[Beware the Sea Witch] (Patreon)

Beware the Sea Witch

Summary- He didn't know where he was— didn't know who he was. He woke up in FRTH without his memories, with ghosts of his past tormenting him, it's through the help of Kiara Sessyoin that he receives the aid he needs. But even still, he doesn't know who can he trust. Who is Kurama? And what's this "Sea Witch" he keeps hearing about? (Thriller themes and inspirations)(AU)(Oneshot) (Naruto/Kiara) (Naruto/Fate)

The hollowness of the light reached his vision, even through his eyelids it was near blinding. Pain scorched his brain like a beating drum, rhythmically pursuing his concentration with no end in sight. He tried to think, yet everything was lost to him. It was like every single thought he had was sooner pulled away into the abyss rather than reaching the forefront of his mind.

Where was he? He couldn't quite remember… He couldn't quite remember anything; what he'd last done, his last meal, even…

"Ah~, good to see you're finally awake…" a voice reached his ears, it was melodic, like honey in the air. As if an angel was calling out to him, he had to answer. Opening his eyes, as his blue orbs looked around to see his surroundings, not knowing exactly where he was. The room he was in was small, that much he was certain, with snow-white walls, and fluorescent lighting that only served to bring him an even greater headache. Looking down, his clothing was white too, a pair of scrubs, he also seemed to be sitting on a metallic chair, with wheels. And his arms seemed to be restrained, strange as if he were to go berserk at any moment.

That's when he looked up, and saw her, sitting on a chair that was similar to his own– although it was lacking any wheels— in front of him. The woman was beautiful if he had to describe her in a single word. With her long dark hair that fell down her back like ocean waves as it framed her face, parting along her forehead, hazel–almost golden—eyes, like honey, and pale skin like snow. A set of strange pink markings across her forehead. She appeared to be wearing monochromatic clothing; a black skirt, a pair of gray stockings, and a sweater. But she also wore a white—overwhelmingly so—lab coat, one with a strange looking name tag clipped right over her heart.

The woman smiled a smile filled with an emotion he couldn't quite place, seeing that he was finally awake, "Yes, well, you seemed to have quite the nap there, and… Oh? It seems like you don't remember me," she realized, as he was just staring at her, unable to keep his gaze away, wondering where he was and who it was before him. And it seemed the dark-haired woman deemed it fit to answer him, "Well, my name is–"

"You're Kiara," he interrupted, his words flowing out of his lips without recollection.

Nonetheless, this 'Kiara' seemed pleased, "Ah, yes, well… I suppose your reading skills haven't been forgotten, I know it wasn't you who remembered my name after all." Of that, she seemed sure.

He wanted to speak, wanted to argue, but that was true, he had deciphered her name along the coat's nametag, as he read: 'Kiara Sessyoin… FRTH Industries—Research and Development.' There was also a strange cartoon image of a red haired young girl with a fishtail on it. He figured the first part was her name, and the second was a sort of identification of some kind. But how did she figure that out?

It seemed that his surprise was evident along his features— well that, or she could have just been reading his mind. "Now don't seem so shocked, I know you don't remember my name," the woman spoke as if she had been through this routine over a dozen times. "After all… you can't even remember yours."

At that, his blue eyes widened even more. No, it couldn't be true— could it? But every attempt he made to counter her statement he failed… just who was he?

"Naruto Uzumaki, Age:19, Sex: Male, Date of Birth: October tenth, 1977. Hair color: Red, Eyes: blue, Parents: deceased, Contacts: unknown" she stated, reading off of a clipboard she had at her side, as if she were prepared for this very moment. Kiara regarded him, her golden honey eyes staring into his soul. "You're nobody, Mister Uzumaki," she told him, of which she was assured.

He tried to clutch onto his head, the pain of his identity coming back to him, it was only then he realized it was true. The rush of information was overwhelming, he tried to find more, but soon, as soon as he was able, it would retreat again back into his mind. He was unabling to recall anything about her words, yet each seemed to hold some familiarity. Yet, when he tried to grasp his skull he became astutely aware of the fact his arms were still restrained, he couldn't move.

"Careful, you might loosen your IV," she told him, as he looked down at his arm to see that there was, in fact, an IV he was hooked up to. A strange blue liquid pumping into his bloodstream, he only raised a single eyebrow. "Oh that, it's the reason you're here after all." A small smile graced Kiara's soft lips, he questioned what exactly she meant.

The woman only leaned forward into her chair, her smile never fading. "Well you see, it seems you suffer from a rare disorder." her words were cryptic, and as such he was only left confused.

That's when he spoke to her for the first time. "A-A disorder?" he questioned, his voice horse, surprised, although he felt that this conversation had a sense of deja vu.

That only seemed to cause the woman's smile to widen, "Yes, cognitive impairment, short-term memory loss disorder, it is known by many names but they all mean the same thing, you… can't form any memories," Kiara revealed, the more words she spoke, his eyes widened even more.

"I-I… No…" he tried to speak, but his breath was gone from him. What? He couldn't form memories. No, it couldn't be true, he wanted to deny it, to think of something– anything, that would prove her wrong within his consciousness. But he was unable to, he wasn't able to remember anything.

