Kyuubi the Bitch

A.N. *Blinks* Okay so I am now in hiding from those who want me dead, but I must say… I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! Thank you for all the reviews in the last chapter and a special thanks to Broken Sexed Up Bloody Kitty for pointing out some Major mistakes of mine. I’ll be going back through and correcting the older chapters so be prepared for that. As Promised here is Chapter Nine! Naruto’s reaction… and boy did he throw me for a loop! I really wasn’t expecting him to pull this one but… *Shrugs* That’s Konoha’s number one most unpredictable Ninja for you. Enjoy!

 

Kyuubi the Bitch

 

Naruto

 

Chapter Five: Betrayal, Determination, Destruction

 

            The sewers of his mind were as empty as ever, leaking water that sloshed carelessly about his ankles, soaked into his clothes and skin, chilling him even as the condensed air made him sweat.

 

            Kyuubi was there, as she always was, grinning foully from her confines, her teeth gleaming in the gloom, her chakra bubbling out and far beyond the cage. It heated the water and burned through his body. The lingering tingle of charged energy pulsed through his nerves, reminding him that he was severely tapping into her power.

 

            The pervert had told him to. Had said that controlling Kyuubi’s chakra would be the first step in getting stronger, and indeed he was so much stronger. His body trembled with it, the earth quaked under him and the lucid ache from every inch of his body told him just how much power he had obtained by simply accepting the fox’s chakra as his own.

 

            Still, it wasn’t enough.

 

            “You will never be strong enough. You are only a weak, pathetic, human, whose own sires had no will to raise.”

 

            “Shut up.” Naruto snapped, aware that he was still in control if just barely, and tried not to allow the vindictive creature to sway his mind.

 

            “That’s why your mate left isn’t it?”

 

            “Shut up.” He’d stopped correcting her terminology some time ago. He didn’t much care what she called Sasuke, so long as her power helped to bring the bastard home.

 

            “You’re too human. Too fragile. Too much of a weakness.”

 

            “Shut up!”

 

            “He left you, that is a fact, kit. He. Left. You. And he doesn’t want to come back.” The words rang too true, too painful and Naruto clenched his eyes closed, his mind dredging up the harrowing memories of the Valley of the End as well as Sasuke’s second departure and it poisoned his still bleeding wounds.

 

            “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!”

 

            “You are weak… but I can help you.” The croon of the words was deadly, and yet they tempted him.

 

            “You lie.”

 

            “Why would I lie to you?”

 

            “Because you’re a vindictive demon bitch, and you hate me!”

 

            “I hate everything, stop making yourself sound so special.” Kyuubi looked bored, her eyes boring holes into him. “You are annoying at best and now you are just irritating. Helping to find your mate will give me a break from your stupidity.”

 

            The words made sense, and Naruto was well aware that he was barely able to control the three-tailed-fox cloak—as Jiraiya called it—and more specifically the pain that came with it. All the same, he could do it. Just as he’d mastered the new forms of the Rasengan and when Jiraiya wasn’t looking, working on his own Jutsu. He was improving, it was just taking too long.

 

            “You are running out of time, aren’t you?” Kyuubi’s taunt broke through his indecision and Naruto shook, his feet edging him closer to the cage, stretching out his hand even as he looked on in horror.

 

            She was right, he didn’t have time. In a little less than six months Sasuke would be gone, forever. In just six months Orochimaru would use his body transfer Jutsu and Sasuke would cease to exist.

 

            Everything rode on him. His success in his training, his determination, his belief, his strength.

 

His choice.

 

            “That’s it… leave it all to me.” The demon purred as Naruto walked through the bars, willingly.

 

            No one else would help him.

 

            No one else would save Sasuke.

 

It was all up to him.

 

            And Kyuubi closed her paws, crushing his soul, and the flames of hell ripped his mind apart, and then…

 

…there was nothing.

 

 

            “Sasuke.”

 

-3-

 

 

            The blankets were warm, with the soft scent of detergent, the musky smell of rain and soil mingled with his own permeated the sheets, and it was a comfort to him, and he snuggled closer to the pillow beside him. He filled his lungs breathing deeply and smiling against the fabric. His stomach felt tight, a pressure building and thrumming with the beginnings of pain. Naruto frowned, whimpering a bit and snuggling closer to where his friend slept.

 

           When Sasuke didn’t turn to pull him into a hug or grumble at him in return, Naruto pushed further toward him. “Sasuke… my problem…” Naruto grumped, and was again ignored. With an angered frown Naruto shoved further toward Sasuke’s side of the bed, hoping that he’d jar into the slumbering boy and wake him up.

 

            The sudden plummet and collision with the floor woke him abruptly. The chain reaction of blistering pain shuddered up his spine and around his belly. With a gasp, Naruto curled up, cursing all things under the sun while clenching his teeth against the pressure.

 

            “Sasuke!” Naruto whimpered out twisting his head to search for his missing friend, who seemed disinclined to help him, and meticulously thought out all ways to gut him and beat him into a pile of goo.

 

            It took several minutes for the minor details to set in, but as they slowly came into focus, Naruto felt his body chill with fear.

 

            The drawers were left open on his dresser, the bag next to the closet was missing, and the sleeping clothes the Uchiha had worn to bed the night before were in a messy pile before the dresser.

 

            Sasuke was almost meticulous, reveling in order to the point of near obsession, for the room to be left like this…

 

            Naruto pushed himself up ignoring the warm cramping and the lightheadedness and wandered over to the nightstand. Only one hitai-ate rested there, its scored surface reflecting his pale face back at him mockingly.

 

            His heart thrummed in his chest and echoed in his ears, blotting out the pain and replacing it with dawning terror and denial. “No… no…” Naruto whispered, ignoring the headband and the house keys placed meticulously beside it, and bolted from the bedroom, legs shaking, stomach aching.

 

            “No!” Naruto repeated his painful mantra as room after room turned out to be empty, the kitchen cold and aroma free, the bathroom pristine—if still chard—and unused. He still hoped that maybe, maybe Sasuke was simply arguing with the damn fox but when he reach the front landing, and took note of Sasuke’s missing shoes, that tiny bit of denial bled away leaving nothing.

