Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Demons of No Hope ❯ As a new day dawns ( Chapter 4 )

Demons of No Hope

-As a new Day dawns

((so sorry for not posting this sooner))

-Last time

And I hear voices, one that says that I may travel with him…the other agrees quietly. I smile into the darkness. I am happy, I am free, at least from this town.

 

Continuing-

I watch as the morning sun slowly rises over the high sill of my window. Dimly I wonder what this day would bring me. Pain? Sorrow? More isolation? I sigh, maybe all the above. I whimper quietly but pull myself together before I can drown in my thoughts. I sit up and concentrate on meditating. He is there of course. The fox demon. I nod hello and continue with my morning and nightly ritual. I allow small slivers of him to passover in into my bloodstream. My concentration is broken as I sense someone outside my cell. I stand and hop up to nimbly land on the small sill. Sasuke Uchiha. Why is he here? I relish that fact that he is here alone. The demon inside of me is quivering with…I don't know what. I watch him with slow blinking eyes.

 

Sasuke looked around before approaching Naruto's cell. “Um, Naruto? Are you awake?” He called softly.

 

I watch in silence for a bit. I catch the small airplane he throws and watch as his eyes slowly reach mine. I smirk faintly, “you should really learn to disguise your chakra, Uchiha. You displace the air making tracking you easy.”

 

Sasuke's eyes widened.

 

He didn't say anything though as I watched him. Finally, I spoke, if anything to get him to talk. He never talks to me….only yesterday. “Why are you here? What do you want with me?” I ask quietly. My eyes flicker as I feel two people come close. “You better hide or run, Uchiha, the senseis approach.”

 

Sasuke turned and ran off. Dammit, why couldn't I say anything?

 

I watched him go, but shake off the heavy feeling crushing my chest. I can't let anyone else into my prison; they would grow to resent me eventually. Keep everyone away. That it is my wish. Liar, hisses the fox demon, you wantsomeone to cry on, to lean on. You want Uchihato cling to. I start and begin to sweat. `I do not!' I mentally cry in protest. `I can't have anyone!' the feeling of inferiority never does go away, especially when you're reminded of it every waking moment in a cell being passed off as a separate dorm room. Liar hissed the demon, he chuckled, let me prove it to you. And instantly thoughts that I should no way be thinking appeared in my mind. “GACK!” I covered my reddening face. `Stop it! You know why I can't have anyone getting close to me! It is FORBIDDEN! So stop doing this.' I turn away and curl into a ball against the cold wall. I am not allowed to see anybody, have anybody, or be near anybody. And no amount of wishing is going to change that. I know that. And he knows that. But still a small part of me is crying out in protest. I do my best to squash it, hide it. No one should know about me wanting…craving someone to hold, cling, cry onto. It is my darkest secret.

 

Kakashi and the sensei approached.

“Uzumaki!” the sensei bellowed.

 

I start and jump up to peer through the bars, having previously fallen off due to the fox's images in my head. I pink slightly at the memory. I look boredly at them while trying to regain control of my blush. `I cannot be thinking of this now!' I mentally wail. I wait patiently for them to state the reason upon their being here.

 

Kakashi turns to the sensei.

The sensei takes a deep slow breath, “Uzumaki, the Hokage and genin and other elders have agreed, regrettably, ((meaning some people didn't agree with the final outcome)) that you may pass and join a pod in traveling the field.”

 

I blink slowly, I heard this last night but didn't really believe it. I allowed my surprise to show on my face. “Why?” I ask. It is a simple question, with a hard answer.

 

Kakashi smiled. “Why indeed…sensei?” he mocked.

The sensei sputtered angrily. “I don't know. Some people ((meaning not him)) have decided that he spent enough time knowing his limitations that he be allowed ((meaning he shouldn't)) to roam ((free--outside the confines of four walls)) out in the field.” He turned to Naruto. “You are to join his pod.” He jerked at thumb at Kakashi before stalking off.

 

I blink slowly, “you know people aren't going to like me.”

 

Kakashi shrugged. “People don't like me.”

 

“Reassuring” I say blandly, “As I was saying, they're not going to like me, not being with Uchiha and Sakura-chan.” I say quietly, although the fox demon is shaking with happiness as I am to be allowed out into the world from which I was cooped away from. I blatantly ignore the fact that he is also shaking with joy at being near Uchiha.