"You see, this 'condition' you seem to have, it can be caused by anything, it could be mental, physical. Could come from a birth disorder, a blow to the brain or… trauma," the woman explained, her words emphasizing that ladder the most. His head snapping up towards her direction so fast it resembled a bullet in ferocity. "Yes, even trauma; events that happen in our lives that we can't accept, so we block them out, unable to grasp the truth for what it was. Instead, we make up our own, a truth only we can accept as our reality." Her words were like a bitter vice, so much so that he was enraptured by whatever she said, no matter what it may be.

"Did you know the word trauma originates from Greek for 'wound'?" the woman asked, he didn't understand its relevance, "Yes, well, It seems, you're wounded, Mister Uzumaki".

He was… wounded? He didn't quite understand.

Kiara closed her eyelids, her smile still resting upon her face, "However, lucky for you, when you're wounded, you go to the hospital, that's exactly where you are. FRTH is just that place, the only place that can fix your wounds, and can cure you," she told him, retrieving a small blue bottle from her lab coat, and showing it to him. "This, right here, is the reason you are here, it's an extract FRTH has produced that sounds help with your condition, and others just like you."

The more she spoke the more it overwhelmed him, he couldn't quite make out the full details, but he got the gist. A single question was left within his mind, "So I… volunteered?" Naruto asked, his voice hollow, too overwhelmed with what the woman he had just heard.

The woman looked at him, her golden eyes staring into his very soul, an unreadable expression across her face. "Yes, you volunteered, and with your cooperation, we will be sure to aid others with your condition as well. Now, I am your primary, the one who will be monitoring you on your journey to regaining your memories, I hope you will remember my name. Let me know if there are any other symptoms you may be experiencing."

He raised an eyebrow in question, "Symptoms?" What exactly had they pumped into him?

The woman nodded at him, "Well, the drug we gave you is highly experimental, even if we are in the later stages of our tests. Subjects are rare, and your cooperation will be most helpful in our endeavor. But, we're quite confident that your memory should return to you shortly, as well as your ability to retain information should also be improved. However, it is indeed possible there might be some… unintended side effects during your journey to recovery."

"Side effects, like what?" he had to question, he had to know. His fist clenched at his side, but then he realized that if he had known about the side effects and he had agreed to it, then they might not have been so bad, he relaxed himself.

The woman put a hand up to her chin, thinking of what exactly the experimental drug might entail, "Hmmm, the symptoms should be: migraines, hallucinations, photosensitivity, tremors, muscle spasms, increased aggression, paranoia…" The longer her list went on the more dread he had experienced. Just what sort of poison had been injected into him?! Well, at least she hadn't said anything like 'death' as a symptom, that would have been awful. Well, at least a few of them explained why he had to be restrained like he was.

"But," she stated, dragging him back into reality. "We're sure that there won't be any complications during our tests, and, with luck, these symptoms should only be temporary on your road to recovery. But…" the woman trailed off.

"But?" he questioned, there couldn't be anything else, could there?

"But, some friendly advice, Mister. Uzumaki… do not listen to any hallucinations you might withstand. That is all I have to say." Her warning was dark, cold, so much so that he didn't quite know what she meant. A feeling of trepidation and forlornness could only be said to fill his chest.

Soon, the physical examination was over, and a man in a black uniform with body armor and headgear was ushered in, as they wheeled him out of the strange white room. However, he couldn't quite figure out the unknown expression along Kiara's visage.

XXX

The longer the guard dragged him forward the more the feeling grew.

All around him were small rooms, each compacted with the bare necessities; windows of glass were the only thing separating him from the occupants within. He saw a multitude of people, some with hair shaved off, some with follicles so dirty and mudded that you would get lost in the pure length of them. Some were restrained, given a pure white coat that forced themselves to hug their frame, yet others were loose, yet not moving. Each looked different than the last, having their own unique aura about them.

However, the one thing that he could say all of them had in common were their eyes, each was filled with an emotion he couldn't quite place. However, deep down he knew, that that something was familiar to him, like he knew, deep below the surface, he had seen those eyes before

… Just what sort of place had he been put into?

He had been so lost in thought that he had only barely noticed that they had reached their destination. And, as quickly as he recovered the straps around his arms were removed, and he was pushed into the strange room that almost seemed familiar. He knew what this place was, it was…

Once he realized he protested, "Ummm… it seems I've been taken to the wrong place, this is–-" The steel door was slammed shut in front of him, completely sealing himself off from the outside world. He knew he couldn't get out like this, and so he decided to observe his surroundings once again.

The room he had been taken into was small, only filled with the bare necessities; a sink, a toilet, and a place for resting. White walls, just like the place he had met Kiara, with everything else the same color as well, although this room was different, he realized. The previous 'windows' he had seen from the outside of the cells were anything but. A large reflective glass along one wall—- one-way glass, he realized, like they were observing him.

"Well, fancy seeing you here again…" another voice reached his ears, as his head shot upward. Being drawn toward the other occupant within the room, one he must not have noticed given his initial inspection of the room. This time he saw a male, one a similar age to himself, although perhaps he was a few years older. His hair was auburn— almost orange, like a fire, as it sprawled out in all directions. As strange, demonic, burning red, ruby eyes stared at him in the darkness, just who was this man?

He couldn't quite remember, but, for some reason, he felt a strange pain when he gazed upon him. An inexplicable urge, a fire brimming within his soul, yes, he knew this feeling, for some reason… he hated this person.

