Naruto 1. Chapter 1

Um hi this is an entry to Pudgypude's Jiongu challenge and I must warn you this does have some graphic scenes in it but I didn't think it qualified for an M rating so just for I'd give you's a heads up.

I write this while listening to _Change_ by _Deftones_ because it seemed to fit.

* * *

Leaning against a wall he wiped the sweat from his forehead and tears from his eyes, then checked the gaping hole in his left shoulder that was still bleeding a profound amount. There was no time to examine it further villagers were out on to the street and it wouldn't be long before what happened trickled out. Then they'd be searching for him and in his current state he wouldn't be able do much to stop them.

Pushing himself away from the wall, he stumbled down the street and started down a path which would hopefully lead him away from this nightmare that had ruled his short life.

Everyday, he stood and watched. Everyday, he watched from the shadows as they played, they laughed as they ran around in the sun while he was left standing alone in the darkness. They never asked him to play with them but he didn't care why he would care if some stupid idiots ignored him. Why would he care when it got dark there parents came and got them and took them home to there families while he still stood there waiting for someone he didn't need anyone he was five and a big boy.

No matter how long he waited, no one ever came for him.

No one.

He didn't have parents. So why, why did they leave him, without even the slightest clue to as to their identity? Perhaps they had abandoned him. This notion filled him with a crushing, overpowering sadness.

The realization that he was so completely alone.

The slow, lonely walk home from the park where he spent most of his time now, the unfriendly stares from the villagers only underlining the harsh truth. With every day that passed, he could feel another tiny, spider-webbing crack across the porcelain, the control he had over his emotions becoming more and more tenuous, like an unravelling reel of thread.

One day, it would slip from his hands, too far out of his grasp for him to ever reclaim it. It would fall out of his reach, forever beyond the point of no return. He could feel it; the protective facade he had managed to put up around himself was weakening, and the strength of his wills faltering. The previously strong and determined voice at the back of his mind that had kept him going over the years had been growing softer and softer, fading into nothingness.

The dispiriting depression hovered over him like a fog, longer nowadays, unable to be dispersed or forgotten as it slowly choked him.

He knew it was because he was beginning to believe that nothing he could ever do would change anything.

He was forever stuck in this torturous limbo, this painful and damning hell.

Those who simply ignored him ignored him not as though how one might display indifference to a stranger, but with a callousness with which one would regard an object of their abject dislike.

He wondered why they didn't just come out and be up front about things, to come out and shout all the hurtful words he knew they wanted to say to him, to come out and attack him directly, to translate the visceral hatred they held of him into real actions. It was tempting to assume that they did not hate him enough to actually want to hurt him physically but he knew he was trying to comfort himself.

It was very easy, the first time, to ignore them. To chalk it up to the entire village simultaneously being in a bad mood, having a particularly bad day, all waking up on the wrong side of the bed that morning in perfect synchrony. Although somewhere at the back of his mind, it gnawed at him that he was simply lying to himself.

It was easy, even after it hit him that the object of their anger was him, to ignore them, to regard them almost pitifully as ignorant individuals who didn't know any better, to behave normally with them, to pretend he didn't see the unfriendly eyes barely concealed behind the barest semblance of a fake smile.

It was less easy, even when he realized that no matter how much he spoke politely to them despite their rudeness, to show them what a completely ridiculous perception they held of him, they never changed their opinions, the iciness of their expressions never relenting or abating, to just tolerate them, to hide behind his protective facade of happiness.

All the time he maintained a perfect shield to protect himself from it all the same shield he had always had. But even the greatest defence will crumble with enough time and pressure and it was happening slowly but surely he was breaking.

* * *

He walked confidently through the crowded streets of Konoha his face twisted in to a scowl as his eyes move from person to person silently marking them, labelling them. He didn't know when he had started doing it but now he couldn't remember when he didn't, every time he saw or meet someone he judge them and mark them if they were corrupt.

He had finally realised why he was alone and why everyone ignored and belittled him. The village was corrupted, not the village itself but all the people who lived there everywhere he would look there would be someone doing something wrong. They mostly continued to ignore him but he had learned that it was wrong to ignore a small child when it was in need.

Sometimes though there would be some shining light through the darkness like the old man, some people didn't ignore him some even helped like the kind old lady who had helped him when he fell while running through the streets to get away from them.

He had started seeing them a few weeks back, it was just something moving out of the corner of your eye but when you turn there's nothing there. He still felt it he knew there was something there watching and it was driving crazy but he could never turn quick enough. Now he just made a point to ignore it but it was getting harder at times he could swear it was right behind him.

When he told the old man he just said he was imagining things but still promised to look in to it. Naruto guessed it was the villagers since he had figured out why they hated him they were trying twice as hard. He was isolated because he wasn't bad, it all made sense to him when had thought about everyone else who isn't bad talks to him like the old man and the old lady. So everyone who is bad is just trying to make him bad and that's why they hated him and isolated him they hoped he would lash out and become bad.

He wouldn't fall for it though he wouldn't be brought down to there level he was good and they wouldn't break him easily. The old man always said that his will of fire burned more brightly than anyone else's and if he just continued moving forward he would survive and he wasn't going to disappoint the old man.

So he continues moving forward returning all the glares of the villagers with his own and smiled at those who smiled at him.

Walking through the crowded streets of konoha Naruto came to a sudden halt as he felt a chill run through his whole body as though he'd been ducked in ice. It was that stare, the one who was always watching but it felt different they weren't just watching anymore there was something else there but he couldn't figure out what was causing such fear to seize him.

