Awakening

Everything was dark. Twilight had stolen softly over the domed horizon and poured whatever little light it had into the city-state, before finally dying, its last tendrils of light almost like fingernails holding on to the ledge of a cliff for dear life. Day had finally lost its will to live. Until tomorrow.

Electric light flooded the hallway as Naruto watched the sun's death with distant apathy. The sunrise had been better, he decided, before turning down the stairs, winding down the tower's interior, his slippered feet making no noise on the harsh stone. His hand trailed along the wall's cool rock, but he didn't really need it. Here and there, the walls' monotonous face was punctured by a splash of color, artwork of the family. His family. Well, he liked to think so. Pausing at one in particular, he stared it over with dispassionate eyes. A portrait of his mother and his father, with a younger version of his own countenance standing between them, they stared straight ahead at the painter. Sighing, he tightened his grip on the backpack, and turned back down towards the ever winding stairs. The blonde boy had never been allowed to refer to them as father and mother.

"Are you lost?" The voice rippled in the air beside his ear, quiet, but there.

Naruto nearly tripped in the stairwell, grumbling softly as he kept his balance. He hadn't expected the city-mind to see him such an old section of the mansion. "No, thank you, Delphi. However, would you mind turning the lights up in here?"

Instantly, the world was brighter. "Thank you."

"Quite welcome, young master," hummed Delphi, before silencing.

"Never alone in here, am I?" Naruto mumbled to himself, pushing open a door, and stepping into the main section of his home once more.

---

The mansion, as he simply called it, was more like a small community then a large building. It was totally self-contained. Water came from a natural aquifer below ground and electricity was derived from a geothermal plant in the mansions lower level basements. Built like a fortress, it contained the main building that made up his family's living area, a massive courtyard, and a few building hugging the outer wall that many servants, mechanics, and other tradesmen loyal to his family called home. The entire thing was set near the back of Konoha, near the massive wall that encircled their world for several hundred kilometers. The glass dome above them let light in, and nothing else, the phantom clouds above like delicate white puffs of magic, enticing the city-state below them to join them in the outside world. A world they wouldn't, and couldn't, touch.

The house itself was overly elaborate, massive, and constantly shifting due to the integral design of the house. It realigned itself according to the main computer's weekly blueprints, largely to offer a change of scene, but also as a precautionary measure against burglars and the like. Not that there were any in the Konoha city-state, but, it was built in a time where there were such riff-raff running about. Naruto and the others residing in the house had their hand display maps automatically adjusted to the changes of walls, the movement of furniture, the shifting of stairs, and the movement of doors. It was almost annoying, if Naruto did not enjoy taking his faithful backpack, a few snacks, and a mildly explorative curiosity to wander the house and note the changes.

It had become ritual to him over the last ten years, since he was adopted at age seven. Both of his adoptive parents had made it excruciatingly clear as to what their relationship was.

"Where were you?" came the sharp, clipped voice of his mother. "Out wandering the house again when you should have been studying, I should think."

He slid into his chair at the dinner table, opposite of his father, a thin looking man with a sharp noise and white hair. His mother sat beside him, her spoon primly held in long painted nails. Naruto often thought her face was like a turtle with constipation, squinched eyes and lips, thin nose and squinting eyes.

"Yes, Madame. I was out in the house today." Naruto had long learned to silence his own wants and desires and put them behind the family's needs. "But I had finished studying for this week. The tutor said I had improved in physics."

"Ah, good then. But I expect especially excellent remarks from the teacher next time. You often daydream and lose focus. This is not what is needed from our heir."

"Now, honey, don't be so hard on the boy. He has done well." His father, or Sir, was somewhat less harsh, but he also spoke less often, meaning that he rarely spoke against his wife's wishes. He was promptly ignored as he returned to his soup.

Madame sniffed, her thin nostrils flaring. "Before supper, you will recite your creed to me."

Naruto dipped his head. "I, Naruto Uzumaki, heir of the Uzumaki House, have these duties to which I am bound to love and obey as my own flesh and bone: I will grow to claim the house and continue the line of Uzumaki; I will protect the Uzumaki House sacred power from thief, throne, or threat; I am to keep my affairs close to my heart and let slip of none of which I wish to keep secret. These I will do to continue the House's power and legacy, until I so shall die and pass on this creed." He finished with a clack of his teeth, his food being set before him as he did. After a full day of bland protein bars and water, the clear, warm miso soup was a welcome indulgence. His pale blue eyes shimmered with a little emotion as he dug in gratefully. When he looked up again, both were gone, leaving only the servant standing by his side.

