Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Rating: T
Warning: Shonen ai, and I could seriously care less what you think.
God I feel like an idiot. I posted the wrong file yesterday cuz I'm a moron and I didn't notice at all until today when FxF pointed out that I spelt Kyuubi wrong which I thought I had changed and I went back only to realize that I only posted the first part… It wasn't even supposed to have chapters…
So for those of you who have already read the first part you can probably just scroll down to the last set of –- everything after that is new but the first parts still essentially the same only Kyuubi's spelled right…I hope…Sorry for the inconvenience…
Another little look into parts of Calming Circles, this ones actually before Calming Circles and explains how Sasuke winds up back in Konoha. I hope you like it.
Hope
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Trying to See Sensei's Face
--
Sasuke stepped into the dimly lit room approaching the bed without a sound. For a moment he stared out the window, over the shingled roof of the neighboring building, thick clouds hung low in the sky hiding the moon from view. Finally he allowed himself to look down at the figure curled on the bed below the window, a mass of limbs, blankets and yellow hair. The Uchiha took another step forward this one not as silent; he wanted the blond to know he was there. Although the blond didn't move Sasuke's dark eyes caught how the blonds even breathing paused ever so slightly as he woke, how his lean muscles tensed somewhat. To anyone else it would look as though he hadn't even heard the noise, like his dream may have changed or he was cold, but Sasuke could tell, the blond was prepared for action. Sasuke didn't speak, he stood completely still as wisps of orange chakra bleed away from the blond, again in such a calm, gentle way a stranger would assume that the blond was just becoming negligent in his sleep. Sasuke knew better. The blond was trying to find out who he was, how strong he was. The Uchiha allowed his own chakra lose a bit, enough to make it recognizable, but allowing Naruto's to reach him, rather than reach out first. Streaks of invisible orange barely brushed against blue before recoiling quickly in surprise. Neither ninja moved but Sasuke pushed his chakra in the blond's direction touching swirling orange gently. The Uchiha allowed the blond several minutes to think standing completely still as he waited. Finally the blonde rolled over, his eyes were still closed and he looked as though he was still fast asleep but Sasuke took it as invitation to take the last couple steps to the bed where he kneeled.
"Naruto." He whispered quietly the blond didn't move still feigning sleep. Sasuke wanted to reach out and touch his cheek but he kept his hands on the bed frame "Konoha's in danger." He continued then paused wondering how he was going to ask his question. "I need you to ask Kyuubi something for me." He finally said very slowly "I need you to ask him if the mangekyou can control him." The confusion and uncertainty radiating off the blond was palpable, his chakra swirled around Sasuke in a defensive manner. Sasuke waited aware of what a positive answer would mean for Naruto. The blond obviously knew he had killed his brother and though he sometimes seemed like a moron, he would know that meant Sasuke had the mangekyou now. If Kyuubi could be controlled he would be giving dangerous information to Sasuke. Sasuke tried to relax completely, to make himself seem less threatening, wanting now more than ever to reach out and touch the blond, to tell him he wouldn't hurt him. Instead he waited. He found himself suddenly staring into blue eyes the conflicting emotions apparent behind the clear pools. Sasuke tried his hardest to allow Naruto to see he didn't mean any harm in his own eyes but he had never been very good at that.
"Yes." He answered sounding as though the word scared him. Sasuke closed his eyes and let out a small breath as his brain jumped into overdrive.
"Kyuubi didn't attack Konoha by choice, Madara made him. Itachi didn't just kill the clan; he was protecting Konoha from civil war. Madara's coming after you." He said opening his eyes Naruto held his dark gaze before he sat up staring off at the opposite wall.
"Itachi did something to me." Naruto said slowly Sasuke's expression suddenly darkened and Naruto could see him reworking his understanding of the situation so he shook his head. "Nothing bad, I don't think." Naruto paused as the calculating stopped behind those dark eyes "He just kind of appeared, he said he just wanted to talk. He was asking me what I would do if you attacked Konoha…and then a bird flew into my mouth…he said he gave me some of his power and then left."
