Saturday

Saturday (Gaara/Kyuubi/Naruto/Shukaku)

Both boys ran into each other about midway. Naruto was in Grass when at full speed they collided. Gaara had left his gourd for fear of what Shukaku might do. This left Shukaku extremely angry and he began throwing a very Naruto-ish temper tantrum. Kyuubi cool and calm as always sat back and observed, wincing in embarrassment at the tanuki's little fit. She quickly overtook Gaara.

"So this is how the one-tailed sand demon acts when he doesn't get his way? Shameful! You have no right to be called a Bijuu." She said venomously.

Shukaku snarled angrily, "Shut up Kyuubi! You have it no better then I do. Especially for the most powerful demon to have ever walked the face of this earth." He retorted angrily, putting emphasis on the word walked, in hopes of rousing Kyuubi's ire. He was frustrated when she yawned and stretched out her massive paws, like a cat getting ready to nap in the sun.

"That's the best you can do Shukaku?" She asked conversationally. "Surely you can come up with something better then that? It takes a lot to make me angry."

Which was true in fact, dealing with Naruto strained anyone's patience beyond the limits and Kyuubi had learned patience. Not only that she had learned that, she had learned that patience could be a powerful ally. Something she had often stressed to Naruto, though she usually failed miserably on that account through no fault of her own.

"Maybe you should come back to talk after you've learned some decent insults." She added helpfully and being the clever kitsune she was, she slammed the howling Shukaku down and shut him up. Then she laid low to think about her own plan. Naruto shook his head and said.

"Man! That guy's annoying! How the hell did you live with him all those years Gaara?"

Gaara groaned, Kyuubi was far more powerful then Shukaku and even when she retreated, her echoes of power blazed like a distant fire inside of him.

Saturday (Kabuto)

Kabuto had watched with a thrill of terror racing down his spine as he listened to the chilling voice of Kyuubi and the surprisingly goofy voice of Shukaku speaking to each other. Even their voices held the force of their raw power.

He was sweating profusely as they turned away walking back towards the lush woods. He knew better then to go back to Orochimaru's lair, so he was going to try and stop them. He followed both boys cautiously, keeping up with them but staying out of sight. He stopped when they stopped at a stream to get a drink of water. That was when he felt a hot puff of breath on the back of his neck.

Saturday (Orochimaru)

Orochimaru began cursing angrily, he couldn't believe Kabuto had been fooled--and caught so easily! That little fool! He hoped they would get out of this alive! Orochimaru was no fool himself, but without his arms the Sannin knew he was totally useless. He knew when to cut his losses and run, (a rare quality in any shinobi.) Because Kabuto's scent would lead them right to this spot!

Saturday (Back in Konoha)

Tsunade stared at the message on her desk, she was not a happy woman. Naruto's condition had been a severe combination of an overdose on caffeine pills and sake. They had discovered Gai unconscious in Naruto's hospital room and Temari had showed up an hour later explaining that Gaara and Naruto had somehow swapped Bijuu, when she had come in on her youngest brother struggling with Kyuubi.

There had been a hastily scribbled note from Naruto saying that Gaara needed him and that it was urgent. She had dispatched a search team to go and look for both boys, explaining that this would be a highly dangerous mission and that it would also be classified, anyone caught gossiping would face severe punishment.

She had no idea how the villagers would act if they found out that Naruto (whom she had privately begun to regard as the obnoxious son she never had) carried the deadly Shukaku within him.

Jiraiya sighed heavily.

"It all makes sense now." He grumbled, "Staying up every night, pulling ridiculous pranks, scarfing down junk food... I thought it was because Kyuubi was starting to take over, as I told you before. I had no idea that it was Shukaku!"

Tsunade frowned.

"Orochimaru must be behind this somehow." She grumbled angrily. "It's why neither of them said a word about it to anyone. Damn!"

Saturday Night

Kabuto thought he had been following Orochimaru's test subjects, when in fact they had been following him. They had caught him easily, and Kabuto had nearly peed his pants when he realized that Kyuubi was behind him, and Shukaku in front of him. Naruto had allowed himself to partially transform at Gaara's guidance, both boys were still in enough control of themselves and for that Kabuto was grateful, if they took over nothing could survive.

Gaara passed Kyuubi over to Naruto and sniffed Kabuto like a dog. Kyuubi cut off Gaara's thoughts from hers, and whispered in his mind.

"Find a way to seal me inside this boy permanently or I'll tear you apart, you pathetic human!"

Kabuto gulped, a jutsu like that would take weeks, maybe even months to learn and he just didn't have the time. Kyuubi frowned at that and snarled when she realized her plan wouldn't work, she would be stuck with Naruto until the day they died! Her roar resounded eerily through the forest, causing birds to abandon their nests, and the animals to run away from the twin demonic presences they knew were coming.