completely addicted

Completely Addicted

By Tanuki-Mara

The sun had long died, sunk low below the horizon, taking with him all warmth and leaving behind only the icy cold of the night, passing on his watcher duties to his cousin, the moon. However, the moon was not as protecting as her counterpart, as she could not illuminate all the horrors of the night like the sun could. She was, ultimately, a darker more sinister protector.

But it was when she was full, high up in the sky that Kyuubi was most powerful.

Like she was now.

With a low growl his red eyes opened, gazing out through the bars of his cell. Stretching slightly he rose, padding across the cell to the bars. He leant against them, pushing his nose against the metal, unsure and cautious. To his surprise and delight the bars bent against his touch. Kyuubi's eyes lit up; the blood crimson filled with delight as he pushed harder. He tried this every month, and every month he was still surprised that they bent. Of course, he could never fit through them.

However, he could sense something different this time. The bars were weaker, fragile and frail. Kyuubi let out a low purr as he realized he might be able to escape, finally.

But one thing bothered the demon. Why was he able to escape now? It had to be the kit, something had happened to the kit, something to weaken him.

'Help… it hurts… oh it hurts!'

Kyuubi growled as the words echoed through the dark confines of the kit's mind. The voice was bouncing around the child's mind and as Kyuubi watched, avidly fascinated, the bars before him bent and began to fade. Kyuubi let out an excited growl before dashing forward and pressing his nose against them. To his shock and delight, he fell straight through them.

With a low yip he dashed out into the child's mind. He was free. He was finally free. He could do anything: finally get his revenge on that stupid village, go kick Shukaku's ass for mocking him over the damn raccoon's 'partial freedom' or even—

'Please! Someone! Anyone! Oh God, help!'

The words seemed to slam into Kyuubi, who growled lowly, his primal instincts taking over. The kit was in trouble. His kit was in trouble. Letting the instincts take over Kyuubi let the words embrace him, wrap around him and begin to transform him. He was drifting, falling into his mist-like spirit form, and then he was rising, up and out of the confines that had held him for the last fourteen years.

He was free.

Whimpering in pain, Naruto curled up around his stomach as the pain raked his body again. He didn't understand why the fox wasn't healing him; all he knew was that it hurt.

The physical injuries he had didn't just hurt his body; they hurt his heart. Why? Because the men who attacked him did it for no reason. They had some level of ninja-training, and usually Naruto would have easily been able to fight them off, but he had gotten into Jiraiya's sake earlier, and the effects on his fourteen-year-old body were devastating, and unlike Rock Lee he could not fight with the drunken fist.

When the men had attacked him, as drunk as he was, Naruto had been shocked. He was used to being hated for the fox, hated for being who he was, but he had never been hated for no reason at all. No one had ever attacked him for the desire to simply inflict pain.

And that hurt even more.

Another sob wracked his body and suddenly his skin went icy cold. Naruto gasped slightly, azure eyes flying open as he watched his breath mist in front of him. Something was happening; he could feel it. Through the pain and anguish he could feel… a familiar presence… a soothing one.