Arc 4: Little Conflicts

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Mr. Kishimoto Does.

Arc 4: Little Conflicts



The forest greeted him in full silence. Itachi hurried his way through as he still could sense the traces of the energy prior. The sounds of leaves going with the wind and his own footsteps were the ones that overwhelmed his hearing. No one in sight but only him.

He found himself running with a feeling of almost achieving something. Anyone would tell that this wasn't even worth try, but for the man himself, this was something far different and strangely important at least for him.

He kept his focus towards that certain silhouette, which was now apparently leading him towards at the end of the path. In which it seemed too short of a journey yet it felt completely different as of now.

Going through that small forest gave the man things to think off. Things that were dwelling from his subconsciousness which began to emerge once more.

The man had been silent for a long time. Anything about his past that would come up from time to time, he would immediately ignore it. He would often run away from it, the inner demons which were born the day his friend took off his own eyes and killed himself.

It didn't stop from there as he found himself stuck in between a certain conflict which continue to fuel that demon. He had to make that decision and it was choosing between the fate of his home and his whole family.

It didn't took long enough, he was in the line to witness on what's to come. Images soon began to flash before his eyes and he saw her. The man was taken off guard as he had to relive that moment again.

A lonely room lit up by the moon light, blood on the floor, and a warm fading smile in front of him.

"Thank you, Itachi-kun"

It was those final words that affected him greatly and also at the same time fueling his inner demons. How he had missed her voice, how he was still longing for a chance to see her once again.

The pain was too unbearable for him, yet he had to do it and experience it at first hand.

Itachi kept running, finding himself half way there on his journey. His mind continued to take him back to the memories. This time, it had turned into more of a nightmare.

Passing by the trees, he would soon see human figures emerging from both sides. Human figures, revealing to be people from every age, covered in blood. The only difference is that these people were the ones belong to the clan, that he had killed years ago.

Are they here to remind him again? Are the demons here to torment him again?

They were just standing there, watching him, no emotions or whatsoever. Their dead eyes glued to him as he travelled through. He wasn't sure if these were really the souls of the dead or just hallucinations.

Although, it doesn't matter, he knew that this was meant to torture him. He could see the compound transforming into a place of nightmares itself filled with dead bodies, scattered all over the areas. Men, women and children lying on pools of blood. Images that had haunted him for a very long time since that night.

His mind began to flash the last image and he saw both his mother and father in their last moments, before they met their end through his own blade. They were all strangely at peace much to his shock.

"Please take care of Sasuke."

"We'll always be there for you..."

Those last words were still fresh in his mind. He couldn't live up to those expectations, no matter how he tried. As time passed by, he suddenly felt that weakness overwhelming his whole body again. He was helpless.

His heart was beating fast, he was heavily breathing, and his vision was deteriorating. He felt like he needed to stop and he did so.

Itachi fell, facing the ground as he began coughing. His body was shivering and he could feel multiple aches on his head. Later on, he was starting to lose his gasp for air.

"Not again!"

He exclaimed in his mind. As much as he wanted for this to go away, there was no cure for this illness. He had been living with this disease since joining the Anbu way back. He wasn't sure how he got it in the first place.

He was on his knees as he tried to force his way through by crawling, even in this current condition so far. He would take off his eyes anywhere but the energy of the girl that was still there.

As he struggled, there was presence slowly approaching behind him. Without his knowledge, it was revealed to be a white cloaked human figure walking up towards him from behind.

The figure was silent and walked like eerily like a ghost as it stretched forth its hand towards the man.

At the same time, the pain that struck Itachi's whole body slowly disappeared and he finally was able to recover as he stood up from the ground. Sensing a faint presence from behind, he quickly turned around to face nothing in front of him.

Itachi surveyed his surroundings, while still recovering his breath. He had this confused look as he thought he was being followed. He wondered if Kisame was now catching up to him, yet there were no signs.

He must be still there at the main park while at lost.

His mind would soon remind him that he had a goal to chase. The Uchiha immediately turned back to his original direction and continued on tracking the traces of the girl's energy.

He didn't know what really happened prior to that, but he won't be getting himself into that kind of situation again.



(MEANWHILE)

"I came here to see Hima."

With all that courage he had built, He finally said the words and mentioned her name aloud for the first time.