"W-who are you?" he questioned, his fists clenched at his side out of pure impulse, his blue eyes glaring daggers at the man for an unknown cause.

If looks could kill, this man would be dead already. But sadly he wasn't, and as such, the man only grinned at him. "Now, now, what with such hostility?" The man questioned in a condescending tone. As he raised his arms in a placating manner, and yet, his smile never ceased, the feeling of rage within his chest only increased evermore. "After all… we've known each other our whole lives."

But that only caused Naruto to keep up his glare even more, demanding."No, that doesn't answer the question: Who. are. you!" His fists tightened, so much so that his knuckles began to turn white. Why was he so angry when he saw this man?

The man saw this, realizing that depending on the words he said he could cause Naruto to lash out, the thought only pleased him more. "Well… that's no way to treat your brother," the man revealed, stating their relationship as if it were clear as day.

Naruto's eyes widened at the revelation, but not for the reason you would expect. "You… you're not real, are you?" he questioned.

This man, when he checked around the room, he didn't cast a reflection upon the one-way glass, nor did he cast a shadow. That, coupled with his words made him realize that he, his brother, was in fact, not within the room at all. He also suspected he wasn't real to begin with.

A hallucination, Kiara did say that was one of the symptoms, but he had suspected it would take at least a few days before he experienced any of the side effects, not after the first dose.

His 'brother's' grin only seemed to widen at that discovery, as if he had been expecting him to make it. "Well, ever the sharp one, you were," he couldn't help but remark as if he were… proud. The face he was making was just as infuriating as the last. "You asked who I was, well, I'm you– Or rather, your interpretation of me. But it's all the same, isn't it?"

Pain shot straight into Naruto's head, so much so that he was forced to clutch onto his cranium from such a blow, with it came a name. "I-I… Kurama?" He questioned, remembering the identity of the person in front of him.

"Got it in one. Now, how are you doing… little brother?" The now-named 'Kurama' confirmed, yet his younger 'brother' still clutched onto his beating scalp.

"How… how could you?" Naruto asked, and for some unknown reason, sorrow seeped into his voice. His head, the pain was nearly overwhelming as if a thousand meteors were striking his body. He felt like he should remember something, something so important, yet every time he tried to reach out for him.

Kurama started to loom over him, his non-existent shadow engulfing his form. "How could I what? You don't even know what I did to you, you can't remember, not with this 'condition' of yours."

"Shut. up!" Naruto spat, seemingly to no one.

But that only caused Kurama to raise an eyebrow, "What? Did I touch a nerve?" he questioned with a laugh. "Heh. You don't know who I am— Hell, you don't know who you are! Because you. Don't. Remember."

"Fuck off!"

That only seemed to spur the phantom on more. "You tell me to go away but I can't, because you haven't given me up. All for this hatred that you can't even remember!"

"Ack!" A surge of pain filled his head, forcing Naruto to only continue to clutch onto his beating head. "No… you don't know me!"

"I don't?!" Kurama mocked. "We've known each other for thousands of years, you just don't remember. Over and over we've played this game, well… why don't I tell you why you hate me?" Kurama questioned, forcing Naruto to gaze up at him.

"Well, don't you remember? You hate me… because I killed our parents," the phantom revealed.

As Naruto's eyes widened even more, "Ahhh!" a scream of pain tore from his lips, the melody within his head only increasing even more. His breath started to labor, and his eyes started to dilate, but even still, he kept the fire within his veins, as well as the hate in his heart that could only be directed at this one person. This man, Kurama, his brother… killed his parents, he—He remembered that. It sounded so familiar, as he tried to reach into his mind for answers that he knew to be true.

Kurama's image looked down upon him, his younger brother's gaze only seeming to spur him on even more. "That is… that's why you hate me." He said, his grin widening. "You asked why I did it, well here's your answer, well…" he brought his hand to his chin, seemingly in thought.

"I'm the sea witch"

His cryptic voice echoed, as he disappeared.

XXX

"I see, and that's what your 'brother' told you?" Kiara asked. They were in the same room he had woken up in, hours passed since Kurama had visited him, but he still couldn't quite shake what the man had told him—what he'd done to him. Naruto's grip tightened at the thought of his so-called 'brother,' so much so that his palms started to redden, and pretty soon, blood would come out.

"Now, now, Naruto, there's no need for that." Kiara's voice broke him out of his thoughts, as he was forced to gaze upon the woman, shocked.

"B-but, he—" Naruto tried to say, but was cut off.

"No buts, as your primary it is my duty to monitor your health, Allowing you to injure yourself right in front of me would be a breach in my code," she stated, it was a simple fact. Before she leaned back into her chair, seemingly lost in thought, bitting upon the tip of her thumb."Besides, I think the revelation you told me is far more provocating," thre woman told him.

"Y-you do?!" Naruto questioned.

The dark-haired woman nodded, "Yes, I do," she said, running her hand through her long locks. "You see, the mind is a fickle thing, hallucinations even more so. In a way, it's like a dream, you can imagine any sort of possibility, but at the same time, your mind constantly uses images it has already seen while you are awake," Kiara told him.

Naruto realized what she was saying. "So you're saying, my 'brother'–-Kurama, he could really be a real person." What he said could be real too, a surge of pain filled his mind. As he once again tried to clutch onto his forehead, but he stopped, realizing he was still restrained within his seat.

