kurama; family
Kurama remembers a time when he had siblings. Eight of them who were just like him. Two others who were a little different in size and appearance but they were family. He remembers his father, his teachings, the shrines he built for the nine of them. He remembers playing in the grass and among the trees when he was a kit. He remembers his father's death and feeling the heart-wrenching grief it bought. Remembers his two oldest brothers fight and kill each other. Remembers how that had made the nine bijuu distant and had left them a little broken.
He remembers his father saying that many years in the future a blue-eyed-youth will bring their family back together.
He does remember. Even if he pretends he forgets.
But he also remembers being alone after everyone left, after Shukaku's fun-loving nature had turned crazy once he learned of Asura's death, after Matatabi was almost consumed by her own fiery flames when she learnt that her favourite brother Indra had really killed Asura and died himself. Son Goku had become paranoid and refused to admit weakness. Isobu became even more reserved and shy than before. When Saiken and Chomei tried to be cheerful but even they couldn't admit everything was okay. Gyuuki had left only days after they got to know their siblings had died.
He remembers how gradually the humans began fighting amongst each other. How their hatred had spread. He could feel it, he tried to isolate himself, and it worked for some time, but then those humans tried to control him for their wars. Because of their hatred. They called him 'Kyuubi'. Which he was and it was something he prided himself for. Nine tails, the oldest bijuu, the strongest. And then they caged him.
He remembers looking into the cursed eyes which had ripped away Indra's conscious. Had made him turn on his family. And now those eyes were controlling him, why was it always those eyes?
And then he was sealed, locked away by the power of the man who manipulated wood like Asura had once. His descendant had ripped away Kurama's freedom while Asura himself was the most compassionate person he knew. How ironic.
Kurama hated his jailor. Hated the Senju and Uzumaki and Uchiha alike. Hated the humans. Hated everything.
He hated his next jailor a little less, she didn't bother him in the seal, didn't try to manipulate him into giving her chakra as the first one had. But more than anything he wanted to be free. And he did break free, only to be controlled by those eyes for a second time. And then he was sealed again, this time in a barely hour old child. This time the seal was tighter than ever, he couldn't feel anything. He hated the baby and his parents.
But Kurama was patient, he would escape again, it was inevitable. He would. He could feel his new jailors grief and pain from inside the seal, the village was directing all their hate at the only person keeping Kurama away from burning them down, he almost snorted. But he didn't care either way, he only cared about escaping.
But something changed, his jailor was happy lately, his happiness spread through his mind and into Kurama's prison. The sewer-like water he was in before turned into green grass. The jail was still locked, but a little more bearable. It was almost nice after almost a century of seeing nothing living.
And then Kurama saw it again, those eyes, looking at his jailor. He panicked, he wouldn't let himself be controlled again. No, no, no, NEVER! He sent the largest wave of chakra he could and roared. He couldn't feel anything from the outside, it was making him more panicked.
And then everything changed. His seal was blooming with flowers and trees, there was a lake in there, a sunny sky of a warm day. But that wasn't what shocked Kurama the most, it was the chakra. The familiar chakra, Ootsutsuki chakra. Asura's chakra.
He couldn't believe it, Asura was long dead. Everyone was dead and he was alone. But chakra never lied, it never did. It really was Asura's chakra. He knew it. It bought back memories and feelings long buried.
"A blonde-eyed youth will bring our family together."
He had forgotten it, hadn't he? More like he refused to acknowledge it, but he should've known, Father was never wrong.
For the first time in centuries, he felt something other than hate and loneliness.
-----
Naruto stood beside Itachi's unconscious form a little awkwardly, it was very easy to accept Sasuke as Indra in the heat of the moment. But now the adrenaline had gone away and he didn't know how to deal with the situation. The Sharingan and Kurama's chakra had reawoken his memories, it had given him back his chakra. It was all a little overwhelming. Because right now he was Naruto first and Asura second. His other reincarnations were even more distant memories.
And as Naruto, he was Sasuke's best friend, his roommate even. But as Asura, he was Indra's little brother, later his enemy. It was a little surreal to think that this Indra was no longer wanting to kill him. Some part of him felt at rest.
