Kyuubi was at it again.

Naruto shuddered as the chakra spread from his heart to the rest of his body. He felt it swirling through his fingertips, and in a pitiful attempt to reign it in, he curled his arms around his stomach and clenched his eyes so tight they might have burst. The familiar, painful growth of his teeth and nails erupted through his body, and Naruto gave a half scream before biting his tongue.

The fangs and claws were the worst part. It was as if his mouth and fingers were morphing into something unnatural.

He fought back with a burst of his own chakra. Kyuubi couldn't win again. He wouldn't let it. That demon caused more problems than it was worth, and Naruto couldn't let it beat him again. Not when there was no one left in the world who could fix the seal. Jiraiya was the last known person who had a decent understanding of fuinjutsu, and now that he was gone, there was no one else.

And that was how it began.

It started so slowly Naruto barely thought of it. Sometimes Sakura mentioned how his eyes flashed red, but that only lasted for a second. So it wasn't important. The night terrors were also irrelevant. So what if he saw Kyuubi killing everyone in Konoha? It was only a dream, one that couldn't become a reality because the seal was strong.

Except the seal wasn't strong, and by the time they figured that out, it was much too late.

He killed four people that day.

And every time the guilt ravaged him for it, Kyuubi put a sense of hatred into his heart that made the guilt dissipate.

It was cruel.

"Stop it." He said.

Right now, Kyuubi wasn't a horrible problem. It hadn't gone that far just yet. He was still in control. He knew what was happening.

But could he keep it up for long?

Of course he could. He was Naruto Uzumaki, the future Hokage.

Except he couldn't.

He fell to his knees with a scream, clutching his head and bending down until his elbows were on the ground. How many times was it this month? Three? Four? He couldn't remember. The ANBU never talked to him after it happened. They only showed up at his door and surrounded him before dragging him to the T and I department. They never hurt him unless he hurt them, but they did keep him locked up until Naruto stopped snarling at them. He could never remember anything that happened when Kyuubi took over, only that by the end of it, there was blood on arms, body, and clothes—none of it belonging to him—and the bitter taste of iron filled his mouth.

He never saw the blood on his teeth because Tsunade forced him to rinse his mouth before he could look in a mirror. She even kept him blindfolded so he couldn't see the crimson water he spat out.

His door slammed open with an explosive bang, and several mask wearing ANBU had him surrounded in seconds. Naruto hadn't fully succumbed to Kyuubi's power. Not yet, and not for several minutes. He always fought back just long enough for them to capture him. So he let their prying hands grab him by the shoulders and lock his hands and legs together with chains. The overwhelming hate in his body was desperate to kill them for it, but by now he'd learned the difference between his emotions and Kyuubi's.

And this hate wasn't his. This hate was different, more bloodthirsty, than Naruto had ever felt.

But although he learned that difference, he had yet to learn how to fight Kyuubi off completely.

The ANBU dragged him onto his feet. Their gentleness with him stopped around the third time it happened, so now they didn't hesitate to leave bruises or break his bones. Anything it took to ensure Kyuubi didn't kill any of them.

It never worked.

They didn't even make it to the door when Naruto's vision went red.

Xxx

Naruto peeled his eyes open, a grunt leaving his lips as he tried to move. It felt as though someone glued his eyes shut, and there was a horrible burning throughout his body. His arms and wrists were aching with a fierce pressure, and he jerked one of his arms up, listening to the clank of metal before realization dawned on him. It was too dark to see, but he could only assume the worst. So Naruto licked his teeth in a poor attempt to get rid of the extra liquid filling his mouth. There was something wet stuck to them, something that tasted familiar and bitter.

Blood.

He sighed.

So it happened again.

Would Kyuubi ever stop?

No.

Fuck you.

There was no answer.

Naruto gave a frustrated moan. He absolutely hated this. Couldn't his dad have chosen another child? Someone who was better at controlling demons? Who could handle it better than him?

