He’s been doing this for years…” replied one of the doctors who were sitting down. He didn’t take his eyes from the scene. But the one next to him murmured, “Though I’ve never seen him this…masochistic before.”

Then he looked over at the two horrified women.

“As you can see, the boy is clearly unstable. He is often struck by fits such as these, suffers from MPD disorders, and at times, is very violent with our other patients. We think this might be the cause of…”

He let the rest of the sentence linger into silence, and Tsunade broke her sickened gaze at the youth to stare at the knowing look the doctor was giving her. She also vaguely noticed that the doctor standing next to them was glaring at the back of the sitting doctor’s head.

Tsunade turned back to the youth and saw that he had stopped biting himself and was now licking up all the blood on his hands and arms. There was no pain on his face, just a sated pleasure, as if he had just had the best sex ever.

“I’m going in there,” she said suddenly, and Shizune balked at the idea of Tsunade walking in on all that blood.

“A-are you sure!” she asked incredulously, and Tsunade couldn’t help but feel embarrassed by her weakness. The doctors were also staring at her with fear, but for a different reason.

“A-Are you sure Hokage-sama! The boy is dangerous! He might…” But the words died when Tsunade turned to look at them.

“I’am the Hokage of Konohagakura. I think I can handle one civilian.”

With that, she went to the door that connected to the room and waited for the doctors to allow her entrance.

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Naruto continued to lick the blood off his beautiful wounds, smiling to himself as he felt the familiar itch of healing flesh. It had been a while since he had gone all out on himself. He deserved the pleasure.

A door that he had not noticed opened and a beautiful blonde woman with honey brown eyes, followed by another woman entered. Immediately he could smell the stench of fear radiating off their bodies and couldn’t help but leer. He watched as the blonde woman’s eyes fell on his arms and wherever his blood had fallen and saw her face turn a shade of grayish green. But she sat down before him and rested shaking hands of the fading white table.

“Good afternoon Uzumaki Naruto.”

Naruto, who had gone back to licking his fingers, glanced up at her.

“Is it?” he asked. Was it afternoon already? Why just moments ago it was morning.

“Yes it is Naruto. Do you-’’

“Are you a woman?”

This startled everyone. Why was he asking that? Wasn’t it obvious! Tsunade wasn’t sure if she should feel more worried or insulted.

“Yes. Yes I am.” She tried to ignore the blood caked around his mouth and suddenly noticed angry scratch marks on both sides of his face. Suddenly he smiled at her, and even with the blood, he looked beautiful.

“You are very beautiful.” He glanced at Shizune, who blushed. “I haven’t seen a woman in…” Then his face and eyes went expressionless, and he stared past her.

“Naruto?” she asked, but there was no response. Tsunade got to her feet and walked around the table. Her breath came shaky as she reached out and took a hold of the still bloody hands, leaning forward to get a good look at the bite wounds.

Her blood ran cold.

His fingers were perfectly fine. She turned his hands over. Not a bite wound in sight. She looked at his bloody face.

The scratches were gone. Suddenly his pale blank blue eyes turned to her, and she watched in a sick fascination as the pupils began to expand, almost to the point that they consumed the blue of his eyes.

Something deep and ancient was staring out at her. Measuring her up so that she felt like her life hung in the balance of what this ancient darkness thought. Every moment till now was pointless. Every thought, every care…everything was being tossed away for this very moment.

Kyuubi…

Then the creature looked away, and Tsunade felt her breath escape her throat in an audible sigh of relief. She had passed some kind of test that could have killed her.

She knew this. She also knew…that she could not leave him here.

Still holding his bloody hands, she looked into the bloody face, which at one moment looked so happy, and at the next, was as blank as a fresh sheet of paper.

TBC

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Of Kyuubi - When the Kyuubi talks to Naruto in italics, it means his words are not exactly for Naruto. Just more like an echo-or a thought.

When Kyuubi talks in BIG WORDS, it means he is talking directly to Naruto. This doesn’t happen very often.
Chapter 3

The frustrated lurking of the demon was almost alarming to the blonde as he sat under the showerhead, fully clothed and watching his blood wash into the drain. The incident with the Godaime was being repeated to him by the demon, shoving the same memory through him repeatedly.

(Flashback)

The blonde woman by the name of Tsunade had turned to the lab coats, who had entered the room.

“Well, I’m terribly sorry you had to see that. It’s just that he’s so unpredictable and we’ve been in the process of changing his medications.”

The woman stared at them with a practiced eye.

“What is he on now?”

The familiar lab coat with the glasses took a step forward.

“At this very moment, he is on nothing. It is wise to put a patient in rehab before completely changing medication. However, before rehab he was on clonazepam (anti-anxiety), risperidone (anti-psychotic), temazepam (sedative-hypnotic), and fluoxetine (anti-depressant).”

Tsunade could not hold back the grimace.

“You took him off the risperidone? Is this why he is hurting himself?”

The lab coat with the glasses grimaced and shook his head.

“We’re almost entirely unsure of what drug stops him from hurting himself, especially since none of them have ever stopped him from doing it. Most of his previous medications have pretty much left his circulatory system, and I think the worst of his withdrawal stages are over. We will be putting him on…”

Naruto zoned them out and slowly stood up, shifting near the woman and sniffed her skin. She was teeming with chakra; he could see it running through her veins like beautiful blue water. It seemed as if he could simply bite a vein and watch the wonderful power pour out. Suck on it and drink it up. Oh how he wanted to do that. She had so much of it-

But not as much as us, the demon was whispering somewhere in the recesses of his mind. The demon had never been curious about a human until that moment- the moment when she had touched them. Now the demon was excited- excited to leave the place of fading white.

----------

“I’ll be back in a week-’’ the doctors opened their mouths, perhaps to protest- yet the Godaime held up a commanding hand, “I’m not fool enough to allow him to run free. He will live under my care, continue to take his medication, and see a psychotherapist. I don’t care which one of you comes for the appointment. This is final.” She then motioned to Shizune to leave with her before she stopped suddenly. She turned to Naruto, surprised to see him standing where she had previously stood. She had not sensed him at all!

“Any damage you have sustained has been the fault and responsibility of this village. I will do all I can to help and make it up to you.”

Naruto, who had been staring at the fading white floor vacantly, now lifted his gaze and looked at her with his beautiful pale blue eyes. For a moment, he continued to stare, eyes attempting to drown her in fathomless darkness. Then, the ethereal face split into a long maniacal grin, straight white teeth gleaming at her. The grin sent a chill down both women’s spine. The doctors could only sigh inaudibly. They had seen this before.

Naruto burst into laughter, an insane-like laughter that sent a wave of eerie foreboding through the bodies of everyone. Both Shizune and Tsunade immediately noticed that although he was laughing hysterically, his head slightly tilted to the side, he was staring intently at her, pale blue eyes seeming to drill into her soul. Once again they seemed to sum up her existence, calculate her words. There was no laughter in those eyes.

The doctor with the glasses calmly walked over to Naruto and gently took him by his upper arm, leading his laughing charge out of the room.

Both remaining doctors turned back to Tsunade and gave her the ‘are you sure?’ look.

Tsunade swallowed and moved out the door.

“I’ll be back in a week.”

(End Flashback)

The door opened, pulling the youth out of his reverie, and found Takezo hovering over him, watching in a hungry manner at the cloth that clung to Naruto’s flesh like a second skin. Suddenly Naruto laid back and stared up at Takezo as the water pounded over his flesh. Takezo swallowed down a wave of desire as he gazed lustily down at the youth.

“I want those books,” Naruto said suddenly, his voice coming soft and silky.

Takezo smiled and squatted down next to him, making sure he avoided the hot water. He caressed Naruto’s wet arm and grinned at the blonde.

“You didn’t say anything about me did you?”

Naruto slowly gave him a lazy smile. The youth was in one of his moods again; one of Takezo’s most favorite moods. Naruto lifted himself onto an elbow and ran a wet hand across Takezo’s chest; he shuddered as a warm liquidy feeling ran down his body.

“Of course not. Why would I say anything?” he smiled a seductive smile. “But I want those books.”

Takezo knew what he was talking about. Very few of the patients were of the mind to sit and read, so he could think right off the bat which patients had books in their possession.

“Alright,” he said while running a hand through Naruto’s wet and tangled hair. “But I want something first.”

Something flashed through Naruto’s eyes, perhaps rage, but it was gone before it could be registered and the youth shoved the older man onto his back, straddling him at the waist. He leaned his head forward until his nose was centimeters from Takezo’s and stared into his muddy brown eyes.

For a moment, the only sound was the falling beads of water that was pounding the fading white floor of the shower area. And Naruto continued to stare. Getting bored of the eerie stare, Takezo flipped Naruto onto his back, and the positions were reversed. Takezo ran his tongue along Naruto’s delicate neck, tasting warm water and soap. His left hand traveled up his smooth stomach while he allowed his tongue to travel toward Naruto’s face. Somewhere in the back of his mind his ears registered the sound of tearing cloth- yet he was too into what was happening at the moment. In all the times he had molested the youth, the boy did not allow him to kiss him. The act of kissing seemed too intimate for the boy. But at that very moment, he was licking the youth’s lips, the soft delicate skin…

And suddenly the boy was kissing, full on tongue, exploring his mouth, exploring him…Takezo barely managed to hold back the gasp as he took his hand from underneath the boys’ shirt and held his blond head in his hands.

The moment he had been waiting for…
The moment they had been waiting for…

Again there was that tearing sound, and for a moment he was going to ignore it- except for the crashing waves of pain that rocked his body. Takezo jerked up and tried to jump to his feet, but the youth was clinging to him, and Takezo could distinctly feel claws opening up his back.

Takezo screamed and punched Naruto above his right eye, causing the youth’s head to crack against the fading white floor. The youths’ hold released him immediately and Takezo jumped back, staring a moment at the limp body that lay motionless on the floor. Then the pain reminded him of the danger at hand and he turned to the mirror above the toilet, turned his back and managed to look back at the mirror. Waves of horror and terror crashed through his body as he stared at the sixteen long gashes that now lay across his back on both sides.

And then Naruto was before him, grinning maniacally and taking a swipe at his face. Takezo didn’t see the swipe, but the hot pain that flashed across his face, and the red blood that fell into his eyes was enough to tell him that he was in danger, in danger of his life.

Naruto had turned against him. HIM!

Takezo screamed and clutched his face, stumbling back into the toilet, falling over it and flopped to the side into the shower. Hot water washed over his wounds burning them more, but the man was more worried about the youth that was walking towards him.

He had heard from other orderlies that Naruto was often very violent, and yet this was the first time he was experiencing such violence. Takezo got to his feet and rushed the boy, managed to lock his foot behind the youth’s legs and body slamming him to the floor. Getting a grip on the boy’s lovely neck, Takezo slammed the youth’s head repeatedly on the fading white floor. Naruto gave off pitiful half-gurgled wails while making feeble attempts to claw Takezo’s arms.

Takezo kept his eyes closed- he was not the type of man to kill anyone, and Naruto’s weak cries were so pathetic and helpless. But Takezo continued to slam his head onto the floor until the clawing stopped. He opened his eyes and slowly let go of Naruto’s neck, which was now dark purple. The boy’s face almost looked serene, his eyes were staring up at the fading white ceiling, his hair encasing his face. There was a pool of blood behind the youths’ head and Takezo felt a wave of despair for the boy. Cradling the youth’s head in his arms, he rocked the boy back and forth, and wept.

After five minutes of misery, Takezo stood up and glanced down at himself. He was so bloody…so much blood.

He dreaded what he was going to say to everyone. The boy had lost all sanity that he had. He had attacked a guard. He was not at fault for this.

Takezo limped toward the door and made to open it, when a bloody hand shoved the door closed. Naruto leaned against the door and smiled.

“I love you.”

Takezo opened his mouth-perhaps to scream, but Naruto’s hand whipped out and crushed his throat.

Takezo flopped to the floor, making pitiful grabs at his ruined throat, trying to breathe. Naruto stood over him, grinning all the while, watching the man struggle for life, watching the man lose…

In this fading white prison…

When all life had left him, Naruto moved away from the body and twirled himself around the room, arms out wide, head tilted up toward the ceiling. He looked nothing short of a fallen angel, beautiful, bloody, and dangerous.

LOOK. LISTEN. DESTROY.

Changes were wonderful.

And Naruto laughed and laughed in all his bloody glory.

Chapter 4 Lithium Carbonate

The orderly that opened room 203 got a nasty surprise, one that he would never forget. The fading white room, which had been one of the cleaner ones, was now splattered with blood. Blood on the walls, all over the floor…

Takezo was lying near the door, eyes bulging in their sockets, throat bloody purple from internal bleeding. The room was humid and foggy due to the hot shower, which was the only sound in the room. In one corner, far away from Takezo, sat Naruto, who was staring vacantly at the fading white walls-eyes expressionless. There was blood on his arms, all over his wet clothing and a blackish bruise above his right eye.

The orderly backed up and ran away from the doorway.

-----------

Ashitaka sat in front of the doctor- or lab coat as Naruto called them and felt a miserable sigh escape his body.

“Is it true?” Ashitaka asked aloud, causing the lab coat to look up at him.

“Is what true?”

“Is it true that Naruto is leaving? Is he leaving me? Why must you continue to separate us?”

The lab coat gave him a sharp look.

“You have an obsession with Naruto that is unhealthy for you. Am I to forget that Naruto beat you and cut your arms and neck? Or perhaps that you did nothing stop it?”

Ashitaka shivered at the sensuous memory. Years ago, Naruto and Ashitaka had shared a room on the second level, the level of lower security and much more freedom. They had been friends for a time, until Ashitaka had decided to take the relationship to a new level. Before he knew it, he was in worlds of pain, and in oceans of pleasure. It stopped when the orderlies had sedated Naruto and had taken Ashitaka away to the hospital wing. Later both persons were moved up two levels and were torn apart, to stay in separate rooms far from one another.

Ashitaka chuckled and grinned lazily at the lab coat.

“You’ll never understand what was between us-what still is. Of course, you never were licensed to understand us in the first place now were you doctor?”

The lab coat frowned and stared at him suspiciously.

“I don’t understand Ashitaka. What are you implying?”

Ashitaka sneered and leaned over the desk, his face very close to the lab coats’.