 

Kakashi sweat dropped. “Right. Why do you keep calling him Uchiha? Why not Sasuke? Like you call Sakura, Sakura-chan?” he asked.

 

I blink owlishly. “Because,” I reply, “no one would like it if I did that. We have some mighty rabid fangirls and guys here.” Heh, that isn't the only reason, is it Naruto-san? You don't want to be near Sasuke for another reason maybe? I chose to ignore that remark but I turn away to look into my primitive quarters to hide my blush. `I shouldn't be thinking about him….I can't have anyone close, I won't see them get hurt…not because of me.' I think protesting. The small voice cries out in anguish, but is much quieter, as if it is giving up, and that makes me sad. I Naruto Uzumaki giving up? That cannot be…but it is, how can I, a pathetic life-form allow anyone near me? endanger them because of me? and to cling and hold selfishly? That is not the way of the ninja. Ninjas make sacrifices all the time, but they always have someone to rely on… I squash that thought. So I'm different, I think, I am a rogue in a cage…that's all.

 

Kakashi only smiled. “I'm sure some people won't mind.”

 

I blink in confusion, having dealt and met with indifference and invisibility all my life; I was needless to say, confused. Who would like to be with me? The fox at that point decided to speak up, Sasuke. I kick his cage mentally. `SHUT UP' I scream mentally. `as if I don't have enough to deal with.' I look down at Kakashi with narrowed eyes and say quite vehemently. “NO ONE wants to be near me, Kakashi-sensei. Ask anyone.” I turn and hop off the windowsill.

 

((Time passes--three hours))

Kakashi stood leaning against a tree as Sasuke and Sakura approached.

 

Sakura smiled, “When do we leave?”

 

Kakashi sighed. “as soon as the remaining arrives.”

 

Sasuke blinked. “remaining? We are the only ones assigned to you.”

 

I leap down from the tree above, “I am never late, sensei.” I turn sideways to face Kakashi. “not in school, not during training, and I won't start now.”

 

Sakura immediately protested. “Why is he here? He didn't even pass the testing!” Great, now we have to baby-sit the demon container, which means I won't have alone time with Sasuke, her inner self cried.

 

Sasuke looked at her, “……”

 

Kakashi shrugged. “Orders.”

 

I look at Kakashi with a look that clearly said `I told you so,' even the demon remains quiet. I guess he just now realizes how far their hatred of me goes. I send up a prayer again to make sure I complete my own vow. As soon as I can fully merge him into myself, I can kill myself and him, setting us both free. `Don't worry, Sakura-chan, you won't see me around for, hopefully, not too much longer. Just give me two months.' I think to myself, to the demon. `not for too much longer' I look at the sun and sigh inwardly. `only two full rotations of the full moon.'

 

Sakura steams, “what orders? He is to stay within four walls at all times!” she cried.

 

Sasuke stares at her. He does not know of this requirement.

 

Kakashi shrugs. “it is because I am a fully qualified jounin, a chennin as you will. I can handle this.” His eye narrows, a mask pulled down over his other eye.

 

Sakura frowned. “did someone place a jinx on the hokage? Because, seriously, no one wants him walking around free.” She spat.

 

Sasuke crosses his arms, “then go with another group. I'm sure they have their reasons, Sakura-chan.”

 

I blink at his response, I am still facing Kakashi. `Why does he defend me? he has to be wanting something from me, but what? What can I give him that no one else hasn't already taken away?' Kakashi leads us out, I automatically follow behind. I want to run ahead, but I know there are people watching so I have to tread really carefully. On the plus side, once I get away from here, I can start drawing bigger amounts of Kyuubi, the fox demon, into my stream, despite the immense pain. Out here, no one will mind if I scream or bleed a little more than necessary. I will free Kyuubi, I will free myself, all I need is two months, and I ((him)) are home free. Of course, why would anyone else care? I am just their leach that they have to hide, the skeleton in their closets passed down over the generations. No one wants me, no one will mourn me.

 

Sasuke looked at Naruto. `why is his chakra flickering again? Is it something I said? No, something Sakura said. But what can be plaguing his mind so?'

 

I follow Kakashi as he leads us through the forest. I have to succeed even as the voices in me are crying desperate tears and pleading for mercy. I am Naruto Uzumaki and not a soul would want to spend eternity with me. Only Kyuubi and only because we're stuck in the same body together. My heart is heavy, I left one cage for another. One master for another. A whole new round of threats.