I'm only Human

Hey all Back again!! And much sooner then i thought..though still a long time for some people I'm sure! Well the only words i have for this chapter is that 'm unsure of it, but I'll let you all be the judge of that! hopefully i get some feedback, and if I do change things, I'll happen very quickly!!

Special thanks to: Suzieuchiha-Thanks for pointing out the spelling mistakes..i actually went through the whole story..and found a decent spattering of the wrong spellings XDDD gods...i should be shot..anyway..thanks again!! Much appreciated =D

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The eyes were half closed over dark jade eyes, a small smile played over his lips as the soft half dream drifted through his dark haunted mind. Even the demon couldn’t reach this sacred place in his mind. Where he held onto him. A fleeting image of the pale face, softened in sleep filled his mind, the smile grew across Naruto’s mouth,

“Ne..Sasuke…” Naruto whispered the dim light of the morning filled the forest around them in shades of greens. They had made it a habit to come early before either Sakura or Kakashi. An unspoken request of each other where they didn’t need false pretences. Naruto looked over to the lightly dozing genin. Naruto slowly exhaled watching the other sleep, he smiled enjoying the rare sight knowing how much trust it took for the Uchiha youth to do such a thing….
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Sasuke’s body felt limp, his mind fuzzy. A breeze brushed his face, it felt warmed by the sun. The smell was earthy. His mind slowly pieced things together.

He had only started to rest his body to keep moving…and yet somehow he ended up on his back getting cushioned by the desert sand. Sasuke’s eyes flew open the sharingan instantly activated and he shot up into a defense position taking in everything at once. The sun on the horizon to the west. Dusk. His barriers that had held back the sandstorm were still intact. He was alone. His eyes narrowed and he growled to himself scanning his senses out as searching for where the Akira had gone.

“Glad you’re awake.”

Sasuke whirled around katana out meeting the bo-staff, his eyes were narrowed as Seiko was before him, a little amused smile on his face. Curling his lip The Uchiha pulled his blade from the staff and sheathed it smoothly.

“Where were you?” He demanded. Seiko pulled his cloak open revealing two freshly killed jack rabbits at his hip strung from his belt.

“I figured we can skin them and smoke them before moving on, the sandstorm died out hours ago, but the winds had started changing and our pursuers haven’t moved since later this afternoon.” He finally explained smiling slightly. Sasuke frowned. Not only did he fall asleep completely in the other mans presence, he had stayed asleep when he had left. Years of training and being a shinobi a full nights rest was rare, relaxing was rare. It unnerved him that this had happened…that he trusted Seiko like that. Closing his eyes he grunted and grabbed the rabbits from the belt pulling out a skinning blade from the side of his sandals. As he got to work he felt the other man moving around, getting a fire started.

“We’ll probably reach Suna by midnight.” Seiko said breaking the silence between them. Sasuke barely glanced at him as he pulled the skin and fur back revealing the blood red meat.

“You know I won’t stop following you.” Sasuke said hearing the fire crackle to life beside him a soft bitter laugh sounded from Seiko’s lips.

“I know.” Came the whisper. Turning Sasuke laid the strips of meat over a traveling grill, as the meat smoked slowly Sasuke took the time to wipe his blade down and use the bit of water to clean his hands. As rabbit cooked Sasuke stood and let his muscles and bones kink back into place. His eyes surveyed the sweeping sand dunes around them and could see the forests they had come from miles away had clouds hanging heavy and dark. It was storming.

“We probably have an hour before they will start moving again, storm or not they will pick up our trail.” He said out loud, the breeze shifted around them and Seiko stood as well inhaling deeply,

“Our scent would have washed away with the rain.” The Akira said. Sasuke’s frown deepened,

“It would. But….our followers will be persistent.” He replied turning back to the cooking meat and shifting them on the metal, his eyes taking in the flames. Once more the silence fell between them and lasted even as they packed up leaving nothing but a few footprints which within moments the winds covered with sand.
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Naruto crouched down his back against the rough bark of a tree. He could hear the group of nins talking, their voices low and dark in fear of being over heard. He closed his eyes and waited, he could feel the forest around him, the animals that were only about a hundred yards away, wary of the fire and the humans by it. The wind shifted around him and he focused on the bond he shared with Seiko. Within seventy-two hours it would cease to exist and they would be completely separate entities and would no longer be able to be joined together again. The heated chakra ran through his veins, Kyuubi awakened under the span of silence and rest.