“I know all about you guys. All about who you really are. How you study us like little rats in a cage,” the lab coats’ eyes widened. “Naruto told me all about you years ago, because he’s a genius ya’ know? He knows what you people are up to, wha-’’

The door flew open and a sweating orderly barged into the room, eyes wide with fear. Ashitaka sat back and prepared to watch the show.

“D-Dr. Hayama!”

“What is it?” Hayama murmured as he slowly stood up from his chair.

“Takenaga Takezo! H-he’s been murdered!”

A look of alarm flashed over Hayama’s face. “Where? How? What room?”

“Room 203 sir!”

Hayama froze as a hissing laughter snaked from behind him.

“So Naruto finally got him eh? I figured he’d be the one to finish him off. After all, he was Takezo’s favorite.”

Dr. Hayama spun around.

“What are you talking about?” he hissed angrily, but immediately he already knew. Ashitaka had enough grace to look surprised.

“What? You mean you don’t know? Takezo always came for special visits every night. He would tell me how much a good boy Naruto was. Used to make me so jealous. But I knew he’d get his. We all knew.”

The lab coat stared at Ashitaka with an ashen horror stricken face. Pedophiles and child molesters were the reason Naruto had been sent here! And now this…

Hayama spun on his heel and rushed out the door, racing down the hallways at top speed. This couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Although Naruto was violent on some occasions, he had never attacked any the faculty. Moreover, before the Hokage had deemed to visit, the youth had been quite amiable.

But now…

He did not even notice Ashitaka following closely behind him.

By the time the lab coat made it to room 203, the doorway was filled with doctors. Hayama skid to a halt and shoved his way through to see the damage.

Damage it was.

Takenaga was lying on a bloody floor, very dead, while Naruto sat in a corner in what might be a catatonic state. There was silence among the doctors, and only the sound was falling water from the running shower. Then, “should we write this off as self-defense?” one doctor asked.

Another frowned. “Can’t say with Naruto. Probably attacked the man out off pure spite.”

“I disagree,” another doctor murmured. “I just heard that Mr. Takenaga has been having sex with some of the patients. Perhaps this was Naruto’s self-defense.”

“Nonsense!”

The arguing started, some agreeing with the rumor, other claiming it false. Hayama ignored them and stared at the limp body of Takezo. His throat, from what he could see, was completely crushed. His face had four long gashes across it; his arms had been clawed. He made a step into the room and a doctor behind him grabbed his arm, pulling him back.

“Don’t go in there! He could attack you!” the man hissed angrily. The others stopped arguing and stared at the room. Hayama scowled.

“Well we can’t just leave them in there. We have to take them out eventually.”

None of the men moved. Hayama tried to make a step into the room, only to be pulled back again. He gave an exasperated sigh.

“Well who’s going in there then!”

Following an uncomfortable silence came a ring of laughter, causing the lab coats to look behind them at Ashitaka, who began to push his way through the group and walked into the room without hesitation.

----------

Ashitaka calmly walked over to Naruto, who continued to stare at the walls. Kneeling down he leaned close to Naruto’s ear.

“You look wonderful in blood. Too bad it isn’t mine though.” He glanced behind himself, looking at the dead body. “He must have been so much fun in his last moments…”

At that, Ashitaka saw a twitch of amusement at the corner of Naruto’s mouth. It disappeared before it really came. Ashitaka grinned. Genius. Complete and utter genius. Naruto was obviously pretending to be shocked, pretending to be horrified by his deed. Surely inside he was laughing, laughing at Takezo, laughing at the lab coats…laughing at the world. Oh how he wanted to laugh with him.

“Bring him over here, Ashitaka.” The lab coat with the glasses commanded. Ashitaka sneered and took a hold of Naruto’s arm and pulling the youth to his feet. Naruto stood up with fluidity and grace, yet his face remained blank and expressionless. Slowly walking towards the door, Ashitaka bent down and grasped Takezo’s ankle as they passed, dragging the dead man into the hall with them.

Immediately the lab coat with the glasses took Naruto, and quickly led him away. Ashitaka could barely hold down a flood of rage that coursed through his body. The orderly that had brought the wonderful news of Takezo’s death took his arm and led him away to his own room. Ashitaka glanced behind him to take one last look at Takezo.

What a wonderful man.

-------------------

Despite the fact that there was blood caked all over the back of his head, neck, and back, no matter how hard the medic searched, he could not find any wound. After thirty minutes of searching, he had given up and gave Naruto a warm bath. The youth had said nothing during the whole process, and when the lab coat with the glasses came, he was fully dressed and groomed. At first glance, one would never know he had been in an awful situation and the only thing that gave away anything was the black bruise above his right eye and the bruises along his neck. Otherwise, the youth seemed unharmed.

The lab coat led him along the hallways to another room, one that simply had a bed and a two-way mirror. Naruto lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. An orderly came in, took his arm, and with a practiced hand inserted a syringe full of yellow liquid into his veins.

“What is that?” the lab coat asked suspiciously, and the orderly turned and gave him a puzzled look.

“It’s lithium carbonate sir. Dr. Migori told me to give enough to keep the patient calm for the rest of the day.”

The lab coat nodded, but felt an itch of unease. Things were going to be bad…

----------------

Dr. Migori stood over the body of Takenaga Takezo and stared down at the deep gashes that marked the man’s back. There was no way regular human fingernails could do the type of damage that was inflicted upon this man. However, it was easy to believe that the man was in fact raping the patients. The way the claw marks were placed, it seemed that Takenaga had been on top of Naruto and youth had simply clawed his back.

An orderly came up to him.

“Um…I asked around and it seems that there are quite a few patients that have had personal visits from Mr. Takenaga for years. Some were too afraid to say anything- that is until I told them that he was dead. Then they wouldn’t stop talking - or more like ranting.”

Dr. Migori nodded and glanced up at a doctor who was clearing his throat to speak.

“So what will you have us do?”

Migori looked at them. “Contact the Akatsuki. We made a deal and we can’t afford to go against it. Tell them they need to be here in two days, or the demon goes to the Hokage.” He began to walk away before he halted and turned to them. “Oh, and watch out for Dr. Hayama. I don’t trust him. Make sure that he doesn’t get in our way.”

-----------

Dr. Hayama began to watch as the side-effects of the lithium carbonate began to take hold of Naruto, watched as the youth began to suffer from tremors, his body shaking. The lab coat walked over to the youth and laid a hand across his forehead. Naruto opened two glassy eyes and gave the lab coat a weak smile, making the man’s heart constrict.

“You’ll be ok…” he murmured and Naruto closed his eyes. A sound came from behind him and he turned to see two doctors staring at him apprehensively.

“You better stay out of this Hayama. You better stay out.”

Hayama frowned, but he knew. The Akatsuki was coming. He needed to make plans.

“I think I’m going to finish my appointment with Sohma Ashitaka…”

He exited the room.

TBC

BTW, lithium carbonate is a tx for mania...anti- mania. Often used on bipolar persons. Side effects are often tremors and GI upset.

Chapter 5


Akatsuki

The drug was coursing through his body, traveling through his blood stream like a poison, filthy and vile. This was not the first time he had experienced the lithium; it was often what they gave him after shock therapy. He wasn’t sure if there was a great misuse of the lithium, but half the time he felt he didn’t deserve the injection. Of course, that was the least of his worries. For the lab coats were up to something. He could feel it like a dark storm cloud that had been forming for years to come. Was it his possible demise? Naruto gave a slurred laugh at the thought of his own death, the thought of eternal nothingness, nonexistence, forever to be forgotten.

He felt a thrill of terror and knew it was not his own, that it belonged to the demon. The demon did not like thoughts of death, because nothingness was something it had never experienced.

I have always existed, the demon once told him.

How grisly…to always exist, to be forced upon the world for countless millenniums. How…unfortunate…

However, the demon did not share his views, and the thought of annihilation caused the demon to roar chakra through his body.

Naruto’s body convulsed and spasmed on the fading white bed; his spine bowed and his mouth opened to give out a cry of pain tinged with pleasure. He could feel the silly seal on his abdomen pulse and burn, and he clawed at his stomach to make it stop, resulting in his nails tracing gashes on his soft belly.

The door banged open and two orderlies rushed over to restrain him from his self-flagellation. Using one hand to hold his wrists down, and another to hold his legs, they sweat and panted at the force in which they had to hold down the youth. Despite his frailty, there was great strength in those limbs.

After a few minutes of struggling, Naruto finally gave up and lay still. The orderlies gave an exhausted sigh of relief and slowly and carefully released his arms and legs, half expecting him to attack them. The death of Takenaga Takezo had traveled through the institution like wildfire, as well as his sexual offenses. Some were of the mind to say good riddance; after all, many of the orderlies were family men with good morals.

Returning with a rag and a bowl of water mixed with antiseptic, they lifted Naruto’s blood streaked fading white shirt and began to gently wipe the blood off his pale smooth stomach.

“Jeez! I’ll never get used to this,” one murmured when the blood had cleared to reveal perfectly unmarked skin. The other nodded and shined a light into Naruto’s dilated pupils.

“He’ll be out of it for a while. Two days at the most.” He then patted Naruto’s head semi-affectionately, and walked out. The door closed behind them and the fading white silence prevailed.

WE WILL WAIT.

Naruto raised a lazy thin brow in question.

I SENSE A RESCUE.

-----------------

The groupof S-class missing nins had snuck into Konoha with ease and had headed toward the infamous facility. Years ago, they had gotten tipped off by one of their spies, telling them of the vessel of Kyuubi. It had taken them all by surprise, all except Uchiha Itachi, who looked pleased at the news that their quarry was psychologically unstable. His statement was that it would be easier, yet more dangerous, to capture the vessel. While one knew what to expect from a person who was sound of mind, body, and heart, who made rational decisions and understood the consequences of most of his actions, a person of ill mind would no doubt lack these judgements, and probably could care less to have them. Thus, making them unpredictable in almost every situation, because what a sane man would never do, might be just up the insane man’s alley.

These rationalizations had excited Itachi and over a period of time they had made frequent deals with the faculty in order to obtain this priceless treasure. All was going well, until the Godaime had finally had some free time after all her years in office to look through some of the late Sandaime’s files. Thus resulting in the future removal of the vessel and the hasty appearance of the Akatsuki. They had made plans for this very night, to attack the institution and kidnap the vessel. The plan was a stupid one, but there had been a vote when some of the members expressed their eagerness to fight the Leaf shinobi. They were obviously underestimating the power of the Leaf, but if they wanted to fight and die, it was all right with him. He always felt the organization was growing too large. Let them make a commotion. He just wanted the vessel.

------------------

Dr. Hayama said his good-bye’s to patient 189 before rushing down the halls and toward the exit. Although he had considered himself apart from the deals with Akatsuki, his frequent fears on Naruto and Konoha’s behalf had caused him to make a few loyal decisions. He needed to get to the Godaime and give warning of the peril to come. Pausing at a large vent near the floor, Hayama frowned at the loose nails holding the square metal fence-like cover over the rectangular square and knelt to fix it, giving up when he only made it worse.

“This place needs more funding,” he said with a scowl, and an orderly bent down to examine the vent.

“Yeah,” the orderly agreed with a yawn. “I’ll send someone down in the morning to fix that up. In the meantime, you have a nice evening sir. It’s my favorite time of the day. Lights out.”

Hayama snorted and bade the man goodnight.

And yet, it came to no great surprise to him when as he passed clearances to leave the facility, he was ambushed from behind. A cloth was quickly thrown over his head, and as he struggled to remove the cloth, was promptly punched in the stomach. Not having experienced this since he was a small child, Hayama immediately lost consciousness.

-------------

Itachi stood at the entrance of the building, watching at two members dragged a doctor from the doors. They had made an agreement not to kill anyone, to some of the members’ chagrin. Itachi didn’t care however. All he wanted was the vessel.

After the man was dragged away, one member came forward, carrying what looked like a gallon of gasoline.

“This’ll get their attention,” he said with a snicker as he walked into the building and began to douse the area with gasoline. “How fitting. Let us purge the world of all its madness.” He then sent others to do the same to the rest of the buildings.

Someone behind Itachi whispered, “Then we should throw you into the inferno.”

Kisame, who was standing near him, guffawed and was immediately told to be silent by another member.

“Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!”

Immediately the area was encased in flames, as well as the other buildings.

---------------

WAKE UP.

Naruto’s eyes opened, pupils expanding greatly as he stared at the fading white ceiling. The familiar pain of expanding hearing came, as well as the cries of pain and terror. Naruto sat up and stared at the door, wondering what was happening out there. There was a repetitious roaring sound that he was unfamiliar with among the screams, and his curiosity was at its peak. There was a hissing sound from above, and he looked up, only to see the ceiling sprinklers protrude out of their little pods and let forth showers of cold water. Naruto grumbled in annoyance as his body was quickly soaked with very cold water. Obviously the building was on fire. How fascinating…

Naruto continued to stare at the door, wondering if someone was going to rescue him, or if he would be engulfed by a raging inferno, his body immediately blowing to ashes, forever forgotten in the fading white cell of-

Again the demon sent him a wave of annoyance and uneasiness; his vivid fantasies of self-annihilation were unwelcome. Naruto pulled his attention away from the door and stared at the flood of water now cultivating in his fading white cell. Was it two inches? Sitting cross-legged at the edge of the bed, Naruto leaned over and stuck a long index finger into the water. Two inches indeed! Perhaps they would drown in here, water invading his lungs, bursting vessels and seeping into pores. Would he struggle during his moments of watery suffocation? Would he have an epiphany, or see his life flash before his eyes. How dull that would be. All fading white walls and vacant stares of the delusional and misguided.

Vaguely he could hear the screams of the tortured and dying; burning must be a special kind of pain, and was surprised to hear someone racing toward the door. The sound of the heartbeat was familiar, for he had spent some time with that person. His door jerked suddenly, and then was pulled open, water rushing out of his cell like a small river. Naruto could not help the feeling of disappointment that coursed through his body. A watery death was not to be had.

In came Ashitaka, face and clothing smudged in smoke. He staggered over to Naruto’s bed and began to hack and spit the smoke out of his lungs and throat. He then turned to Naruto with a grimace and smiled.

“Well, come on! I’ve come to rescue you. Believe it or not, that lab coat sent me to save you.”

Naruto cocked his head to the side.

“Really? Why?”

Ashitaka shrugged. “He said there was this organization that was after Kyuubi, and I had to get you out of here.”

“Who?” Naruto asked, puzzled at the name.

“Kyuubi. You know, the demon inside you. That’s its name!”