As the woman said, his mind formed images, dreams, and hallucinations of things he already knew. He knew he had seen his 'brother' before, just as he knew he was telling the truth, even if he couldn't remember it. It was indeed possible that his conscious— his subconscious was creating images for him, things he wanted to remember in an effort to rebuild his memories. Just as the drug they had given him had intended.

"Indeed I am…" Kiara confirmed before she did something unexpected. She got close to him, leaning forward as she reached an arm out to him, her fingers rubbing against his forearm, being careful not to dislodge the IV filled with their mysterious blue concoction still sticking into his veins. The feeling was… comforting, in some strange way, even if the act was unexpected. Her skin was smooth, like silk, just like her voice, as it aided in soothing the pain his head was feeling. But she also did something even more surprising in this endeavor. "There, that should be better," she told him, her voice akin to an angel, unlocking his restrained arms from their bondage.

"B-but…" he looked at her, his voice trailing off. As he locked eyes with the woman, azure blue and golden hazel connecting, he couldn't quite tell what was within her gaze. Wasn't she afraid that he would lash out at her?

"Don't be so shocked, I'm your primary after all, I could not allow your well-being to be harmed in any way," His therapist told him, her voice was soothing and comforting, and he could very well feel his headache, and in some strange way, his pain began soothing at just the song of her voice. But at the same time, he wondered why she was doing all this.

Kiara smiled at him, leaning back in her chair as she crossed her legs, "However, I think what you should be more about this 'Kurama's' parting word," she told him.

Naruto nodded in recollection, "Right, he said… 'I am the sea witch'" he recalled. "Wait? Does that mean you know what it means?!" He had tried to think about the meaning of his words all night, but he had fallen short, he had no idea what the man's parting statement could mean.

The woman looked at him, full of thought, "Hmm… I might," she hummed, forcing Naruto to lean onto the edge of his seat. "Tell me, are you familiar with fairytales?" she questioned, seemingly changing the subject.

"Fairytales?" he questioned in shock, what did those have to do with his 'brother's' statement?

"Yes, fairy tales," Kiara nodded. "Fairytales, particularly the one written by Hans Cristian Andersen, named, 'The Little Mermaid'," she elaborated, but he only shook his head. She should have supposed he wouldn't remember any, given his condition after all.

Kiara thought about it, seemingly wondering how exactly she should go about her explanation. "Well, it's one of my favorites. But to summarize, it's about a young girl, a mermaid, wanting to find love and freedom from the depths of the ocean. And so she makes a deal with a witch of the sea, promising her voice to the witch for her to finally walk upon land. But, if she can't make the one she admires, the prince, marry her within three days, a powerful curse will befall her. And so she tries to marry her prince, however, tragedy befalls her, and the man chooses another to wed. Now, she is faced with a choice given to her by her sisters–who had made a deal with the sea witch also– to murder her loved one to reverse the witch's curse. However, in the end, the young mermaid chooses otherwise, the curse befalls her. And she returns to the ocean, vanishing her body into a froth of the sea, as she begins to spend her time in the clouds, and the heavens." Naruto was enraptured with her story, taking in every word.

But, he did pick up on one thing. "Sea froth? Like the name of this company?" he questioned.

That only seemed to cause Kiara to smile, satisfied that he had noticed such a thing. "Why yes, exactly like the name of this company. The Little Mermaid was always one of my favorite tales in my childhood, and just how the mermaid was able to become complete after surviving the witch's curse. I want to help others become complete as well, is only natural that I would name my company after it after all," she told him honestly, closing her eyelids, as a soft smile graced upon the woman's lips.

At that Naruto was surprised, she was the owner of this company? But she had thought Kiara was just a worker here?

"And so, this sea witch, what does that have to do with my brother?" he questioned, the woman seemed knowledgeable about the subject.

The woman leaned back in her seat, "Well, in some interpretations the sea witch is an allegory for the devil, tempting and corrupting innocent souls for their gain. She is also the only one who wins, gaining both the mermaid's voice and her sister's hair depending on which interpretations you read."

Naruto thought about her words, trying to decipher what exactly the woman meant… what exactly his 'brother' had meant."So, you're saying Kurama wants to corrupt me?" he questioned, he didn't understand it at all.

"Perhaps," Kiara shrugged, "However, I believe it is imperative that you listen to my words; you must not trust whatever this so-called 'sea witch' says," she told him looking him straight in the eyes as she did so. "After all, you trust me, don't you?"

"I-I..." Naruto tried to say, hesitating. "I don't know," he sighed, not willing to meet her in the eyes. Don't get him wrong, he wanted to trust her, he really did. But there was something, something about him, that just told him he couldn't, he didn't know why.

At his words Kiara frowned slightly, closing her eyes, "Well, that's unfortunated," she stated simply. Before fixing her expression, nodded her head, and standing up. He wondered what she was doing, "Now, why don't we try doing a small exercise to get this off your mind?" she inquired. In her hands, he saw a small, metallic tray, on its base was a set of random shapes and objects.

She set the tray in front of him, as he raised an eyebrow. "It's a memory exercise, you've done it before, well… not that you remember," the woman told him as he stared at the metal objects; there were six in total. Each was geometrically shaped in nature, as they reflected at him, one a sphere, one a square, then a rectangle, a star, a triangle, and finally a diamond.