And so supper passed at the Uzumaki House.

---

"It's time to wake up, young master." The city-mind. It bothered him that the sentient computer could see him even in his own bedroom, but this was a must to keep order. He realized this. Pushing the thoughts of annoyance off with his blanket, he rose to his feet, setting them on the floor. Today, he'd go exploring. Back down to where the sacred power was. He'd almost managed to get in.

Delphi had always arrested his descent into the lowest basements of the house, and for good reason. He had absolutely no idea what hid behind the intricate, metal blast door of the massive vault set hundreds of meters below his feet. When he'd first found it, Delphi had stopped him at the edge of the stairs. He had no authority over her where even his parents were not allowed to go. But the computer mind was fallible, as were all sentient creatures. And, he found that the mind was not omniscient as he had thought for many years. It had a variety of sub-systems that monitored the entire city-state of Konoha, and would only devote her voice and reason to the larger concerns. She could only split herself so many ways before her sentience was fragmented. So, the sub-systems would watch for major discrepancies, then alert her, ignoring the minor ones. And a minor one was his taking a few steps into the cavern beneath the house. He would walk until she was notified, and she shooed him away. In this manner, he managed to make Delphi totally ignore his presence in the room, by accustoming her to his being there.

As he slipped into his house slippers, pulled on a clean shirt, and his backpack, he began to walk, straight out of his tidy room and into the hallway, heading for the stairs. His parents would have more than a fit if they found out their perfectly obedient boy was breaking on of the sacred rules of the house. Never, ever go down to the sacred power. But his curiosity, and his over displeasure with the way things were run around here clashed against the iron rules they had long ago been drilled into his head.

And now, he was there. Practically right in front of the door. And she wouldn't notice. None of them would. He couldn't help but grin at his brilliance. "Well, well, well, what's behind door number one, he muttered, staring at the keyboard and a small screen set into the wall beside the blast door. The passphrase. It required that, and a small sample of DNA for verification. Naruto could almost laugh at how stupidly it was set up. But, then again, he was the heir. None of the built in traps would have been sprung. He would see it. He'd all ready found the password in his father's wallet almost a year ago. Reaching out, he set his hand against a small hand-shaped impression in the wall, felt the tiny twinge of pain as a needle drew blood. His other hand tapped at the keyboard. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. He had no idea what that meant, but smiled as it verified him. The door clicked unlocked, and he set his fingers on the edge of the door. It opened slowly, then hydraulics sensed his presence and helped out.

---

"A clay...pot." Naruto stood inside the massive vault, only to be confronted with a small clay pot of ancient design on a raised pedestal, illuminated with a beam of light. "This is the sacred power," he grunted, walking towards it. A kanji etched into the pot's surface glared at him suddenly. "Seal," he murmured, tracing the letter and reading it out loud. "Seal? Wonder what's been sealed?" A single tingle raced up his arm as he touched the pot. He jerked back, startled, then lifted the pot's lid. Nothing inside. Sighing, he set it back down and looked at the pedestal. All around the edge, there were little drawings, like hieroglyphics, carved into the metal. They looked like, "Hands? Hm? Hand positions," he muttered, then flicked an eye up.

He tried one, and flinched as the tingle in his arm was magnified. "Huh..." he grunted in amusement. It felt like pins and needles, as if his arms were beginning to fall asleep. He tried the second position, and smirked as the pins were replaced by a steady throb. It was not entirely unpleasant. Following the pedestal around, he made the hand signs slowly, humming softly to himself as the throb grew to his whole body, and then became a powerful warmth. He glanced at the last position, and took a deep breath. The boy felt as if he was at the edge of a precipice, staring down at something looming far below. But that was nonsense, right? Letting his breath out shakily, he made the last move.

And everything went white, as a distant roar filled his ears.

---

I AM AWAKENING!

---

A ringing laughter assaulted his ears, as his vision cleared, the white fleeing from the edge of his eyes. He glanced about. Nothing. He glanced at the pot. Shattered. No, not shattered. Utterly and totally fragmented. It looked more like a pile of red dust than shards. He felt panicky, his breath coming in short gasps as he stared around, big blue eyes wide. "Wh-what happened?"

