The Nine Tales of Naruto: Ni-ban

Chapter 4: Too Late

I felt something in me pull. A slight crack in the walls around my mind. Something was trying to get out. Usually i would think it was the Nine tail's but he has gone quiet as of late. His mind silent in my own. His chakra still. It seemed like he was waiting for something. He was wanting something. He knew something that I did not know you. What could it be? In his cage he was laying down with eyes shut and a smirk on his face.

My heart began to beat faster. My blood rushed into my ears and all i could hear was the torrent they caused. I sensed something. Or should I say a lack of something. What could it be? A disappearance in the world that made all things quiet. I was never one for nature but by nature I knew that this something was. Someone important to the world has died.

How did the world decide who was important? Was the world alive and watching us? As I sat here in my cold cell surrounded by the other captives of the war I slowly contemplated things I never cared about. Philosophies started to fill my curiosity. None that I had heard of, only my own musings. But still nothing seemed to calm me.

Footsteps walked down the cobbled halls of the prison. By the sound of it I heard maybe three people. The steps were light. Not for sneaking. They were small. Who could they belong to? Their steps also told me one other thing. They were sad. By the scuff of their soles and the firmness of each step I heard them crying. Not by words or sound but just from how they walked.

The steps moved closer and closer still. I began seeing the shadows dancing from the torches in the halls. They stopped before my cell and I starred at them. Konohamaru and his friends have shown up.

"Boss." Konohamaru said. Moegi was the one with tear stains on her face. She wasn't a brat like many of the girls in the academy. She was strong like Sakura was. But something made her cry. What could it be?

"What do you three want?" I asked with a croak. My voice was hoarse from a dry throat. Konohamaru looked away from me. He looked to Moegi and the girl moved forward. She was on the verge of tears again.

"I Love you Naruto." She said. I was surprised. Did I hear right? But I wasn't into Moegi like that. "Whoo there Sorry but not for me. Not interested." I shot back.

Moegi whipped her eyes. "She told me that before she died. A girl from the other side. Told me to tell you she loved you. She says Orochimaru wants to kill you." She looked into my eyes and in that moment I knew it was the truth. My ally wanted me dead. I never trusted him but still. Well maybe I did a little. And who was the girl? The only girl I ever got close to was Fujiko. But no way would she...

I began to rail against my bonds. The chair I was tied to creaked and groaned. They looked at me as I began yelling and cursing out. Moegi shied back and hid behind konohamaru. The nine tail awoke to my screams and fed me his chakra. It began to over take me quickly. The chair was about to break when more wood sprouted and began to form around it and around me. The red chakra began to die back but still I fought on.

Konohamaru watched in Silence. He seemed to be looking for something. But I was too far gone to care. Another person joined them. An Anbu mask, hands in a sign I was not familiar with. What was going to happen now?

I saw sweat appear on the man as I fought the wood that drained the nine tailed chakra. He was holding me back. I screamed again and it came out more like a howl. The wood cracked and then splintered. The man fell back into the wall and didn't move. It seemed I had tired him out. Free from my bonds the chakra flowed freely. The normal cloak I had warn before was different this time. My skin wasn't peeled away. It wasn't painful. But I felt powerful. It was red as usual. It moved around me more naturally. The nine tails were coming out of me as well. I still had a humans form but my eyes remained black as darkest night.

Walking to the bars the tails lashed out and dismantled them. Konohamaru did not stop me. He moved away. I walked down the hall and the three kids followed. My eyes saw perfectly in the gloomy light. I was calm now. No more screaming out. No more thoughts. I just let go. Winding through the dungeon I cleared out any in my way. Reaching the surface I found the target I was looking for. A smell reached me of a dirty sock. I felt it was Orochimaru.

"What will you do now boss? Are you still going to destroy the Leaf?" Konohamaru stood by my side and looked out to the destruction the war has caused. All of this was just to kill me. It saddened me for some reason. I wanted them to die. But now looking at it. It felt wrong.

I looked to Konohamaru and Moegi and Udon. Three friends. A team. Different. But they worked together. Moegi and Udon trusted Konohamaru. Konohamaru had always trusted me.

My mind snapped into focus and I launched from the prison entrance. The hang-time allowed me to see all i needed to. Orochimaru was busy fighting someone. As I neared I began to make out who that someone was. He was fighting the Third Hokage on top of the Main Building. While they were distracted I would kill him. He took away something I valued and now I will do the same.

The battle between the Third and Orochimaru was heated. Jutsu was thrown faster then I had ever seen. But my mind was not in the caring mood. On arrival the duo looked at me. As I released my breath, chakra escaped like smoke from me. Orochimaru smiled. "Naruto-boy. I see you have finally come to help me. Kill this old man." he said.

The third regarded me with worry. He saw my form and stepped back. Enma, his monkey staff, was by his side and ready to fight. I approached Orochimaru. It appeared I was on his side. When I was close enough, a flick of my tail sent him crashing into the floor. One by one all nine tails lashed out at the man that had betrayed me. His screams echoed into the air. The tails stopped their attack and I looked to the third. Konohamaru arrived and joined his grandfather.

My eyes looked them over. I felt like I wanted to join them. But I bit my tongue and moved away. Konohamaru moved to come to me. "Naruto please stay with us. It isn't too late to join us. Make this right." I looked at Orochimaru and then to Konohamaru. I shook my head. "It is Too Late."

With those Final word I left the village. Orochimaru it seemed had used a decoy when I was thrashing him. They continued to fight and ultimately the Third lost his life sealing Orochimaru's hands in the Death Seal. The war ended and a new Hokage was chosen. And I was not to be found. Deciding to make myself scares I have decided to travel. To see the world and find myself a place I can call my own. A place the Nine-tails can not influence me to keep killing. Though I have begun to enjoy it.

Leaving the village behind may not have been the easiest thing for me to do, but I knew it was the best thing. The village had been nearly destroyed. Many lives lost because of Orochimaru and because of me. It seemed that no matter what, the people I thought would be on my side would turn against me. So in my mind I decided that it was best to be alone. Why should I be near those that rejected me.

To everyone in the Leaf I was a monster. But the world was a big place. Maybe others would think differently of me there. With dust on my feet and the cloths on my back I made my way out of the village. It would be some time before i ever decided to try and return. I doubted anyone would mind not having me around. Konohamaru and his friends may forget me in time. It would be a nice thing for them.

Since that day I turned on Orochimaru I had not been able to gain as much control of the Nine tails power as I once did. His voice has been screaming in me up till now, only to remain silent when I needed him.

Outside the village it seemed like the world was a great new place. Things I would see as new through these eyes.

If only life was so simple.