Tender Sea

Chapter 1

"Shut up, you pitiful human." A deep voice resonated around the room and she quickly tried to find the source.

"Who the hell are you!?" The girl shouted at the giant cage, "And where am I?"

"Insolent runt," the voice growled, "What a dim, little, thing you are."

"Huh? Stop making fun of me," Her fear of being in the unknown was translated into anger towards the mocking stranger, "I dare you to say it again."

"Of course, come closer and I will spell it out right in front of you." Unwisely, she did take a few brave steps forward when a large, red, clawed hand shot out.

"Gah!" She stumbled back, falling back into the water. "What the hell was that for?!"

"Was it not obvious?" A monstrous, fox-like face pressed itself against the edge of the bars, "I was hoping to kill you."

"Ahh!" The five-year old trembled and pointed a shaky finger at the beast, "What kind of monster are you?!"

"Monster?" The giant fox scoffed, "I am a much greater being than you could possibly imagine. I am the great Kyuubi no Kitsune." The fox smirked showing off its rows of sharp teeth.

"The...Kyuubi?" The world around her shook as the girl tried to comprehend the knowledge or come up with any other possibilities. The walls collapsed began to collapse inwards and the floor below her feet crumbled sending her falling down into the darkness but all she could think of were the demonic red eyes of the most fearsome beast in history.

Reality

"So what happened?" The Hokage asked wearily as he seated himself next to the unconscious girl on the hospital bed.

"Poison," The dog masked Anbu replied tensely, "A civilian male somehow acquired one of Fire country's worst toxin from god knows where and disguised it with sugar. He came up to Naru during the festival offered them to her. She managed to get through two and a half of the laced apples before she collapsed."

"And where is he now?" He didn't like to think his people were capable of hospitalizing a child but at the same time he understood the flaws of the human race all too well.

"Tenzo took him to Ibiki." The Anbu honestly thought the civilian deserved every moment of torture for having ever dared to hurt his charge. "We'll have the name of his supplier within a matter of moments.''

"Good." The Hokage nodded approvingly.

"...Jiji?" The patient slowly awoke from her restorative sleep.

"Ah, Naru-chan, you're awake." Sarutobi smiled as he spoke to her in a soft, grandfatherly tone.

"Jiji, what happened?" Naru looked around, blanching at the white of Konoha's hospital. Her body still felt a little stiff and her mind disoriented as she tried to piece together what had happened.

"You were poisoned." He said with a stern look, "Didn't I tell you to be careful of strangers?"

"B-but," She looked a picture of sadness as her eyes began to water, "I thought he might have remembered that it was my birthday..."

"Naru," He gave her a pitying look, "I'm sorry I couldn't spend the day with you like I promised but-"

"You were busy." She finished for him, "I understand. Being Hokage is a tough job for an old man like you. But don't worry, you just have to hang on a little longer before I take that hat and you can live in peaceful retirement!" The Anbu was amused with the amount of...affectionate disrespect she showed and how fast the girl rebounded from the sad moment.