He looked at the dark-haired woman, waiting for an explanation. "You see, this particular exercise is designed for people with your condition, go on, try to pick one up," she told him with a smile.

"Okay…" he reached for the first one that caught his interest, particularly the diamond.

ZAP!

"Ow!" And as soon as he grasped upon the metallic object he immediately dropped in, as several volts of electricity entered his body. Instantly, he glared at the woman in front of him "Hey! What the hell?!"

"Ufufu," Kiara giggled at his expression, seeing his blue eyes stare into her very soul. "Oh please, you didn't think that it would be that easy, did you?" she laughed, before turning his attention back towards the metallic objects in front of him. "Of these six objects three of them are electrified, although not by much, as you can tell, just enough to give you a 'light' shock to jolt your system," she explained. This was a small exercise to test one's ability to condition the subject through muscle memory.

Naruto wasn't able to remember anything when it came to the short term, however, he still retained things through long-term memory, which pertained to a completely different part of the brain. It was how he remembered his name, how to walk, how to talk, and even how to read. They had been through this exercise a great number of times, not that Naruto remembered, and the same number of objects were electrified.

Of course, the original purpose of this test was lost, as the drug they had given Naruto had regained his ability to form short-term memories. It was the longer-term memories that they were trying to recover, and as such before giving Naruto the miracle drug they had tried conditioning his mind to remember a specific pattern they had set. This set of objects resembled the first time they had done this, the next would resemble the second, the next the third, and with luck, Naruto's memories would be jolted to the forefront of his mind to remember which objects were electrified without even touching them.

Of course, this was all theoretical, as Naruto was the first subject to have experienced such tests.

Naruto tried once again to touch another object, the rectangle this time, it zapped him.

"You won't be able to remember which objects are electrified by just picking them randomly, you have to try to search within and remember which ones you've already selected," Kiara advised, as Naruto sent a light glare at the woman.

Deciding to take the professional's advice, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and searched within. He searched through his memories, but like before, whenever he tried, he always came up short. He couldn't remember anything, not where he was from, how he got here, just; nothing. It was like searching into a deep abyss, the darkest recesses of his mind, and just as light could not escape so couldn't his memories. They were just… gone.

In frustration, he opened his eyes. "Look, this isn't working, I just–" and then he saw it, saw what was in front of him.

It was a hand, a floating hand, almost like that of an afterimage, an illusion, guiding him onto which object he could grasp within his hand. Off to the side, Kiara looked on in curiosity, sitting on the edge of her seat. Seeing his expression, wondering if Naruto had finally remembered which objects weren't electrified.

As the red-haired male started to move his hand, reaching forward, gaining closer and closer. It was the square this time, that was what the ethereal hand was pointing to as it reached forward.

He reached forward as well…

ZAP!

XXX

Later.

The session failed, he wasn't able to remember which objects had been electrified. And as such he had been sent back to his white room, alone.

Well, he wasn't exactly alone…

"Hey, how'd the session with the good doctor go? Eh, Naruto?" A voice called out to him, he didn't have to look up to see who it was. It was his 'brother' staring at him, mocking him once again.

"You think I'm evil, don't you?" Kurama noticed. "Well, you don't even know the meaning of the phrase," The man stated, his grin widening.

Naruto merely cast a gaze at him, his fist tightening ever so slightly. "I mean, look around you, can't even recognize evil even if you were staring at it," he told him, Naruto tried to ignore him, but even then he still listened.

"And what would you know? Huh? Did you say it, you're just in my imagination, aren't you," that's what Kiara had told him, and that's what he wanted to believe as well

Kurama merely looked at him, knowingly. "A lot, Naruto, after all, everyone in this facility is evil— probably even more than me," he stated, Naruto's fist tightening even more. "You saw it, didn't you, the only type of people these people work on are lunatics— well, that, and the homeless. So tell me, which one are you?"

"No, that's not it… this place, its—" Naruto tried to argue.

He was interrupted, "It's a prison." Kurama finished. "I mean, look around, white walls, guards at every corner. Hell, the freaking CEO of this company is watching you, why do you think that is? Naruto, they won't even let you leave!" he roared.

"Any why should I? Why should I leave? They're trying to help me here!" Naruto roared back, finally looking at Kurama, glaring daggers at him.

But that only angered Kurama more, before an ever-infuriating smirk appeared across his face. "You really think that, don't you? Naruto, nobody is here to help you!" he told him.

"You don't know that!" Naruto yelled.

"Oh? Yes I do, and I know, you need to leave this place, now, it will only bring you nothing but pain. After all, that's all your past ever does," Kurama said ominously.

The red-head grits his teeth. "Yeah, and how do you know?" he spat.

"Because it's just like I said, you and I are the same, you just can't see it yet," The specter told him.

"I'm nothing like you," Naruto growled, his hands shaking for some unknown reason.

"Ah but you are, you just can't remember," Kurama grinned. "You know, perhaps I should show you a bit more of your past? Maybe that's it, maybe then you'll realize that I am all you need—"

"Shut up!" Naruto yelled. "That did it, that caused the redhead to lash out, rushing towards the image, swinging at him with all his might, he hit nothing. "I don't need you, I don't—"

"Oh but you do, I know you do, after all, why else am I here?" Kurama said in but a whisper, appearing right behind him. As his blue eyes widened, Kurama's image in front of him disappeared, leaving but an afterimage in his place, Naruto's whole body shook. "You know, I think that's what I'll do, I think you need to remember just a bit of the pain I caused us, maybe then you'll listen to me?"