Naruto tried to calm down as his body continued to shake uncontrollably but he couldn't he was too petrified but remembering the old man and not wanting to disappoint him by giving in to his fears. Naruto clenched his fists and spun round expected to find nothing like he always did.

His heart stopped, his whole body froze there was something there staring right back him. The alley leading away from the main street a head was leaning out staring at him, his face was pitch black with no features except two wide round eyes and wide mouth pulled in to a sadistic grin that went from ear to ear.

He couldn't see his body from his angle they both just stood there staring at each other, after a few minutes the shadowy silhouette moved back in to the ally and Naruto fell to his knees.

Naruto knew that it wanted to kill him not just hurt but kill him. That thing wanted to drain the very last drop of life from him and it had been watching him for weeks. He couldn't help himself as his bladder lost control and he started to shake uncontrollably as he realised that he knew where he lived and everywhere he went and did.

He covered his face with his hands as the tears poured from his eyes as fear took hold of him as knew that thing was still watching him.

* * *

Screaming, deafening cries. He shook awake at such a noise before slowly opening his eyes and angrily looking around for the source of such a racket. He couldn't find anyone else in the small room that served as his bedroom but the screaming was still there and he couldn't think why they weren't being silenced. Then he realised why he couldn't find anyone else in his modest apartment but the screaming continued it was him screaming.

He focused on making the screams stop and they slowly died away to a whimper. He didn't know how long he'd been roaring, but he's throat was dry and painful, as though he'd been testing his limits for weeks without pause. Stumbling out of his bed he quickly made his way in the bathroom and stuck his head under the old taps. He eased his lips round it and swallowed.

The first few gulps hurt going down but after a couple more mouthfuls it was wonderful. Lifting his head from the water he studied his bathroom to see if he had done anything to it. When he found nothing he shook his at his stupidity it had never came inside before why now. Washing his face in the cold water in hopes it would wake him up more and with any luck wash away the nightmare.

He had gotten used to them by now it was always the same every single time he shut his eyes the nightmare would replay behind them. He was alone in some vast empty field. _Where the hell am I?_ The horizon stretched on into infinity. There was no colour, no tones, not even gray. It was a world of black and white. _God, I don't like it here. I want to go home…_ He ran. It was impossible, as if he was in glue. He looked at the black ground and white reflections appeared. He was ankle deep in a shallow ocean. _Its blood_… he realized with horror. Dark shapes appeared in the distance and he ran towards them, sure that he would find safety there. _Please… please help me. Someone…anyone save me…_ The black, _oh God its blood_, covered him as he ran through it. He stumbled and landed hard in the warm liquid. As he pulled himself to his hands and knees, his reflection appeared. For a moment all he saw was his own terrified face; but the image wavered, reforming into a grinning demon.

Its slitted eyes the same colour of the liquid that flowed freely around him burned into his, its face resembling something akin to a fox. His own blood ran down into his eyes and he knew that his face was changing, lifting a shaking hand to his face he pulled it back to see lumps of flesh in them covered with blood. He let out a roar of pain as his hands changed and grew claws, falling on all fours he stared at his reflection in the crimson mirror.

His face was completely shaved of its skin and blood was pouring down his face as canine teeth lengthened. His eyes changed with his pupil becoming slitted and his iris turning form there usual blue to dark red. _That's not me…_ he screamed_. That's not me… that's not me…_ A chilling knowledge rushed through his entire being as the demon spoke without words; _it will be_.

He splashed himself again with the freezing water bringing him out of the nightmarish world but still feeling slightly scared he looked up to his mirror just to make sure. His face was unnaturally pale from the lack of sunlight as he knew it was out there he wasn't going to play in to it's hands. His eyes are bloodshot, wild, rimmed with dark circles from only sleeping a few hours every couple of days and his lips were bitten to shreds. Scratches on his face from where he tried to get rid of the marks the demon left, hair a lot longer than he liked but if he went outside then it would get him. Feeling better now that he had confirmed it was still him he jumped in to the shower to wash away the sweat from the nightmare.

Refreshed, he exited his bathroom and walked back in to his bedroom to get dressed even though it was still dark out. The apartment only contained a small sitting room, one bedroom and one bathroom. It came furnished. The walls were cream but mottled with age and wear, most of the furniture was an odd shade of pale yellow. Everything was well worn, but despite the fading colours and patches, it was warm and it was clean it was his.

He was especially lucky to have it, as he was the youngest tenant leaving in this set of apartments. At the age of five it was quite an achievement to have his own place that's how he choose to see it. He didn't have much choice all the orphanages were full as they kept telling him and he had spent the majority of his life at the hospital as he had no where else to go. Living around the hospital he had quickly learned how to look after himself so as soon as the chance appeared to leave he gladly accepted it. He hated the hospital the smell, the food, the people.

The best thing about his home was the private bathroom. So many apartments had a public bath for use by all the tenants on the floor but he got his own because no one wanted to share with him. He didn't care if no one even dared be in the same room as him it just meant more time for him plus he hated them all they were helping him.

He walked out of his bedroom dressed in his usual and only attire, a pair of green shorts and white t-shirt that was too big for him with the Konohagakure symbol on it. Turning on the lights he made his way in to the kitchen to make his breakfast of ramen. He loved ramen so he didn't mind eating it three times a day as no one really bothered to teach him to cook but he didn't mind that either. Even if could cook he wouldn't be able to buy anything except ramen but he liked it so more for him and every one else was just missing out is what he told himself.