"What do you mean some of his power?" Sasuke asked Naruto shrugged
"I have no clue, he didn't explain, he just did it and left. I don't feel any different and I don't think I can't do anything I couldn't before. Everything's the same." They held each others gaze for several moments, each thinking in overdrive.
"Has Tsunade examined you?" Sasuke asked Naruto shook his head
"I haven't told anyone." Sasuke shot a weak glare at him
"Dobe, how do you know whatever he did isn't killing you?" Sasuke demanded his slight anger barely masking his sudden worry. Naruto smiled at his weak attempt.
"Well assuming what you were saying is true, it isn't." Sasuke scowled
"You need to go see Tsunade."
"And tell her what? Sasuke was just in my room and is denying some of the basic facts of life. Will you see if Itachi, who by the way is dead, is trying to kill me?" Naruto slid off his bed and wandered over to his dresser, Sasuke stood and watched as he pulled on a shirt. "We'll go to Sakura." He said turning back to Sasuke "If it'll make you feel better." Sasuke rolled his eyes
"Just go."
--
Sakura woke swinging; if Sasuke wasn't as quick as he was he would have lost his face. As it was her knuckles barely brushed the bridge of his nose her eyes widening in surprise as she recognized the dark ninja leaning precariously away from her fist.
"Sasuke?" she hissed dropping her fist eyes darting to the blond beside the Uchiha, also leaning out of the girls reach. "What's going on?" she demanded leaving Sasuke presently surprised at the lack of a squeal or hug.
"I need you to look for something wrong with me." Naruto answered the girl rose an eyebrow.
"Like what?" Naruto shrugged
"Don't really know, something that could possibly kill me or an Uchiha." The medic blinked at him.
"Do I get to know why? Or is this a Sasuke and Naruto thing?"
"Itachi did something to me, but I don't really know what."
"Why didn't you say anything?" she demanded getting out of bed and storming across the room to flick on the light "Sit down." She ordered turning back to the blonde with a scowl chakra pooling in her hands as she approached him. "I can't believe you." She hissed examining him. Both boys waited quietly until Sakura pulled back fixing him with a confused look. "Are you feeling okay?" she asked him slowly
"Yes, of course I am, if I didn't I would have said something sooner. I'm not a complete idiot."
"What about Kyuubi?"
"Nothings changed." Naruto said in an exasperated way.
"Is something wrong with Kyuubi?" Sasuke demanded Sakura looked between the two for several moments.
"I don't really know. But something's different. I don't know much about the seal but something's changed since I last looked at you. I would suggest asking one of the toads or something…Are you sure you feel okay?" Naruto nodded with a sigh
"What did Itachi say to you?" Sasuke asked the calculating look back in his eyes both ex team mates considered him for a moment "Right before or after the bird."
"He said some stuff about stopping you from destroying Konoha, and then the bird flew in my mouth." Sakura rose an eyebrow at him "And then he told me he gave me some power and hoped I didn't have to use it." Sasuke was silent for a moment.
"Madara believes I want to destroy Konoha, because the elders forced Itachi to kill the clan. Itachi believed I would act in the same way. But he spent his entire life trying to protect the city, so he gave Naruto the power to stop me once I had the Mangekyou. Madara is planning on using the Kyuubi to destroy the city. But if the mangekyou can manipulate you by manipulating Kyuubi there's no need to remove him, it would be a waste of chakra."
"Unless Naruto can somehow resist." Sakura said lightly both boys looked at her and she shrugged "Itachi knew you were going to be pissed, have the mangekyou, and easy access to possibly the largest chakra store in existence." She ticked her list off on three fingers "If he's planning on stopping you he's allowing you to think you have access to that storage and lure you in to your death when the store turns on you." She sighed "It's just a guess but at least its something." The room was silent
"Let's go try it." Naruto suggested getting strange looks from both his old team mates. "What? We have to start somewhere." He reasoned as he stood.