The soft sound of footsteps penetrated his ears, and Naruto whipped his head to the cage the ANBU forced him in. He wondered how many were dead, and whose blood the red on his hands belonged to. It was a miracle they didn't keep him locked up forever. He'd already lost his status as a hero of Konoha, and was now back to being the regular demon. Not that he blamed them for that. Even his friends were wary of him, and this time, they had a real reason for that.

Naruto was a killer to his own people. He deserved that hate.

"This is the sixth time this month."

Naruto let his gaze wander upwards. Tsunade stood on the other side of the bars, as elegant and drunk as she could be. Her hair wasn't tied in two pig tails today, and Naruto was surprised to see that her hair went halfway down her back.

"Sixth?"

That was more than usual.

Tsunade didn't smile. The bags under her eyes only grew heavier the more Naruto lost control. There was so much paperwork she had to fill out to keep him from being locked up forever, and Naruto wouldn't be surprised if that paperwork failed to go through with the council soon.

Though, it wasn't as though the council could do anything. They were there to advise, not to control.

"I'm... reluctant to let you go right now." She said, "so you'll be here for a couple weeks. But don't worry. I'll make sure you're treated well."

No. No. No. This was one of the primary fears he had. Yes, it made sense. Naruto needed to be locked up for the protection of everyone in Konohagakure. But he was going to be locked up. In chains. In a dark and dreary cell. That was the worst case scenario. The last resort, and Naruto wasn't ready for it.

He would never be ready for it.

Except he wasn't a real prisoner. Just someone who happened to be here by mistake. Maybe they'd give him bedding and light. They'd never take off the chains, of course. That would be much too risky. But he wasn't a real prisoner. They couldn't treat him like one.

So he nodded. Tsunade was kind, and she loved him. She would make sure his treatment was none other than perfect. Yes, he would be locked up. But it wouldn't be horrible, and it was only for a couple of weeks.

"So you understand?" Tsunade said, "please tell me you understand."

Her hands were clasped onto the bars, face a mixture of guilt and devastation. If her reaction didn't tell him that he would be treated well, then nothing would. So he let his muscles relax. There was nothing to worry about. The next couple of weeks would be hard. But after that? They'd have found a way to reign in Kyuubi's chakra, and Naruto would be set free.

"Of course." He said with a smile, "it's only a couple of weeks, right?"

Her shoulders sagged. "Yes. Only a couple weeks. Ibiki will fill you in on what to expect."

Naruto nodded, and she ordered some guy to unlock the doors so she could give a proper goodbye. There was a limp to her step as she walked over to him, and Naruto had to wonder if he hurt her. It was incredibly possible, and the guilt nagged at his chest for it.

But he didn't have time to mull over that guilt, because Tsunade kneeled down next to him and intertwined their fingers together. Tears formed in her eyes as she used her other hand to cup his cheek, and before long, her forehead was pressed against his.

What the hell?

Tsunade never pressed their foreheads together.

"I'm so sorry." She said, "for everything."

Naruto cocked his head. Sorry for what? Having to imprison him for several weeks? It wasn't as though he didn't deserve it. Yes, it would be hard, and it might even be the most difficult part of his life so far. Naruto certainly didn't cope well with isolation, but if it meant Konoha was protected, then it was worth it in the end.

So why was she so worried? And why was she crying?

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure you'll find someone to fix the seal in the coming weeks."

Tsunade bit her lip and separated their foreheads. Her eyes were a light brown, and all Naruto could see in them was worry.

And now that Naruto got a good look at her, he realized she looked absolutely horrible. Her hair was frazzled and her clothes were wrinkled. The bags under her eyes were far worse up close than they were far away. How much had she been sleeping? It couldn't have possibly been enough.

"Everything will be alright." Naruto said.

The blood on his teeth made the words sound slippery, but he ignored that little fact. Tsunade was worried. And why wouldn't she be? She was locking Naruto up for God's sake! He'd be crying if he had to lock any one of his friends up. So why did Naruto even question that? Tsunade was just worried and desperate and lost for what to do with him.