He used to have someone who would come in and clean and cook for him thanks to the old man but when he told her about him and if she was sure he hadn't followed here she just laughed and called him crazy. He went in to a screaming fit even fighting her demanding she leave, the old man sent more replacements but none believed him. They were all bad people working for him. No one believed him when he told them in the street even though he was standing right next to them they only said there was only one demon in the village and it was currently screaming at them. Morons all of them, they were all bad people every single one except the old man. He believed him he knew he did even though he had never told him but he didn't need to because the old man said he would always protect him.

With a hot cup of ramen now in his hand he made his way across the room and sat down at his small table. The entire apartment fell silent expect from the slurping coming from its owner. Naruto really didn't mind the silence, he didn't care that it was a constant reminder that he had no one, that he was all alone. At least when he was alone no one glared at him or ignored his very presence, he enjoyed being alone is what he told himself.

Quickly finishing his breakfast he walked back in to the kitchen to get his daily glass of milk. Coming out he made his way to his window he through open his curtains and stared at the rising dawn and rested his forehead. It still had a large purple bruise on it from when he had head butted the wall to make sure it was stable, that's how he explained it to himself he didn't need proof of his existence.

The cold from the glass felt nice on his bruise and he took a sip out of his milk which tasted slightly sour but liked it that way he convinced himself. Closing his eyes he tried to relax but something was wrong, opening his eyes he saw what was wrong. In the glass he could see someone entering his home.

It was silently walking towards him; he wore a pain white cloak that hid his body with an eerie black face with no features, other than eyes and a mouth that was curved in to a sadistic grin.

He froze, he panicked, and he didn't know what to do it had never entered his home before. Ever since he had first seen it he would always see him in the shadows silently promising to kill him but that was it, it never left the shadows. Sometimes it would try to beckon him over in to a dark alley but he wasn't dumb, it would usually get angry when this failed and would start making crude gestures while he mimed death threats.

But these were rare and only when he had a really bad night with multiple nightmares it would usual just stand grinning and watching so why was he here? Why now? Why couldn't he move?

Whirling around Naruto acted on instinct as he through the glass in his hand with all his strength at the figure. The glass sailed across the room and went straight through the man and smashed on wall behind him with milk spraying everywhere.

Naruto fell to the floor in horror as he watched it and mans grin only grew not even stopping on the way to the cowering blond. Backing up against the wall, he stared blankly at the man slowly edging towards him.

"What do you want?" he screamed his body completely paralysed be fear that he had broken in to his own private safe haven from all the bad people.

"_I want to watch as all the hope and life disappears from your eyes as sorrow consumes you and you slip in to eternal darkness" _

Naruto stared petrified and in shock at the figure as it had never spoke to him before even though he had roared at it to leave him alone. He lost control as his words sank in and tears erupted from his eyes as he played his voice over and over again in his head. His voice was worse than the threats as every single syllable sounded like a dying man's last hollow breath as he struggled to cling to life.

"Why? Why me" Naruto asked tears streaming down his face as his whole body trembled.

"_Because you're a demon" _it replied as it took its final step in front of the pitiful child.

The man now stood over him and with speed he couldn't even follow he latched a hand round his throat and began to choke the life out of him. He couldn't breath, he couldn't think he could just desperately claw at the figures arm but he didn't even flinch as Naruto continued to rip his arm to shreds. His fingers start to relax as gave up clawing at his arm; he glared at them willing them to move to finish the job they had started.

But they don't obey. He's losing perhaps he had already lost, it's grin continued to grow wider as he see's the life in the boy slowly seep away and his finger tighten a notch. Biting in to his flesh cutting off the last of his air supply, Naruto could feel his mouth gasping, eyes bulging, fingers scrabbling at his hand in a last desperate attempt to loosen the clod digits.

"Oi kid where's my rent and what's with all the noise?" bellowed a man standing in the door way with an annoyed expression on his face.

Naruto wanted to warn the man that he should get out of here, to scream any sort of warning but he couldn't even manage a squeak.

What you doing on the floor?" he asked with a confused look on his face as he stared down at him.

What's wrong with him can't he see the psychotic man killing him, why wasn't he helping him. The man took a few steps in to the apartment stepping on the shattered glass as he entered.

"Brat I told you to keep this place tidy" he growled looking down at the mess before turning to glower at the child who was still on the floor struggling.

Naruto couldn't believe how stupid the man was then again he was bad so he probably cheering it on. Even though he still wanted to warn the man but it was impossible he could barely keep awake as the lack of oxygen was hardly doing him any good.

Naruto's blood ran cold when the figure that was obsessed with ending his life turn to look at the man while chuckling darkly who sent chills down his spine. When it turned back to face him again he knew what he was going to do just by how he looked at him with those empty sockets and he started to struggle with everything he had. It was of course short lived as his body finally gave in and his eyelids fell heavily as darkness consumed him.

* * *

Waking up, returning to his sense. Indescribable relief. He had thought when he had felt his eyes close that they would never open again. He was standing up which he fond odd as he couldn't remember getting up. Quickly looking around to find out where he is and is relived that he was still in his home and it only appeared to be late in the morning. The relief fades as quick as it swelled. He was indeed still in his apartment and there's blood everywhere. Nightmarish splashes and gory pools. Wild streaks across the walls and floors. A body lay in front of him. Mauled and gutted, Naruto fell to his knees and emptied his stomach at the sight.

Slowly looking up again he saw a knife coated in blood still in the body and instantly felt sick again. Getting up of the blood coated floor his eyes snapped away from the bloodied blade and he started making other mental thumbnails of other details. Numb, functioning like a machine. Looking down at the destroyed corpse, stomach ripped open organs flung about the room while some seemed to be mashed up in the cavity of the mans chest. Probably happened while it was getting inside his chest he noted numbly. Arms and legs with multiple gaping wounds and deep slices. The head is the least damaged, white except where it's smeared with blood. He instantly knew who it was, he knew without looking.