 

            In a haze of dread, he turned, forgoing shoes, clothes and his hitai-ate and bolted for the Hokage tower. He didn’t want to bring this to Tsunade’s attention but it was the best option he had. If Sasuke was simply out with Kakashi—after all the Jounin was still watching him right?—she’d know about it. And if he wasn’t…

 

-3-

 

 

            “Uchiha has defied our agreement and willfully betrayed Konoha.”

 

            The echoing words couldn’t be true. He refused to accept them, his stomach churning sickly with his stomach acid, and his lower gut aching with his sprint and its internal cramping but Naruto’s mind was far from that, trying to piece together how it was that things were spiraling so totally out of control.

 

            “… b—but he left his house keys!” Naruto breathed out, the words feeling like a scream but hardly audible in the room where Kakashi stood beside the Hokage. His quiet words made them both start and the pity in their eyes burned him and spurred the tears gathering in his eyes to burn and spill over his cheeks.

 

            “It’s a sign from him that he obviously does not intend to return.” Tsunade said darkly, her face lowered to rest on her hands. The position reminded Naruto of how Sasuke used to brood in class and he shuddered, tears falling harder though he didn’t make a sound.

 

            His nose tingled and began to run as his emotions flew out of control and this time he did little to draw them back in.

 

            “He left his hitai-ate!” This time it was a shout.

 

            “Naruto, he just seceded from the village why would he take his—“

 

            “No! We promised!” Naruto was babbling now, so many thoughts running through his head, so many conflicting memories boggling the senses, it made explaining far too difficult. “We promised after we swapped! He took mine! Do you get it! He took mine!”

 

            The bewildered expressions on his teacher and leader’s faces enraged him and Naruto snarled, fisting his hands and screaming in the office like an irate child. He was aware that he was losing himself and probably frightening the adults there but he didn’t much care as his nails elongated and punctured through the skin of his palms.

 

            He was volatile and angry, and all around hurt and no one, no one was helping him.

 

            “Naruto stop this right now!” Tsunade snapped, her hand slamming into the desk with enough force to crack the wood top. “You are taking this far too personally.”

 

            “Personally?! He’s my friend, Baa-chan!” Naruto cried out, his slit eyes focusing on the mother-like figure across from him, his face screwed up in helpless—hopeless—agony. Her eyes turned tormented and she glanced away, her own fingers curling up into a fist. “He’s…. he’s all I…Damn it!” Naruto broke off scrubbing at his eyes and choking on the mucus that ran over his upper lip and down his throat.

 

            The silence was deafening, no one daring to speak aloud and Naruto fell apart. The scrap of the door opening preceded the shuffled entrance of the two people Naruto hated most, the third—an elderly man wrapped in bandages and leaning heavily on a cain—Naruto had never seen before, but when he spoke, Naruto was certain that this third member of the elderly trio was no better than the first two.

 

            “The Missing-Nin, Sasuke Uchiha, will be labeled as an ‘S’ rank criminal until caught and killed.”

 

            “No!” Naruto shouted, whipping back around and pleading with Tsunade to listen to him. “No, Sasuke’s just being an ass! He… he just wants to get strong enough to avenge his family! You can’t kill him!”

 

            “Children should not be privy to the on-goings of the leadership.” The crippled man stated, eyes a narrow glare on Naruto’s head. “Even demon ones.”

 

            Naruto stiffened, his insides twisting when Tsunade stalled whatever it was he might have done.

 

            “That is by far enough, Danzo! Naruto is Sasuke’s teammate and friend, he knows the Uchiha best and if he thinks the Uchiha can be saved…”

 

            “You are leaving the fate of this village in the hands of this emotional…” Danzo bit off his description with a cough and calmly continued. “My Anbu can track him down and—“

 

            “You’re Anbu are the cause of this mess.” Tsunade’s blunt rebuttal caused a silence so profound it literally rang throughout the room. Naruto frowned, his tears subsiding with those words, and the sentence stuck in his mind burning into his memory with a profound sense of urgency.

 

            Something had just been divulged here, something the elder’s and this Danzo guy didn’t want known.

 

            The momentary epiphany was lost as Tsunade continued, and Naruto momentarily forgot the whole interlude.

 

            “As of today, Sasuke Uchiha is a missing Nin wanted by Konoha, alive, until such actions by him make him a threat to Konoha. Is that clear?”

 

            The elders remained quiet, but they did not protest, an action that Naruto found all too peculiar.

 

Something wasn’t right.

 

            Danzo let out a snort of derision and hobbled out from the room. His action reminded Naruto of how the Third had reacted to his childish pranks and foolish decisions. Suddenly he wonder just how old they all were if they saw Tsunade as a foolish child.

 

            “Then this matter is settled.”

 

            “No, it isn’t, aren’t you sending a team after Sasuke?” Naruto asked, gripping the front of her desk, his knuckles a stark off-white color.

 

            “Naruto—“ Tsunade began, her head shaking slowly and Naruto jumped forward, flinching as his stomach rebelled and a hot rush flooded his system. Startled sounds from behind him were all but ignored as he stared down the Godaime with a determination born simply from the loss of everything he’d ever held dear. He didn’t have the time to worry about what the elder’s were fussing about.

 

            “Send me! I can bring him back you know I can!”

 

            Kakashi stepped around him his one eye wide and his hands outstretched gripping his shoulder’s. “Naruto, calm down your—“

 

            “Damn it, I can do th—“ He shook the grip off and spun around to face his teacher, angry at his attempt to stop him, and the world spun crazily as pain flushed through and Naruto cried out, his knees buckling. Kakashi caught him, lifting him up, his expression stern and Tsunade made a strangled noise.

 

            “I’ll take him to medical.”

 

            “What, but I’m—“

 

            “You are bleeding Naruto.” Tsunade gritted out, standing to follow.