IT ISN’T

Naruto shrugged and uncrossed his legs, pulling himself to his feet. Ashitaka immediately ran into the hall, Naruto following slowly behind him. He glanced down the opposite side of the hall and saw the flickering glow of a fire that had yet to reach them. But the screaming still remained, and curiously, the sound of fighting. Who would be fighting while the buildings burned down? Naruto made a move toward the warm glow, but Ashitaka grabbed his arm and shook his head.

“You can’t go that way. We’re supposed to go this way.”

Naruto turned and stared down at the sooty hand, and then looked Ashitaka in the eye. Immediately Ashitaka felt a thrill of excitement when he saw that gaze, the gaze that usually precedes with a beating…and other things…

But to his chagrin, it was gone and Naruto turned to head in the proper direction. Ashitaka ran ahead, racing down the fading white walls to find what he was looking for.

There!

Near the floor was a dusty vent that had very loose nails. Ashitaka bent down and pulled the fencing off the rectangular hole, and glanced back at Naruto, who was standing in the middle of the hall staring at the ceiling. His eyes were darting here and there, as if he could hear or see something or something’s happening.

“Come on.”

Naruto looked down at him with luminous eyes before following him into the vent.

---------------

Tsunade could not believe what was happening! Why would an organization of S-Class missing-nins want to burn down and start a fight over a mental institution! Of course it hit her, as the missing nins did all they could to delay a rescue of the imbalanced souls trapped inside, that they were after something, and it did not take long to figure out who it was. She had every chuunin, jounnin, anbu, and hunter-nin fighting it out, along with her old teammate Jiraiya. The odds seemed to be in their favor, only because it seemed that the criminals were losing interest in the fight, or was it because they had gotten what they wanted?

She had given the order out an hour ago.

Retrieve Uzumaki Naruto. Dead…or alive.

---------------

It had to be one of the most dirtiest moments of his existence, climbing through the filthy vent. Ashitaka wasn’t that much of a neat freak, but Naruto was almost borderline and this must be killing Naruto if it was bugging him.

Ashitaka grimaced as he examined a blackened palm, filthy with dust, soot, and other unfortunate particles. His fading white pants were now coated in grimy dust, and Naruto looked no better. He glanced back at Naruto, who’s eyes were mysteriously heavy-lidded and a lazy grin was plastered across his ethereal features. Perhaps he was excited about the unsure, unpredictable future. Maybe crawling through dirt and grime wasn’t so bad, especially if Naruto was checking him out.

…Was he?

No. He still has that look, like he was listening to someone telling him something amusing.

Following the flow of clean air in the vent, Ashitaka led Naruto to the exit vent leading outside.

“We made it!” he gasped, and tried to push the vent open. It remained in place. Ashitaka grunted and sat on his rump, then kicked at the vent. It remained. He threw defeated hands into the air and stared at Naruto’s disinterested face.

“The lab coat loosened the vent leading into here…but I guess that’s as far as his brain could get.”

Naruto continued to stare vaguely at the fence before shifting to sit on his rump as well. He looked at Ashitaka for a moment, causing him to blush. He hated and loved it when he did that, that piercing gaze seemed to pry into his soul.

Then, to his complete surprise, Naruto lifted his leg and gave the vent fence a powerful kick, causing it to fly out into the air…and down four stories.

“Great,” Ashitaka mumbled as he poked his head out. “I forgot we’re on the fourth floor.”

Naruto burst into a giggle and shoved Ashitaka aside. Getting to his feet, only able to kneel in the small space, he leaped forward into the air, head first, and plummeted to the ground.

Ashitaka stared after him in a sick mixture of horror, pleasure, and pure admiration. This quickly turned to awe as Naruto came within a foot of the ground, turned and landed on the balls of his feet and palms, all the grace and silence of a cat.

Ashitaka laughed and peered to the side, eyeing the great long pipes that rode to the top of the building to its floor. He wanted to jump out just like Naruto had, but was sure he would only kill himself. Which wasn’t exactly bad- but he wanted to see how all this ended. Leaning out to grab the pipe, he glanced down to make sure Naruto had not left without him. The youth was still there, but his head was turned toward the far side of the building. To his complete shock, there seemed to be a small war happening amongst the fire. He could see people jumping at one another, throwing weapons, and making strange hand signs at their opponents. There was one man walking toward Naruto, a man with long black hair in a ponytail and a black cloak with red swirling clouds on them.

He had to get down there.

---------------

Itachi had not participated in the battle that was taking place, for it was a waste of chakra. Instead he had wandered along the outskirts of the battle, looking at the building and making sure his shadow clones marked who was escaping. He only had one picture of the vessel, one that had been taken not too long ago. The picture had gotten a lot of appreciative whistles from some of the female members as well as some men, to Kisame’s disgust.

It wasn’t to his surprise that he immediately recognized the creature that had dropped from such heights and had landed in an exotic manner. The youth had immediately seen him, and was staring intently at him with eyes that seemed to glow in the firelight.

When he had walked close enough to the youth, he quickly engaged his Mangekyou (sp?)

technique. Better to take the vessel down now before it caused problems later.

But it was to his complete surprise when he found himself in a place not of his creation.

Itachi stood before a large iron gate; the sky crimson, as was all around him. Shadows appeared here and there, only to disappear before he could look at them. Crouched at the bottom of the gate was a disheveled boy, red rimmed eyes staring at him sadly. The child was obviously the vessel, for he shared the same wild blonde hair and blue eyes, although this one was dulled out and tired looking. Itachi took a step forward.

“Boy. Why are you trapped behind this gate?”

The child lifted his head like a stalking predator in high grass would lift its head to see its prey.

“Oh no,” the child said, and Itachi felt a chill run down his spine at the deep and demonic voice that came from those small lips. “It is not I that is trapped.” A ghastly grin appeared on the childs’ face. “It is you that is trapped. You are on the wrong side of the gate” The child’s gaze flicked behind Itachi.

For the first time, for the first time in what seemed like the beginning of his existence, Itachi was afraid. He could feel a gathering darkness behind him, a feeling so foul, a smell so disgusting that made him want to retch. For the first time he did not want to face this, did not want to turn around and confront the darkness that was behind him. He grabbed his chest and marveled in a sick terror-stricken fascination at the emotions coursing through his body. He had never felt so inferior in his life, had never felt useless and expendable. He had never felt so…so…insignificant.

But still he turned, turned to look behind him and see what abomination was there. Hovering about twenty feet away was a dark mass of foul smelling existence. It had no form, yet it was like a filthy cloud of black substance, growing slowly behind him- perhaps to take form. For some reason he could tell that it had its back to him, was not looking at him or even in his direction, but he could also feel that it was becoming aware of him. He could feel it slowly turn, turn towards him and he knew he would not live if that gaze fell upon him. He did not want that creature looking at him…could not bear it. Did not want to see the eyes that would eat his soul.

Itachi immediately cancelled the jutsu before the Kyuubi- or was that really it?- could look upon him. And for the first time, Itachi stumbled back and fell on his backside, like a stupid clumsy child.

The youth was standing not fifty feet away, luminous eyes staring at the shinobi, eyes pale-yet dark with secrets. Then he turned his head and looked at another youth with a mane of white, and the two ran off into the surrounding thicket.

Itachi did not follow.

TBC

Drugs:

Clonazepam is Klonopin

Temazepam is Restoril

Lithium Carbonate is Eskalith & Lithobid

Fluoxetine is Prozac

Risperidone is Risperdal

Chapter 6

Of Freedom…and Other Things

The man in the fading white clothing stared dully at the condemned apartment complex that had yet to be demolished. The building was now an ugly grayish green, paint peeling and wood decaying. Some windows were covered in planks of rotting wood, while others remained glass-less and gaping. This was not his apartment, the one in which he, his wife, and their two girls had lived in. No, that one had burned down, just like some of the institution had. How amusing that it was the shinobi that yet again-interrupted and ruined his life. Unlike some of the dazed and confused patients, he had not stuck around to wait for the orderlies to pick him up. Instead, he wandered down into Konoha and to this complex, which was the only place he knew he wouldn’t be persecuted for his sooty appearance. Or at least he hoped he wouldn’t be.

The complex, was the home of the black sheep of the family, his little brother, Kenji Shinamori. Kenji had always been the type of boy to trade things, sell things, and often enough, steal things. He was a universally liked man, despite his transgressions and shortcomings. He had an alluring personality, great sense of humor, and great looks. Despite his parents’ disappointment, he was very fond of his little brother. It was Kenji who had sent some of the shinobi books to him at the institution. Kenji who had visited on a monthly basis, to make sure his elder brother was still hanging around.

He sighed inwardly and trudged through the dilapidated door. The air was dank, the walls were peeling, the halls dark and gloomy, and it was cold. He spotted a scruffy and probably homeless man huddled in a corner, smoking a joint, and approached him.

“Hey, do you know where Kenji Shinamori is?”

The man nodded and gestured down the hall vaguely. He thanked the man and headed down the hall. Climbing a set of decrepit stairs, he wandered past bottle strewn doorways, dirty tenants, and several prostitutes.

These are the people who belong the loony bin…not me.

As he turned a dull corner, he bumped into a tall bony man with small beady eyes and a nasty, angry, leer.

“Who the hell are you?” the man hissed as he popped a switchblade and pointed it at his chest.

“I’m Seiya Shin-’’

“I didn’t ask what your fuckin’ name was!” The man advance on Seiya as he shouted. Seiya backed up, was ready to fight for his life and accept that he would be wounded in the process, when someone came charging down the hall at top speed.

“Toner get the fuck outta my way!”

Toner jumped out of the way as the person raced past, but not before Seiya got a good glance at his face.

“KENJI!” he shouted, causing the person to skid to a stop and spin around.

“SEIYA!”

Kenji ran back toward his brother and embraced him.

“Jeez man! Someone fuckin’ told me the fuckin’ psycho ward burned down. Shit! I thought you were toast!”

Seiya grimaced at his brother’s colorful language and held him close for a while, glaring over his shoulder at Toner, who was now making a hasty retreat.

Kenji released him and began to cram him with questions, like what happened and how did he escape, all the while leading him toward his apartment. Seiya didn’t answer, just admired his brothers short black hair and dark brown eyes, teeming with intelligence, laughter and relief.

Kenji opened his door and pushed his elder brother in. The apartment inside was definitely better than that of the rest of the complex, one that it smelled warm and reasonable. The walls were not peeling and rotting with water damage, and the floor was carpeted.

Kenji shoved him into an armchair and began to make some coffee. Then, sitting on the edge of the table while it brewed looked pointedly at his brother.

“Well, tell me what happened.”

Seiya rubbed his face with a smudgy hand and sighed.

“It happened like this…”

-------------------------

The shining in his eyes awakened Ashitaka, as well as the initial startlement of waking up in a foreign place. Or was it just that he had slept outside under the trees? And next to Naruto no less! Indeed, after they had run quite a distance from the institution, they both had flopped down in the shrubbery right under a miserable willow tree. There, they had fallen into an exhausted slumber, and Naruto was still sleeping away.

Ashitaka sat up and twisted his back, grinning as he felt the joints cracking. He stretched his arms above his head and cracked his knuckles. The sound of birds chirping came welcome to his ears and he beamed at the morning sun. Beside him Naruto stirred and opened his eyes, then shading them from the direct sunlight that peeked through the leaves above them.

He then sat up and blinked at their surroundings. He seemed puzzled.

“Still dreaming?” he murmured questionably, and stood up. He walked through he shrubbery, ignoring Ashitaka’s hails and came to a stop when his way was barred by the edge of a cliff. There, below him, lay Konoha, lively and industrious. Ashitaka came to his side and peered down at the large village.

“Huh…I didn’t know the institution was all the way up here,” Ashitaka commented and then his eyes fell on the five monuments of the Kages. “Look Naruto. Dead people. Five of them. How fascinating…”

“Four dead people,” Naruto corrected. “The woman is still alive.” He then turned to Ashitaka and dropped a hand on his shoulder. “And you know what Ashi? You know what she said to me? She said-she said- she said that all the bad things that have happened to me is the village’s fault. Would you believe that! That’s what she said!” There was a shining madness in his eyes as he grinned maniacally at Ashitaka. “She said she would pay me back- she would help me!” His grip on Ashitaka’s shoulder was becoming painful. “Do you think I need help Ashi my love? Do you?”

Ashitaka snorted and laughed. “What? You? Needing help? Nonsense! That’s what the institution was for. But we’ve been discharged.”

Naruto nodded and laughed

“Discharged indeed! But I don’t need help,” he let go of Ashitaka’s shoulder and began to walk away from the cliff. “No…I don’t need help. But I owe Konoha, don’t I? I owe this village a hundred fold. I will lead them all to their doom. I will make them suffer the worst thing in the world. Over and over and over again. Do you know why, Ashi my love?” He stopped talking and turned to look at Ashitaka, who had been following him. “Do you know why?”

“No. Why?”

When Naruto grinned, his teeth came sharp and bloody. He had been biting his tongue.

“Because. Hell is Repetition.”

---------------------

Naruto led them a ways from the village and the institution, claiming there was a waterfall nearby where they could wash all the dirt and soot they had collected from the night before. Ashitaka was pleased by this, for it meant that not only could they clean up, but he could renew his bonds with Naruto. And that always proved pleasurable. Already he was pulling his shirt to the side to view the dark finger shaped bruise on his shoulder that was promising to appear in a few hours. He was in the process of examining it with great pleasure. Soon, he would be poking it. That’s’ just the way he was with wounds.

The sun was high in the sky by the time Ashitaka could hear the sound of running water, and an hour later the sound became a gentle roar. Already the humidity level dropped and the sound of fresh water birds was pleasant. Into a clearing they marched, onto a sandy bank, owned by a twenty foot waterfall-nothing large and shocking, but majestic in its own skinny way. There were rocks jutting out from the pool of water, as well as from the sandy back. Naruto knelt down and grabbed some sand, running it through his fingers and seeming satisfied. He then pulled off his grimy shirt and headed for the water, pulling his pants down as well. Ashitaka stood at the bank and stared at him in all his naked glory, watching as Naruto descended into the water and gave a small- uncharacteristic squeal. Turning to Ashitaka, Naruto huddled in the water and shivered.

“B-Be c-careful,” he stuttered as he watched Ashitaka take off his shirt and came toward him. “the w-water’s f-fricken c-cold.”

