Naruto's POV
I run as fast as I can, not taking a single moment to catch my breath. I dash around corners in hopes of losing them, the villagers.
While looking behind my shoulder I see that They are catching up. They're gonna get me! I look around frantically to try and find an escape. My brain is foggy, I can't think straight! Even though I know Konoha's streets like the back of my hand, I can't seem to remember anything. I notice that I'm hyperventilating, and not just from the running. I need to lose them, and soon! There!
3rd Person
He ran down an ally way only to twist around, it was a dead end. It was too late though. The crowd already began forming around the narrow opening.
One man with a beer bottle stepped closer. He snarled in disgust, "It's about time you fully pay for what you did. I won't EVER get them back you demon. They were innocent! And you killed them all!"
Another man piped up, "Yeah! Do you know how many you killed. You're a fucking monster."
It was October 10th, the small boys birthday. Unlike most kid's birthdays, this wasn't a day to celebrate. Every year on Naruto's birthday the village hosted a festival to remember the attack of the nine-tailed-demon-fox. People celebrated the village's strength and courage that their ninjas displayed on that fateful night. It was also a time that many used to mourn the deaths of those lost in the battle.
Many people didn't mourn in peaceful ways though. Late in the evening many people would go on what they called a "fox hunt". They'd look for the boy, Naruto, who held the fox's spirit.
While many times Naruto endured pain everyday, this day was always worse. He would have tried to stay inside, but just like past couple years, his father kicked him out so that they could mourn peacefully.
This led to the situation that the five-year-old was in now. He slowly backed away as the men got closer. Soon his back was pushed up against the wall, fear in his eyes. He saw all the sharp objects the five men held, all meant to hurt him. He trembled and shut his eyes hoping, begging that it would all be over soon.
He felt rough hands yank his arms above his head. He screamed as a knife was punctured through his wrists into the wall behind him. Blood trickled down his arms as he screamed in pain. This was only the beginning.
The villagers used whatever weapons they had to cut through his flesh. They tore off what little clothes he had on leaving him only in his briefs. His lacerations steamed as they slowly closed themselves, enraging the men further.
Naruto's POV
Why? Why me? What did I ever do to deserve all this? I never killed anyone. I promise. Just make it stop. Please. Please. "Please s-stop." Though I meant to scream it I could only muster a small whisper.
One man spat at me and said in what could only be considered bloodlust, "You didn't show any mercy, so why should we. Don't act like you're all innocent. You might look like a child, but everyone knows what you really are." Throughout yelling at me he got louder and louder. His anger boiled over and he flipped the blade around in his hand and stabbed me three times while yelling, "Everyone knows that you're just a WORTHLESS. FUCKING. BRAT. I should've killed you last year." He kicked me in the stomach where all three stab wounds were. Except one, which was just to the right of my heart.
I coughed up blood and cried out in pain as black spots entered my vision. They didn't last long though. I was slapped awake. The pain was overbearing. The mourning lasted what felt like hours, but I'm not sure how long it actually was.
After I had been kicked and stabbed more times then I could count, one of the men yanked the kunais out of my hands, leaving gaping holes in them.
Throughout time the sharpness of the knife and the weight that it bared caused the sharp object to travel from my wrists to my palms.
I fell limp onto the ground, not even trying to catch my fall. Not that I could, my body was covered in holes and burns from cigars. Blood covering most of my small body, the only parts left unscathed was what was beneath my boxers, though even those were soaked in the sticky fluid still slowly oozing out of my wounds.
I welcomed the darkness that was one step behind me as I watched the men leave my broken body. The only thing I could hear were their laughs and the distant festival music from downtown. Black spots finally filled my vision once more, and I welcomed it with open arms. Hopefully the pain will be gone soon.
I woke up to droplets falling onto my head. My eyes opened to see a dark tunnel with greenish lighting. The ceiling was tall, much more tall then I would have imagined a sewer to be. The water was stagnant, most likely not used since it was clean.
After quietly observing my surroundings I took time to notice my own appearance. My wounds were all gone, and the lack of pain that I was in surprised me. There wasn't a speck of blood to be seen. Usually it would have taken at least a couple days to recover from something like that. How long was I asleep?
I stood up and began walking as many thoughts ran through my head, I had the fear of being dead. It would make sense. Though, I didn't imagine the afterlife to look like something from my world. I usually thought of it as something unimaginable, not a sewer.
Then again, maybe I wasn't dead as I have no clue how long I was unconscious for. For all I knew someone might've taken my body and dropped me off here. Then again, it wouldn't be that bad if I were dead... I continued pondering the idea as I came to a close as I saw a door. Why on earth would a sewer need a door? Don't they usually just use manholes?
With hesitation I opened it. The ceilings were just as tall, but the room was much bigger. It was divided by thick metal bars. I couldn't see what was in the cage at first, but when I did it became clear where I was.
Kyuubi's POV
I felt the small chakra signature moving towards me. My ears twitched, but I continued to lay down. I let one eye open. I recognized the chakra as the same that surrounded me for the past five years. It was my host, I was surprised by his visit so early. Usually it isn't until someone opens their chakra coils that they meet me. Oh well, that only makes it less boring for myself.
With a discerning eye I watched as the small boy made his way closer. His light blonde hair with deep blue eyes. His eyes weren't light like his father's, more like his mother's I noted. I expected his hair to be more yellow, but it was closer to white than golden, still blonde though.
I had been healing his injuring for a good five hours now, only two hours ago did the wounds stop growing. He had countless broken bones and gashes. I had to focus on the larger injuries. Because of this, he would most likely scar in some places. I can only do so much because the unused chakra coils. I could only slowly release my chakra to the surface of his skin because of this, so I kept to healing internal injuries and his wrists and his face to avoid visible scars.