The atmosphere around the area had taken into a drastic change since the sudden appearance of a certain small nine-tailed fox. Most would be shocked and scared to see a fox, that can mysteriously talk like any human being, emerged from a random bush at a park.

For Himawari, this was not the case for her. By the time she saw the crimson foxy-looking fellow, and heard a voice that she had immediately recognized. She was overwhelmed with a kind of emotion that rose up inside of her. No matter what the situation was, she still stayed calm throughout.

Miyuki remained observant as she continued to stare at the fox. She knew that this was no ordinary fox to begin with. Besides the fact that it has nine tails and can talk, the fox was somehow familiar. Not that she had once seen it back at the festival, but from a forgotten memory.

Kurama was cautious, he had been anticipating a response for the last several moments. He had a dead serious and a part of him was analyzing the girl, who stood a few distances away from him.

In the back of his mind, He was still trying to figure out her intentions and her true identity. How come she knew Himawari as if they have been friends for a long time? Has she somehow brainwashed the girl? Who or What the heck was she?

These were some of the ridiculous theories flooding his mind. Even though, he could tell that this girl was very human in appearance yet, he still didn't buy that idea. There was just something more to her. Although, he didn't knew to what to say next after his little grand entrance.

So much for his bravery.

"Hey, if you're not gonna talk, then you're just wasting our time here." The girl spoke again, clearly unaffected by everything that was currently happening.

Kurama was taken by surprised. He wasn't expecting any reply sooner. He was in the midst of generating his own lines to say and now, he found himself in a tight spot once again.

"Look, if you're not gonna follow that corny one-liner you said earlier, then we might as well leave." She firmly said before, giving a sigh and even turning back.

This triggered the fox slightly, giving an annoyed expression." Hey! I'm not corny!" He said, before continuing." And I came here with a goal in mind and that is to take her back!" He added, focusing his eyes on the Uzumaki girl.

Still unimpressed, Miyuki eventually decided to go along." Alright, take her to where exactly?" She eyed the fox, raising an eyebrow of suspicion.

Kurama felt that certain intimidation coming from the girl. Normally, he would not feel that way, any staring intimidation tactics performed by any humans would miserably fail against him. But this one was different to say at least.

"It doesn't matter to you!" The fox said back." And why you should I trust a little girl?" Unknown to him that he had just made a wrong move by including the last two words in his sentence. But fortunate for him, he won't be getting the certain reaction from the girl.

There was a slight twitch around Miyuki's right eye. As much as she had expected to be called or mistaken for a "Little Girl", She would still get irritated by it. Fortunately for her, she was calm and patient enough to withstand the occasional tagging or name- calling.

Miyuki gave a small smirk." And why should I listen to a talking fox, that doesn't really make sense at all ?" She casually and sarcastically replied back, folding her arms in the process, giving that sassy posture.

The irritation caught up with Kurama and he began to fire back with another set reasons." Doesn't Make sense? You better watch your mouth girl!." The fox said, warning her." You don't know how long I've come this far just to reunite with her!" He paused." You don't know how important Hima is personally for me." He fired another one." You don't know her history and it's better for you to stay out of the way and mind your own affairs."

Kurama was restless but determined at the same time. He was giving all what his mind could offer and this was not for him, but for the Uzumaki girl as well. He was aiming to control the situation at hand.

Still Unimpressed, Miyuki folded her arms in a casual manner. She continued to observed the fox, deciphering the latter's agenda and other than that he looked oddly familiar. You just don't see a talking fox with nine-tails in an ordinary day.

Then a few moments later, it suddenly just hit her mind.

"You don't mean this fox is...?"

As her mind slowly dived into a pool of thoughts, she saw what appears to be a moving memory of a massive blueish fire of energy being separated into nine big portions as each energy began to formed their own appearance. In one specific scene, she saw a certain energy turning crimson and taking the appearance of a creature and soon nine tails began to sprout out from the newly crimson energy.

The memory was too vague and it briefly ended right there. She was back into her own reality and found herself staring back at the small fox, who apparently had release a barrage of words already towards her. She had no idea what were those said words, but she was able to get a grasps of the last sentence.

"You got that!? That's the reason why I deserved to see her!

Kurama finished his sentence, he was a bit exhausted and panting due to never pausing to take a breather for himself. He was already ranting by the time he opened his mouth. All that frustration were just being released like doves trapped in cages. Though, in unfortunate circumstances, the so-called little girl didn't get all what he was saying.