 

            “Of course I a—“Kakashi’s jostle cut him short and suddenly Naruto remembered that his newest problem in life was a secret held from the elders’ currently in the room with them. He fell silent, bottom lip worried between his teeth.

 

            “We’ll pick this up after I examine him.” Tsunade told the elder’s and without waiting for a response, ushered both himself and Kakashi from the room.

 

-3-

 

 

            The hospital room was drab and far too sterile for his liking. The walls too bright, too clean, too perfect when the world was so very wrong, and it just pissed him off.

 

            He was too angry to cry, too sad to scream, and for the moment too much of an anomaly to send after Sasuke.

 

He was weak.

 

He was useless.

 

He was alone.

 

            “Well, it looks like… he left his place to you, Naruto.” Kakashi spoke softly from his place against the window, his face buried in his book as though this was just another day. That Naruto’s being in the hospital—again—was just another every day occurrence, as was his students defecting to the enemy. Yep, just another grand old happy go lucky day in the world of Kakashi, playing the fool while playing guard so Naruto couldn’t go after him.

 

            “Who did she send after Sasuke?”

 

            “Who indeed?” Another turn of a page, and a shifting of focus.

 

            “Damn it, you fucking pervert don’t you care at all?! Who did the hag send out after him?! Have they found him?! Where—“

 

            “All remarkable questions that I cannot answer.”

 

            “You mean, you won’t answer.”

 

            Kakashi simply continued to read, ignoring Naruto’s insult as well as the implication. Laying back down, with his back to his teacher, Naruto tried to think of all the reason’s the bastard could have had for leaving, but they all lead to dead ends or looped back in on themselves. It made his head hurt and his chest ache.

 

            “I want to go home.”

 

            “Sorry, no can do. The Elders think you’re injured. It’s better to let them think that.”

 

Another turn of a page.

 

            Naruto’s fists clenched in the sheets, and he trembled, lips pursed tight in a thin line. He refused to react, refused to roll back over to face his teacher, and refused to make a sound. The time passed slowly, making his headache worse from his stress and anger, and the pressure to scream. His whole body had taken up a fine tremble by the time the door creaked open.

 

            “He asleep?” Iruka’s presence was strong in the room, and his voice was concerned, and Naruto felt the urge to seriously fake sleep to avoid the chuunin. For no other reason than he doubted he could handle the other. He was far passed the pitying stage and all he wanted now was action.

 

A conclusion.

 

            Yet, it seemed that was the one thing no one wanted to see happen.

 

            “No, but he is about as personable as a badger at the moment. Best to keep your distance until you get a rabies shot.” Kakashi’s amusement earned him a glare, Naruto didn’t even need to look to know it had. Iruka was just that predictable.

 

            “I think I’ll take my chances.” Iruka snapped, then his voice took on the mothering tone that earned him most of the teasing he received. “Naruto? Are you okay? I brought some ramen.”

 

            He didn’t even want to know how he’d managed to get it passed the staff, and into the room to use as a bribe, hell, he didn’t even want it. Of course his unresponsiveness sparked more concern and a jostling of the bed as Iruka sat beside him.

 

            “Naruto? Talk to me.”

 

            Ah, there was the demanding teacher voice Naruto had known to be buried under the mothering persona.

 

            “Hn.”

 

            “Oh dear, we lost him.” Kakashi dead-panned with another rustling of paper. “And after all that work to get him to speak properly.”

 

            “Kakashi!” Iruka hissed in his defense, but Naruto couldn’t find it in himself to care. It was obvious now, no one was going to do anything. Clenching his teeth and staring holes into the wall, he dared to say he finally understood Sasuke.

 

            Why he was quiet, why he didn’t bother to explain his side—no one listened, and if they did, they didn’t care, not really—why he was willing to abandon the village, everything in it, to pursue his brother alone—no one cared if he achieved his goal, or if Itachi was stopped—he understood; clearly. Sasuke had merely stopped waiting.

 

            “It’s okay Naruto, I’m certain the Hokage’s doing everything in her power to find Sasuke.” Iruka’s words were as gentle as his fingers through his hair, and as empty as the air around him. “Sasuke will be brought back.”

 

            Yes, he would. Naruto would make certain of that.

 

-3-

 

 

            It was dark. He was slightly surprised that he’d fallen asleep at all when he noticed the figure standing at the foot of his bed, silently staring out of the window. Jiraiya’s white hair seemed to glimmer in the moonlight, and for a while Naruto wondered what he’d seen in his life, what he saw now.

 

            Jiraiya’s expression was somber, tight, and his eyes were intense and focused, not unlike his own. Jiraiya understood, like Sasuke did, like Naruto did now.

 

            “Ero-sennin?” Naruto asked quietly, and watched the other man turn, something in his stare was off. It was bitter, and broken, and Naruto didn’t like it.

 

            “I hear you still intend to bring the Uchiha home.”

 

            “He’s just trying to avenge his clan. He’s not a betrayer.”

 

            Jiraiya sighed and seemed to slump into himself, his hands making their way into the pockets of his pants. “Friendship has a way of blinding one to the truth, allowing them to see only what they want to see, and to idiotically cling to a hope that has long ago died. It makes one into a fool.”

 

            “Sasuke isn’t like the snake bastard.” Naruto met Jiraiya’s eyes, daring him to say otherwise, but the Sannin just smiled tiredly at him.

 

            “I thought so too, Naruto, but there are some realities in life that we just can’t escape. And sometimes you just have to accept that they couldn’t be saved. These sacrifices are what make a person wise; it’s what it means to grow up.

 

            “Sasuke is gone. Don’t play the fool by chasing his memory around like a jilted lover. It’s neither appealing, nor healthy, especially if you still intend to become Hokage.”

 

            “What does that have to do with anything?” Naruto snapped. “This and that are two very different—“

 

            “Are they?”

 

            Such a simple statement and yet it held so much importance behind that Naruto felt physically struck dumb.

