Fighting, it seemed, was the most easiest way for tailed beasts to communicate.
"So, this is your Jinchuriki?" Matatabi's voice rumbled, echoing in the shared space of their minds. After a brief exchange with Kurama, she seemed to understand the situation.
"Matatabi, do you want out?" Kurama asked, jumping straight to the point. "Do you want to be free?"
Kurama's bluntness threw a wrench in Naruto's plan. He had to resist the urge to slap the fox across the face.
'I've always found the direct approach is best,' Kurama thought smugly. 'No point in beating around the bush.'
Matatabi fell silent for a moment. "I think it's quite nice in here," she finally said. "Freedom? Where is there true freedom in the outside world? It's just trading one cage for a slightly larger one. No matter where we go, humans will always flock to us, coveting our power."
'A poetic beast,' Naruto thought.
While Yugito Nii wasn't a perfect Jinchuriki, her bond with Matatabi was strong, and the tailed beast often lent her power in battle. Despite her fearsome appearance, Matatabi's temperament was actually considered gentle among the nine of them, far more so than Kurama's, at least.
'Hm? Are you thinking something disrespectful, brat?'
Naruto sighed, cutting through their mental conversation. "You're Matatabi, right? This isn't a discussion," he stated plainly. "I'm informing you."
After another moment of silence, Matatabi spoke again. "Kurama, your Jinchuriki is quite arrogant."
Kurama bared his teeth, a rare seriousness in his voice. "I'd advise you not to object to his decisions, Matatabi. Not about this."
Matatabi was stunned. "For you to say something like that... you've changed, Kurama." 'Is this still the most arrogant of the nine?' She wondered.
"Brat," She continued, "your name is Naruto, right? If you want my obedience, you'll have to prove you're worthy of it."
Matatabi's good temper was only relative, even Saiken, the most good-natured of the nine, would fire a Tailed Beast Bomb at point-blank range if provoked.
"Fight me!"
Matatabi had assumed the dangerous presence she'd sensed earlier was coming from Kurama. After all, besides Shukaku and Gyuki, he was widely considered the strongest of them all, and by a significant margin.
'Simple enough,' Naruto thought, rolling up his sleeves. Kurama had already told him that for tailed beasts, a fight was the most sincere form of conversation.
*MEOW!*
With a piercing scream, the unconscious Yugito was once again enveloped in blue flames. This time, without Naruto's interference, two tails erupted from her back, and she rapidly transformed into a colossal blue cat covered in dark markings.
"You should enter your tailed beast state as well," Matatabi advised, her tone polite even as she prepared for battle. It was a stark contrast to Kurama.
"Not necessary," Naruto said flatly.
"Then I'm coming!" Matatabi no longer held back and lunged, swiping a massive paw where he'd been standing.
The blow met only empty air. Naruto reappeared beneath its giant claw, and with a grip that defied his size, he seized her wrist and executed a clean shoulder throw. The colossal beast sailed through the air before crashing heavily onto its back, limbs splayed, a look of pure feline shock on its face.
'Did... did a human just shoulder-throw me?'
Before she could recover, Naruto was above her, his fist raised high. He brought it down with devastating force, smashing Matatabi's skull.
*Crack!*
The blow landed with a sickening crunch, driving Matatabi's head into the ground so hard the ground split open around it. Her mind rang with a deafening buzz.
But it wasn't over. Naruto grabbed one of her tails, yanking her head out of the ground like a stubborn radish, and began to swing her immense body around like a giant hammer. He slammed her into the ground.
*Thud!*
A mournful shriek echoed across the sky as the blue flames coating her body flickered.
The 'friendly' exchange had only just begun.
*Thud!*
"MEOW!"
*Thud!*
"Meow!"
*Thud!*
"mew..."
He slammed her into the ground again and again, making the earth itself tremble. Her wails, at first sharp and furious, grew weaker with each impact, until they were little more than pained whimpers. The flames around her body dimmed, threatening to go out entirely.
With one final, heavy slam, Matatabi's body was nearly buried in rubble. The blue tailed beast cloak receded completely, returning Yugito to her original form.
"Not that bad," Naruto said, cracking his knuckles. "Warm-up's over. Time to get serious."
Matatabi's voice echoed in his and Kurama's seal space, laced with urgency. "Kurama, I'm very interested in your plan. When do we leave?"
At that moment, Matatabi understood. The danger she had sensed wasn't from Kurama, but from his Jinchuriki.
Naruto's eyes lit up. 'So that's all it takes to get through to a tailed beast. A good fight really is the best way to bond.'
Kurama's eyes lit up. 'Excellent. Another one to share in my misery. I can't be the only one suffering. We are family after all and family is all about sharing.'
Matatabi's vision went red. 'Kurama, you son of a bitch, where did you find this monster?'
"Let's go now," Naruto said, walking toward the crater to carry Yugito away.
"Who are you and what are you doing in my Kumogakure?!" A furious roar thundered across the village. A figure crackling with lightning shot through the air, landing with an impact that kicked up a cloud of dust.
The newcomer was a burly, dark-skinned man in his forties, his muscles bulging with explosive power. He wore a golden champion-style belt, green shuriken tattoos on his shoulders, and heavy armor on his arms. With a prominent mustache and his light-blond hair combed back, he was none other than the Fourth Raikage, Ay.
His eyes swept over the ruined cemetery, and his fury intensified. "My village's memorial stones... you bastard!?"
He didn't need to guess who was responsible. With Yugito unconscious in the crater, there was only one other person standing. Without a word, he vanished in a blur of motion, reappearing in front of Naruto with his fist cocked back. The punch he threw was fast enough to break the sound barrier.
Naruto caught the blow in his open palm. The impact sent a shockwave through the air, but he didn't even budge.
Ay breathed, his eyes went wide in surprise. He knew the force behind that punch, it was enough to badly hurt even Killer Bee. Yet this masked man not only caught it with ease but sounded like he had strength to spare. He had only ever met one other person with strength that could rival his own: Tsunade of the Sannin.
"Who the hell are you, you masked bastard?" Ay growled.
Naruto stared at him. "You have bad breath."
The Fourth Raikage froze, his mind screeching to a halt.
===============
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