Gold to Black

Chapter 1: Dangerous Discoveries

Date: 2004/10/10
Time: Midnight at 12:30

Event: The Fox Hunt

Details: The Fox Hunt was made to hunt down the kyuubi that destroyed the Hidden Leaves Village on the same day as October 10. That was sealed into a young boy. The young boy is given 30 minutes to run and hide before the hunters go and hunt him down. If the hunters don't find the boy in 2 hours, then the boy survives his punishment. But if found, he must stay in place and face his punishment until the hunters are satisfied or fully gone.

The young boy ran as fast as his two thin, scrawny small legs could ever take him. The villagers, or hunters if preferred to be called as, celebrated and pointed their choice of weapon in the air. Every single time at 12:30, they would drag the terrified little boy out of his hiding places within the streets of Konoha and drop him near the forest so he could run away and bring luck down upon himself to not get caught by them. The hunt, once hiding time was up, was like the hunters were attending an enormous feast and wanted to get their dirty, greedy hands on the dish everyone wanted the most. Tear it apart like paper, and have the most fun they could ever get. In different term, they just wanted satisfaction in torturing and beating the little blond boy who held possession of the one animal, or thing according to them.

Running into the forest and looking around for a hiding spot that was close but also not simple to find, the boy quickly squeezed himself into the random ditch he found under a fairly large log. More wider and bigger than him. Precious time was almost up and 5 minutes remained on the timer. He was lucky enough for one of those hunters to give him a small clock that didn't really work but was still enough to know what time it was. It felt like treasure in the small, bruised, badly wrapped hands of the boy. When was the last time he was ever able to receive some sort of gift - even if for a terrible reason - from one of the villagers? He couldn't remember. And maybe it's best to keep it that way.

"Five minutes and you're dead you beast," The little boy could hear one of those hunters yell.
"No matter how far you run and how good you hide, one of us will find you demon!" Another one yelled with a laugh. Soon being joined with other hunters that gathered to partake in the feast.

The boy could do nothing but bury his painfully pounding head into his weak, shivering arms that looked to be the size of a tree stick. He was only five years old. Just how much torture and death threats did it take for him to already learn to understand everything those cruel, heartless villagers were saying? To understand that he had to run just to protect the last bit of life he was given? To hide and grow up more independent and mature than any other kid in Konohagakure? How badly the little blond wanted to cry over and over again until even his own tears would leave him just like the rest of him.

The yells and cheers of excitement. But not for the right reason.
The countless lanterns and festivals that were set up within the streets. Yet made with the wrong meaning.

Everything was made just for him. This whole thing was created for him. But not for him to have a spectacular time, or to eat, play, or even have the right spotlight shining down on him. But for the boy to have a day to remember as something wrongful, to starve, to get chased around like a lost puppet away from an owner, and to be shunned and casted away like a toy that is no longer of use.

To them, he was nothing. He agreed.
To them, he was something to vent their anger upon for the day of the massacre. And he didn't deny or complain.
And to them, he was a beast who deserved nothing. He had no objections. Loss of all hope, was he even human?

The boy shut his eyes once again and wished it all away in his mind. If he didn't see, it wasn't there. If he couldn't look, there was nothing to fear. If he wished it away, everything would be fine. Even if he himself was far from it.