Indeed it was. Ashitaka managed not to squeal as the water came up to his chest, hardening his nipples. It was going to be interesting getting it up in such cold water.

Naruto was already pulling his hair out of its ponytail- or trying to because the small band was tangled in his hair.

“Let me help…” Ashitaka waded over to Naruto and began the process of unknotting the hair band. Suddenly an amused leer began to creep across his face. Hadn’t he not so long ago had fantasies about Naruto being naked with his ponytail in Ashitaka’s hands? Well, the similarities were amusing, but Naruto suddenly slowly turned and gave him a very silent- ‘I know what you are thinking’-look.

And this made Ashitaka sigh and pull his mind away from such thoughts-although he was surprised that he could get it up in such cold water.

----------------------

Without soap or shampoo, getting the dirt off their bodies was something of grim concern to Ashitaka, but Naruto managed to awe him by demonstrating that rubbing sand on the flesh was a good way to get dirt off. At the moment, Naruto had instructed him to place their clothes against a rock and rub sand roughly over them. To his surprise, the clothing was beginning to look white again. While doing this, Naruto was rubbing sand all over his back, scrubbing so hard that Ashitaka was making small sounds of pain with each up and down movement. It was all terribly deceptive, especially since all the while Ashitaka was grinning with pleasure, sure that his back would have small cuts along the flesh. He felt a particular sting of pain and Naruto stopped, picking off a small rock that had been among the sand. Washing Ashitaka’s back with water, he eyed the small scratches and the slightly larger one that he had made across his back. The larger cut was bleeding, one small droplet beginning to travel down Ashitaka’s pale smooth spine.

It was too tempting.

Naruto leaned forward and delicately licked the droplet off Ashitaka’s sand scrubbed skin. In the back of his mind the demon stirred, opened its eyes at the familiar taste of human. It had been a while since it had tasted another’s blood; Naruto had been forced to consume his own. But now that Ashitaka was here…and willing…

Naruto took a handful of Ashitaka’s silky hair and pressed his face against the rock in which he had their clothing layed out on. He gasped as he felt sharp teeth bite into his flesh, then the pain as lips closed around the wound and began to suck greedily at the blood. With each bite there came a sense of wild happiness and content, with each suck a sense of belonging and care. He would follow Naruto into hell itself, as long as they were together. He’d do whatever Naruto said, live and breath by his circumstances, only so Naruto might never send him away.

Suddenly Naruto stopped marking his back and was staring behind himself, pupils pulsating as he stared intently into the shrubbery. His grip on Ashitaka’s hair slackened, and then he let go as he continued to stare at the shrubbery. His nostrils were flaring, his ears twitching, and he blinked once as he continued to stare. Ashitaka lifted his head and looked behind himself, startled to see the back of Naruto’s head. He turned and came to Naruto’s side, frowning at the intense gaze. He looked at the shrubbery, but saw nothing but green plants.

Silence.

Quickly, Naruto whipped around, one hand grabbing their clothes, the other gripping his arm. He pulled Ashitaka toward the bank to their left and charged into the bushes, crouching low to the ground and staring at the shrubs, which was now to their left. Ashitaka was about to ask what the problem was, annoyed that their bonding had been interrupted, when he saw an expression on Naruto’s beautiful face that he had never sported before. It was, in fact, so foreign an expression, that Ashitaka for a second, wanted to mistake it for something else.

But there was no denying it, for it was there and it looked like it wasn’t going to go away anytime soon.

Fear.

Naruto was frightened of something in the shrubbery. Ashitaka felt his own heart begin to accelerate, felt adrenaline begin to course through his body; his muscles tense for flight.

Naruto’s body suddenly stiffened, his delicate long fingers digging into the mud; Ashitaka readied himself for a sprint, and-

A monk pulled himself out of the shrubbery, light brown eyes wary and keen. He slowly and cautiously made his way into the clearing, and as his eyes traveled over their hiding place, Ashitaka saw Naruto wince and almost heard what suspiciously sounded like a whimper.

This was why they were scared!

He would have laughed-or snarled in annoyance, if Naruto wasn’t silently crawling away. Ashitaka followed until they were some distance away. Then he watched as Naruto yanked on his clothes with anger and frustration. This was really stupid…

“Oh come on Naruto. It was only a stupid monk!”

Naruto glared at him. “ Not just a monk. A Buddhist monk. I don’t want them to exorcise me. No,” Naruto began to murmur, “no…we wouldn’t want them to try that again…”

Ashitaka sent him a look of alarm.

“A monk tried to exorcise you!”

“Not just a monk,” Naruto repeated. “A Buddhist monk.”

Before Ashitaka could reply, Naruto walked off into the wilderness, forcing Ashitaka to walk and pull on his clean clothing at the same time.

-------------------------

The monk stared at the waterfall, eyed the scenery, and gagged at the foul smell that permeated the area. Indeed there had been a demon here. He eyed the water, one hand over his nose in an attempt to guard himself from the rancid odor. The water was contaminated. Already he could see the small fish that populated the pool floating to the top. All the insects had surely died as well as all the plants. There were no birds in the surrounding area- never would they bear such an abominable presence.

The fetid odor overwhelmed him, and he promptly lost breakfast in the dead pool.

TBC

Tsunade’s big mistake was telling Naruto that all his woes are the fault of the village.

Kenji resembles my older brother

Seiya Shinamori grimaced at the crowded square of Konoha, eyeing the villagers with fear and contempt. Would one of them recognize him as a patient? Kenji had laughed at his concerns, claiming that he looked nothing like his other grim self, now that he was clothed in a navy blue shirt and comfortable brown pants. Kenji had insisted that he get out into the sun, relax in his momentary freedom, for they had no clue when the officials would rain on their parade.

Seiya glared at the fleeting shadows and chakra signatures that marked them as shinobi. With all his free time, Seiya had managed to learn chakra control, despite what the book said about age. The books had stated that past a certain age, somewhere between twelve and thirteen, if a person did not tap into their chakra abilities, they would forever be locked up, placing that person as a civilian. It explained why ninja were ninja for the majority of their lives. They started at a young age, and if they lived long enough, remained shinobi. Of course, Seiya’s hatred for the soldiers and all the solitary time in which he had schooled himself, he managed to tap into his own chakra and had brought it forth. Of course, it was nothing extravagant-he was just able to spot chakra, no matter how hard the shinobi seemed to hide it.

He would get them…oh yes, he would get them.

-------------------------

“So? Where are we going?” Ashitaka asked as they stood on the crowded roadway. After the monk had arrived and their quick retreat, the two had slipped inconspicuously into Konoha by surreptitiously joining a large family of farmers. The guards at the gate simply assumed Naruto and Ashitaka were their older sons. The farmer and his wife didn’t notice the two tag-a-longs, but their children-fourteen and under, were alarmed yet pleased by the older presence. It also helped that Ashitaka deemed it wise to carry the youngest child of three. The farmer’s wife was pleased and thankful for the youth’s help, though she didn’t realize that he was posing as one of her own.

Naruto trailed quietly along, often fending off the gaze of other people, who stared at him in awe.

“Is he a model?” some whispered, and Naruto ignored the quiet questions. His face was a pleasant mask of happy thoughts, yet his eyes had deadened to a vague stare. Ashitaka couldn’t help but notice the pallor of Naruto’s skin, and that he was slowly falling behind.

After they passed through the gate with little suspicion, they separated from the farmers and sat in the shade of a group of warehouses. Naruto brought his knees to his chest; his arms lay limply at his sides, and stared lethargically at the blue sky. Ashitaka had only seen him act like this after a day or two of solitary confinement, but that was usually because they had sedated him.

“Naruto? What’s the matter?”

Naruto turned his head slowly and blinked glassy eyes at him.

“This has never happened before,” Naruto murmured with his opaque gaze fastened on Ashitaka’s face.

“What is it?” Ashitaka asked nervously. Naruto looked away for a moment before looking back.

“I am very hungry.”

Ashitaka raised his brows before bursting into hysterical laughter. “You’re hungry! Wow!” he gasped between laughs, “That’s a first!”

Naruto gave a weak scowl. “I haven’t eaten since the day before yesterday. And that was only lunch. I have a right to be hungry.”

Ashitaka stood up and brushed his backside. “Well come on then. Let’s find some food.” Naruto nodded and looked as if he were about to get to his feet, however, his shoulders slumped and he remained in his position.

“I’m too tired,” he stated listlessly, and continued to gaze off at the blue sky. Ashitaka lifted his gaze and stared at the cerulean sky, smiling as a cool wind licked his fair white skin.

“All right. Lemme go find something for us to eat, and I’ll come back for you.”

Naruto turned his head and stared at Ashitakawith luminous blue eyes. Insecurity coursed through his body. Would Ashitaka leave without him? Would he abandon Naruto in this wretched village, where he was weak and pathetic like fresh meat? He looked deeply at Ashitaka, saw the look of adoration in the sea green eyes and felt tension leave his body. No…Ashitaka would come back. The only thing that could possibly stop him was if he were attacked or captured. That would be bad.

“Ashi my love…come here.” He lifted a thin delicate hand toward the other youth.

Ashitaka felt a thrill of excitement course through his veins as he took eager steps forward, taking Naruto’s soft hand and kneeling before him. Naruto gave him a vague-if sad- smile and brushed his soft lips against Ashitaka’s. Before he could kiss him back, or make more of the brief contact, something foul and cold began to travel up the hand that was clutching Naruto’s. Ashitaka tried to pull back, jumping to his feet and using the weight of his body to ensure his release, but Naruto remained in his sitting position, body relaxed and limp. It was as if his body was like steel, for there was no tension in his thin muscles showing any type of strain. Only his hand tightened on Ashitaka’s, refusing to release him. The cold presence was now traveling up his arm, a rancid smell invading his nostrils and lungs. It lingered at the back of his throat and he shook his head to avoid vomiting.

“Let me go!” he gasped between foul breaths as the wretchedness traveled through his chest and began to spread throughout his body. Ashitaka shook his head from side to side frantically, feeling the foulness invade his mind. There was now a black presence there, something that smelled of old blood, rotting bodies, and terrible lust. It was eating his pores; sifting through his memories like a deck of cards, separating his wants and needs into amusing piles, examining one and placing it aside to peer at another.

And then it looked at him.

It was a single large eye of yellow, red, and orange- forever shifting between the three so that one was unsure where one began and the other finished. The slitted pupil was a black full of distant stars and ancient secrets. It could undo him, destroy him. It was already devouring his mind, removing his very self from his own body.

Gripping his hair with his free hand, head still shaking frantically side to side, Ashitaka gave a blood-curdling scream that erupted from the very depths of his soul, breaking free of his throat and making its escape into Konoha. Ashitaka screamed until there was no air in his body, no strength, no will. He collapsed to his knees, head bent down, hand still held in Naruto’s.

It was gone…not completely, for the foul smell still lingered in his nostrils, but it had let him live. Let him alone. For now.

Ashitaka lifted his head and stared at Naruto in horror, Naruto who sat there, body relaxed and tired, watching Ashitaka with a blank unreadable expression. Ashitaka’s hand was shaking and sweating in the cold motionless grasp of Naruto.

Was this…what Naruto had to live with? Was this awful smell permeating his body, encasing his mind, and invading his dreams…all the time? Could they blame him for the madness, the self-affliction, and the violence? Ashitaka had felt the demon for only a moment, had felt it violate him in every sense of the word, and had felt his mind begin to crack.

Could they blame Naruto for his madness?

“My gift for you…my… protection…” Naruto’s voice came like a balm on a scraped knee, soothing the terror and disgust out of Ashitaka’s body. His hand seemed warm and comforting, and Ashitaka felt the tension leave his shoulders. Naruto’s death-like grip on his hand slackened, and Ashitaka hesitantly removed his sweating palm. He rubbed it against his thigh, staring at the ethereal creature before him.

Gift? Protection? This?

The look on his face must have queued Naruto into his thoughts, for the blonde youth smiled sadly.

“With that…chakra…you will be able to protect yourself in case someone recognizes and tries to capture you.”

“But I don’t think I needed-’’

“You don’t want to be capture, do you?” there was a look of pain and sadness on Naruto’s ethereal features. “You’re not going to leave me are you?”

“NoNo!” Ashitaka soothed hastily, and ran a hand up Naruto’s arm. “I’d never leave you. I will be with you always.”

Naruto beamed and ran sharp nails under Ashitaka’s sleeve. The sharp sting of scratches pleased the white-haired youth, and he stood up.

“Now let me get some food for you. Stay here and don’t leave ok?”

Naruto nodded as Ashitaka backed away and headed from the warehouse/manufacturing district. He lifted the fading white sleeve and felt a rush of pleasure at the three scratch marks that now adorned his arm. He glanced back once, and saw that Naruto was back to staring at the sky, legs still drawn to his chest, arms still limp at his sides. For a second he wondered if Naruto was hypoglycemic, but the thought came and went.

In the end, it seemed that Naruto had left him before he had initially left the area.

But now you know what has happened.

Ashitaka blinked in surprise at the hidden voice that had lain silently for years in his mind, spoke.

You know how false his fear is.

What fear? Ashitaka pondered silently and waited for a reply.

His fear that you would leave him. It was false.

Why? Ashitaka was stupefied at his own thoughts. Why would that be false?

Can’t you feel it? Don’t you realize?

Ashitaka froze as the familiar rancid smell wafted into his nostrils. He felt eyes on him and he spun around, glaring nervously at the vacant warehouses and the busy stream of people entering and exiting Konoha.

Don’t you see Ashi? Don’t you feel it? You can’t leave him now. He has made sure of that. You are truly his. You can’t leave him…even if you wanted to. And he knows this.

Ashitaka swallowed and covered his mouth with a trembling hand, holding back the tide of bile that released itself into his mouth.

You should know better, the voice chided. You know that Naruto never does anything without an ultimate purpose.

-----------------------------

Rumors. There was always some stupid truth in them and since several people of trustworthy words had claimed to seeing him, the black haired- youth could only believe them to be true. Indeed, Uchiha Itachi had been on the outskirts of Konoha.

Uchiha Sasuke fumed inwardly at the unfair world. Years of training, hating, and fighting to the limits of his endurance, only to be delayed by a lousy teammate with a weak stomach. Ok, maybe not so lousy, but really…a stomach-ache? Security had increase since the attack on the institution; Sasuke had missed the battle by a day, to his chagrin. Why S-class missing nin would attack a civilian mental institution was a great curiosity, especially since all the anbu were now combing Konoha for missing patients. Sakura had stated that they were probably looking for homicidal maniacs, but the Hokage’s worried presence when they had stopped at the site said otherwise.