The ringing laughter came again, but it was more subdued, less wild, as if it were at his expense. Even though it scared him half to death that something he couldn't see was mocking him, he still bristled with anger. "Sh-show yourself, you coward! I won't get laughed at by something to afraid to show its face."

"Oh?" A breath filled the room, like a fire burning sulfur and tar, like scorching winds from far off places and long forgotten times. "And what, pray tell, will the little child do if I decide I'd rather stay unseen? Will you scream and shout in frustration, perhaps? Will you beat yourself bloody just to show that you can? Ohhhh, the possibilities." The air before him flickered. In fact, the air of the whole room flickered, distorting the clean lines of the metal vault. "Well, either way, you'll just exhaust yourself, and seeing that the door has shut behind you, there's no way either of us is getting out. Might as well make yourself comfortable, hm?"

Naruto raked a hand through his spiky long hair, then pointed at the air. It didn't matter what or who this thing was, he was getting on the short end of Naruto's all ready short temper. "First off, fire breath, I ain't a kid. I'm seventeen."

"Child," asserted the voice, as if nodding in agreement.

Flustered, the blonde continued. "And second off, the door is not closed. I left it open." He spun towards the door, smirking softly. It quickly melted off his face. The computer screen beside the door blinked 'Auto-defense activated'. The door was sealed. Running over to the keypad, Naruto tried the passphrase and the DNA scanner. Nothing. In fact, it blinked a message. 'Contamination. Contamination. Doors Auto-locked. NO ADMITTANCE.'

"Oh Frig!" Naruto pulled his hand away. "What's up with this thing?" He tried again. Same thing. "Did...did you do this?" he spat, turning and pointing a finger at the massive shape flickering in the air. It was becoming increasingly clearer.

"No. You did. You unsealed me. And by doing so, you sealed me in the vault. This thing is meant to keep me in." A pair of translucent eyes, the color of molten metal slowly opened into existence. "A parting gift from a friend of yore. I'd imagine it's quite a bit later." Teeth were next in line to be revealed, curled in a false smile of malice. "About a millennia, I'd say. Hmmm, yes, that feels about right, if the age of the clay says anything."

Clenching his teeth, Naruto's eyes widened as the massive fox came into existence, still not quite solid, wavering in the air like a scepter. Perhaps it was. "Are...you the sacred power?" He backed against the wall as he stared at the golden eyes, trying to believe he was still in bed, snoring away, and dreaming this all up. Yep, that must be it. Exactly that. "This isn't a dream," he muttered to himself.

"No, I'm afraid not. Well, proper introductions," hummed the fox, dipping his head in mock servitude. "I am known as the Kyuubi no Kitsune. I have many names, but that's my proper title. I never cared much for names. It's too...human." Those blazing amber eyes gazed over Naruto up and down in a quick glanced, then smirked. "Well, well, well. It seems you are not totally useless, are you. You seem to be able to harness chakra."

Slowly, confidence seemed to creep back into his body. Naruto frowned as he crossed his arms. Who did this thing think it, or he, was? Did he honestly expect the Uzumaki heir to be afraid of a giant furball. "Of course I can use chakra. I was chosen as the Uzumaki House heir for that reason alone." He frowned, realizing exactly what he had just said. He'd never said it out loud, but it was true. There was nothing especially special about him, except that he could use chakra, something so rare in this world that the Royal Guard were they only ones said to be able to harness it. Well, them, and one or two of the other houses, who married specifically to replicate the odd, almost mystical power. They had even developed interesting genetic traits due to this practice.

Heirs were considered especially important and special if they possessed Bloodline Limits, but Naruto had none. He was simply found to be able to use the powerful energy. Of course, this affiliation with chakra had never manifested. In all honesty, he didn't see any difference between himself and others about the house. He couldn't compare himself to the other Houses simply because he'd never been allowed outside the mansion. There was a very strong reason behind this.

"I had no idea heirs were chosen nowadays. Mmm, but I suppose since sealing us all away, chakra had slowly leaked from the world." The Kitsune slowly lowered its head to Naruto's level, and grinned wickedly at him. "But that may soon change. However, there must be a compromise between us, or all will be for naught. Seeing as I can't leave, and neither can you while I'm in the room physically, then, I think I might have an idea."