 

            “If you chase after him now, you will spend a life time searching for something you may never achieve, and in that time you will have wasted that which should have been spent toward your own goals and ambitions. Do you understand? You’re placing your life on hold for him.”

 

            Naruto considered his words a moment, his thoughts settling over everything he fought so hard for, the progress and setbacks, the losses and things he’d gained. After a long moment he smiled to himself, feeling a lot calmer than he had in a long while and met Jiraiya’s gaze, his own steady and determined.

 

            “Tell me ero-sennin, what kind of Hokage would I be if I didn’t try and save my best friend? If I simply accepted that I had failed?”

 

            The elder man seemed taken aback at his words, and Naruto smiled wider at him, his insides churning and still weak but steady under the weight of his conviction. This was his choice, and as he’d done his whole life, he would stand up and trudge through whatever was in his way until he’d reached his goal.

 

            “Honestly, if being wise means giving up, then I’d much rather remain the fool.”

 

            Jiraiya smiled then, his large hand reaching back to scrub at his neck and he shook his head. “Brat… well then, I guess you’re going to need some instruction in foolery. Wouldn’t want you failing at that as well.”

 

            “Hey! When have I ever failed?!” Naruto cried, hopping up in the bed and was shoved back as Jiraiya stepped around it.

 

            “We leave at dawn, so get ready, don’t waste anymore time then necessary. We have less than three years to get you ready.”

 

            Three years. Seemed like forever, but Naruto had the feeling it would pass by in the blink of an eye. “Right.” Shuffling from the bed, Naruto felt his stomach twinge, reminding him that he’d have to figure out how to use the Jigokuitai Jutsu himself or suffer through the pain.

 

            Well, he could always ask the pervert to help. Naruto shook the idea from his head immediately, telling Jiraiya that he had… this problem would end violently. Not to mention his Sexy jutsu would be brought into question and Naruto was simply not ready to deal with that.

 

            “Get your shit, I’ll speak to Tsunade.” And the old man was gone, leaving Naruto alone in the hospital room once more. With a path and a goal in mind, he felt lighter, calmer, and Naruto breathed deeply turning to look up at the night sky.

 

            Those distant specks of light had always been his silent companions. They’d been there, every night, for every tear and every smile. He felt somehow guilty now, realizing that he hadn’t looked up at the stars in quite awhile. Sasuke had taken up most of his thoughts, even now, as he stared determinedly up into the night, Naruto’s thoughts were full of the dark haired-pain-in-the-ass.

 

            He could clearly see that smug smirk, mocking eyes, duck-butt, messy hair, the labeled clothes and the guarded stance. It was all right there so close in his mind and yet the reality was so far he ached.

 

            The cool air was a relief and Naruto reveled in it as he measured his leaps and escaped from the hospital, moving like a shadow passed the sentries and sleeping civilians. It didn’t take him long to arrive at the Uchiha district, and took even less time to get inside.

 

            He ignored the lingering, chilling silence, lips set in a straight line as he stalked back into Sasuke’s room. It was here that he paused. Looking around once more, Naruto tried to find proof of Sasuke’s betrayal, of his broken promise. Proof of anything that said he’d chosen to forget his words whispered in the hospital room.

 

            Yet, as he looked, all he could see was the remnants of his friend.

 

            The traded Hitai-ate stared at him from the dresser, the key glimmered like a solid form of the trust between them, and behind that the single photo of team seven stood proud and strong. Naruto remembered returning with Sasuke from the hospital before and finding that picture face down on the dresser.

 

That had been his goodbye.

 

            Naruto traced the image with his fingers, wondering what this one meant.

 

            He moved about the room, uselessly cleaning, straightening the room and bed sheets, as though he expected Sasuke to come back and yell at him for the mess. Naruto smirked when he’d finished, and looked around for the pack of provisions he kept there, only then realizing that he had all but moved in with his friend, and the fact that Sasuke had left him the key, had taken Naruto’s Hitai-ate, more than proved Sasuke’s innocence.

 

            The idiot was just running blindly forward, again without any sense of direction, and Naruto had to be sure to catch him when the bastard fell. Sasuke had known that, and left all that meant anything to him in Naruto’s hands. His female hormones reared their ugly head then, and his nose burned and eyes stung with more tears.

 

            “Damn it…Stupid bastard… who said… whoever said I’d wait!” He hadn’t meant to, but Naruto crawled into that bed and curled against the sheets, head tilted to the window. He could see the stars, and whimpered pathetically, his anger trying to suppress the sadness.

 

            “Please… if there is anything up there…” Naruto paused, breathing deep and felt every inch of him shudder at the smell that wafted up from the sheets.

Detergent, musk, and rain.

 

            Sasuke. The room was saturated by that comforting scent.

 

            “… please, keep his stupid ass alive… until I can save him. Please, keep him safe…” Naruto whispered to the stars, imploring them to grant this one single wish.

 

            He’d never been religious. Never known how or what to believe, but if there was anything he trusted, anything he had faith in, it was the stars and the strength people found in believing. Fate could be broken, God was someone Naruto had never known, but the stars, they saw everything, and even now they probably could see Sasuke.

 

            Feeling somehow comforted by the twinkling quiet Naruto closed his eyes breathing deeply one last time before…

 

-3-

 

            Eyes eased open with a gritty feeling and the remnants of pain. Sunlight lanced into his brain and he closed his eyes groaning as the last of the hazy memory-dreams faded, leaving him in the bright morning with nothing but sore muscles and fragmented thoughts.

 

            Fuck me… that hurts… whatever I did I am never doing that again… Even swallowing hurt, his throat feeling like sandpaper, his tongue a lump of driftwood.

 

            Naruto smacked his lips a few times attempting to get some saliva in there and winced when his chapped lips split and blood soaked his skin in a lazy dribble.

 

            “Uhg… Ero-sannin?” Naruto croaked out as blurred memories of the old man yelling at him to try harder, focus more, control the burning, agonizing power within him. He recalled thinking some nasty things along the lines of where he could shove that control of his, as well as his blasted training, and suddenly wondered if he’d said it out loud.