As he entered the gates, showing his ID to the gate guard, he allowed himself to continue fuming over the injustice of it all. He wasn’t even interested on returning to the village, not until he could find and kill his brother. But the Hokage had forbade him to search for the traitor, leaving Sasuke to moments like this, hoping that his brother would-

Sasuke’s hand shot to his nose. What the hell was that awful smell! Sasuke couldn’t stop the groan of disgust that escaped his throat and he turned to Sakura.

“Do-you-smell-THAT?” he asked incredulously. Sakura looked at him in surprise and sniffed the air.

“No,” she frowned at him. “What does it smell like?”

Sasuke could feel his eyes watering from the force of the odor and he couldn’t help his next words.

“Like a thousand people shit in a pile, pissed on it, and then died.”

Sakura opened her mouth-then shut it for lack of words. She wanted to laugh-but judging by Sasuke’s revolted expression and watery eyes, he was clearly not in the mood for her laughter.

“Well what direction is it coming from?” she asked when she was sure she wasn’t going to laugh. Sasuke turned and glared at an area full of whitewashed warehouses, all of which were closed for the day. She could hear his ragged breath beneath his hands and stopped him as he made a step in that direction.

“Maybe I should go check,” she offered. His face had gone a sickly gray, and tears were seeping from red-agitated eyes.

“No,” Sasuke replied, looking annoyed. “You stay here. I’m going to go find out where that smell is coming from.”

Sakura sighed. She should have known better. Men and their egos. She watched in slight amusement as Sasuke began a purposeful walk toward the warehouses, then felt alarm as he leaned forward, placing his hands on his knees, and waited for obvious nausea to pass. Sakura frowned. She had smelled the reek of the dead before, and sure it had made her feel sick, but so had Sasuke and he had never been affected by it like this. She made to approach her, but he turned his head and glared at her from fifty feet away, and she could see the activated Sharingan. Should she get help?

Sasuke straightened up, however, and with and extra pallid-extra determined face, headed toward the warehouses.

------------------------------

Peering around a corner, Sasuke detected no presence except for the ever increasing odor of-of… well he wasn’t quite sure his description of the smell to Sakura was quite accurate, for it was now mixed with the distinct coppery taste of blood. Oh yes, it was all there, sitting at the back of Sasuke’s tongue, along with his pulse, which was pounding so hard he felt like he could roll it in his mouth like a lolli-pop.

Walking down the clean alley, it opened to his right, and with it the smell increased. Sasuke turned to his left and spotted a trash can full of boxes. He rushed over and shamefacedly vomited onto an open area of the can. He retched and felt even more ill with his own vomit and the increasing smell, and continued to heave and retch until his diaphragm wailed at the abuse and his ribs creaked with the constriction. Then he was finished and could only lean on the edge of the can and spit what was left in his mouth. He felt completely drained…vomiting was a tough business. Digging into his pack, he pulled out a water bottle and rinsed out his mouth…and to his secret embarrassment, pulled out three sticks of gum to get the taste of undigested food out of his mouth.

Thank GOD, Sakura had not seen that awful display of human spewing.

Completely finished-but still tired, Sasuke headed down the alley to the right, again covering his nose and staring in disbelief. Was he going to throw up again! There was nothing left to spew! Taking a few steps forward, he was then taken on by violent dry retching as he turned a corner. When that bout had finished, and he had wiped sobbing eyeballs from the strain, he looked up and froze.

That corner had turned into a sunny clearing, the back of warehouses facing one another, creating some kind of court-or small arena. It was the perfect place for a brawl. Sitting against the wall he was leaning against for support was a man his age with the sunniest blond hair he had ever seen. The face that went along with it was beautiful and ethereal, face smooth and gentle, eyes the palest blue-like the eyes of a husky. There were strange, but familiar marks on his face that added to the overall beauty. There was something that was barely saving him from being feminine- perhaps it was a curve of the jaw, or an arch of a thin yellow brow. The person was sitting with his legs drawn to his chest, and arms lying limply at his sides. He was staring up at the sky- yet the vacant look in his eyes said that he wasn’t really seeing it. Sasuke wanted to think he was nothing but the homeless delinquents one saw ocassionally, but his fading white pants and shirt were too clean to scream poverty.

Perhaps it was a small movement on his part that caused the person to turn his head and fix those pale blue eyes on his face. It was as if at that direct gaze, the foul smell smacked him in the face, causing Sasuke to reel back, one hand over his nose and mouth, swaying at his confused senses. Was he going to pass out? He did feel dizzy.

It was an unconscious decision on his part; he never felt his feet move, never felt his body turn and stumble back the way he came. His eyes were shrouded in the gray spots; his peripheral vision was all but a hazy black. His feet knew the way, but his mind was dazed and confused, his body hot and feverish.

---------------------------

Sakura waited with a sigh for Sasuke to return, half tempted to stalk after him, half tempted to sit and make herself comfortable. She said hi to a passing villager and talked to Nara Shikamaru for three minutes before turning back to the warehouses. Shikamaru was about to say goodbye, vaguely curious as to why she was looking at them with a worried expression, when Sasuke came stumbling out of the alleyway, face bleak and confused. Sakura and Shikamaru rushed to his side-although Shikamaru stopped when a disgusting smell hit his nose.

Sasuke had collapsed to his hands and knees, head bent miserably low to the dusty ground, breath light and rapid. Sakura rubbed his back in a nervous yet soothing gesture, hoping that Sasuke wouldn’t retaliate to the contact in his usual manner. It worried her though, when all Sasuke did was lower his head to the dirt, resting his forehead on the cool sand, like his head was too heavy to hold. Sakura turned to Shikamaru, perhaps to tell him to get help, but froze when she saw his face.

Shikamaru was several feet behind her, hands covering his nose and mouth, face the awful shade of grayish-green. His eyes were wide, and were focused solely on the warehouse alley, in which Sasuke had stumbled from.

“Shikamaru!” she called, trying to get his attention, but there was no reply. The shadow- nin remained immobile and unresponsive, eyes turned toward the alleyway. Sakura turned back to Sasuke and was about to send calming waves of chakra through his body, like any competent medic-nin would, when Sasuke’s legs and arms buckled under him and he collapsed to the ground, face buried in the dirt. Sakura gave an unprofessional squeal of fear and turned her old crush over and patted his face to try and rouse him from his faint. But the youth was unresponsive.

A movement behind her, and Sakura spun to see Shikamaru rush forward, eyes still trained upon the alley, but arms grabbing the fallen shinobi. He lifted Sasuke into his arms, face green, eyes wide and staring, and hurried to the flow of humans that continued on in obliviousness.

He settled Sasuke down when they were a distance where he could not smell the foulness that permeated that area, and took deep calming breaths. He wasn’t going to throw up. Nope. He wasn’t. However Sakura, who had knelt down next to Sasuke and was administering him like a good medic, deemed her work finished when Sasuke began to stir and stood to take care of the obviously ill Shikamaru.

The smell of her perfume was the last straw. As she stood before him, perhaps to put a hand on his shoulder, Shikamaru took a step back, leaned forward, and vomited all over her open-toed sandals.

It was not going to be a great day.

TBC

Chapter 8

Agreements and such

The sun had reached its zenith, causing showers of heat to cascade down on the white haired escapee, who wandered along Konoha’s food market hungrily. People glanced at him, gazing at the awkward fading white shirt and pants that marked him as an outsider. He grimaced nervously and passed a ramen stand, glancing at the food as he trudged on by. His own stomach grumbled miserably, and he wondered what hunger was feeling like for Naruto at the moment.

--------------------

Seiya Shinamori glanced up from his meal to spot a familiar patient wander by. He had seen this youth before; often he was following that blonde haired youth Seiya purposely tried not to think about. The white-haired youth looked tired and hungry- something Seiya could not ignore. He remembered when his two girls would give him the hungry look; especially when there were sweets involved. Seiya had always caved in-to his wife’s general amusement, and the familiar expression on the youth’s face was overbearing. After all, he was just a kid, and he was also very conspicuous in the white clothing.

“Hey,” Seiya called out, causing Kenji to turn his head in curiosity. The white haired youth turned in his direction, pale green eyes gazing at him without recognition-but only for a moment. Then the youth gave a slow smile and calmly coasted over to the men.

“Well, well,” the youth said as he sat down next to Seiya. “It is a small world after all.”

Kenji gaped at the youth sitting next to his brother. The color of his hair added to the white of his clothing made it really hard to look at him in the sun. The youth picked up the menu, eyed the food, then set it down and regarded Seiya silently.

“So?” he said suddenly, an expectant look on his face.

“So what?”

“So are you going to feed me or is sadism why you were at the institution?”

Kenji snorted in amusement as Seiya scowled and nodded toward the cook, who stood in front of the white haired youth. The youth smiled and ordered two bowls of shrimp ramen- to go.

“Two? To go?” Seiya asked curiously.

The white haired youth turned to him. “Why yes. My friend is very hungry, you know, Naruto.”

Kenji was startled to see the blush that splattered across Kenji’s chiseled features.

“Who’s Naruto?”

Seiya was now studying the dull countertop, face a tomato red. Did he have a crush on another man? Kenji’s mind reeled at the thought of his elder brother being gay. A wife and two kids weren’t enough? But no, that was most unfair, being that they were dead and he had been sent away. Besides, there had been no woman at the institution; Kenji vividly remembered complaining about that. It was bound to happen, he guessed, and quietly accepted his brother’s fruitiness. Whatever the hell made him happy…

The white-haired youth looked pleased at the question as he slid off the stool and stood at their side.

“Naruto’s a genius.”

Kenji lifted his brows and waited for more, but the youth now had a pleasurable glazed look about him.

Looks like Seiya has some competition, Kenji thought in amusement as the white haired youth turned his green eyes on Seiya.

“Hey, you’re that book man aren’t you?”

Seiya nodded silently, wondering why that mattered.

“Naruto wants some of your books. How ‘bout letting him read some. We’ll give them back when he finishes them,” He lifted a pale white hand. “Psycho’s honor.”

He saw the hesitant look Seiya’s face. “Hey, why don’t you come with me and see Naruto yourself. I’m sure he could come up with a deal.”

Before Seiya could reply, Kenji stood up and grinned. “Sure! I would like to meet this ‘genius’, as you call him. And hey, if you guys got no where to stay, half the apartments at my complex are empty.”

Seiya turned an incredulous gaze on his younger brother, while the youth beamed and stalked over to him. He put a free hand on Kenji’s shoulder and leaned his face near.

“Why, this is so convenient, I must take you up on the offer. Come with me, and I will lead you to Naruto.” He glided away from the embarrassed Kenji before stopping and turning seductively toward them.

“Oh, and the names’ Ashitaka.”

------------------------

Upon his return to consciousness, Sasuke was greeted with the familiar screech that often escaped Sakura’s lips on important occasions. He did not jump to his feet, brandishing an array of weapons, and throwing them at anything that moved due to the fact that Sakura sounded more disgusted than frightened. Instead he opened his eyes and sat up, easily spotting Sakura, who was staring down at her feet, which had- was that barf? Standing in front of her was a bent over Shikamaru, who looked to be the one who delivered the oozing package, and he was in the familiar process of spitting what was left out of his mouth. Sakura gave in to small shrieks, as she was unsure how to get the filth off her feet without touching it.

Sasuke got to his feet, and dug into his pack, which was lying nearby. Pulling out his water bottle, he walked over to his distraught teammate and poured the water over her feet, washing the vomit onto the sandy road.

“Sorry Sakura,” Shikamaru muttered thickly as he wiped his mouth. He let dark brown eyes fall onto Sasuke’s coal black ones, and together they eyed the warehouses. Sasuke tentatively sniffed the air, yet there was no trace of the foulness that had shamed them both.

“What was that?” Shikamaru asked when he was sure they wouldn’t be attacked by the smell. Sakura ignored the question as she stared at her semi-clean feet in disgust.

“There was a man in there,” Sasuke replied, eyes still trained on the warehouses. “He was wearing all white-“

“All white?” Shikamaru interrupted sharply. He was now staring at Sasuke, eyes alarmed. “What type of clothes were they?”

Sasuke thought a moment before replying.

“Plain. Just pants and a shirt. Thin linen…probably. Very…hospital like…”

Realization dawned on them.

“Mental patient!” they both hissed in unison, and sped off toward the warehouses, fear of the stench forgotten.

Sakura looked up from her drying feet.

“What?”

-------------------------------

Sasuke led while Shikamaru followed, and the two were down the alleys and into the small courtyard before they had time to wisely think about their actions. It was, to their complete chagrin to see that the area was empty. Upon leading Shikamaru to the spot the patient had sat, there was no trace that the person had been sitting there at all. No trace of chakra, no butt indention in the dirt. No overall displacement of anything.

“I’m positive-’’ Sasuke began to say, but Shikamaru cut him off with a short nod.

“I believe you. Tsunade-sama sent out an order to find a patient with blonde hair, blue eyes, and three birthmark lines on each side of his face. She said he’s about 5’9’, one hundred and twenty pounds. Goes by the name Uzumaki Naruto. Mentally unstable and extremely dangerous. If we find him, we are to use extreme force if necessary. Take all safety precautions for yourself and anyone who is unfortunate to be the area.”

Sasuke carefully processed the information before asking; “Does this Naruto know that he is being hunted?”

Shikamaru shrugged. “Possibly. Tsunade-sama said that he was intelligent. Of course he’s going to aware that there are going to be people searching for him, though he probably doesn't know to what extent.”

“I wonder what he has done to be brandished as dangerous.”

Shikamaru shrugged and eyed the area, looking for any lasting or overlooked clues.

“I suppose mental instability is a crime. He’s not even a shinobi. He should be easy to catch. However I’m under the suspicion that there is something more to this patient that Tsunade-sama is unwilling to reveal.”

“Indeed,” Sasuke agreed, “Like that smell. I’m positive it was coming from this Naruto. When he looked at me…” Sasuke shivered at the memory.

Shikamaru glanced around one last time before heading toward the alley.

“Come on. We’d better let Tsunade-sama know of the sighting.”

Sasuke nodded and followed.