"Enough!" Naruto yelled, sending a fist straight toward Kurama's chest.

He never made it…

Squelch.

The familiar sound of blood being thrust into the air filled his ears, as Naruto's eyes widened. As the figure in front of him was not that of his brother, no, his brother's form had long since moved. His hand striking nothing but air.

In front of Kurama's form, stood a woman in her younger thirties, with long, similar red hair framing her face and darkened blue eyes. She looked familiar to him, but he couldn't place it, he knew this woman, she was—

"Mom?…" his words left his lips too soon for him to realize. He knew this woman, she was his mother, his whole body shook, he knew this scene.

Looking down, he saw it, as his brother's hand was not empty like he had seen just moments before. As he now possessed a metallic kitchen knife, one that was being plunged into his mother's chest. The warmth of her blood soaking his arms, it sprayed all over, splashing into the air.

He took a sharp breath, he couldn't say anything, he couldn't do anything, his whole body froze. Looking up, he saw the woman's familiar blue eyes only filled with disbelief and fear. He knew this scene… it was just like when Kurama killed her.

And so, his whole body shook, as Naruto did the only thing he could…

"AHHHHHH!"

He screamed, and all the while, he heard Kurama's ominous laughter all around him.

XXX

Over the coming days, each night repeated the same way after that, over and over again. Over and over again, over and over again.

Each night he had been forced to kill his mother, witnessing her death as she bled out on the cold floor. And just like before, his next sessions with Kiara had failed, each time he'd attempted to reach out for an object he had been jolted back into reality.

He hadn't been able to remember a single thing about his past.

He couldn't remember a single thing about who he was.

He didn't know anything at all about who Naruto Uzumaki was.

It was just… nothing.

He never did tell Kiara about this.

"Oh, come now, Naruto, cheer up. I'm confident this time will be different I'd stake my career on it," Kiara smiled, closing her eyes.

"Mmm…" He merely grunted in response, not bothering to gaze at the woman. But he could tell by the tone of his voice that she was smiling at him, a soft, faux expression upon her face. He turned away, not making a single sound, even Kiara had taken the time to notice his changes.

"Oh don't be like that, I'm sure things will be different," the practitioner voiced, placing the tray of metallic objects before him. And, like before there were several objects he recognized, but some were different. And, just like before, three of them were electrified.

Naruto merely looked at the objects, not a single memory to be had. Even when he searched and searched he found nothing, no images formed, no ideas were had, he just couldn't remember a single thing about this test. He couldn't remember having done this before, and at this rate, things would just be easier if he picked the safer objects at random.

Out of frustration, he opened his eyelids, taking a deep breath, as Kiara leaned forward in her seat.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the enigmatic blue liquid, seeping into the plastic tube as the IV entered his bloodstream. Roaming throughout every cell in his veins, pushing forward, moving in a constant, until finally, it reached its destination, his heart. Pumping throughout his body throughout every nook, and cranny, filling him in his absolute, doing things to him he didn't quite know the conclusion to.

Before, finally, he turned, and saw the hand once again, drifting off, guiding him to another of the selected objects in front of him. The redhead reached up, dragging his fingers towards the shape his mind brought to his attention, it was a sphere this time. His blue eyes gazed upon it, his skin already jolting in anticipation, vibrating at the sound of its tune, not that he really noticed. These days, his fingers always acted this way, he couldn't help it. Naruto's nails encroaching upon the sphere said it was attracted to its own gravity; it neared.

He touched it…

Zap!

Several volts of electricity were sent straight into his nervous system, his finger grasping upon the sphere. His hands were forced away, but then he reached for it again…

Zap!

And again. And again. And again. And again.

Zap! Zap! Zap! Zap!

His head snapped up, and Naruto's blue eyes followed the detached hand with vigor. And then he saw it, the body this hand was attached to. Kurama stared down, his ruby red orbs staring into his very soul, a toothy grin etched itself upon his face.

His words echoed into his ears.

"Look around, you can't trust anyone here!" "Everyone in this facility is evil— probably even more than me" "Nobody is here to help you!"

He did the only thing he could, he snapped.

In his rage, he lurched forward, his hands reaching for the figure's neck so fast it would put a speeding bullet to shame. His IV pulled apart as he slammed them against the white-room wall, a boom echoing as he did so.

He felt the warms of their crook along his fingers, the smoothness of their skin, their esophagus closing forwards, gasping for breath. He felt satisfaction in doing so, even as Kurama's infuriating smile was still plastered across his their face. That's when the image broke…

"Na… Ruto…" He heard in a gasped breath, as Kurama began to disappear, in his place, Kiara, her neck being strangled by his hands.

She looked at him, her eyes widened in an emotion he couldn't quite place, what was she feeling right now, fear? Anger? Hatred? She tried to bring her hands up, clawing her fingernails at her skin, but she was far too weak to do so. With the lack of oxygen reaching her lungs, it was no wonder why. She looked so frail, so pathetic like she could die at any moment, her life was entirely in his hands.

He paused for a moment, realizing just who was in his grasp. Something was wrong about him, something was wrong about this place. That's when his expression changed, he only looked at the woman in anger, his grip tightening even more.