 

            That would account for the blanks in his memory as well as his pain.

 

            Forcing his body to listen, Naruto rolled to his side and opened his eyes once more. The image of their camp that he was expecting was not what met his eyes and Naruto gave a start at the large expanse of nothing before him, wondering just how hard Jiraiya had struck him if it left so much destroyed.

 

            He could have sworn there had been cliffs around.

 

            “You’re finally… awake, eh brat?” Jiraiya coughed from somewhere behind him, and the staggered humor in the tone sparked a tense worry that had Naruto whipping around. His skin screamed at him, tingling and smarting as though he’d just finished fighting against Sasuke’s fire jutsu.

 

            Sunburn… how the fuck did I get sunb… why can I feel the ground on my skin? Naruto blinked wide, confused blue eyes at his teacher, who was currently slumped against a rather large toad—thankfully not Gammabunta but it was in no way gamakichi—and stared at the disheveled form.

 

            Aside from the wounded way in which he sat, and the dark bruises and scuff marks Jiraiya looked fine, if a little tired, so Naruto dismissed his worry over the other, and turned it toward himself. Looking down, Naruto let out a squealed gasp when his fears were proven true and he was indeed laying naked as the day he was born.

 

            “Ho shit! What the—aww man, that was my last jumpsuit you pervy ass!” Naruto cried, ignoring his smarting skin and curling into a ball to hide himself thanking all forms of life that he was not on his problem. Hiding it from Jiraiya had been nearly impossible. But somehow—that somehow being Tsunade’s foresight to send a slug with “provisions”—he’d managed thus far and getting caught now, on the last stretch of their training was definitely not how Naruto wanted the white haired man to find out.

 

            “Psh, that sorry orange thing was about to fall right off you. You out grew it months ago, at least now you have a reason to get something new, and not so, orange.” Jiraiya smirked, and Naruto frowned, making a mental note to find something just as orange as his old wardrobe just for that comment.

 

            Besides, it had sort of become his signature. Like Kakashi’s mask, and Sasuke’s family crest. If he wasn’t wearing orange, he wasn’t Naruto Uzumaki. Besides, until Sasuke was safely back home, Naruto couldn’t change. More than that he wouldn’t.

 

            He would change nothing, he would keep things frozen in time for the bastard just as the other has asked, and then when he was back, Naruto would let all hell break lose.

Oh, yeah. He had plans.

 

            Nearly two years worth of plans to be exact, and when those went into play Sasuke wouldn’t know what hit him. Hell he’d spend the next century looking for the vin number of the bus that broadsided him.

 

            “… so… you wanna tell me what I did wrong so I know not to do it again?” Naruto asked, scratching his head and looking around for anything resembling their camp.”… and where’d our shit go? I need to wear something to get some new clothes in. I doubt they’ll sell me anything butt naked…”

 

Still surveying his surroundings, Naruto didn’t notice the silence at first, and didn’t catch the concerned, even frightened look the Sannin sent his way, until Jiraiya spoke. “You… don’t remember?”

 

            “Well, I remember trying to bring out more of Kyuubi’s chakra, you were harping on me to control it… then…”

 

 

            “You are weak! Your own mate doesn’t want you!”

 

 

            Naruto shivered, Kyuubi’s voice very clear in his memory. She was very quiet now, in fact, Naruto could barely sense her at all—not that he was complaining about that—but her sudden silence was a little curious.

 

            “Then what, Naruto?”

 

            “Huh?” Naruto turned, meeting the other’s eyes and became even more wary at the intense stare being shot his way. “Oh, nothing, Kyuubi was being a little bitch, the usual taunting… and shit… then…” Naruto’s eyes grew wide with inlaid fear. “Nothing. Did…” His voice cracked and Naruto had to swallow once before trying again. “Did Kyuubi…do this?”

 

            Jiraiya stared at him a long moment, and it was obvious he was debating on whether or not to tell Naruto the truth. Finally, when he spoke, Naruto was relieved to see the old man stand.

 

            “Partially, yes, though I think this had more to do with you and your emotions than the demon.”

 

            “… let me guess, I need more control?”

 

            “Precisely.”

 

            Naruto grinned, rubbing the back of his head and laughing along with his teacher, but inside a small finger of dread curled in his gut. Its icy persuasion telling him that that was not the entire truth, but Naruto harshly ignored it. He couldn’t back peddle now, he had less than six months to find Sasuke, he’d worry about this after that.

 

After that.

 

            “Well, we should start heading back.” Jiraiya said with a grin. “We have little time left. It would be best to train on the way back to Konoha.”

 

            “But… training Kyuubi’s chakra is… that’s why we are out here in the—“

 

            “For now, I think it’s best to stay where we are. This last test proves that getting three tails is your limit. Don’t argue!” He snapped with practiced ease already shuffling away. “Besides, Kyuubi should only be used when necessary. We should practice your rasengan on the way, this is all the time we have for either.”

 

            Reluctantly, Naruto had to agree. “Fine…Hey! Wait, I can’t go naked! What about clothes?!”

 

            Jiraiya blinked back at him. “Well, I was thinking you could wait in the woods and I’d go get you some.”

 

            “No way!”

 

            “What? You have a better idea?”

 

            “Nuh-uh, no way, no how! Have you seen yourself? And people think I’m fashion challenged… ow!” Naruto cried out at the fist that belted his head. “Damn it! What the hell?”

 

            “Stupid brat, whose fault is it that your clothes are cinders, hmm? I said control it! Now, either shut your trap and do as you’re told or figure out your own way of getting something!”

 

            Jiraiya was again stalking off, and Naruto grumbled, shakily getting to his feet and stumbling after him, trying not to blush, and reminding himself that they were in the middle of no where. Besides, if he had to he could always henge into…

 

            Naruto’s grin was filled with pure malice and mirth. The grin of a well practiced prankster, as he snickered, rubbing his hands together.

 

            “You are down right creepy, you know that?”

 

           “I have an idea.” Naruto voiced, and Jiraiya pinched the bridge of his nose as though staving off a head ache.