The man wasn't that bad he usual just left him alone as long as he paid his rent on time but he had forgotten this month. It wasn't his fault the man came in to his home he had tried to warn him but he couldn't so it wasn't his fault he told himself.

Moving numbly he turned away from the gruesome scene as and thought about what to do. It only took a few seconds to realise he didn't know what to do. Should he tell someone, of course he had to but what if they thought he done it, it wasn't his fault. No he was just tell the old man he'd understand he knew it so careful edging around the bloody mess that was once a man he looked for his shoes to go tell the old man.

"_Naruto"_

He couldn't move. Fear has seized him completely as he knew who's voice that was. He looked around from the walls to the man. All red. All dead. There was no one there so he turned to get his shoes but stopped at the window something was wrong with it. Taking a closer look at the window he fell backwards in to the bloodied surface as in the window there wasn't his reflection but the figures.

Whirling his head around he couldn't see it anywhere so why was his reflection in his window, Naruto stopped looking when he heard it laughing again. He stood up out of the gore and stared at the reflection as it continued to laugh.

"_Oh dear. What have we here? _It said still chuckling lightly.

Naruto didn't dare respond or even movehe just stood there shaking.

"_Quite the mess you made"_ it spoke again sounding as though he found the whole thing amusing.

"WH-what… are… you?" Naruto moaned, forcing the words out between his chattering teeth.

"_The beginning and the end of you greatest sorrows" _it replied plainly not a boast_._

"Wh-wh… what… happened?"

"_You had fun"_ it said its grin growing.

"n-no you d-did it I-I'm good not bad" he replied growing more confident as it hadn't tried to kill him yet.

It doesn't say anything just starts chuckling and Naruto flinched when it pointed a black finger at him. Frowning he cautiously looked down at himself, he was covered in blood.

Not just where he had fell it was everywhere, it coated his skin turning a dark red almost black. His cloths were stuck to his skin and were heavy with the crimson liquid, looking back at the window he started to shake as the figure was gone and his reflection was back.

His face was coated in a layer of blood but that wasn't what terrified him it was his actual face. He was wearing the same expression as the figures; his eyes were wide but held no emotion while his mouth was pulled in to the same sadistic grin. He turned away from the horrid image only to greeted by another as he saw all the horror that was till in his home.

Impossible this wasn't happening. It's just a bad dream it must be he told himself as he looked at his home. But even in his very worst nightmares, he never imagined anything like this. He knew it was real simply because it's too awful not to be.

Screaming brought him back from his thoughts as a woman stood in his front doorway staring at the scene it front of her. Naruto quickly moved forward to try and calm the lady before she brought unnecessary attention as even he knew he looked really bad if you didn't know what had actually happened.

The woman took the slow advancing of the blood coated child who was famous for containing a demon in the wrong way a brought out her small knife; as in a ninja village you had to be prepared.

"Stay Back! Stay back you demon!" she yelled but the boy didn't listen he still continued to move closer towards her waving his blood stained hands in front of himself.

Naruto became in touching range of her and reached out hoping she would just calm down as he usual felt better after a nightmare when the hold man would hug him. The woman reacted and lunged at him.

The knife pierced his shoulder and Naruto wailed in pain as blood from the wound mixed with the blood that covered him. The woman stared wide eyed as she realised what she had done, she there for a second before she ran off screaming for help.

Naruto laid whimpering on the floor when something jolted him from the back of his mind and slowly stood. He couldn't explain it, it was like someone at the back of his mind was demanding him to move and this voice couldn't be simply ignored.

Without thinking, he turned his back to the hell that was once his sanctuary and ran. Running across the corridor that runs along the front of the building, his legs slip. He scrawls to the floor and lets out a roar of pain as he landed on the knife which snapped but the voice is screaming at the back of his mind and his body moves without him telling it to so standing up once again he started running again.

He almost jumps the entire stair case that leads in to the street. His hands hit the floor as he lands and lurched to his feet and ran down the main street. Weaving in and out of crowds everyone staring but he doesn't slow down he just keeps on obeying the voice that is demanding he runs faster.

His heart pounded inside his rib-cage as he continued to run as fast as he could while his lounges felt that they would explode at any moment. His legs burned and screamed in protest. His shoulder flared up with unimaginable pain with every jerk. His head was killing him from all the screaming. But he wouldn't stop he couldn't stop but he had to stop.

Once he had cleared the main streets of konoha he ducked in to a small alley. He stood doubled over, panting for breath, he studied the path he had took and saw little puddles of blood marking his course. A clear trail for anyone to follow the voice told him to sort out the wound as it couldn't fully heal it at the moment. He examined the wound, there was a tiny bit of metal sticking out of it.

A bit of the blade must have snapped off in the wound when he fell on it. He closed his eyes and pulled. He couldn't stop the sharp yell of pain that erupted from his throat. He fell back shivering, fingers twitching, mouth open and shutting rapidly. For a few minutes all he knew was pain. The buildings around him could have collapsed and he wouldn't have noticed. Gradually the pain abated and he was able to study the hole again. He hadn't pulled it out but he brought it closer to the surface plugging the wound a little.

Blood still oozed out but it wasn't flowing freely like it had been. After a few deep breaths he got to his feet, he was shaking like newborn lambs but they held and encouraged by the voice he started steadily running again.