"What the hell did you do to me? What the hell did you put in me!" Naruto demanded, his voice snarling, yet he only continued to grasp onto his therapist's neck, holding her in the air like a ragdoll. "Answer me! Huh? What did you do!"

She didn't answer, the only words escaping her lips being that of a plea for much-needed oxygen. "Can't… bre…athe…" Kiara wheezed. And she couldn't, soon, her respiratory system would enter paralysis, and a few minutes later, total cardiac failure. She would die if he didn't stop.

Naruto's blue eyes widened, and, realizing he couldn't get any of the answer he was seeking he let go. But not before using his body to trap her along the wall to not allow for the woman to escape.

As soon as he let go Kiara took the moment to return the much-needed oxygen into her lungs, filling her bloodstream. The woman greedily took in large breaths of air like it was running out in the world— and for her, in a way it had been. To the woman's credit, she didn't fall to her knees, although she did use it as a crutch, bowing before him as Naruto towered over the woman. His shadow looming over her as she tried to regain her composure, he allowed it, if only so he could find his answers.

Something was wrong about this place, he just knew it!

Kiara got back on her feet, standing up straight, "Well, Mister. Uzumaki, I was wondering when you would do something like that," she spoke in a cordial tone. Looking at him with those golden eyes of hers as if he didn't just try to strangle her out just a few moments ago, like she was in control.

Naruto's fist only tightened, but he didn't allow himself to attack her, he couldn't now, but that didn't stop him from lashing out. "That doesn't answer my question, Kiara! What the hell did you do to me?!" He roared, his hands shaking at his sides, he knew this was her doing, he just knew it.

Look at him, he held his hand out, it was shaking, budding with excitement, he couldn't stop it, it just kept moving, quaking against this skin.

The woman only quirked her head, "Did to you? I'm afraid I haven't done anything to you, Mister. Uzumaki" she spoke in a tone that was only of utter truth

Lies. She was a liar, he couldn't trust her, not with that look of her's he just knew it! He clutched his head, thoughts like this roaring through his brain like an inferno. "Cut the crap! Look at me! You did something, I just know it!" He yelled at her, but the woman only continued to look at him calmly.

"I'm afraid I haven't done anything to you, now please, let us calm down, then we can talk—" The therapist tried to diffuse the situation, raising her arms in mock surrender so he didn't perceive her as any sort of threat.

"No!" the redhead interrupted, there wasn't any diffusing the situation. If he did so, Kiara would just sit him down again, douse him more of that vile liquid, that liquid that was doing this to him— torturing him! He couldn't allow it! He didn't want any more of these tests. "No more talks, and no more lies, you'll tell me the truth, or I swear, I'll kill you!" He roared.

"But I have been," Kiara told him, "I have been telling you the truth from the moment you got here, over and over, you just refuse to hear it."

Naruto only continued to glare at the woman, his pupils and eyes shaking in rage. The test was rigged, this place, everything was rigged, he just knew it! "No! That's not what 'he' told me, that's not what you told me, all you've done is lie to me—"

"Lie to you, about what? Your condition? Your visions? What have you been lied to about?" Kiara asked, "Well, perhaps I did lie to you…" she admitted.

Naruto's head snapped upward, a snarl forming at his lips, if she said anything— any more of her lies, he'd kill her.

Kiara closed her eyelids, "You want the truth, well, the truth is… you never had a brother named Kurama."

Instantly, Naruto's eyes widened, "What do you— Ack!" he cried out, as he was forced to clutch his head, forcing himself to look down, the pain being almost overwhelming as it racked his head. "What the hell do you mean!- Kiara, of course, I had a brother, he— "

"He what, he told you?" she questioned, looking at him fully. "Naruto, Kurama never existed, he only told you that to make you feel better."

Make him feel better? What the hell did she mean?

The woman continued, "Naruto, Kurama was a persona your mind made up to ignore your past—"

What? "No!" He shouted, the pain in his head only increasing.

"He was an image your mind came up with to alleviate yourself of the guilt you feel, Naruto, you were the one to kill your parents—" she revealed.

"No!"

"That's why you're in here, you were neglected, severely so, and once you had enough, you finally snapped—"

"No! I didn't!"

"You did, you killed them, and your mind broke, just like you're breaking now. You lost your memories, you didn't want to remember what they did to you, but your guilt stayed on, it taking the form of the false image of your imaginary brother your mind created so you could hate him—"

"Lies! You're a liar!" The pain skyrocketed, so much so that he was on the floor, kneeling.

"You could never get over the hate you feel, the drug we gave you never gave you hallucinations. That was just your mind letting you see what you wanted to see. You wanted to see him, because even though you hated him, he made you feel safe, knowing that he wasn't like you—" Kiara revealed, in a calm tone, his voice speaking nothing but the truth.

Naruto shot forward. "Enough!" he yelled, grasping her neck once again, but he couldn't find the strength to strangle her on, he couldn't force himself to silence her. His hands trembled, quivering in their melody.

Kiara's golden eyes pierced his soul, unwavering, there wasn't a hint of fear of death in her gaze. "The reason your hand is shaking is withdrawals, most likely. Truthfully, I had taken you off your medication after the first few sessions, this is your body's way of telling you that you have to make a decision." If his body didn't get another dose soon, even if it had done its job in restoring his memories he wouldn't keep them for long, and then he would be left in the state he had always been in. Lost, without his identity once again, how many times would they play this game?