------------------------

Naruto lay in the sun, listening to the important ramblings of the two shinobi. He was startled at the accuracy of his own description, and was amused when labeled as dangerous. He knew very little of the ninja way, but was aware that he would be in trouble if he were in a confrontation. Already the demon was shoving images of an eighteen-year-old battle, one that involved the ninja of this village and the demon. However he didn’t care much, and was content to lie on the rooftop, mildly amused that the two ninja had not bothered to look up there. When the strange black haired youth had come around the corner, both he and the demon were curious, for he reminded them of the other shinobi that had entered their mind the night before. However, the youth had run away at the rancid smell he was giving off and they had lost the chance to ensnare him. Though it puzzled him that people seemed surprised to find that a demon would smell. He could recall at some times, when the lab coats would smell the demon’s presence, how they would run and vomit all over the place. Really…did they expect him to smell like roses or dandelions? It was a demon for gods’ sakes! It was supposed to smell nasty!

He understood one thing though. His fading white clothes were a liability. Already he worried at Ashitaka’s capture. The youth probably shined like a beacon. Naruto closed his eyes and allowed his innate senses to search for his companion, easily finding him heading toward his direction, though he was with company.

Company?

Naruto turned onto his stomach and wondered at the presence of the two extra people. Had Ashitaka betrayed him? Naruto probed into the white-haired youth’s thoughts and found nothing but pleasure and excitement, something was going to please Naruto.

Naruto dismissed his mental accusations and decided to wait for Ashitaka’s arrival.

----------------------

As the group of three approached the warehouses, Ashitaka immediately spotted two shinobi leave the alleyway of the warehouses. Both were male and seemed powerful, especially the one with the wild black hair and the pale angry features. Ashitaka recognized the features, which were similar to the one from the other night, the one that had stared at Naruto and then had fallen. Had they found Naruto?

Ashitaka immediately jumped behind Seiya, who was just as tall as he was, but with much more meat on his bones. Seiya stopped when his dark eyes fell on the three shinobi, (the two had now joined a woman) who were now running at an amazing speed into the village.

Kenji turned to the frightened patient and smiled.

“We really need to get you out of those clothes.” He immediately wanted to rephrase that as the youth lifted his head and gave Kenji an interested, speculatory once over, as if wondering how good Kenji was in bed.

Seiya shook his head and motioned for them to continue, and Ashitaka immediately took the lead again. Following him down the clean alley between the warehouses and into the clearing, Ashitaka almost dropped the ramen bowls when his eyes fell upon the empty area. Kenji scratched his head, then gave a shrug.

“I guess he left.” Again he wanted to rephrase the sentence when a completely crushed look fell upon Ashitaka’s gentle features. His hands began to shake, and Kenji gently took the bowls from his weakening grip. Ashitaka didn’t notice this; his eyes were watering up and his eyes were darting to all the corners, hoping that his eyes were simply defective, and Naruto had not abandoned him.

“Fear not, Ashi my love, for I have gone nowhere,” a silky and pleasant voice murmured. All three men looked up and spotted a head peering down at them, and Kenji was forced to admit that this Naruto was indeed, very beautiful. There was this naughty grin on his face, like he was thinking extremely dirty thoughts, and none of them pleasurable to the recipients. There was a great look of relief on Ashitaka’s face, and they watched as the youth sluggishly slithered off the roof. Those pale blue eyes fell on the bowls of ramen, and Seiya cringed at the look of complete hunger on the youth’s face.

“Dig in!” Ashitaka said happily as he handed Naruto the bowl and chopsticks. The youth took them gratefully and slid his back down the wall, crouching down and opening the bowl of shrimp ramen.

“They’re kinda soggy but, I hope they’ll do the job,” Ashitaka murmured apologetically as he too knelt down and opened his bowl.

The two brothers watched as both youths began to slowly consume the food. While this annoyed the impatient Seiya, Kenji nodded at the practicality of it. Both youths were allowing their stomachs to consume the food at a reasonable pace, so that their stomachs could not only savor the food, but let them know when it was properly full.

Indeed Seiya’s crush almost seemed reasonable. For the lack of women in the institution, Naruto made good substitute. He was as close to being a woman without a person actually being confused about his gender. He was obviously a man, no one would be confused about that. The only think that could possibly confuse anyone was what his sexual preference was. That, was the real question.

And why was he thinking about this? At that moment, the blond youth turned his blue eyes on Kenji and gave him a slow smile. Kenji immediately looked away.

Naruto then turned his gaze on the other man, and immediately recognized him.

“Book man,” he exclaimed gently, and he stood up, placing his half-empty bowl to the side. He glided over to Seiya, whose eyes where darting everywhere. He stood at Seiya’s side and whispered gently in his ears, “I really liked that book you let me read. I wanted to read more but, as you can remember, I had to leave.”

Seiya looked at him. “Is it true that you killed Takezo?”

Kenji’s ears perked up at his brother’s words.

Naruto gave him a sad look. “I’m afraid I did. You know Takezo’s…er…reputation. I was tired of the abuse. When I turned him down…he got violent.” Naruto wrapped his arms around himself and gave a small visible shudder. Kenji shuddered at all the words implied, and was about to say something when he noticed the strange look Ashitaka was giving Naruto. The youth looked extremely amused and impressed by Naruto’s words. Impressed was fine, he was too, for it took balls to kill someone, even if you were protecting yourself. But amused?

“But anyway,” Naruto said with a dismissive wave of a hand, “I’m really interested in what the shinobi world has to offer.”

And then something seemed to pass between Seiya and the youth. Was it a spark of hatred that Kenji saw? Something that came and went, as quick as a forbidden thought?

Whatever it was, it made Seiya nod, made his eyes grow hard with determination.

“Of course. Of course. I know Ashitaka wanted to tell you but, Kenji has offered you a place to stay. At his complex. Would you like to come?”

Kenji gaped at his brother while Naruto turned piercing blue eyes on him.

“Reeeaaally,” he drawled, eyes amused and pleased at the same time.

“Yeah. Sure,” he said with a shrug. “Besides, I have a feeling that you two will be useful to have around.”

“Indeed,” Ashitaka replied with a predatory grin. “Yes indeed."

TBC

Chapter 9

Of Exorcisms and other things

Slipping quietly from the warehouses, the group of four quickly emersed themselves into the crowded streets of Konohagakura. Though Naruto and Ashitaka stood out, very few people seemed to pay attention to them; all were going about life’s business without a care in the world. However, there was one old woman who’s rheumy eyes fell upon Naruto’s ethereal face, recognized him, and a look of horror spread across her wrinkled features.

She opened her toothless mouth and shouted, “It’s the Demon!”

Naruto froze and spun around, eyes capturing the old woman’s. At first, he was startled, however he could feel many eyes on him and anger flashed through him. In a fit of anger, he pulled the old woman’s mind into his own.

------------------------------

Of course she remembered the great wicked Demon Fox; four of her children and two grandchildren had perished due to its wickedness. She remembered the little blonde boy with the whisker marks; she often watched him wander the streets late at night, sit with the prostitutes until they left with business. Disgusting little creature, the child had been, and when they had sent him away, it was the best thing that had happened to Konoha in years.

But now he was back, walking the streets like it was nobody’s business. She had meant to run and tell the authorities, but her body had betrayed her and she had shouted his presence. The youth had started and turned, looked at her, and her world began to shatter, crumble away to a place of crimson and black shadows.

She was before a large gate with scrolls on both sides. She felt adrenaline beat her old heart as her eyes fell on a small familiar blonde child. The child remained as it had all those years ago, when it would sit with the prostitutes. Blue eyes hollow and wary, hair wild and unkempt, orange jacket and pants were grungy and threadbare. She didn’t know how the women could endure its presence; she had often seen them hug or carry him in their arms for a while. But then, they were the filth of society.

The child was crouched before the gate; small hands gripping the large bars like his miserable life depended on it. His forehead was pressed against the bars, gaze fixed on the floor, which to her horror, was flooded by what looked like blood. This was where the creature belonged. Right behind those damn bars, locked up forever…

“Demon,” she hissed, feeling the enmity for lost family rising. Perhaps she had waited years for this moment…dreamt of it.

The child shifted on its haunches, lifted his head, and to her surprise, was grinning.

“You say that like it’s supposed to hurt,” and the boy glanced behind her. She turned.

She had seen the Kyuubi when it had fought on the outskirts of Konoha, saw its nine-tails, jagged teeth…crimson eyes. Bu this, this, was not the Kyuubi. This filthy, shadowy, mass of vile evil was not the fox demon. This creature that was turning toward her, acknowledging her presence, was not the fox. The smell alone was enough to send her screaming, but she stood her ground. This was the moment of truth. Years of regretting not being a kunoichi was now boiling down to one exact moment.

A face off.

The wretched existence towered over her; shifting and morphing like an inky shadow of nothingness. Though she saw no eyes in the inky blackness, she felt the creature examining her, summing her up.

There was a small child-like giggle behind her.

“Silence filthy child!” Immediately she started chanting a Buddhist sutra, causing the boy to not only stop his laughter, but give a shriek of fear. She turned in time to see the child run from the gate and into the surrounding darkness.

FOOLISH HUMAN.

The old woman spun back, opened her mouth to repeat the sutra, when the demon opened its eyes.

Red, yellow, orange…the universe…existence…stars..?

------------------------------------

They had been emersed in the crowd, nervously trying to make their way to Kenji’s complex, when an old woman shouted, “It’s the Demon!”

Ashitaka saw villagers move to see, saw Naruto jump and fix his eyes on the old woman. For a moment, he looked angry, but it soon broke into amusement. Young people were gaping at him, while most of the older generation seemed to recognize and disapprove his presence. Suddenly Naruto looked frightened, and the old woman, who had locked her gaze with his, gave a small gasp of wonderment. Her eyes were wide, her hand fluttered to her bosom, then she keeled over, collapsing to the ground.

People gasped, as a man rushed over to the old woman, turning her over. Her eyes were wide and staring, lips bloodless and blue. The mans’ nostrils flared as he lifted a heated gaze on Naruto’s face.

“Maaaaybe we should go,” Kenji murmured as he quickly grabbed Naruto’s upper arm and pulled him into a nearby alley. He let got of the youth once he was sure that Naruto was willing to follow him The group raced through the back alleys of Konoha; Ashitaka wondered why they had not taken them in the first place. It would have saved them a lot of trouble!

Kenji turned down another alley, jumping over a homeless man that was sprawled in the middle of the alley. Seiya jumped over the man as well while Ashitaka ran around him. Naruto, stepped on him, ran over his body, feeling the bones in the man’ wrist crunch as his heel landed forcefully on it. The man gave a cry of pain, causing Ashitaka to glance back in surprise. Naruto lifted his pale gaze and grinned at him in pleasure.

Ashitaka did not smile back.

The demon seemed amused however. It hissed its amusement in the back of his mind and he felt his stride lengthening as the group exited the alleyways and came upon a dilapidated apartment complex.

Seiya bent forward and gave great gasps along with the other two fugitives. Kenji turned and frowned at them, a thin sheen of sweat gracing his brow, his breath even and deep.

“Man, you guys are out of shape,” he said with a frown.

Ashitaka looked up. “Oh what do you think we did there huh?” he snarled. “Ran up and down the halls? Had a special aerobics class to stay in tiptop shape? Naruto, how’s the shape of my derrière?” He glared at the brother.

Kenji shrugged and led the exhausted group into the run down complex. Naruto stood at the doorway and stared.

How…unfortunate…that this place looked much like his old apartment when he was young. Ah yes, the wonderful memories of cold sleepless nights, eerie sounds, the hateful voices. Ah yes…the voices…

“Naruto? Are you coming?”

Naruto snapped out of his memories and stared at an inquisitive Kenji. Naruto graced the man with a sleazy grin before stating, “Of course. I was just in the middle of a flashback.”

Kenji frowned. “Didn’t look very pleasant due to your expression.”

Naruto gave him a curious gaze. “No…no. They never really are.”

He followed the up the dilapidated stairway and into the hall, coming across Toner, who was haunting the hallway. Toner avoided Kenji’s gaze, glared at Seiya, and looked on at Ashitaka with a hungry, ‘there are possibilities here’ gaze. It vanished when his beady eyes fell on the blonde guy, who was staring at him with icy blue eyes. The pupils were very pronounced…there was someone lurking- something lurking behind them, watching him hungrily. Later Toner would put it off as the side effects of PCP, the reason that he heard a voice in his head. It was not a funny voice, or a happy voice. It was an old, hungry, powerful voice. And it was wondering about him.

I WONDER WHAT HE WILL TASTE LIKE.

Toner saw the blonde youth give him a speculative gaze, as if he too were wondering what he would taste like. Then he turned and continued on with the rest of the group.

Toner reminded himself to watch out for the blonde guy.

----

It was not the norm for Kioshe to wander far from the sanctuary, but after he had felt the presence of the demon at the now unholy waterfall, he was forced to tell the head priest about this unfortunate disturbance. Years ago he would have said there were no demons in Konoha, but after that incident…years ago…

He had been a young youth when he was invited to witness the exorcism of a young child no older than four.

Flashback. (Fear not, there will not be too many of these.)

Kioshe swallowed his pulse back into his throat as he traveled up the stairway into the third floor of the apartment complex. The thought alone that these spiritual leaders were going to torment a poor child was repulsive. He had no idea why his parents had forced him into this faith; if they wanted to get close to Buddha, they could do it themselves. He could be learning something useful, like how to fight and become an honorable ninja. He could fight for his village, earn an income for his family, live with honor!

Nevertheless, here he was, ascending the stairs in a poor apartment complex, about to watch the antagonism of a poor child. The kids’ neighbors had been complaining that there were horrible smells coming from the apartment, and that at times they would hear awful screams of what sounded like hundreds of people seep through their walls. Already he had seen one of the neighbors complain to the monk who was leading him, and with each word, the angry neighbor would emphasize it with a hard meaningful look, one that only the monks seemed to understand.

As they coasted down the hallway toward the doorway, where Kioshe could see several monks standing guard, he allowed himself to give in to his skepticism. Demons could not possess people, let alone a child. This was obviously a case of homeless abandoned child that no one had the heart to get rid of so they called the local sect. Hopefully the monks would take the kid away and before Kioshe knew it, he would be potty training and shaving some little brats’ head once a week, because no doubt he would be stuck with the babysitting.