Foolish Man. You depend on me for power. Let me out and I’ll show what I can really do…

The dark growl resonated through his mind and Naruto ignored it. A shot of angry red chakra fluctuated hotly around him, out of his control and he hissed, his eyes snapping open knowing the nins at the camp had felt it. Gritting his teeth he pressed his back against the tree even more, listening intently. The camp had gone quiet. Two were missing. Narrowing his eyes to slits he let them rove the trees around him, a silent seal flew across his fingers and he the chakra dispersed into two other entities that melded from the ground. Twitching to one side a string of kunai landed in the bark next to his head, his eyes flickered to the direction of the projectile and suddenly a body crumpled to the ground, the earth clone landing heavily on the nins back. His eyes glanced at an angry flare of chakra indicated where the other was. He grimaced slightly hearing another crumpling body hit the earth hard. Now the entire camp had dispersed. Naruto cursed under his breath. They would come looking for their comrades. He disappeared in a poof of curling black smoke while letting his clones meld back to the ground. They would be even more on guard now. Retreating to a better distance away he heard the outraged hisses as the four other men found their comrades in a heap of a few broken bones, and answering groans of ‘shadows coming from nowhere’. Naruto would have smirked if the situation wasn’t so dire.

“No doubt whatever it was is still around..” One said in a hushed voice,

“The chakra was barely a flare. We best keep moving..no stopping..no camping.” Another one grunted through the low light and the trees Naruto saw a glint of a katana being handled from the strongest of the group.

“Everyone keep your senses alive…He’s watching us.” The one handling the katana murmured. The men were still, then

“Leave these two to the beasts. We can’t be slowed down.” Growled the leader and soon they were moving removing the things from the camp as if it never existed. Naruto scaled the tree lightly moving soundlessly after the quickly moving group. He slid past the rear guard keeping Kyuubi as deeply buried as possible. The most terrible consequence of losing his soul was the fact how much control he didn’t have on the monster within him.
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Sasuke saw the colossal walls of Suna jutting from the sands, the tallest and most substantial buildings in the desolate Wind Country.

“No doubt the Council has sent word of my travels to every ally country,” Sasuke said quietly his eyes taking in the land around the protective walls, looking for a weakness in which he could slip into the village past the guards.

“I don’t think you’ll have as much difficulty as you think…” Seiko said softly, Sasuke glanced at him hearing the rather cryptic reply. His jaw tightened slightly

“I’ll meet you inside.” He hissed before disappearing like the shinobi he was. Seiko smiled slightly before starting his ascent towards Suna. The young Akira let out a long relieved sigh once he felt Sasuke was far enough. He was even more relieved when the Uchiha’s chakra signature disappeared all together, he would be inside the village without a problem. He gnawed his bottom lip his staff feeling the shifting sands. He then felt another familiar chakra, at least to his creator. Pulling the cloak more around his body, he halted.

“State your name and purpose.” A fierce voice demanded. Seiko let a small smile play across his lips,

“I am Akira Seiko, I’m a traveler coming from where the strong are born with an unquenchable fire and I bring news to your Kazekage-sama” He said, a shocked silence came from the man in front of him,

“Gaara has been expecting you.” Kankuro finally said, then “He hasn’t slept since receiving the request from the council.” The puppet master murmured his voice low as they moved towards the village, “Once we get to him you can drop the—”

Seiko threw the bo-staff upward in front of Kankuro’s face, putting a finger to his lips,

“I’m not going to do what Naruto wants me to. The Uchiha is in the village and he’s foreseen a lot, but he doesn’t know everything.” He hissed warning the kabuki paint user.

“Gaara won’t let you go after him...Uchiha or not.” Kankuro replied, “Damn it..this is all fucked up!” He growled annoyed and frustrated. Seiko managed a soft laugh in response.

“Sasuke will find out…and when he does he’ll be gone faster than any of us will be able to stop him. What Naruto didn’t anticipate was the fact Sasuke’s….changed.” Kankuro grumbled something about still how messed up the situation was before they both fell silent on entering the walls of the village.