He kept to the side streets and alleys, so he was out of the public view plus he could always use a wall for support or to lean against when resting. He didn't pass many people but when he did they did there best to ignore him. That actually surprised him even in his dazed state, as he knew they were bad but to ignore a wounded child covered in blood. He realized they weren't bad they were evil. The voice agreed and he felt anger run through his veins as the voice reminded him of everything that had done to him. He didn't care who the voice was or how it knew such things but he just kept on speaking listing all the wrongs they committed against him.

The anger and hate and sheer fury of a wronged child that kept on building within him was shrinking; coalescing into something hard, cold and infinitely more dangerous.

It continued for another thirty minutes as he ran through all the backstreets of konoha with the voice fuelling his hatred for his home as it continued to tell him what his home had done to him. It even offered it opinion on there actions and was telling how he should punish them.

But finally he came to the main street that leads out of the village and the world beyond. He ran with new energy as he saw the huge gates and the forest beyond them. In his mind the forest had assumed magical properties he was convinced, if he could make it to the trees everything would be fine. But just as he was a mere hundred yards away from it two figures jumped in his path.

He knew they were shinobi by the way they dressed the green flak jacket was unmistakable. He felt himself slow down to a stop as tears leaked from his eyes, it would be impossible for him to leave now.

Just as he felt sorrow grip his heart the voice spoke up louder and angrier than ever. The voice was no longer suggesting or even telling him what to do it. It was commanding him to do what it told him and Naruto couldn't stop his body from complying with its orders.

As soon as the voice took over his body he felt it changing, he's skin tightened, and his bones seemed to crack while his wound healed around the imbedded piece of metal. Eyes glazing over, he raised a trembling and stared at it. His nails were lengthening while hardening his fingers curled inwards. Hair sprouts from his head, blood in his mouth his gums have split as his teeth grew. Muscles rip and strain, then knot again. White noise fills his ears threatening to deafen him before it vanished.

Standing up as straight as he could he looked at the two shinobi in front of him, his visions different colours are not keenly defined but his vision has expanded and he could see more sharply. The two looked unsure after watching fall him fall to the floor and having some kind a fit, but it was fear that dominated there expressions.

Chest raising and failing rapidly, staring around with eyes half human half demon watching the fools panicking. The voice inside wants to him to attack, rip them open, teach them not to mess with Naruto Uzumaki.

But as tempting as that thought is he pushes it away and break for the forest instead. He suddenly took of with new found speed and the two shinobi are momentarily stunned them but they recover quickly. Their training kicks in and they move to intercept him. Not particular large but still a good size both holding kunai in there hands.

"HALT!" one of them shouts.

Naruto snarled at him before leaping and the shinobi can't move in time as he brought back his clawed hand and in one swift motion tore open his throat. He let out a gurgled scream as he clutched his now open neck.

The blood only fuelled Naruto more as he turned on the remaining shinobi who had dared getting in his way. He charged forward towards him as he was still stunned at seeing his comrades being killed so easily. Naruto swiped his hand at him intending to cut in half but he recovered quick enough to leap backwards. But not quick enough and Naruto still took a chunk out of the mans mid-section.

The man immediately howled in pain, while Naruto watch as the flesh and between his nail burned away in his hand. Deciding he had done enough he left him wailing on the floor as he roared with shock and pain as he failed to realise that the claws had dug to deep.

Running once again, fast and slick leaving no trail for anyone to follow. Feeling invincible running through the trees never felt happier. He didn't stop even when the gates of konoha vanished from view he just kept on running.

* * *

Well there you have it this was originally two chapter but let me know what you think. Oh and just a warning by updates will be erratic as my life is kinda chaotic right now and also this is my first fic and I had a lot of help from pudgypudge with this chapter so the quality might go down a tad lol. Also looking for a beta.


	2. Chapter 2

His hands were red with blood as he continued to run through the forest that covered the fire country. Naked, he had gotten rid of his heavy blood stained cloths earlier they were only constricting his movements. He tasted blood on his tongue, he didn't know if it was his or someone else's. He ran faster unable to remember if he was a wild creature or a person he didn't care either way.

He leapt over a fallen log, as he lands his bare feet hit twigs. They snap and he falls in to a muddle puddle, even in the dirty water he could see his red slitted eyes staring at him reflecting from the murky surface. Scowling he raised from the dirt and started running again.

"_Naruto…"_

The name didn't immediately register within the boy but he eventually remembered that this was his name. Or it used to be once, sniffing the air but all he could smell was blood.

"_My you're quite the demon" a raspy voice taunted from the darkness of the forest._

Naruto growled angrily he hated that voice, he wasn't the demon. He was good it was everyone else they were bad, the real demons.

"_You can't find me" _the voice teased.

He roared in to the darkness that seemed to shroud the forest before he lurched at the bushes he thought the voice had come from. He tore through them but there was nothing on the other side.

"_Wrong"_ the voice laughed and Naruto whirled round looking for it.

"_Over here"_ it whispered from the right.

He slowly edged towards a tree on his far right, he was squinting but he couldn't see anything. He came to halt as he felt something, the whole thing felt wrong like a trap. But he couldn't back away from it. He was being driven on by his sheer hatred of that voice as he knew who it belonged to.

Movements to his left just as he rounded the tree and Naruto quickly gave chase. For a couple of minutes he felt invincible Legs of steel, iron lungs, running faster than he had ever thought possible an unstoppable force. He didn't even care if he never caught it as he was completely caught up in the thrill of the chase.

But he started to slow. Pain swept through every fibre of his body, he stumbled something snarls at the back of his head. He lay on the cold hard forest floor, writhing in pain while sobbing weakly.

Naruto could still hear the voice mocking him; laughing at how weak he was while bathing in his pain and sorrow as it watched him cry out in agony.