The monks moved away from the door so he could enter the apartment. He gave them a solemn nod and walked into the living room. The place was pathetic, and to his puzzlement, furnished, albeit the rugged state of things. There were a few broken toys littering the ground, and the small two-seater table was littered with slices of molden bread and what looked like an empty carton of milk. Kioshe wandered to the hallway, noticing the lack of pictures or anything remotely friendly on the walls. The doorway at the end of the hall was filled with monks; there was the gentle hum of sutras being chanted and what Kioshe identified as a whimper. He quickened his pace and entered the room. There were five monks standing in a half circle around a child curled up in a fetal position. The room had one bed and a dresser; the window was broken, letting in a gust of cold air.

From what Kioshe could see, the child was wearing a dirty orange jacket with matching orange pants, no doubt to keep the cold out. There was blonde hair, and a glimpse of watery blue yes. However, the child had curled up within himself, and it was going to take a lot of coaxing to get this one to open up. Kioshe stepped toward the head priest Shishio, a frown gracing his young features.

“Shishio-sama. I must inquire as to why you are trying to harm this boy.” It was bold, but then, they were talking about a child here.

Shishio, who was all white beard and bushy eyebrows, turned a stern and grim face towards the brash youth.

“The real question young lad is, why have we brought you here?”

Indeed, it was a good question. However, the child was more important.

“Shishio-sama. Surely you do not believe these silly claims that the child is possessed! A demon cannot possess a person, let alone a child of-of,” he threw a frantic glance at the boy. “Four!”

Head Priest Shishio gave him a sympathetic look before gesturing to the child. “It is time for you to see that there are some things only a monk or priest can protect a village from. Step forward and see for yourself.”

Kioshe stared at the old man, a feeling of unease coursing through his body. Perhaps…

Kioshe turned and made small steps toward the child.

“Hey,” he cooed gently, face and posture oozing friendliness and goodwill. “Hey there little one. It’s all right. Come out of there.”

The child, who was buried within himself, began to uncurl at the gentle and friendly voice. Pale watery blue eyes peered out at him, pupils large from fear, breath quick and shallow.

“It’s alright,” Kioshe murmured as he knelt before the child, feeling his heart clench at the sight of the tear streaks that traveled down the pale red face. The child’s lower lip was trembling, small hands clenching and unclenching. His eyes darted across the room, falling on the low hum of the chanting monks. One noticed the boy’s gaze and said the chant a little louder, causing the little boy to flinch. Kioshe wanted to tell them to shut up, but was sure that would only earn him a glare. Besides, there was a look of increasing fear spreading across the monks’ faces, along with Shishio, who seemed to tense.

The little boy looked at Kioshe and whispered in a small cracked voice, “I’m scared. The words hurt.”

Kioshe reached out and stroked the mess of blonde hair.

“Of course you are,” he cooed, seeing the boy begin to relax-yet fresh sets of tears were clouding his eyes. “Of course you’re scared. I would be too. But these men won’t harm you.”

A look of hope flashed across the child’s pale features. “R-Really?”

Kioshe smiled. Everything was going to be okay now. “Of course. I’ll let no one harm you. I’ll take care of you.” Perhaps babysitting wouldn’t be so bad.

“You promise?” the child asked.

Immediately after the words came, Head Priest Shishio boomed out, “STEP AWAY FROM THE DEMON!”

Kioshe jumped in startlement and made to turn around, when a small hand reached out and gripped his wrist. An odor so powerful spilled through the apartment, causing the monks to leap away and gag as they tried to flee. Kioshe covered his nose and spun back to the boy, eyes tearing up as the stench almost became a sting. The child was staring at him, small pale hand gripping his wrist. Kioshe tried to pull his hand away, but it was as if his hand was in the grip of steel. The child nor its hand budged, or so much as twitch. Kioshe stopped trying to pull away as his eyes connected with blue orbs, which were, to his fascination, slowly being consumed by black expanding pupils. Already his body felt weak, as if his life force was being drained in the forceful grip and his vision was fading around the edges, a type of tunnel vision that encompassed the ever-expanding pupils. There was almost no blue left…the pupils were on the brink of consuming all…

Vacantly he heard the sound of a booming voice, one that he would soon come to respect in about thirty seconds. Then he was free; the crushing grip had released him and his vision came roaring back to him, as well as his hearing, which he did not recall losing. Kioshe fell back on his rump and felt strong arms wrap themselves around his torso, pulling him away from the child…creature. He could hear shouting, and most of the sutra he did not understand-but whatever was being said caused the child/creature to jump to it’s feet and slam itself against the wall.

As Kioshe climbed to his feet, his eyes never leaving the small pallid face, he watched in a horror-struck fascination as the now blue ringed black eyes fell upon him again. The child bared sharp canines, the teeth next to his two front teeth long and sharp. Then more sutra was shouted, a force of angry disgusted monks and one head priest, who seemed more infuriated than the monks.

“Leave this body, creature of unholiness! You do not belong on this plane of existence.” Head Priest Shishio’s voice was commanding and powerful, making the child/creature flinch- but only for a moment.

In the next, a look of uncontrollable rage seemed to shimmer about the child, and Kioshe watched in the same manner as everyone else as the child began to twitch its jaw about, and a strange clicking and crunching of bones could be heard as something barely visible seemed to slide under the skin of his jaw. Slowly the child opened its mouth exposing teeth that belonged on a shark, for there was so many of the small sharp dagger-like teeth that he momentarily wondered how the mouth could handle it. There was blood coated on and between the teeth, and Kioshe was sure that whatever had been shifting under his skin had been the cause. With his teeth already bared, the child/creature seemed to make a few minor shifts in the jaw before its teeth parted and voice came out…a voice that made his hair stand on end painfully.

“You cannot separate us, for we soon shall be one, human. I belong on this plane- for I have dwelled here long before your kind ever existed. And I will be here long after you have gone on, dead or shade.” As the child/creature spoke, Kioshe watched on in a sick fascination as flecks of blood escaped his mouth, adding to the gruesomeness of not only the scene, but the ever increasing smell that was close to bringing him to his knees.

What Head Priest Shishio thought of these words remained unknown, for at that moment, the child/creature turned its head in one fluid motion towards the window. Kioshe turned to look just as the movement caused his stomach to rebel. Kioshe lost all contents and watched through watery eyes as the Sandaime himself, followed by several Anbu jumped through the window and charged toward the child/creature.
Then he could only concentrate on his spewing, vaguely hearing the sound of fighting and a loud screech that turned his flesh cold. It sounded like a small animal screamed...but rather loudly. Then there was the only the sound of his own spitting and the loud frightened gasps of the monks.

Kioshe lifted his head and turned to view the scene that he had missed.

The child was lying on the floor, jaws contorted back to normal, eyes back to a pale-if vacant blue. The Sandaime was standing over the child, a look of pain etched across his wrinkled features. Kioshe noticed the rather large syringe embedded in the child/creatures thigh, and the slow shallow breath that was coming from him. Was he dying?

“Is he dying?” Kioshe asked nervously, wondering why he feared for the creature-er child. Beside him, Head Priest Shishio was looking calm, if aggravated.

The Lord Hokage lifted his sad gaze and shook his head. “No, not at all,” he leaned down and plucked the syringe from the child’s thigh. "This is purely a curare and succinylcholine chloride based tranquilizer.”

Before he could ask anymore, Sandaime turned to Head Priest Shishio, eyes cold and angry.

“You should know that it is forbidden to talk of the Kyuubi let alone try to exorcise it! You must never try this again, for you could bring this village great disaster.”

Shishio shook his head sadly. “It saddens me that you would willingly allow an innocent child to suffer at the hands of such a vile creature. You will ultimately be responsible for the madness, grief, and horror this child will suffer in the future. I truly fear for this village if you would so willingly allow such a creature to exist amongst yourselves.”

He then turned and gestured for the monks to follow him as he made a slow exit. Kioshe followed, but not before he took a glance back and saw the Lord Hokage cradle the child in his arms, a sad and loving look gracing his old face.

He didn’t think the Lord Hokage liked the situation anymore than Head Priest Shishio.

End Flashback

Kioshe came to the aging elder and whispered in his old ears.

“Shishio-sama. The demon is free amongst our people. We have another chance to save the child and this village from its grasp. I know there will be opposition to this…and the Sandaime is long gone; Godaime is afraid of the damage this demon could do. Perhaps she will back us up.”

The old man shifted in his pillowed seat and opened half-blind eyes.

“Perhaps.”

----------------

As they entered Kenji’s apartment, Naruto stopped in the doorway, turning and staring slightly at the ceiling. Ashitaka wondered what the strange, if distantly fearful look on his face meant.

“What is it?” Ashitaka inquired nervously.

Naruto turned and looked at him.

“I fear I’ve just had a premonition.”

TBC

Chapter 10

Escaping…and Other Things

Kenji’s apartment was warm and inviting; Ashitaka flopped himself down on Kenji’s couch and gave an exhausted sigh, gazing at the ceiling. “I need a nap,” he murmured and glanced over at the blonde. Perhaps Naruto would join him?

Naruto was staring at the pictured on the of the bookshelves, eyes roaming over pictures of Kenji posing with other persons of questionable background.

“Hey, what do you guys want to drink? I got soda, tea, and some cheap sake.” Kenji asked as he ruffled through his refrigerator. “Oh, and some orange juice.” He glanced expectantly at the three occupants.

“Get me some tea,” Seiya replied as he walked into his brother’s spare room. Ashitaka opened his eyes and glanced at him.

“Give us some sake. I don’t care how cheap it is either. They don’t have alcohol at the loony bin- unless its in peroxide.”

Kenji gave him a sympathetic look before turning to Naruto. “Is that what you want?”

Ashitaka frowned. “I know what he wants,” he looked at Naruto, who was still leaning forward and staring at the pictures. “I’m supposed to know.”

Kenji gave him a dubious look.

“Hey Naruto! What do you want to drink?”

Naruto glanced up at him before shrugging and turning back to the pictures.

“Doesn’t matter. Give me what Ashi’s going to drink.”

Ashitaka threw Kenji a triumphant grin before closing his eyes and relaxing. Seiya returned from the spare room holding two books in his hands. He hesitantly wandered over to the oblivious youth and swallowed. Being so close to the ethereal being made him nervous- even if he wasn’t paying him any attention.

“Uh,” he murmured, and Naruto straightened and looked at him, his pale blue eyes fixing directly with his own. He noticed that the pitless black pupils were pulsating, expanding and contracting repetitiously. After an embarrassing moment of realizing that he was still staring at the staring Naruto, Seiya lifted the book in his left hand. “This is the second book you’ll want to read. It teaches one how to focus and gather chakra.”

Naruto’s eyes lowered from his and fell on the book. He lifted a slim hand and gently took the book from him, allowing his fingers to run over the aging mahogany cover.

“And…do you know how to gather chakra?” he asked quietly.

Seiya frowned and shook his head. “No. It’s too late for someone your and my age. We should have learned this at a young age, preferably under twelve.”

Naruto sent him a mysterious smile and continued to caress the book. His eyes once again connected with Seiya’s and the man was mesmerized by the pale ancient blue.

“I got the drinks,” Kenji interrupted. He set the drinks down and handed the sake to Ashitaka. Naruto turned from Seiya and glided over to the couch, sitting calmly next to the white haired youth. He then looked at Kenji.

“If you don’t mind, I would like to take a shower and perhaps acquire some clean clothing.”

Kenji jumped up. “Oh yes! I was going to get you lot better clothing. Hold on.” He moved toward the door but pointed toward the hallway.

“The bathroom is down the hall to your left. I’m going to borrow some clothes from a neighbor whose-’’ he ran his eyes over their thin bodies. “roughly your size. Feel free to use my shampoo.” He glanced at his brother. “I’ll be back.” He then opened the door and vanished into the dark dank hall.

Seiya stared at the door for a few moments before turning toward the fellow fugitives. Both youths were all eyes for their sake, in which they were drinking slowly.

Seiya took a deep breath before speaking.

“Of course you know we cannot stay here for long. The orderlies will definitely come to see my brother to inquire if he is sheltering me. If they find evidence of his involvement in my continued absence, he will be imprisoned. Even more if they catch you two here as well. We have to leave. Soon.”

It seemed as if the two youths did not hear him, for they continued to drink away at the cheap sake.

“Naruto.”

Two pale blue eyes snapped to meet his, and the blonde youth seemed aware suddenly.

“You do realize,” he said in a soft whisper, “that I’am one that cannot easily walk these streets without being…noticed.” A slight frown graced his ethereal features and he lifted a thin delicate hand to his face. “It’s this face of mine…have you ever seen something so ugly? So filthy…so vile…” The youth had now closed his eyes and crooned the last few words out. In the meantime, he ran sharp fingernails over his delicate skin, easily cutting through the flesh. Warm blood began to grace his cheek, the scent of copper filling his nostrils. It was a familiar smell, a comfortable smell. A smell like home. Someone grabbed his wrist, and he opened his eyes and watched as Ashitaka began to lick the blood from his fingers.

Seiya swallowed thickly, not in the least enjoying the show that was now playing out before him. He did not want his brother to walk in on this.

“What are your plans?” he asked, hoping to distract the youth from doing something that would embarrass all of them- or at least he and his sibling.

Naruto turned his head slowly and gave him two luminous eyes that seemed to glow, and gently pulled his hand away from Ashitaka’s caressing tongue.

“I plan to get captured by the Hokage…she plans to take me in-’’ a sound of pained ghosted from Ashitaka’s throat. “From the inside out I will destroy her. Then Konoha will fall…” Naruto lifted the mahogany book and allowed the pages to flip quickly. “Because a village is only as strong as its Hokage. And I’m going to do it over and over and over again. And do you know why, Seiya Shinamori?”

The youth was now staring at him intently.

Seiya swallowed thickly. “No. Why?”

Naruto glanced down at the book then lifted his eyes, giving Seiya a cruel grin, one full of grisly promises.

“Because. Hell is Repetition.”

------------------------------------

Arriving at the Hokage’s tower, Sasuke, Sakura, and Shikamaru made a quick and urgent request to see the Hokage immediately. Waiting outside the room, Sasuke ran the day’s events over in his mind, thinking on the youth and the smell that seemed to surround him. Just the thought made him cover his mouth with a pale hand as sharp bile rose in his throat. Shikamaru glanced at him, understanding his thoughts.

The door opened, and the blonde woman motioned for the three youths to enter. Shikamaru was the first to speak.

“Sasuke came across the man, Uzumaki Naruto, the one in which there is the search warrant for. He was near the south gate in the warehouse district. He was alone.” He turned to Sasuke and took a step back, indicating for him to tell what he had seen. Tsunade seemed interested, for she was staring intently at Sasuke. He took a step forward.