"Let's take him inside. There are privacy seals surrounding the compound but we can't hide his presence in the open." Sasuke said after a quiet moment and Naruto nodded. Sasuke picked Itachi up and hoisted him over his shoulder, Naruto frowned, there was something wrong about the man, he was sick.
Once they were back inside their silence was uncomfortable once again.
"Maybe you should finish the curry we were planning to have while I keep watch over him," Naruto said and Sasuke snorted.
"You never change, do you?" he said fondly shaking his head. Naruto had an urge to pout childishly. He was technically a child, so he did. Sasuke patted his hair and his face turned into a small smile. Because now Naruto remembers, Indra used to pat his head all the time when they were children. He could finally see the same person in Sasuke once again.
"Naruto, I-. Um, I don't really know how to apologise, for everything... I also need to tell you some things about a creature of the shadows that I never got to, I don't know how to start." Naruto could see Sasuke's attempts to make amends, he had always been bad with words. Years of not talking to anyone about your feelings would do that to you.
"Let us start by meeting Kurama again. I vaguely remember seeing him through Hashirama but it is very unclear. He must have grown so much!" Naruto smiled.
"As you wish. He is sealed in you so you'll have to break the seal first for me to meet him, I don't think he'll appreciate seeing the Sharingan anytime soon" the 'or me' went unsaid. Naruto nodded and closed his eyes, entering their mindscape.
It took him a minute but when he opened his eyes he was standing in front of huge iron gates. A prison. On the other side was Kurama, lying on green grass and looking straight at him.
"Holy Gods you've gotten so big!" he exclaimed almost involuntary when he took in the size of the Bijuu.
Kurama made a sound of disbelieving, "It really is you..." the deep voice said.
"Your voice has changed so much too!" he added.
Kurama looked at him closely, eyes looking as if they were searching his soul, "Prove it, that you are him. What's my name?"
Naruto remembered somewhere in his mind that the Bijuu's were only known by the number of their tails nowadays, it was a little sad. He rolled his eyes and went closer to the cage, "Ne Kurama, who else would it be."
The Bijuu's eyes had become wide with shock, but Naruto could see the relief in them.
"How is this possible?" he asked at last.
"Aaah, I don't really know, Indra would probably be able to explain that part, I couldn't exactly understand it," he replied. Kurama laughed, a deep laugh that echoed all around the place, it made Naruto smile.
"It's you Asura! No one else can be that dense."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean," he said mock offended. "Just wait for a little, I'll open this stupid seal right away," he added.
"No. I can't leave, you'll die. Everyone dies once the Bijuu is extracted," Kurama said shaking his head, his eyes were worried. Naruto felt his own expression soften.
"Don't worry about it, I can feel my chakra like before. Ootsutsuki chakra is dense enough to survive the extraction multiple times. Father did it as well, remember?"
"NO! I can't go amongst all these people. The shrines have probably been destroyed since I've been sealed so long" the fox argued back. Naruto looked at him for a long moment before chuckling. "Aw, Kurama if you want to stay with me longer just say so, I'm just giving you the option of leaving," he teased back.
"... Everyone goes away, Father died, you and Indra died, all the other's went away, I don't want to be alone any longer," At this moment Naruto could see the same Kurama he had done years ago. A few years old and scared of being alone, he was just a kit back then.
"Don't worry Kura, Indra and I are not fighting anymore, this time I won't leave you until it is my time to pass on," he said affectionately and the fox sighed, lying down on the ground. "I'm opening the seal now,"
He observed the eight-trigram-seal for some time before he started opening it, it was down to two layers left when a hand stopped him.
"YONDAIME!" Kurama shouted angrily with his tails swishing behind him, Naruto looked at him with a stern gaze, "Don't act like a kit Kurama, behave." The fox huffed but settled down, still keeping a keen eye on the new addition to the room. Naruto turned to observe the man, the Yondaime, he had been his hero during his second childhood. And he was standing right in front of him.
"Naruto," the man said kindly though there was surprise in his voice.
"You know me?!" he exclaimed and the man furrowed his brows.
"Ah, so the Sandaime didn't tell you. Yes, I know you, after all, I was the one who named you."