 

            “Why do I get the feeling that this will end in utter chaos?”

 

            Naruto shrugged his comment off and stepped around him, his shoulders back has saunter proud despite his nakedness. “Calm down, everything will be fine, trust me.” Naruto waved from over his shoulder his mind already hammering out the details.

 

            “Well, whatever it is do it quickly, I really don’t think I can handle walking all the way back to Konoha having to look at your naked ass.”

 

            “I don’t see you complaining when I’m a girl…”

 

            “Shut it.”

 

            Naruto rolled his eyes, and continued on, only then realizing the angry knot of hunger in his belly. Damn… how long was I out?

 

            The thought was fleeting, and gone before he could really start to worry, over missing days or the small limp to Jiraiya’s step. He did however notice how the man held his own torso gently, but decided that Jiraiya must have been hungry too.

 

-3-

 

            “I can’t believe you did that.” Jiraiya groaned, his back against a tree, eyes clenched shut against the remembered horror and subsequently the fire glowing between them. Naruto snickered darkly zipping up the orange and black top of his new uniform.

 

            Just as he’d promised he’d found a jogging suit made of almost the exact same fabric as his old jumpsuit—the jacket being the only thing different with its back sleeves and shoulders—and had purchased three all while henged as a cross dressing Sasuke.

 

            “It worked didn’t it?”

 

            “That image will take years to erase from my psyche…” Jiraiya grumbled. “Why didn’t you just stay in those clothes as a woman?”

 

            Naruto paused to think on that, his lower lip pouting slightly. Why had he decided to change into Sasuke at the last minute?

 

            His original plan had been working fine. He used his sexy Jutsu and approached a tavern crying about being mugged. The men had fallen over themselves to help him and before he knew it he was walking out in something similar to a dress. It was risqué and revealing but it would work long enough to get into a few stores.

 

            It had all gone perfectly, and then while he’d been in the store he just had the sudden urge to poke fun at his friend. It could have been brought on by any number of things really. Naruto felt that the ass deserved to have a few people talking shit about him for leaving, and maybe he was still smarting a bit over his departure, and of course if he took on the disguise of Sasuke and someone recognized him, it could give him a clue on the other, and last but not least, Sasuke was just too pretty not to see in that flimsy little thing.

 

            “…because?” Naruto answered with a shrug.

 

            “I fear for those who have earned your wrath. I seriously do.”

 

            Naruto grinned again, stretching a bit in his new gear and twisting around to look at himself.

 

            “Why does it have to be orange?”

 

            “… because I like it?” Naruto asked, fake grin in place.

 

            “Right. I’ll believe that when Tsunade wins a bet.” With that Jiraiya rolled over, his back now facing him and proceeded to drift off into sleep. How the other could do that—falling into immediate unconsciousness—was beyond him and made him slightly envious.

 

            With a soft sigh Naruto submitted himself to first watch and stared into the flames, his senses flared out to cover the area. With Kyuubi’s senses alert for anything not part of the current ecosystem for this area—and on the look out for small foxes with gender and species confusion—Naruto allowed his mind to drift.

 

            He didn’t really think of anything in particular, just wondered. Two years, was a long time, and suddenly he was curious about what all had changed in the village. A part of him was slightly worried, wanting it to be just as it was when he left, and still another was excited to see the village anew. It was a very confusion and conflicting feeling, and it made Naruto antsy. He didn’t want to wait for morning, he wanted to get up and go, right now.

 

            Would they have Tsunade’s face up on the mountain? Would Sakura be angry with him for leaving? Okay, he didn’t want to know that one so much… How would Konohamaru be holding up? Damn, he must be a genin by now… Naruto smiled to himself and finally allowed the nagging tingle of homesickness to gnaw away at him.

 

            It would be good to be home, to see everyone again, and more than that, see if Tsunade had made any progress with the hunt for Sasuke. The feelings just seemed to swell inside of him, giving him a nervous twitch and he fiddled with his Hitai-ate to keep his hands busy. Pulling fabric away from his forehead he examined the faceplate, his finger tracing the scrape along the symbol a small smile tilting his lips. As stupid as it seemed, having this small thing made Naruto feel less alone, and knowing that Sasuke had his wherever he was made it feel as though they were still somehow connected.

 

            >You know kit, he probably threw it away.<

 

No one cares.

 

            >Right, and that is why you’re fiddling with his memory like an old worn toy. Because you don’t care…<

 

            I liked you better when you didn’t talk to me.

 

            >And I liked it better before I was trapped in your body. Looks like we both get to suffer.<

 

            Naruto rolled his eyes wondering what had made the annoyance wake up. She’d been flat out unconscious all afternoon. It was almost like after getting sprayed by the damn fox, and Naruto had never felt so free. Obviously his freedom was over.

 

            I though you didn’t like talking to me.

 

            >I still don’t.<

 

            Then why the fuck are you communicating with me?!

 

            >To stop your annoying internal bitching and whining about your mate.<

 

            Naruto huffed and tried ignoring the demon. It seemed to work for a while. She remained silent for all of five minutes which Naruto took the time to debate how long it would take to reach Konoha. He doubted very seriously he could stand many more watches like this when his goals seemed so close.

 

            Was this what Sasuke had felt back then? Is that why he—

 

            >You are thinking of him again.<

 

            Naruto sighed and resituated himself, deciding to try molding some chakra focusing on creating the Rasengan. He wasn’t fool-hardy enough to attempt the higher variations of the attack so close to Jiraiya, but the basic forms he could practice relatively safely.

 

            The flames danced with the slight incline of wind and Naruto watched as embers flickered and swirled along with his wind before snubbing out near the center. It was pretty in an unstable and dangerous way, pretty in the way the two complimenting elements danced in his palm. Come to think of it Sasuke’s natural element was fire. Maybe that was why they were such good friends. Like their elements they fed off each other. Maybe—

 

            >Again.<

 

            Naruto jumped, the chakra and wind slipping away in a soft backlash that landed Naruto on his back, staring up through the foliage at the patch of glittering stars above.