Soon, Miyuki came back to her senses, as she scratched the back of her head." Sorry about that, I didn't get what you were fully saying." She said, not knowing that she had somehow offended the small fox.

Kurama's patience meter was an all time low right now. First, he had dedicated himself to carefully explain his situation from the beginning right up until this moment. He was so sure that the Uzumaki girl had heard all of that. Second, he placed his trust that the girl would listen to him somehow but all that effort came crashing down once he had heard her statement.

As a very powerful tailed beast, he could unleash his wrath to anyone who dared to provoke him. Even in this form, he could still do it. As his own being or character, he had limits, but it depends on the situation. A situation, where he is exhausted, desperate, but determined, only to get downplayed somehow, it finally reach his boiling point.

As for Himawari had finally came out from her shocked trance. She slowly walked up to Miyuki and to the crimson fox, and while she was doing it, she could feel the angry energy of the fox himself. Obviously, it was really him and some circumstances just made him that way.

She wondered on what has happened to Miyuki. Was she really listening? Why was she so confused or was she just stressed?

Himawari knew that the fox had a small temper problem, which would surface in bad-timing scenarios. She just questioned herself on why would this happened right now. Yet aside all that thought she needed to at least inform the other girl about the fox's control issues.

As for Miyuki, she was unaware of it, yet she could sense that heavy feeling coming from the fox himself. It came to her that she had somehow offended him and this was a little serious since tailed beast like him could be dangerous when angered. Fortunately for her, she knew how to handle the expected scenario.

She sighed again and apologized." I'm sorry about that, I had a little migraine in my head and-"

"Are you f**cking kidding me!"

It was this time that Kurama had finally raised his voice which interrupted the girl's sentence. Soon thereafter, there was a small portion of crimson energy slowly coming out of him.

"After all that hassle! All the things that I've gone through and worked hard to overcome and this is what I get!?" His rage slowly creeping up, eyeing the girl at the same time.

"I placed my trust on you that you'll listen to my explanation! And you just played dumb the whole time!" Kurama was now ranting, but he had his reasons.

"Hey wait minute! I didn't know you-"

"Shut up girl!"

He had cut her again.

"There's no point on telling you my story to you or anyone! It'll all be useless and no one would ever believe it!"

He was fuming in frustration. He didn't want to recap the tragedies and deaths that he had witnessed. He didn't want to remember that moment especially. He blamed himself for lending him the main source of his power to the man. It eventually led to his death and also at the hands of that alien bastard.

Another thought came into him and it somehow convinced him that he should have done this in another way, instead of doing the talking, why should he not just take the Uzumaki girl and leave this place immediately?

Surely, that was a very idiotic move to begin with, and somehow he wanted to do it or a majority part of him had gladly made the decision to make that move. The time for negotiations and talking was dwindling for him and he could not control himself any longer.

He felt a sudden bursts of energy inside of him. His body was shaking and his mind was in some kind of euphoric or high state, he felt much more stronger, and he couldn't explain what was going on with him right now. As far as he know, he was on a poor status of recovering his full power and form. He didn't know where he was getting this.

(MEANWHILE)

Somewhere in a sewer-like mindscape, a certain giant nine-tailed fox began to winced in pain. He had never felt this kind of pain in a very long time. He had no idea what was happening, for all he know that the brat wasn't in a fight to the death at the moment, and for him to be tapping again for his power is quite impossible to happen right at this moment.

For the first time, He felt his body tremble and he began to look at his surroundings and strangely, everything was calm yet he felt drained. He gave a combination of emotions very different from his usual ones. Right now,, it was shocked and bewilderment.

"What the f*ck just happened!?"

(MEANWHILE)

There was a small portion of crimson chakra which began to come out and radiate from the small nine-tailed fox. His expression was still in-control, and he fixed his eyes on Himawari herself, who had just arrived beside this Miyuki character.

By the time, The Uzumaki girl had come closer, she immediately felt that intense heavy energy from the small fox and She would come to realized the fact that his emotions were taking over him completely. She was aware of the latter's overprotectiveness tendencies. Unlike her big brother, Kurama would definitely go for the move and confront whoever or whatever is considered a real threat.