All it's words helped fuel him once again as he felt his rage grow and the intoxicating power return with it, raising his head he took off sprinting again. Everything that got in his way was reduced to splinters in seconds as he tore his way through the forest, his only thought was to destroy the creature that had been haunting him for months.

A part of him hesitated, as he was more self aware than before and it was eager to return home. To feel the soft comforting embrace of the old man while telling him it would be alright. To go out and play some pranks on some of the bad people that polluted the village, to feel the warm comfort and safety of his own home.

Something in the back of his mind flared up at his hesitation and he was reminded of the last few months of living in fear from it. Scared to leave his home and all the bad people as they went about there daily business of trying to bring him down. His anger burst through him seeping through his whole body as he realised they had succeeded and he had been reduced to there level.

With a cry of rage and sorrow he lurched through the forest at blinding speed, he didn't notice all the deep scratches or scraps he received from all the tree's and thick hedges as he rushed through them. He couldn't feel pain, the only thing he felt were hate and rage towards the village but more towards the faceless creature that had destroyed everything he had held dear. Keeping his eyes locked on the white cloak that continued to evade his grasp, he grew more frustrated as every second past as it didn't seem like he was advancing and it continued to taunt him.

He hissed in pain as he charged through a particular thick briar patch which covered the floor of the forest that almost shredded his lower legs. The thorns were incredibly thick and sharp and easily piercing and tearing the skin on his legs. Ignoring the burning pain in his legs he continued on and he soon came to a halt as it stood at the edge of a cliff with its white cloak bellowing in the strong winds.

It stood there its eerie black featureless still smiling as though he had just been for a pleasant afternoon run rather than running from his life from a half-crazed child/demon.

"_Poor Naruto" _it murmured with genuine sadness in its voice, _"All alone, no parents, no friends everything you cared about gone"_

Naruto wanted to reply, to verbally maul him before actually mauling him but he couldn't his vocal cords had been twisted so all he could get out was a low growl.

"_You should remember all the good times"_ it told him with pity, _"Recall all the memories of you and the old man, cherish them all of the happy ones. Naruto cry for them give me your tears"_

Naruto lowered his head thinking about all the times the old man had treated him to ramen or when he would yell at him because of his pranks before forgiving him and treating him to ramen. As Naruto felt the rage slowly draining away as he thought about how he must of let the old man down and all the disappointment he must be feeling.

"_He thought to protect you from all the cruelties of the world, a good caring man who will surely miss you"_ it said its smile growing while taking a step forward. _"I'm sure you miss him too but don't worry it won't be for long so cry for him Naruto in these final moments"_

Naruto looked up at hearing those and something yelling at him to strike now to finally gut the freak that had destroyed his life but he couldn't he was captivated by its voice.

"_Your sorrow shall be short lived as in a moment I will finish what I had started"_ it said morosely still walking towards him at a calm pace. _"There will be pain, great pain but the total peace"_ it smiled eagerly and its right hand reaches out for his face. Naruto came out of his Trans when it brushed its black fingers across his left cheek beneath his eye, though trying to charm tears from him.

"_Death will come as a blessing, Naruto you will welcome it in th-"_

A guttural roar drowned out its voice and Naruto was on all fours, his face a dark mask of furious lines, teeth bared his red eyes gleaming through the narrow slits of his eyelids. It stumbled backwards and Naruto grinned savagely while starting to circle it, sniffing and growling.

With a howl he charged forward, it's knocked to the floor and Naruto immediately started claw at its chest but before he could do any real damage it was able to push him off with surprising strength. Rising up again Naruto quickly ran towards him and twisted and drove his shoulder in to its chest, it fell again.

Naruto was on it before it could rise a second time, he drove a claw in to its stomach and red began to ooze out staining his cloak red, pulling back his fist he brought in down in to its face. He repeated this several times while his clawed hand grabbed something inside it before giving a sharp jerk, his hand shlups out trailing guts, blood splattering on the floor. All through this its smile never left its face increasing Naruto's rage so he started to pound it's featureless pace with both fists.

Raising both hands he brought down both his claws in scissor movement across its neck, blood erupted from the wound and rained down on Naruto. It struggled for a minutes all the while Naruto stood above it watching feeling satisfaction a finally getting his tormentor. When it finally died Naruto walked to the edge of the cliff and took a deep breath, as he exhaled he felt all power drain away from him. All the wounds he had received and healed flared up and pain swept over him, his whole body hurt and burned like no pain he had experienced before. Without all the energy running through him he was protected from the freezing winds from being at the cliffs edge and his whole body was frozen thanks to been naked and covered in blood and sweat. He fell to his knees crying in pain and shivering while wrapping his arms around himself.

"_How pitiful"_ a voice from behind him and he came slowly turned to face the owner of the voice with wide eyes.

"_Bye"_ was all it said before a pitch-black hand connected with his forehead and gently pushed him over the edge.

Naruto felt the air rushing past him and he felt completely weightless almost like he was flying. The wind was deafening whistled around him, he looked up at the sky open and bright with stars and for a brief moment he felt at peace, that this was it and he closed his eyes in wait.

His flight ended and he hits the water hard, the impact shakes his bones to pieces and knocks his guts bits. He opened his eyes and mouth to scream and water immediately pours down his throat. Naruto started to struggle but the current was too strong and was swept away by the cold churning water that roared like a thousand lions. He covered his face with his arms to protect them as the current spun him round bashing him in to rocks.