 

          >You have just reach an all new level of pathetic, kit. Can you not think of anything besides that waste of flesh?<

 

            Naruto sighed, no longer listening, eyes tracing designs in the night sky, caught and held captive by numerous memories that all seemed to circle around one pale boy.

 

            >I will take that as a no. No you can’t… damn it. Couldn’t they have trapped me in something remotely intelligent?<

 

            Kyuubi’s internal rant continued, but Naruto all but ignored her, eyes distant, thumb rubbing over the mark on the Hitai-ate.

 

-3-

 

            It was nice to know that really not much had changed, and Naruto was still smiling even after checking in with the Hokage and being told he had to re-take the bell test to next morning with Sakura. Sakura was taller, stronger, and far more frightening than before, but she was still the same girl he’d grown up with, and though Konohamaru had proven his mastery of the Sexy Jutsu, the child’s admiration of him still hadn’t dimmed in the least.

 

            “I’m glad you’re back. Things weren’t right with you and… yeah…” Sakura coughed a bit at his side, her hands behind her back twisting together in a nervous way that seemed so very uncharacteristic of her. Naruto grinned, and crossed his own hands behind his head.

 

            “Yeah, training with ero-sannin felt like training for the chunin exams again.”

 

            “It did. I kept expecting to see you and Sasuke turn the corner fighting over some silly thing…” Sakura’s voice turned soft and pained near the end of her sentence, her expression becoming slightly haunted and Naruto felt the dull ache all the more clearly in his chest.

 

            “A step.”

 

            “Huh?”

 

            “This is just the first step, you’ll see. Team Seven will be put back together, even if I have to break every bone in his stupid body to do it.” Naruto gave a grin and his signature thumbs up at the girl. At first she just seemed lost at his emotional confession, her green eyes confused before slowly she managed a small smile at him.

 

            “Of course, Naruto.”

 

            “What? You don’t think I can do it?” Naruto whined, falling back on irritation when his attempt at consolation ended with more morose depression. That had not been the reaction he was looking for, and Sakura’s depression was not something he could currently handle. It was hard enough keeping tall when simply hearing Sasuke’s name brought up so many conflicting emotions he just wanted to collapse and sob, scream, and blow shit up.

 

            “No, I know you can do it… you promised once before to bring him home… you did. I have no doubt that you will do it again.”

 

            Naruto deflated with a pout as his dramatization was all but ignored. “Then why are you so upset? Come on, we are going to get him ba—“

 

            “I think… I made him leave.” The confession hit him like a sledge hammer to the chest and left him staring at his pink-haired friend like she’d just grown a second head.

 

            “Huh?”

 

           “Look, I’m serious,” Sakura defended, stopping them in the middle of the street one hand gripping his sleeve, eyes desperate with worry. “The day before he left I—“ She choked and glanced away, cheeks bright with color, and Naruto was reminded why he’d been attracted to her once. “I… confessed to him.”

 

            “Well that’s nothing new.” Naruto stated scratching his head, missing the affronted glare suddenly turned his way. “He was always turning you do—OW!” Naruto cried, holding his head and cowering under the girl who suddenly looked normal as she frothed at the mouth and glared death into his soul.

 

            “That was unnecessary Naruto!”

 

            “What?! You’re the one who said that Sasuke left because you confessed!”

 

            “No, he turned me down and I teased him about his crush! That’s why he left!”

 

            That was the stupidest thing he’d ever heard.

 

            “Sakura, Sasuke is ‘A-sexual’. He’s incapable of—Ow! Would you stop hitting me?!”

 

            “God! Why do I bother, seriously!” The pinkette crossed her arms and glowered at the far corner, her gaze only then realizing that they were entering the Uchiha district. Startled green turned back to him and Naruto pretended not to notice as he trudged along.

 

            The streets seemed too quiet, dead, and dusty. Suddenly the wind was loud and the silence screamed around him and Naruto almost had the urge to turn around and run. Run until he couldn’t anymore just to put some distance between himself and the hurt he knew he’d have to face in that room he’d stayed in with his best friend.

 

“uh… Naruto?” Sakura’s voice impeded on his solitude and Naruto forced down the irrational panic inside and stepped further inside. Sasuke had asked him to look out for the place, so he would.

 

            “Sasuke only has two goals, reviving his clan and avenging it. Those are the only two motivating factors in his stupid life. He left for power, Sakura, whatever you said to him… it was simply coincidence.”

 

            For a few moments there was silence, his heavy words like a death toll. Then, He heard Sakura’s bright laugh and a soft clap to his shoulder made him stumble slightly as Sakura joined him on his morbid march to the house. “Thought I’d never see the day when you grew up… and after that scene with Konohamaru I was starting to worry that nothing had changed.”

 

            “Come on, respect my greatness, when you find a better distraction Jutsu that a 12 year old can make you tell me.” Naruto gloated puffing out his chest and grinning at the girl.

 

            Sakura returned the gesture, her eyes straying back to the road ahead just as the main house came into view. Her footing faltered once more when Naruto passed her and walked up to the front door.

 

            “Naruto what--?” Her question broke off when he pulled out the key and proceeded to open the door. He could feel the question in the stare directed at his back and shifted under its weight. For some reason his neck and ears heated up and Naruto found his voice strangled when he tried to push the words out.

 

            “He… he left me the keys.”

 

            He waited for her reaction, and was mildly surprised when Sakura laughed a little, her voice much calmer than before when speaking of her rejection. “I see, well, that makes sense then.”

 

            He shot her an odd look, not certain what her last comment meant exactly, but he doubted he really would want to know and quickly returned to the opened doorway. It was shadowed inside, and even from this point he could see the dust that had settled over everything, and it hurt. His memory was still startlingly clear of the place, the main entrance the walls the stair case, he could still visualize the room he’d shared with Sasuke and the fact that it would probably look as dreary and abandoned as the main hallway.

 

            For several moments, he faltered, standing in the doorway like a statue incapable of taking that next step.