“I can’t even sense the damn bastard..” Kankuro muttered under his breath his eyes taking in the slowly rising moon. Seiko stifled a smirk before shaking his head,

“He’s following us now. Maybe not even a hundred feet behind us. He’s hiding his chakra very well.” The Akira murmured, he heard the shocked silence from Kankuro,

“Damn…when Gaara explained what Naruto had done…I didn’t think the level of skills would match—”

“You thought Naruto relied only on Kyuubi’s power for everything he did?” Seiko cut him off, his voice hardening. Kankuro gave him a wary glance and held his hands up,

“The only times I’ve seen him fight is with the Demon’s power.” He said defensively. Seiko relaxed slightly and shook his head softly,

“A lot of people don’t know how hard he worked to get stronger without using Kyuubi…” Their walk had led them to a large cylindrical building, the Kazekage suites.

“I already have traps set in all the other entrances, so neither of you should be disturbed…though I can’t promise anything.” Kankuro said gruffly before passing Seiko a warm smile and opening the door.

“Thank you.” Came the soft reply before Seiko disappeared into the large building. Kankuro squinted, his eyes taking in the villagers walking about before a soft sigh escaped his lips. His chakra strings twitched to life and he glanced upward letting them wrap around the building. Like a web, anything that touched it would be caught.

“Try and get through this Uchiha.” He murmured a half smirk forming on his face even as a shadow scaled silently on the opposite side of the building, avoiding the chakra strings altogether.
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Seiko could feel Sasuke looking for a way in; even so he dropped the henge and pulled the cloth from his eyes revealing the cerulean blue depths. His eyes had to adjust to the dimness of the room, since nightfall had fallen in Suna. A large chakra presence made itself known and he turned only to be met by a strong kiss, one that reminded him of the past Naruto and Gaara shared. The sensation of being kissed rocketed up through Seiko’s body, and he reeled slightly.

“You’re earlier than expected.” Gaara whispered pulling away. Seiko licked his bottom lip his eyes clearing, the memories that had flittered haphazardly through his mind finally fading.

“I’m not Naruto….” He murmured, “You know that.”

“I know.” Came the flat response, then, “Come we have much to discuss since I’ve received the Konoha’s councils request, and Naruto’s own.” Gaara’s aquamarine eyes flickered briefly over Seiko’s face before he turned leading the way through the larger Kazekage home and office. Soon they were in a small rounded office, the slits revealing the dark town. Seiko took in a few breathes. He had no right to change such carefully laid plans by those who had lived lives, and suffered loses, but he couldn’t stand back and do nothing either.

“Sasuke is here in the village and I’m taking him to Naruto.” He said in a rushed tone. Gaara stopped in the middle of the room, his back rigid and he turned slowly, the sand suddenly rearing up and blocking every crack, crevice and window.

“Why?” He hissed, “Naruto’s careful planning can come to even more disastrous results if you do not break the bond completely.”His chakra flared dangerously, the sand rattling. The cerulean eyes narrowed;

“I cannot replace Naruto. I am merely a copy, a piece of his soul. I can’t BECOME him…the disaster is the fact he alone will die, and no one will stop him. I don’t understand how you, Gaara of all people could let him…do this…” Seiko was staring at the Kazekage leader as his voice trailed off, a tilt of desperation hinting it. Gaara’s mouth tightened as he stared back at those burning eyes before finally dropping his gaze.

“He has a duty to his people, his people who will never see how great of a shinobi he truly is….he made me promise before he left, that once you made it here, the Uchiha would be detained...and you…freed from him.” Gaara’s voice was soft even has he watched Seiko with flat eyes. The blond clone felt his entire body tense at Naruto former lovers’ words.

“You made a promise….” He whispered, “There is a shinobi right outside, finding a way in here who made a promise. He promised to bring Naruto back. And we’re running out of time!” He responded his voice rising.

“I’ll say we’re running out of time.” A low voice hissed, Sasuke’s body melding from the shadows, a small garden snake slithered up his body before disappearing altogether. The blood red-sharingan whirled, a dangerous amount of chakra rippling from the Uchiha youth.
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“What have you found out?” A voice hissed through his mind. Sharingan eyes flickered closed for a brief moment, entering the common meeting place, the darkness folding around the edges of his subconscious.