He washed up against a mass of thick roots he quickly grabbed hold, they were slippery and they felt like dead fingers clutching at him and Naruto struggled to keep hold. Pulling himself up by them he took a deep gasps of breath but current took hold of him again and he was too cold, tired and sore to fight it.

Tumbling over and over he struggled to keep his head above water and he spat some water out of his mouth but only more gushes in, Naruto thought he must have swallowed half the stream. The current drags him against a wall and sharp rocks cut deeply in to his thighs and hips but thankfully the cold water numbs the worst of the pain and stopped the flow of blood.

Naruto panicked as he felt a sudden drop, he plummeted in to a deep pool and was held under by the force of the falling water. He began to panic as he began to run out of breath and he started to thrash widely, his foot connected with a wall and he propelled himself forward. As soon as he broke the surface he began to gulp down the cold air that stung his lungs but he didn't care he was happy to be breathing.

The current quickly worsened as he entered some rapids and he was thrown about like a rag doll, Naruto almost wished he could just drown as his body felt like it was being turned in to putty. Thanks to all the sickening drops and jagged rocks sticking out of the surface of the water, it was impossible for him to exert any sort of control over his course.

Naruto felt like his lungs were bursting, he continued to protect his head with his arms as he continued to bash about his back, legs, back, shoulder, belly, head he quickly lost count of the collisions. He couldn't feel pain any longer which he was grateful for as his body hurt before so he knew it would be unimaginably painful later if he survived.

The current slammed him in to another jagged rock and the air burst out of him but the force of the crash popped him upwards, his lungs sucked in the air greedily. He floated on the surface for a few moments but the water quickly took him again and dragged him under. Naruto was moving at incredible speeds and it just kept on increasing, his back was scraped raw along the bottom of the river bed.

Naruto knew he was losing as he was running out of breath and water was creeping up his nose, he automatically coughed and water poured in down his throat. He didn't have the strength to fight anymore he couldn't close his mouth, he knew this was the end as his lungs filled up with water.

He was waiting for death when there was a sudden turn in the river and he collided with the wall with such speed he was immediately blacked out.

* * *

Sarutobi silently sat behind his desk gazing at the picture of the fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze. He kept going over the last few months in his head, trying to figure out if had missed anything. There must have been something, some clue as to why Naruto had acted like he had.

But he couldn't find some grand solution to his problem. Naruto had told him that someone or something as he had said was following him, but he had assumed that the boy was simply seeing things. Maybe he was wrong and one of his villagers had broken his law and took a more direct approach to Naruto rather than silently glaring at him.

No that couldn't be right his Anbu would have seen it and the boy had never said that they were hurting him just stalking him. Sarutobi took out his pipe and tobacco and carefully filled his pipe before lighting it and taking a deep smoke filled breath.

Naruto had been a lot more sullen the last couple of times they had meet and was always fidgeting in his seat though he was preparing to run at any moment. And from his Anbu had told him Naruto barely left his home over the last couple of weeks and when ever he did it was only for the bare essentials. He was never out a few minutes, sprinting there and back.

Sighing, the ageing leader got up and walked round his desk so he was standing right in front of his successors photograph.

"What would you do?" he asked the photo, of course when he got no response he walked back to his desk and his eyes drifted down to the report on his desk.

After Naruto had fled the village while seriously harming the chunin's on gate duty he had immediately sent his Anbu to investigate his home. They had found the remains that had once been a man, even the hardened leader found it disturbing to think a mere child of five could do such a horrific act. The man who had been the boys landlord had his entire chest cavity brutally ripped open and his organs shredded, the entire home had been covered in bloods and pieces of the man.

Sarutobi closed his eyes in sorrow as he recalled all the small blood handprints and footprints on the floors and walls. What could have caused such an innocent child to murder and in such a brutal and inhuman way?

Sitting back behind his desk he put down his pipe and waited. He had sent his best trackers after Naruto in hope they would find before he did anymore damage to himself or anyone else. He thoughts quickly turned back to what could of cause all this chaos and how Naruto had ended up in the meddle of it all.

The only plausible reason he could find for Naruto suddenly becoming what he had was if he was under the influence of the fox. But the fell short as well as surely he would have noticed if the demon was controlling the boy as there would be no doubt that he would signs of possession. He had complete faith in the fourth's sealing technique as he himself had helped him in inventing it and there was no way that the fox would be able to take over Naruto without some sort of sign.

He wished he could speak to the two chunin's as they would hopefully be able to shed some light on what had happened. But unfortunately they were both unconscious and he wasn't permitted to wake them as the seemed to be suffering some sort of chakra poisoning and the pain would be too great for them to answer questions he held. The only actual witness they had was a woman who shared the same building with Naruto and all she knew was that the boy had ran out of his apartment covered in blood and was trying to attack her. She had defended herself had stabbed the boy in shoulder before running.

His Anbu knew even less, as they had been ordered to stay at a distance at all times so the boy would not get suspicious. And all they had seen was the boy burst of his home talk to some woman before running as though the Shinigami himself was after. They had quickly lost him in all the back alleys of the village as they were not expecting him to attempt to flee the village.

Leaning back in his chair Sarutobi looked out his window gazing down at his village. Night had already fallen and there were still no signs of either his trackers or Naruto had he hardly took that as a good sign. They should have reported back hours ago and time was of the essence, he had managed to contain what had happened today but it wouldn't be long before his old partners found out.

He held no doubts that Danzo already knew, the old war hawk had ways of finding out effortlessly he wouldn't be surprised if he had his own men follow Naruto. Sarutobi brows narrowed as he thought it, maybe Naruto really was being followed and his paranoia was justified. But even so that hardly a cause for what he had committed today, maybe he had finally just snapped.

