Shadowed Sun

Interlude - Kurama

Thank you, LyricalJelly (deviantART) for this peaceful fanart that is just too cute.

Hatred.

Bitterness.

Disgust.

Anger.

Despair.

Those were the only feelings Kurama could identify with certainty.

When he was younger, he knew only confusion, and fear. The Old Man had brought him and his siblings into this world, just shortly before leaving. He had only vague memories of being the Jūbi at that time—really just flashes of apathy, and longing—but he knew enough that this Old Man was a kind human.

Even in his last few days on this world, the Old Man spent his time consoling the bijū, and asking for their forgiveness in what he had to do—leaving them behind in this world on their own.

Kurama and his siblings mourned the Old Man's passing, for not only did it mean they lost their caregiver... it also meant it was time for them to venture out into the world. While the Old Man had shown them a secret hideaway they could use while they were young, the bijū knew it would not protect them forever.

The day the Old Man moved on, he had gathered all the bijū together for a final parting.

"I am not long for this world," he had rasped, "but I ask you all to stay in this world for longer still. You will be put through hell, and I am so very sorry for this, but I must ask you all to endure through it. As I have taught all of my disciples and children, you must endure through it. Because if you do..."

Kurama had taken in his words with great care. He held the highest respect for the Old Man, and could hear the wisdom behind his words.

He had promised himself on the Old Man's death bed, that no matter what... he would endure.

Kurama could still remember, painfully clearly, the first time he had foolishly wandered into a human settlement. He believed that the Old Man was like all humans, and as such, that he would be welcomed amongst them.

He could not have been more wrong.

Even after being chased out by the spitting furious mob, Kurama tried again, and again.

Each with the same effect.

It was then that these feelings first greeted him, as he slowly retreated back to his and his siblings' hideaway.

He loathed humanity—how close-minded and pitiful they were. He was bitter towards their treatment of him. He was disgusted by their cowering nature. He was furious at them all.

And he despaired that this was all life had in store for him.

His feelings did not sway as the decades, and centuries went on. If anything, they grew, and grew, until Kurama openly despised humans, and went out of his way for their destruction. He relished in watching them squirm, seeing the fear light up in their eyes as they realized there was no hope for them.

There was no hope for anyone.

He supposed he wasn't too surprised when Hashirama and Mito took their chance in Hashirama's battle against Madara to seal Kurama away, and put a stop to his terrorism. It wasn't long after that did the rest of the bijū become hunted down and imprisoned by Hashirama, and his wife; but, only his wife held Kurama inside of her.

Kurama tried valiantly, and fruitlessly, to escape her many times. The closest he had gotten was during her first childbirth, but Hashirama had been there and put an abrupt stop to that escape.