Naruto's eyes widened as he realised the implications of that. It seemed so obvious now, they looked so similar!
"Dad..." he said hesitantly and watched the man tear up a little.
"Yes, I'm so happy to see you, though I wish we could've met differently. I didn't expect to see you until at least a few years later, this is not the time to mess with the seal Naruto," he said gently, his eyes were so full of love that Naruto teared up himself. At first, he had believed his parents were either traitors or didn't want him. Then Jiji told him they died in the Kyuubi attack and that he was sure they loved him. Naruto had always hoped they had but he couldn't always believe that they did. He had wondered if they would have hated him like the rest of the village had.
But looking at his father now he only saw love and a little longing.
"I- no, I have to open the seal, he won't attack the village,"
"I do believe that one day you'll be able to control the Kyuubi's power, but you're too young right now," the man replied gently. Naruto furrowed his brows, "I don't want to control his powers, I just don't want to see him locked up,"
Something like realisation passes through the other's eyes, "Oh. I see. Only Kushina's son would be able to make friends with a Bijuu," he says fondly, and he can see it. Kushina had always described the seal as a dark and dim prison where the Kyuubi was chained up. Naruto's seal was full of life, trees and lakes and warm sunshine. He really wondered what sort of a life did his son have to lead to make friends with an ancient chakra monster.
"Kushina was my mother?"
"Yes, Uzumaki Kushina, she should appear here once you try to pull the Kyuubi's chakra,"
"I'll get to meet her?" Naruto's eyes were so hopeful it hurt, not being able to speak he nodded and watched his son's face turn into a bright smile.
"Naruto, I don't have much time left. I want to tell you that I love you and I'm proud of you. No matter what you choose to do in the future I'll always believe in you," Naruto could only sniffle as he hugged his father for the first time in his life. He let himself focus on his father's hand on his head until he felt him starting to fade away.
"Goodbye, I'll do you proud, Tou-san," he rubbed his eyes and watched Minato smile as he faded away. He was silent for a few moments before he continued working on unravelling the seal.
He hummed in satisfaction once the formula matched and the gates of the prison flew open. He ran inside and hugged the Bijuu's snout. Kurama purred content and shuffled to accommodate the small human between his tails.
"Kurama, do you want to see Indra?" He's Sasuke now though." the blonde said after some time.
"The traitor Indra or the mother hen?" he shot back after a moment.
"The mother hen,"
"Mhm, we'll see. I could feel it you know, once he changed. His chakra changed too, it was darker, agitated, cold. There was an outer influence on him," Kurama continued.
"He did tell me something about the creature of the shadows. Said we have to talk about it."
"I'll join," The nine-tailed-fox declared.
----
An hour passed before Naruto opened his eyes again. During this time Sasuke had placed chakra sealing seals on Itachi and had placed him on the bed in his room. He had bound his feet and arms to the posts and shut all windows with safety seals. He didn't expect the older to wake up until the next morning but when you're dealing with Uchiha Itachi you can never be too paranoid. He also did not have anything else to do while he was waiting for Naruto and he was growing restless.
He was frustrated, he wanted to tell Naruto how much he regretted his actions, how sorry he was, how he wanted more than anything to atone for his sins. But the words did not come out. He didn't know how to put his feeling into words. So he decided he'll do what he does best, prove his resolve through his actions. Naruto always talked enough for the both of them after all.
"SASUKE!" he heard a voice yell and he left his brother's old room to walk into the living room.
"Must you yell so late at night," he rolled his eyes.
"Don't start talking like an old man now," Naruto retorted. "So what of Itachi?" he asked.
Sasuke shrugged, "I'm going to wait for him to wake up and then confront him. I want answers. I'm going to cross-check later with his memories of course," and he would, no matter his older brother, he would use the Magekyou to read his memories, he wouldn't risk Naruto's safety for anything. Naruto nodded in understanding.
"I met my father. He was the Yondaime," he said without preamble and Sasuke gaped at him, his father was the Hokage.
"Let's talk about everything over some curry, it's way past your dinner time." Sasuke replied finally and made way to the kitchen, ignoring Naruto's snort and the 'Definitely the mother hen.' from the background.