Kitsune no Akuryō - Under Maintenance

Test Run

Kon'nichiwa minna. OpalHippocampus799 here with the next chapter of Kitsune no Akuryo. After being marked as the Kyūbi's dog, Kitsune feels more ostracized than ever. However, that will do nothing to prepare him for what lies ahead, even within his own home...

Kitsune's P.O.V.

    It wasn't as if there was a lock on my door, but in some ways I wish there was. It may keep me inside, but it would also keep some people out. I had breathed after slamming the door shut and trying to delay the journey to my room. Should I be training to take my mind off things or should I just curl up in ball and release myself? I didn't have much time to deliberate as I walked into the commons. Standing there, as comfortable as can be was Kione. I was terrified. I could already hear the Kyūbi's voice whispering in my head that he was just using me, but more than that I was afraid that I would lose my last friend in all of Konohagakure, in all of the ANBU. I was terrified of what he would say, whether he would run. Would I lose my one comrade?

    "Kitsune?" He asked in surprise.

     I swallowed, "That's me."

     "What, what did Danzo do to you?"

     I noticed the absence of the honorific title. I held up my hands (were they claws now?) and stared at them before responding, "I, Danzo-sama decided to further my training today. He's released the Kyūbi."

    Kione looked horrified, but I quickly assured him, "Well, not fully. He's just underneath the surface. I can feel his chakra, and, and his thoughts."

     "But why are your hands, and your eyes...?"

     I looked away, "It's a treatment that I'm taking to keep the Kyūbi within easy reach. That's what Danzo-sama said anyway. He-he said that the only way to stop it was if I conquered the Kyūbi."

    I turned away from Kione, looking at the door wish that I was anywhere else. I didn't want Kione to see my tears, but I felt his hand on my shoulder and his words vibrating in my ears, "Kitsune. I'm here for you."

     I looked up from my sorrow in surprise. I had to make sure though, "Do you mean it? Really?"

    A short pause followed; nonetheless, there was a pause before he said, "Of course. I'll always be there for you."

     "How can you be so sure? What if I go crazy? What if I attack you, or a friend of yours?" I turned to him now, "What then?"

    His hand slipped from my shoulder before both took my hands which had slumped at my side. He held them up at eye level. "Then I'll be there for you until it's over," he replied with a weak smile, "I won't know how to help you or to get everything back to normal, but I'll be with you till the very end."

     "How can you be so sure?" I asked letting my hands slip from his, "What if you have a mission like last time?"

     He put a finger to his chin before a light filled his eyes, "I'll ask Danzo to assign me to you or you to me."

     "You will?" I asked in disbelief, "but won't that be suspicious? No one ever does anything with me."

      "True, but it's never good to have just a one man squad," he smiled lightly, "It's not much of a squad then anyways. Besides, I'm sure that the way Danzo sees it, the Kyūbi container will need to be watched, making sure that nothing happens to him or anyone else."

     I breathed looking at my hands before looking back at my comrade, "Thank you, Kione."

     He smiled, "We're all learning things. I'll help you."