“How’d you find him?” Tsunade asked before he could say anything. Sasuke nodded.

“Sakura and I were just returning from our mission when I smelled this…stench…as we passed the warehouses.” Already he could feel the distasteful grimace on his face at the thought of the stench.

“Stench?” Tsunade inquired, a look of alarm and curiosity crossing her face. “What did it smell like?”

Sasuke frowned and thought on the stench. It wasn’t as he had portrayed it- to Sakura that is… It had been much worse.

“It smelled liked…smelled like…all that was bad,” he shook his head in agitation. “I don’t know...it’s too hard to explain…”

Tsunade nodded and seemed to understand. She leaned forward and rested her elbows on the desk, hands gripping one another in a Sasuke-like manner.

“When Yondaime fought with the Nine Tailed Fox Demon, Kyuubi, he sealed the creature within an infant child. Uzumaki Naruto. The child was then put under the care of some random villagers who were placed as his caretakers.” The Hokage glanced down at some papers that were scattered about her desk. “Unfortunately, Naruto was ultimately sexually abused by many of his caretakers and was eventually deemed unstable,” a frown graced her gentle features. “I just can’t figure out why Sandaime would send him to a mental asylum…” it came out as a frustrated whisper.

The three youths stared at her in a contemplative silence, all thinking on the carefully crafted lies that had spun around their oblivious lives.

“Naruto has not tasted freedom since he was five years old, and has had much time to dwell on his anger and misfortune. I need him here, with me. I need to make this better…somehow…”

Sasuke stared at the floor. “And the stench?”

Tsunade frowned again. “That’s strange. I was there- when Kyuubi was attacking eighteen years ago. It did not smell that way…” Her eyes drifted off in the midst of memory. “It smelled mostly of the earth…and pine. Nothing like you might try to describe.” She looked at Sasuke. “ I fear this may be something completely different.”

Shikamaru nodded. “We’ll try our best to find this man. It shouldn’t be too tough. After all, he has no training in the art of the ninja. And even if he has the power of the Demon, he still will not know much if he is forced into a fight.”

Tsunade bowed her head in acknowledgement . “Nevertheless. I want you to be careful. Don’t take any unnecessary risks alright?”

The three nodded and made a hasty exit to begin their search.

---------------------------------

Dr. Hayama entered the room and gave the Hokage a tired look. His left cheek was swollen from a hit he had received while trying to escape from the clutches of one shinobi. How he had made the escape from the institution was still a surprise to him- yet he had made it to the Hokage and his conscience would at least shut up for a moment. But right at this moment, it was bugging him. He looked at the tired woman and sighed.

“It’s not as easy as you surmise. This child is very dangerous. I don’t know how much I can stress that to you. He likes pain Tsunade-sama, but more than anything, he enjoys giving it too. He’s tricky- and devilishly intelligent.” Hayama grimaced. “Not to mention he has a multiple personality disorder than never fails to bring my nerves on edge. You have yet to see the worst of his personalities. You mustn’t take that boy under your wing. He’ll destroy you.”

Tsunade lifted her gaze from the table and stared at the doctor.

---------------------------

The building reminded him of the one those years ago when he had come to witness the attempted exorcism. Old, dilapidated, and reeking of poverty. But the stench wafting from the building was a clear sign that the possessed youth was inside. Kioshe had initially followed the stench when he has been wandering the village food market, and had smelled it like a trail of waste. Although it was mostly faded, it took him to the warehouse district, and then down to the residential area of the not-so well part of Konoha.

A man came staggering out of the apartment, reeking of alcohol, corruption and malice. His beady eyes were dilated from some type of illegal narcotic; his brown hair a greasy mess on his head. His white muscle shirt was stained with dirt, his navy blue pants ripped unfashionably. He passed by a woman with long blonde hair in a short pink skirt and black tank top. The two muttered to one another as Kioshe approached them.

“Greeting fellow villagers. I’am called Kioshe, and am from the temple up north. I believe there is a young man in your area. He has blond hair and blue eyes. He is tall, and has three markings on both sides of his cheeks. Have you seen such a person at all today?”

The man turned and gave Kioshe a nasty leer, his small beady eyes glaring at the monk.

“No. I haven’t seen no shit faced blonde like that. Hey Seto, “ the vulgar mouthed man turned to the woman who was about to walk away from him. “Have you seen some shitty blonde around here lately?”

The woman turned, and to Kioshe’s astonishment, he had completely misjudged the person’s sex. It was a man before him, albeit he was wearing red lipstick and blue eyeshadow on a rather delicate face. Dark green eyes surveyed the man before turning to Kioshe. Dark green eyes casted a suspicious look on him before a small smile graced his features.

“Unless you are talking about me…no.” His voice was as androgynous as his face and body. He smiled at the two of them before turning away and heading into the apartment complex, the sound of his high heeled- shoes clacking in the silence. The malicious man turned and sneered at the monk before continuing on to his probably pointless destination.

Kioshe glanced back at him before entering the building.

-----------------------

Hopping over beer bottles and other trash that littered the hallway floors, Seto rushed toward Kenji’s apartment. Rarely did they get such creatures as the ‘holy ones’ in their area, and such a presence always meant trouble. For whom, was the question. Luckily, no matter how stoned or wicked Toner was feeling, he had enough brains and common sense to make sure such an outsider stayed away from ‘their kind’. A type of twisted loyalty…one might say.

As he passed by his own apartment, he was startled to see Kenji appear at his door, some of his own clothing in his arms and a slight frown gracing his features.

“You know, they might be too skinny for your clothes-’’

“Kenji! There is a monk looking for your guests. Toner told me you had some guests and then this monk came asking after them.”

Kenji stared at him for a moment before dashing down the hall toward his door.

-----------------------------

Taking a proper shower was most pleasant to him; Naruto was the type of person who needed two a day. But this shower was especially special because Ashitaka was washing his hair for him, something that often caused him problems since his pony-tail wasn’t getting any shorter. To his own surprise, it seemed Ashitaka was in no mood to play with him, for the other youth was vigorously massaging Naruto’s scalp (to Naruto’s own pleasure) and had not made a move toward him in any way. Putting his lathered head in under the stream of water, Naruto spoke.

“Ashi my love…why are you angry?”

There was silence for a moment, and it almost felt like the white-haired youth was trying to fade into the surroundings.

Then, “I’m not angry.”

“Oh but you are,” Naruto whispered, lifting his head and turning toward the youth. “I can taste your anger, I’m drinking now…but it puzzles me…Why are you angry?”

Before the youth could reply, the sound of a door banging open in the apartment caused Naruto to turn slowly toward the door. There was the pounding of feet on the carpet, then a frantic fist against the bathroom door.

“Naruto! Ashitaka! There’s a monk heading this way! I don’t know how bad that could be but he is looking for you Naruto!”

Ashitaka watched in mild fascination as the color leaked away from Naruto’s face, and the corners of his mouth turned down. Naruto jumped out of the bathtub and almost slipped on the cold tiles. He threw the door open, startling Kenji, and ran naked into the hallway. Seiya jumped out of his way as Naruto charged into the living room and froze, staring at the door, which was shut tightly and locked.

His face had gone blank, pupils expanding.

Ashitaka made a slower exit, glancing at the stunned brothers, then at the clothing Kenji still held under one arm. He gently took them, startling the astonished man into quickly handing them over. “Um- they’re about your size. Seto is the skinniest person I know with enough clothing to spare for anyone.” He said hastily. He glanced at the immobile Naruto, who was still staring silently at the door.

“Naruto,” Ashitaka called, and the youth’s head twitched in slight recognition. “If you’re going to bolt, you might want to dry off and put some clothes on first.”

It was a reasonable suggestion, one that caused Naruto’s pupils to contract to normal size. He turned to the group of three and quickly headed back towards the bathroom.

Seiya never looked once.

As he was quickly drying off, Ashitaka began to throw random clothing at him, his face a map of frustration. Naruto snatched the articles of clothing out of the air; a loose creme tank top made of fine thin cotton, along with matching pants that hung gently at his hips and flowed past his ankle. A pair of brown sandals were tossed his way, but he was still putting on the pants and they clacked against his head.

Already agitated with fear, Naruto’s head snapped up and he glared at the white haired youth.

“What is the matter with you?”

“You!” Ashitaka replied almost hysterically. “YouYouYou! It’s all about you! I’m not even in your plans! Am I nothing to you! Am I truly not worth a passing thought!”

There was a strange pounding at the door, a cryptic chant, and Kenji rushed into view.

“Guys, this is not the time for a falling out. The monk’s here. What the hell do I do?”

“Don’t let him in,” Naruto commanded as he charged past Ashitaka, who was now putting on his clothing. Naruto stalked toward the window just as a force knocked the door down and the monk entered the room. His eyes fell immediately on the blonde youth, who was standing before a window but staring at him fearfully. The stench in the room was almost overpowering; Kioshe did not know how these two men could handle it.

The child had grown into quite a vision- but Kioshe was prepared for this. He made purposeful steps toward the possessed youth, and began to chant the sutra’s he had spent over a decade practicing. A look of pain flashed over the youth’s ethereal features, pale blue eyes widening in fear. This was not a pain Naruto enjoyed.

Kioshe sensed a movement to his left, and quickly brought his staff down on Seiya’s head. The older man collapsed to his younger brother’s shouts of anger. Kenji grabbed a katana that had been leaning against his book case and charged the monk, but a quick parry and a staff to the stomach temporarily immobilized him.

He did not expect the cold hands that gripped his staff and yanked it away. A white-haired youth tossed the staff across the room and leaped upon the monk, knocking the two over onto the carpet. Ashitaka grabbed the man by the throat and tried to slam is head into the carpet, but the monk hit him with a fallen snow globe, causing the stunned youth to topple to the side. As the monk tried to jump to his feet, Kenji latched himself onto the monks’ legs, causing him to topple over.

“Naruto run!” He shouted to the frozen youth. Naruto snapped out of his fearful pain and threw open the window, leaping on the sill. He glanced back at Ashitaka, who was just getting up on his hands and knees. Blue eyes connected with green, and they both knew what would happen next.

The monk kicked Kenji off of his legs, and Naruto made yet another leap from a four story building.

--------------------------------

It was decided that they would search for Naruto in the district near the warehouses, which turned out to be a residential area of questionable tenants. Twice they had passed Anbu, who were searching as well and had even stopped at an area where they had said some of the villagers had seen him and one had been killed by the Demon. It had been an old woman who had died from a massive heart attack. The description of the youth had matched perfectly, and the three were already heading towards the alleyways that the villagers said the group had run.

Group.

Apparently Uzumaki Naruto had not been alone, for it was said he was accompanied by a white haired youth, who by the description must have been a fellow escapee, and two other men, who could be just about anyone.

They were getting close.

----------------------------------

When Kioshe made it to the window, the possessed child was gone, had vanished into the alleys and into the rest of Konoha. But that was all right, for he could easily follow the child’s’ trail. But first he was going back to the temple for reinforcements.

He turned to the groans of the three remaining people, his dark eyes immediately falling upon the white-haired youth, who was beginning to crawl away towards the door.

Poor thing. Obviously another unwilling servant of the Demon.

Sensing the monks’ pity and resolve, Ashitaka staggered to his feet and tried to make an awkward run toward the door, stopping when an awful chanting met his ears. Ashitaka’s equilibrium capsized, causing him to teeter to the side and drop to the floor. He tried to slide away, tried to make it in the direction of the door, but he couldn’t even tell which way was up and only managed to crawl into a white wall. He turned in fear as the monk came to him, or more like monks, for his vision had multiplied. The horrid chanting continued until it was all he could hear, the voice, and the sound of his laboring lungs.

Then the foul stench came, and the demonic presence surfaced. Ashitaka tried to shy away from its wretchedness, but it was inside his head and there was no where to hide. Curiously the creature seemed of the same thoughts, for it too was agitated by the chanting, and it move this way and that inside his mind, as if unsure of what to do.

Soon the monk had filled his vision, his voice rising to climax, and Ashitaka heard distinctly, Not worth it. Another day.

---------------------------

Seiya and Kenji stood off to the side, staring in a mix of wonder and horror at the scene. Ashitaka was slumped against the wall, his face an impossible white, his veins standing out like streaks of green and blue lightning across his face. He was hyperventilating, and Seiya wondered when he would pass out. His eyes were wide with terror, yet they were vacant, and he was shaking terribly. The monk had continued to chant the strange words as he approached the youth, voice rising until he stood before Ashitaka. As he shouted the last word, Ashitaka’s body arched and he gave a high pitched scream as a black misty fog rose from his pores.

Both brothers doubled over at the stench that blew across the room; the monks face scrunched up and he calmly backed away from the mist that hovered over a limp body.

“This is only a small portion of its power, gentlemen,” He said to the two brothers. Both lifted their heads and stared at both the mist and the monk. “Imagine this creature inhabiting your body, taking control of your heart…your thoughts. Twisting you in the direction it desires. Imagine living with such a thing, waking and sleeping, so that there is no reprieve from its vileness.” Both men shuddered and held down the bile that rose in their throats. “You must understand why I’m trying to help Naruto. Save what’s left of the poor child. He does not deserve this.”

The vile mist rose to the ceiling lazily for a moment, before whipping past the monk and out the open window at a startling speed. It flew straight for a moment before jerking to the side and disappearing off over the apartments. The stench retreated with its departure.

Silence reigned the apartment.

“Umm…” a voice said nervously, and they all turned to see Seto walk hesitantly into the room, deep green eyes scanning the mess. “I-Is everything ok?” His eyes fell on a white-haired youth who was wearing his black shirt, leather jeans, black shoes, and seemed to be unconscious.

He looked good…

The monk leaned down and gently shook him.

--------------------------------

Ashitaka jerked awake, his eyes rolling in their sockets until they managed to focus themselves on the face of the monk. He felt his lungs take a deep breath…a deep clean breath, and he exhaled slowly.

He felt clean. Absolutely refreshed. He was half tempted to stretch his arms and give a well rested yawn. He felt good!

He didn’t feel angry, or upset, clammy or cold. He didn’t feel Naruto.

Naruto..?

Ashitaka jumped to his feet, shoving the monk aside, and dashed past a blonde haired man. He raced down the hallways and pounded down the stairs.

He needed to get to his Naruto.

TBC