--
Sakura paced nervously around the edge of the old training grounds. They were as far from the city as possible but still within limits. The only light was from the moon that was muted by a thin film of cloud cover. Sasuke and Naruto stood in the center of the grounds a large stone at the far end of the field. Naruto had his eyes shut as he unlocked the seal, and though in the darkness she couldn't see, Sakura knew he would be changing as orange chakra began to swirl forming three tails almost instantaneously. The two only looked at each other for several moments before Sasuke pointed at the stone. "Pick it up." He said coolly there was a long pause as neither moved before Naruto began walking in the direction of the rock freezing half way as he tried to resist. "Pick it up." Sasuke repeated. Again the blond didn't move for several minutes but in less than twenty minutes Naruto was holding the stone in one hand. Both boys relaxed and Naruto dropped the rock with a tired sigh
"I'm exhausted." He groaned "I don't see how Itachi thought I could fight that for any amount of time…"
"But you could fight it right?" Sakura asked walking briskly across the field. Naruto shrugged noncommittally
"Sort of but barely."
"We need Kakashi." Sakura concluded
"Why?"
"You might not be able to disobey a command, but if you're given two conflicting commands maybe you can choose which to fallow." Naruto grinned "I'll be right back."
--
"Pick up the stone." Sasuke commanded
"Don't pick up the stone." Kakashi countered. The blond stood still for several moments.
"Pick it up."
"Don't" The blond didn't move.
"Do it!"
"Don't." still the blond stood still a triumphant grin stretched across his face.
"I can do this." He said with a grin rocking back on his heels "I could do this forever." Sakura approached the rest of her old team her grin mirroring the blonds.
"That's all nice but how are you planning on killing him?" Kakashi asked his voice monotone as he somehow managed to read in the darkness. "No ones been able to touch him, just because Naruto won't destroy Konoha doesn't mean Madara won't."
"Then we have to make him stay still long enough to kill him." Naruto said Sasuke snorted
"Why didn't I think of that?" He said barely keeping his eyes from rolling. Naruto glared at the Uchiha
"The question is how." Sakura sighed
"What about Shikamaru?" Naruto suggested
"I doubt he'd attack during the day, and Shikamaru can't really do anything without sunlight." Sakura ran a hand through her hair apprehensively.
"Running fire, we make our own light."
"Even if we have him standing still, there's his mangekyou to worry about." Kakashi put it glancing up over the edge of his book only to receive a glare from all three of his old students.
"Well what's your brilliant idea?" Naruto asked
"Why don't you three use your heads for something other than keeping your ears apart?" he only received more glares, though he didn't see any over his book.
"Okay, fine." Sakura huffed "We have to find a way to keep him from using the mangekyou."
"And?" Kakashi asked Sakura glared at him
"And what?" she demanded
"What's the root of your problem?" Kakashi questioned
"Is this really the time for this?" the girl hissed Kakashi simply ignored her
"How old is Madara?" he asked instead the three teens fell silent
"So then the real problem is that he appears to be immortal." Naruto said slowly
"And the question is even if we have him standing still and not using his mangekyou, will he die by normal means?" Sakura added
"And I doubt we'll have more than once chance so we can't risk not getting it right the first time." Sasuke spoke quietly his dark eyes calculating.
"So then we have to have a fool proof way to kill him." Naruto sighed "We could cut out his heart, or cut his head off."
"He could regenerate." Sakura said shaking her head "We could seal him in something."
"Like what?" the blond countered
"Cut his eyes out." Three heads turned in Sasuke's direction.
"Good now how do you keep him from using the mangekyou?"
"Ino." Sakura suggested the men all gapped at her
"Are you trying to get her killed?" Naruto asked
"She's much stronger! She can withstand small attacks from within the host and she wouldn't be in his body when we killed him, shed just be there long enough to make him close his eyes for like a second. If we protect her body she can do it."