I knew of course that jinchurikis weren't treated the best, but this was something far from what I've seen in a while. He's only five god-dammit!
I rose to a sitting position letting the light hit my red-orange fur. My anger still evident in my eyes from my previous thoughts.
3rd Person
The light made the head visible and as if a lightbulb was turned on, everything began making sense to the young boy. "I, I'm not dead... Am I," he stated more than questioned.
The silence answered well enough, but the fox spoke up regardless, "You're currently inside your own mindscape, the physical representation at least." He said this with guilt inferring on why he was here. When put in a life threatening situation it can become easy to revert back to your safe place, which is suppose to be your mind.
Naruto digested the fox's words for a moment before bluntly saying, "so my mind is a sewer..."
"Basically, though it can be changed." He paused for a moment, "I'm sure you've already figured it out by now. Especially with the lack of questions after seeing a fox demon in your mind... But I'm the reason why you've been treated so poorly. I don't say this often, nor do I usually get the chance, but I'm truly sorry. It's not my fault for being sealed inside you, but I still feel guilty for what you've been subjected to," He trailed off near the end and looked away in what could be interpreted as shame.
While it was shocking to find out, he couldn't help but feel a little better. After all, now he understood what the villagers were saying. He also was a bit happy because this was the first appology he's ever gotten. It's also the first time that he can remember that he was talked to, and not screamed at.
For these reasons, he felt as though he could trust the... fox? He's not entirely sure how to address him politely. It feels rude to call him by his species, but there was no way he'd call him a demon either. He knows first hand how much that can hurt after all.
Because of his small trust in the kyuubi, and possibly a lingering hope for a friend to talk to, he carefull made his way into the cage. He marveled in how big his paw was and gently put a hand on it, "U-um, it's o-ok. As you s-said, y-you didn't ask to be here e-either. U-um what should I call you..."
His eyes widened as he willingly replied with a simple, "Kurama, that's my name." Even though he had one, it wasn't everyday someone asked him for it, not that he talked to very many people. He was an introvert after all.
"Well Kurama, I don't think it's your fault. I'm pretty sure you didn't decide to be here anymore then I did. The way I see it is that it's the people who hurt me which are at fault. We're just the ones who have to suffer because of it."
While the entire statement threw Kurama off guard, what surprised him the most was Naruto's acknowledgment of how others viewed and treated him as well. While their comments didn't bother him, it was still a really emotionally mature thing to think of for a child such as him. From what he understands, children aren't supposed to think like that, what a weird child.
He could tell he was genuine as well. Since he was in the young boy's mind he could hear all of the thoughts that ran through his head. And because of where they were, Naruto could express himself freely without having to struggle over his words, unlike how he did outside.
The fox didn't feel like having a sappy conversation at the moment though, so instead he replied with, "No, I suppose I didn't choose to be here."
"If you don't mind, could you tell me about the day I was born. I know that many people died, but how did you end up in my village?"
"It's a long story, but the shortened version was that I didn't choose the be there either. Your mother was my previous jailer. When she gave birth to you her seal was weakened when an Uchiha used that against her. Unfortunately his genjustu was too complex for me to fight it. So it caused me to go in a rampage. In the process, your biological father, Minato the 4th Hokage, sacrificed his life for the village by sealing myself inside of your newborn body. While I don't know what happened after that, I'm guessing that someone else sacrificed their life for your mother, one the last Uzumaki's at the time, and saved her life."
"So... I was supposed to be a hero." The bitterness in his voice was reasonable. It quickly went away though as he sighed, "Thank you for telling me that." Though, after he thought for awhile another question entered his mind, "If my mom had you before I did, why does she hate me so much?"
"Well, throughout my years I had with her, it was obvious she didn't like me. She refused to use my chakra, and would never speak to me. Though, I could tell she was more afraid of me than hateful. The most logical explanation, considering how humans are, is blame. She most likely blames you for her husband, and first love's, death. She probably used your circumstances as an excuse for her behavior towards you, otherwise she would feel guilty."
He only nodded in understanding. "Earlier you said I could change how my mind looks, is there anyway to change how this place looks as well," he said while motioning to the cage around him.
"Well technically there is... But it will give me more control over things such as your chakra... You shouldn't do that if you don't trust me, which you shouldn't."
"Why not? So far the only thing you've done is help me, be nicer to me then anyone human has before, and even have tried to protect me. Why would you heal me if you wanted me dead. Or why haven't you torn me to pieces by now with your claws? I trust you Kurama, you've never given me a reason not to."
"A-are you sure kit? I won't make you do anything you don't want to, in fact, I physically can't." Naruto confirmed his decision and Kurama raised him up to the paper seal, "only tear off half the seal, otherwise people will be able to detect my overwhelming presence."
With that, he did as such. He used the information Kurama gave him to turn the dark, humid room into a beautiful valley with green grass, yellow flowers, and a blue sky with fluffy clouds. The area had a lot of room that gave Kurama more freedom then he had ever had before inside a seal.
For the next few hours Kurama and Naruto talked about whatever their hearts contented. Life stories, ramen, and facts about themselves were just a few of the topics. By the time the forged sun had went down, causing pink, orange, and purple to be painted across the sky, Naruto was fast asleep wrapped up in the fox's tails.
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Bam! First chapter done! I'm happy to present to you just the beginning of a wonderful work of mine. I worked very hard on this chapter and I will continue to work on those to come. With that said, if you have any suggestions feel free to comment them. And if you have anything you really liked or didn't like feel free to comment that as well (as long as you're nice about it). I love hearing your guy's feedback of what you think.
Thank you so much for reading, it would mean a lot to me if you voted. I'll update soon, peace out! <3
Word count: 2508