"Really. No hard feelings. I understand."

But Tsunade didn't take comfort in that, because she broke down crying.

She's not acting right.

She's locking me up. Give her a break.

Tsunade Sannin doesn't break down for locking a threat away for only a couple of weeks.

Naruto gave a wry chuckle, one filled with nervousness. Kyuubi couldn't have been right. Tsunade was only human, after all. There was only so much she could take. And it wasn't as though she would lie to him. She would never do that.

Right?

"It's... only a couple weeks, right?"

Tsunade sniffled and looked up at him with puffy, red eyes.

"Yeah. Just a couple weeks."

Her voice was hoarse, but that much crying couldn't cause those kinds of voice problems. So what else could it be? Had she been injured? Was she lying as Kyuubi thought?

No. Tsunade wouldn't lie to him. She never lied to him.

"Then you don't have to cry. Besides, you'll visit me, right? It's not like you're never going to see my adorable face again."

She scratched at her eyes, the tears winding down until there were none left, and finally she gave a smile. Her lips were bitten down enough that blood was drawn, and that alone told him that something was seriously wrong.

"You will visit me, won't you?"

Tsunade shook her head, and when she spoke, her voice was a raw whisper. "They promised me you'll be safe here."

Naruto swallowed. What the fuck did that mean? Who was she leaving him with? And why didn't she intend to visit him?

"Hey, what does—"

"I'm sorry."

And she ran off.

He called after her, jerked against the restraints in the hopes of some answers. But these were chakra blocking cuffs. He could only get out of them with physical strength alone.

And these chains were designed to hold down even the strongest ninja. Naruto wasn't excluded in that.

"What the hells going on?" He said.

Adrenaline coursed through his veins, and even Kyuubi started screaming. This wasn't right. Wasn't right at all. Tsunade wasn't supposed to leave him. And why apologize if it was only for a couple weeks? He told her that he understood. She knew that he understood.

Unless it was for longer than she'd explained.

The people outside the cell glanced back at him before looking forward once more. They didn't even bother to talk to him.

"Hey—"

"Prisoners aren't allowed to talk."

Naruto gave them a bewildered look. He wasn't a real prisoner. He was just someone who didn't have proper control of his own powers. That wasn't his fault. Sure he killed a couple people, and maybe the memory loss of that was what made him blind to how much of a problem that was. But this still wasn't right. Tsunade wasn't supposed to keep secrets. Wasn't supposed to lie.

He was getting out soon, right?

"Like hell I'll keep silent! Tell me what's going on or I'll rip your throats out."

They didn't answer, and Naruto felt a horrible rage in his chest. One that did not belong to Kyuubi. So he used that rage to push against the chains. His wrists and ankles dripped blood until his hands were soaked, and his skin was so raw that the screams were made for the pain rather than anger.

But they never responded.

He never stopped screaming, though. Never stopped trying to get out. Sometimes he even managed to break the chains, but only ended up with a dart in his throat that left him unconscious for hours.

Tsunade never came back.

In the coming days Naruto learned the routine. He got two meals a day, which consisted of glob and more glob. It was hard to tell if it was actually food, but Naruto stuffed it down his throat anyways. It kept the piercing hunger pains at bay for a short time.

The guards absolutely hated it when he talked, so he made sure to keep talking as much as possible. If they weren't going to make it easy on him, then he sure as hell wouldn't make it easy for them. And there was nothing they could do about it because Tsunade must have given orders to keep him unharmed.

And that was what they did.

The food may have been awful and the chains ripped into his skin every time he tried to break free, but they kept him in top condition.

But as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months, Naruto found that he was to tired to scream and thrash and retaliate, and he slowly stopped fighting back as much.

The only voice he ever heard was Kyuubi's, and even then, the demon only talked to him every now and again.

So by the time a man with swirling red eyes stood outside his cell, Naruto thought nothing of it.

That was until he heard the man's voice.

"Naruto..."

And another story rises. I know. I have too many. Though I think this one's gonna take priority for a little while.