It was hardly easy for a child to grow up without parents and it was obvious that orphanage he had placed the boy in neglected him. So was really hard to believe that a small child finally gave up against trying to earn some acknowledgement, he was isolated from all of the children his age and without being at the academy he hardly had a chance to meet new children. Plus everyone in the village practically ignored the boy's very existence and if they did acknowledge him it was with a cold glare. Naturally there children had picked up on there parents hostility so they were hardly inclined to talk to the boy.

Sarutobi quickly cleaned his head of such thoughts, he knew Naruto he would never give up. He was Minato and Kushina's child it was in his very blood to fight until the end. Sarutobi instantly sat up in his chair as felt someone else's presence enter his office.

"Report" Sarutobi barked out and watched as a cloaked figure with a dog masked seemingly appeared out of nowhere before bowing to him.

"We were able to find his tracks" the masked figure began, "It wasn't really hard he practically tore his way through the forest."

"So where is the boy now?" Sarutobi asked his eyes narrowing slightly at the cloaked figure.

"Unfortunately we were unable to locate the target Sir" the Anbu didn't react when the Hokage's hand slammed against the desk.

"The trail when dead at a cliff near the border with River country" the cloak figure continued not wanting to anger his leader. "We found evidence of a fight and we believe that the boy fell over the edge, we then followed the river below in hopes of finding him but we were unable to."

Sarutobi clenched his fist and eyes quickly glanced at the photo of the boy's father, "You said you found evidence of a fight?"

"Yes, there were scruff marks as long with claw marks near the edge and I currently have my men searching for anymore evidence of the presence of an enemy nin" the Anbu answered.

Sarutobi stared at the figure for a few more moments before letting out a tired sigh and started rubbing the bridge of his nose, "Kakashi your dismissed and I want a full report on your findings tomorrow."

"Yes Hokage-sama" was the only answer he gave before vanishing leaving the old Kage to his thoughts.

"Minato did I fail you and your son?" he asked the photo.

When he didn't receive an answer he briefly wondered of he was actually expecting one; with a tired shake of his head Sarutobi decided to go inform the old team mates before Danzo was able to manipulate them.

* * *

Consciousness gradually returned to Naruto. Slowly sounds started to strikes his ringing ears; first the roar of the water, much softer than when he first fell in almost lyrical. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open and the first thing he saw were the stars shining brightly in the inky darkness of the night sky. He drifted on his back staring up and the stars wondering if it was luck or his body natural defence's that had saved him from drowning.

The current wasn't strong and knew he could easily swim to the bank, pull himself to safety and begin his trip back to the village, except he didn't have the strength. He tried rolling over to swim but he couldn't. His arms and legs were like dead blocks of wood. He had survived the ride so far but he knew the cost had been high too high; he was completely limp and helpless.

He studied the landscape while the stream swept him further away from where he had once called home. It was rugged and unspectacular but it was beautiful to him after what he seen in the last couple of das. He knew anything would be beautiful after all the blood and death he had seen.

He wondered if he was dying, for all he knew he could be, no feeling, no control, at the mercy of the stream. Maybe he was dead already dead and he just hadn't realized yet and secretly wished this was the case.

No he knew he was alive as ice cold splashed up his nose and he started to splutter. This shook him out of his self loathing as he realized he wouldn't give up, not after everything he had been through. He tried summoning his strength from somewhere so he could make it to the bank.

He knew he couldn't drift along like this forever, he knew the longer he left it the harder it would be. He tried forcing energy in to his exhausted limbs, he though of dying young and what a waste it would be but it failed in giving him any extra strength. Strangely he though about all the villagers as gazed coldly at him as though him being alive insulted them. All the kids that refused to play with him and mocked him cause of his poorly fitting cloths and all he had been through. The thought that they would all get away with being bad and would continue to do so and that he was the one being punished for the corruption. The idea of the injustice being served to him succeeded in spreading a burst of fire through his icy bones spurring him in to action.

He raised a weak arm and flapped feebly for the bank, the action didn't do much apart from spin him around a little. But the fact he managed to move at all filled him with hope. Gritting his teeth, he faced the bank and forced his legs up behind him, they responded sluggishly but they did respond. He tried to swim freestyle but failed miserably, he rolled over on to his back and kicked weakly with his feet. He tried to guide himself gently with his hands movements. He slowly pulled towards the bank, it takes long a time and he had he been swept much further from the fire country but finally he was in shallow water, out of the current.

He half raised himself to his knees before collapsing, lying face down he turned his head sideways and spluttered. Rising back on to his knees, he slowly crawled out of the water on to the muddy bank. He quickly collapsed again as soon as he was on the bank; he closed his eyes and wept in to the mud.

He wanted lay there and simply die as it was easier than moving but his feet were still in the water and he didn't like the feeling of them drifting behind him. So he pulled them clear and the effort goaded him in to further action, groaning the small boy propped himself up then raised slowly and painfully to his feet.

Standing up he looked around, everything was different and new. Day was breaking but the stars were still shining and the moon was still shining lightly in the sky. Sighing he started to move obeying the same insistent inner instinct that had kept him alive so far. He dragged his feet forward and every few steps he pause, shake his head, straighten up and lurch away from the stream. The river frothed and hissed angrily behind him, annoyed to be cheated of its latest victim.

* * *

There we go the second chapter, I must say I'm slightly disappointed for my last chapter as I had over 1200 hit but so few reviews. But never mind I don't know when I'll update this next as I've got another story now plus a social life and Christmas is around the corner but anyway let me know what you think. Sorry about any grammer mistakes i'm still looking for a beta.


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