She looked at him. "Now? Will you kill me? Or will you finally accept who you are, what you've done?" she questioned, her voice echoing in his mind.

Now was his time to decide.

"I-I…" Naruto tried to speak, his voice wavering, as his whole body stopped. He looked down, unable to meet the woman in the eyes.

He wanted to deny her, wanted to lash out, wanted to scream to the heavens, to say that she was somewhere, deep down, he knew it to be true, he knew that something always felt off about him, he couldn't quite place it, but now. He didn't know. But now? His heart ached, he just felt this imaginable pain.

He needed to ask her a question. "Why?" he said in but a whisper.

"Hmm?" Kiara hummed.

Naruto's head snapped upward. "Why would you give me my memories back? Why would you make me live through this pain again." the tremors in his head had stopped, but with it, his chest ached anew, he couldn't bear it

"I see," Kiara understood what he meant, and she tried formulating her intentions as best she could, tilting her head. "Well, the best explanation I can give is–Yes…" she paused, looking him straight in the eyes.

"...I'm the sea witch."

Naruto's eyes widened, and he understood what she meant.

He did the only thing he could, he tightened his grip on her neck.

He didn't see the hand Kiara had reached into her pocket, nor feel the small pin-prick against his skin.

The last thing he saw was an indiscernible expression upon Kiara's beautiful face.

As he began to black out.

Kiara stood there in front of Naruto's limp body, the syringe once filled with anesthetic now empty in her fingertips. Yet she could only look on at the redhead at her feet in pity

A sigh escaped her lips, "...Another failure."

XXX

"Kiara, why do you keep bothering with him?" A man spoke with a frown in the white laboratory of FRTH industries.

He was a tall man, likely into his late twenties, with spiky blue hair, a pale complexion, and a pair of black dark-rimmed circular glasses. He wore a white lab coat, with a blue and white striped shirt under it, and a pair of white pants and dark shoes.

He was an astute man, and a brilliant mind, Hans, and the head in command of her research division.

He was also the only person who knew the truth about what was happening here with their subject.

"Why? You might ask?" Kiara spoke, idly running her hands through the unconscious male's mop of hair as he laid upon the metal table in a soothing motion. They were researching the healthiness of his body, making sure that things were running smoothly and there were no adverse side effects from his time here and the miracle drug they had given him.

Countless times had they put him through the experience he had just gone through. And countless times had he produced the same result. He would wake up, he would trust her, and then he would regain his memories. From then on it was a roulette of the different choices he would make. He might confront her, he might lash out, there were even a few times he had tried to escape. But, alas, the end result was always the same, he would end up back in their white room, not a single memory to be had.

Hans had aided her in this endeavor for quite some time, and from this moment he hadn't mentioned anything. There hadn't been any words spoken between the two of them. She had just given him an order and he complied. This had actually been the first time Hans had asked about why exactly she was doing these things.

She looked towards Naruto's sleeping body, seeing his face as she ran her fingers along his cheek. Here he looks so peaceful, so calm, as if he hadn't tried to attack her just moments prior. As she thought about her answer.

Why was she doing this again?

Deep down she knew the reason.

As she placed a hand upon her beating heart, a flush of red enveloping her face as she spoke, "You asked why I do this? I'll tell you why, it's because of him, he's special. Naruto Uzumaki is a being of both innocence and guilt, he's convicted and yet free, he's a person of contradiction, is he not? Seeing him go through all he does each cycle, as he begins to realize who exactly he is…" as Kiara began clutching onto her clothed breast, a heat beginning to envelop between her thighs. "How couldn't I be excited?" She questioned aloud. "After all…

I love Naruto Uzumaki." She told him.

It was a twisted love, born from two twisted people, but they were both unique all on their own. Naruto was a person whose hands were filled with blood, so much so that his mind conjured up a false persona to inherit that burden.

Guilty, yet innocent.

Sinless, yet wicked.

Naruto Uzumaki was indeed a contradiction, and he interested her to no end.

After all, that was love, was it not? And she loved him. Each and every time he forgot about her, each time he remembered, each face he made, each cry of agony.

She reveled in it all.

"I see…" Hans said stoically, taking note of the black haired woman's words. As Kiara once again began running her hands through Naruto's hair.

"…Dumb bitch" he whispered aloud.

As Kiara's eye twitched.

The End.

Alright, this was somethign different that I wanted to try, let me know if you liked it.

This has been an idea I've had in my mind for quite a long time, and the original idea was with the Kiara from the FGO timeline coming across Naruto when she was a normal therapist not for chaldea and treating him who was her patient. And the two bonding and Naruto getting better and all that... but then I changed it to this, this mystery thriller-esc story with a really messed up premise. Throw in the original Little Mermaid inspiration and there you have a story.

I blame me watching 'Shutter Island' and 'Memento' (Great moivies btw).

But, Kiara is like one of my favorite and funnest characters to write in my opinion, and I like her and she's pretty entertaining both as a character and as a write.

The Naruto here is inspired by like most Neglect fics that everyone seems to do (including me)!but in an actual real life scenario, one that doesn't end very well as you can tell from the story. Dont like? Don't read.

This isn't really a romance but I marked it as such because.

I made this because I had to do a school project and I thought that writing something like this would work, and with a bunch of edits here this story is.

Let me know what you think, Review make my motivation to write increase.