"'Us', you said us," Naruto challenged, not willing to quite accept there was no way out of the place. He didn't want to deal with this thing, this creature that looked as if the very fires of Hades had spawned it. "Who's 'Us'?"

"Oh? You have no idea do you? How utterly disappointing. We've been forgotten." Slowly, the fox rose again, smirking. "The Bijuu. The Tailed-Beasts of Legend. The Great Destructive Forces of Earth! But now, there isn't even memory of us, much less myth and folklore. What has humanity been doing? Have you grown so feeble-minded and stupid?"

"Hey!"

"Anyway," hummed the Bijuu, grinning again, "Since you cannot reform a shattered sealing pot, and therefore, you may not seal me again, I am stuck here. And as long as I am stuck here, you're stuck here. I propose something." The molten eyes creased in a cross between disgust, remorse, and annoyance. "You shall be my new 'pot'. My new vessel. Container, if you will. That way, I can get out of here, sealed within you, and you can leave as well. Unfortunately, this will greatly reduce my power and dramatically increase yours, but I am willing to do anything after being cooped up in a blasted jar for a thousand years."

"What!? What do I look like, a tool you can use as you want? You think I'm stupid or something?" Naruto crossed his arms decisively, boiling in his own fury. "I do this, and then you get loose, and then I'm stuck unleashing a 'Destructive Force', or whatever. Nuh-uh. Get another sucker."

The Bijuu literally sighed a hurricane, the hair on Naruto's arms singeing. "Listen, you foolish boy, you will die in here if you don't do as I say. There are no adverse effects, except for me. I'll be stuck in a human for the rest of my days. You think that's fun?" Like a tiny, grumpy sun, the fur on the Kitsune flamed on, growing brighter. "No. It's degrading. In fact, I'll probably be mocked and degraded for the rest of my days. And my days are very, very long. I swear to you, nothing bad will come of this."

Exhaling in frustration, the blonde tried the door again. Nothing. The message just continued to blink. The more he thought about it, the more it looked like the only option. Laying down on the floor, he stared up at the ceiling, then gripped his forehead. No, there was no he was letting this...thing lock itself in his body. But then again, the Kitsune had sworn. Then again, what good was a promise from a creature that probably lived for wanton destruction and the misery of humanity. However, maybe, just maybe, he could control the Kitsune. It was his body, wasn't it?

"I'll do it," he muttered under his breath, watching the Kitsune through his fingers. He could see the triumphant smile grace the creature's twisted maw, and then, it moved.

No, it didn't move so much as blur. The massive bulk slammed into him, a horrendous roaring that shook the vault tearing from the fox's throat as he pressed his forehead against the wall, Naruto's prone body between them. He was literally pressing himself into the blonde.

Burning, billowing pain flooded Naruto's body. Far more than he'd ever experienced in his sheltered life in the mansion, probably more than anyone in the history of mankind had ever felt. He tried to scream, his mouth open, but he couldn't hear himself, just the roaring. Fire leaped into his vision, and he realized his eyes had caught fire. He'd caught fire! His skin flamed, his tongue hissed, his ears charred, his hair smoldered, and he could feel it all. His conciousness never fled as fire spewed from his mouth, rolled off his teeth, and onto his naked form, his clothes little more than embers curling onto themselves on the floor. Senses stretched the limit as the fire promised to kill him, but never did, playing with him as the Bijuu slowly began to disappear from view.

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, it stopped. He fell limply to the floor, where he curled onto himself, silent tears streaming from his eyes, pooling beneath his head as he stared listlessly forward. And, ever so slowly, his hand brushed his stomach, where a fearsome heat seemed to emanate for a moment, then disappear. Looking down, he found an elaborate seal, a spiral surrounded by intricate designs.

Sealed? Marked.

Then, the coveted darkness swallowed him whole, plunging him into sweet, merciful nothingness.

----ooo----

Yo. Behold, the first chappie in all it's glory. (Yeech). I didn't like the beginning, and I'm glad that you read down to see the end, of which I'm stupidly proud of.

The Chapter Title is a song. In fact, every title will be a song by a favorite artist of mine. I'll also work int the words of the title into the chapter. This one was blaring obvious, of course, but, yeah, I'll make it more discreet later.

You know the drill. Read and Review. I'll introduce the other guys later. Romance is based on pairings you pick.

-Raz

Awakening by Switchfoot