 

            “Well, you going in or is this your way of airing the place out?”

 

            Jerking around, Naruto looked back at his teammate, taking solace in her outward bravery. Sakura was the only other person who understood, both the pain of Sasuke’s departure and the acute emptiness he left behind.

 

            “Heh, guess I should get to cleaning the place, huh?” He broke off his laugh when Sakura just stared at him.

 

            The task was daunting, both emotionally and physically, but he supposed it would be the best way to deal with his emotions and stress. Manual labor had been his only respite from his thoughts the past two years, and there was no reason to believe it wouldn’t work now.

 

            “Would you like some help?” Sakura’s timid tone made him flinch.

 

            He didn’t want her in the house. It was selfish especially since it felt so alien to him now and the help would ease his tortured emotions and keep him busy, all the same he couldn’t let her in. Naruto swallowed several times wetting his throat and grinned from over his shoulder, eyes closed tight to keep her from seeing his panic and managed to choke out a response that sounded almost normal.

 

            “No thanks Sakura, I don’t want to keep you.”

 

            “It’s not a problem, Naruto.” Sakura laughed, stepping up as though to enter and Naruto quickly placed his hands on the doorway blocking her with his body. Sakura blinked at him slightly shocked at his action, and Naruto blinked the shock from his face as he stared down at the pinkette, nearly trembling.

 

            “Naruto?”                      

 

            “S… Sorry, Sakura, but… I need to do this alone.” He couldn’t meet her eyes, feeling rather despicable for his actions and drooped a bit. He really wasn’t making much sense.

 

            “Right.” Sakura surprisingly didn’t sound upset or withdrawn, and when Naruto chanced a peek he found her smiling softly, her eyes understanding. “I understand completely. I’ll see you tomorrow morning okay?”

 

            The girl, more woman now, placed a gentle hand on his arm, her pale thin fingers gripping the dark fabric in a comforting gesture, and Naruto felt his body relax. “Thanks Sakura.”

 

            “Well, don’t want our first mission together to be a flop because you slept in.”

 

            “Hey! I don’t sleep in!” His cry was predicted and welcomed as Sakura let out a laugh skipping away from him, arms crossing delicately behind her back, fingers locking.

 

            “Call if you need anything. I mean it.” Sakura said in parting, her smile somehow nostalgic, her green eyes staying longer on his form than normal. It confused him a bit, but then again, he had been the one to leave perhaps this was her way of reaffirming his existence, his return.

 

            Naruto smiled to himself, feeling warm inside at the thought that he mattered so much to someone, that his presence had been missed, and turned into the house, his fingers rubbing through the golden spikes at the nape of his neck as his other hand closed the door behind him, and the silence rushed in to embrace him.

 

            The dust swirled and danced as he moved through the room, his bare feet leaving tracks where he passed. For a moment, it seemed as though the place itself had been lost in the flow of time, all things changing around it while everything inside remained frozen; forgotten.

 

            It was just as he’d wanted, but the dust, the dull stench of stale air, and the clogging feel of silence had made the place different, it had changed.

 

            With sluggish motions, he made his way into the bedroom. It was no different than the rest of the house, covered in dust and decay, yet it was painfully unchanged. It seemed smaller than he remembered, and Naruto took a moment to run his hands over everything, reacquainting himself with it before he flopped onto the mattress. The dust choked him a moment but he pushed closer, forcing himself to breath deep against the burning urge to sneeze.

 

            Sasuke’s scent, he needed it almost desperately, the calming smell that always reminded him that he was not alone, and it was not there.

 

            For the first time Naruto cried out, his voice a broken sound of distress as he shifted, searching for even the smallest remnant of his best friend. But everywhere he moved only the smell of dust and stale air met his nose. Time had washed away his haven, and had invaded his world. Naruto shivered, feeling the distance that simple fact placed between himself and Sasuke and wrapped his arms around his middle.

 

            He couldn’t stop it.

 

            “Sasuke…”

 

            Laying on the bed, eyes staring out across the room, he allowed the past two years to sink in.

 

Two years.

 

            It seemed much shorter than that, and at the same time so much longer. Now laying on the bed that no longer smelled the way he remembered, Naruto could still see the shaded images his memory produced. Images of himself and his best friend, arguing in the bedroom, shoving and throwing clothes around the room when Naruto had decided to keep some spare clothes in the jerk’s closet.

 

            Naruto smiled slightly seeing the lone jumpsuit—much too small on him now—hanging just beyond the half open sliding door. Beside it rested the numerous crest embossed shirts and jackets.

 

            He could recall the sound of footsteps in the hall, the charred smell of the demolished bathroom, the awkward sounds from the kitchen as two boys attempted to cook for each other.

 

            Naruto’s smile was soft, his eyes wet, when he rolled onto his back breathing deeply once more. “Right… I’m only just beginning. Can’t just lay around now.”

 

            With a self satisfying nod, Naruto stood, pushing his shirt sleeves up with a bright grin and an exuberant shout. “Alright, time to clean!”

 

            There would be plenty of time to mope around, and regret and outright beat the bastard for making him feel this way, when he dragged him home. Until then, he just had to keep moving forward.

 

            Throwing the front door open, Naruto poked his head out, looking for the bucket he recalled Sasuke keeping just out front. Of course it wasn’t there now.

 

            “Damn…” Naruto pouted, not really wanting to put his shoes back on and search. ‘Where the hell could it b—“

 

            A coo.

 

            He twitched, his expression turning sour as he refused to turn and see his fate. “Hello, fluffy-bastard…”

 

The red fox practically preened.

 

 

A.N. Wow… so here’s to the end of another chapter. Hopefully this is worth the read and worth a review. ^-^ Maybe… and maybe this will be enough to buy back my life…. *Continues to hide*. Oh, also I finally have a set number of chapters, this story will run 28 chapters plus and epilogue. A fair warning to all, this story is about to really mess with the cannon. Characters are going to be messed with and plots are going to be twisted, so this is your warning of that. Please review!