(Interview)

" Kurama-chan is a special case, at least for me. He is like my Nii-chan minus the temper control. Trust me, You really won't like him when he is, this angry. "

-Himawari

"Miyuki-san, I'm sorry about this but please let me handle him, He's not what you think he is, He is a-" She was cut from finishing her sentence.

"A Tailed beast?" Miyuki calmly replied with a small smile, she didn't gave any sign of being intimidated or worried about it, to which baffled the Uzumaki girl more.

"Don't worry dear, He's not going to be a problem anyway." She assured her and smiled.

The full confidence in her words made Himawari more speechless than ever. Despite knowing the older woman as a friend and guide, she still somehow doubt that she could handle the fox. Of course she hasn't seen the full extent of her abilities, but at least she needed to her on how to prevent the fox from reaching the boiling point.

Even in that small stature, she had seen his wrath.

As time went on, the intensity in air had reached higher levels. Fortunate, that no one was around except for the three of them. For Himawari, every second counts and yet she was told not to move any a muscle, which really did gave her a little frustration. How much she wanted to prevent the situation for getting out of hand.

Although, seeing what was happening right now, it was the weary and raging Kurama versus the ever mysteriously calm Miyuki.

It was obvious that the situation was converting into a little conflict. By the time, the first move was made, in the form of Kurama attempting to dash towards Himawari and take her away from this place, that something unexpected had entered the scene.

From the forest and bushes where the fox had emerged several minutes ago, came another one in the form of a black haired young man.

Itachi finally reached his destination as he left the last trace of the forest behind. The young man was now in a hurry. He looked as is if desperation had suddenly overwhelmed him along the way. What was he desperate for?

When the light covering his eyes, finally cleared, he saw what appears to be a big crimson chakra strongly radiating from the new area in front of him. Afterwards, he felt the familiar intensity of that chakra and it really shook him inside.

"The Kyuubi?" He thought to himself.'' Am I just sensing things that don't make sense?

According to his own intelligence network or his own legitimate sources, the blonde teenager was away from a certain mission. It was quite impossible for him to be here! Unless, it was clone that joined the mission and the real one remained here out of laziness. it had to be one of the absurd theories that he could come up with. Knowing that the blonde himself would never passed on a mission that usually involves retrieving his little brother.

Yet confusion still overpowered him. If he was in that mission, then why the heck he could feel the tailed beast's chakra here? This could be some powerful Genjutsu but unfortunately no, this was definitely real.

He would really like to know the truth in this confusion as soon as possible. Yet, he would have to go through a series of rough and somewhat embarrassing circumstances.

As his thoughts continue to flood his mind. He was unaware that he suddenly stepped something on the ground, as a result. He immediately tripped himself, and at the same time, he found himself flying towards the crimson chakra.

His world slowed for a little bit, seeing the small figure of a creature, which was slowly revealed to be nine-tailed fox.

"T-This can't be." His eyes widened in shocked.

At the same time, the emotionally charged Kurama felt a new presence heading towards his right. He quickly turned, and with widened eyes, he found himself staring at a person, that he would never though he would be seeing as of this moment.

Confusion and Surprised took over, suppressing his previous emotions." Isn't that..." He trailed off his words before being accidentally hit and crushed by the flying Uchiha on the ground. The strong crimson chakra that had emerged from him had abruptly disappeared and all that left was his normal form again.

It took quickly took out current reactions of the two girls. Himawari stared in shocked as she placed both her hands on her lips, trying to process what was happening right now. Where did the mystery man came from? What the heck just happened to Kurama?

On the other hand, Miyuki looked more puzzled than surprised, before it turned into amusement. In truth, She wasn't really expecting this kind of interruption as she stared at the two characters in front of her, The young man on top of the fox's lower half while the other lying and facing the ground. both of them comically groaning in pain and imaginary birds flying around their heads.

It didn't took long for the older woman to sighed and shook her head with slight stress.

"Oh, what am I going to do with you two?"

(CHAPTER END)

AN: Hello fellas! So I'm miracously back after quite a long time. First off, I would like to apologized for the wait, since I was busy right now with life (College Stuff and all that) and also trying to get off the annoying Writer's block problem. Not a single idea has been coming into my head lately. So apparently, I had to forced myself out and stepped back into the zone to finish the chapter. Even though, it's quite short, this is the best thing I can do so far. Other than that, How do you think an interaction between Itachi and this Future Kurama will play out?

With that said, Thank you very much for reading the chapter and Thank you for all your support :)