“Konoha was alerted by the Toad Sannin.” Came his cool reply to the blackness. A hissing laugh filtered from the Leader at the words.

“Proceed the plans forward, the village is no concern to us at the moment. The bait has been set has it not?” Asked the voice, a delighted tilt to it. Itachi nodded once

“Uzumaki Naruto is following the group...two are already dead.” His voice was stoic, his eyes flat, “He will easily come into our possession before the new moon.”
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TBC

**Important** I think a few misunderstood what kind of 'clone' Seiko is. He is not the typical pokes and disappears kind of clone, he is Naruto split in half, and though he has lightning quick reflexes and a lot of other shinobi qualities, the only jutsu he can perform is the henge to disguise himself. Again, not the typical clone, and in earlier chapters there is a part where Naruto is practicing on making this particular clone, and the re-merging is very painful. Remember?? I hope this clears a few things up for those who are reading and confused beyond reason. probably said too much, but thought that was evident hehe. Hope you enjoyed nonetheless!!

AN: See see..thing are happening!! You can't say nothings happened!!!!! -flails- I hope everyone liked the update -twitches nervously- ...oh the drama..the angst...the betrayal!! -dramatic voice-...-coughs-...anyway..i obviously haven't had enough sleep recently...Gimme some feedback people!! I need to hear it cuz i'm sooo unsure about this chapter....I've practically been sitting on it for like a week and a half and changed it twice before!!!

Onto the reviews I did receive!! (kisses and hugs to all =D)


Sneakyfox : Thank you so very much, yes closer and closer..I hope not to close with this chapter....Yep and still updating, hopefully with school winding down shortly i'll be able to pick up the pace, i know you alll would enjoy that!! I hope you liked this update..a little bit more...things going on...hehe...

Dying Dreams:Thank you very much, one shots are just fun for me..not that this isn't, its just when i don't want to really think about what i'm reading, or i need a good winding down...i head for the smutfest stuff..I can't help it, lol. Still unsure where its going? XD

lokivsanubis: Nope, Akira doesn't leave the sleeping Uchiha, as mucha s I was pondering that hehe, and as you can see its a memory Naruto is cherishing...at the moment when he can cherish such things. Sai and Kashi will be in the scene once more, and hopefully a bit more of whats going on in Konoha cuz...a fights a-brewin' and can't leave everyone out of it hehe

Halskr: Thank youf or the review hehe we'll just have to see now won't we about those guesses of yours!!

Sa-Chan: Thank you so much, i'm glad you found me =D. What a flatterer...you have me blushing hehe...I'll try and keep you guessing and I hope you enjoyed the update!!

AngelicChaos: Thank you so much, I think I addressed you answers to the little challenge in a nice long email hehe. Don't worry I've really been thinking about it..and I think i just might have something I just need to find the time to actually get it on paper hehe. Now don't worry, see I updated!!! And no dying, I can't lose an awesome reviewer!! -flails- yes the villagers are a bunch of ungrateful fuckers...and yes...if he did get his head out of his ass and realize had has people to help him..but u know..he's *naruto* for friekens sake...lol...thank you thank u so very much, I hope you enjoyed it!!

Meg: Thank goodness someones still hooked!! (among others don't need to offend all my reviewers) hehe, thanks so much! Did u like?? Maybe?? Just a little perhaps? XD

spoon: hehe...did i satisfy ur need to find out whats been going on? I still hope not...might have put too much information int his chapter..but I still hoped you enjoyed it =D and don't worry, Sai and Kakashi will be catching up...and won't they be surprised when they do -whistles-


PlotAficionado: Oh i do?? XD I never thought i did, i'm just really enjoying and into this story like no other, i love writing it!!Their should still be a few surprises coming up...I'm sure..hehe....I'm so happy you've loved it so far, i hoped you liked the update, a bit more clearing up if I do say so myself lol, but hopefully not too much clearing up!!

sunlight159: Did you like it? I hope so!! Thank you so much for the review, i've been wanting to update earlier, but so scared to so!! thanks again =D

**Anyone willing to be a constant Beta that would be wonderful!!


Well..there you have it...Please review!!! I need them like you wouldn't believe!!