I was having a hard time typing this chapter I wasn't sure where it would go and I wasn't sure if it would even go anywhere. It took me three days and then I sat down and started typing tonight and this is what happened. I hope that you enjoy it. I think I'm happy at how it turned out. See you on the flip side.
Oh and I have left any thanks in the last chapter but I do want to thank everyone who reads this.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Naruto, I have been avoiding some things that need to be discussed in light of what happened this after noon," Sasuke said he was sitting in a leather office chair. His hands were grasped together under his chin and a familiar brooding expression on his face. It was the same expression that the girls had all thought was cool when they were at the academy. The 'I am untouched by everything around me because I am better than you" expression that had annoyed the hell out of Naruto. It was the expression that Naruto had become accustomed to and loved.
They were gathered around the conference table in the large meeting room. Everyone was sitting at the table with several jounin taking seats against the wall.
Sakura had given Naruto a thorough examination when they had arrived back at the compound. She had been worried that Naruto had over did it with the lake not to mention surprised at the fact that Naruto could use water element chakra. When Danzou had taken the city Naruto had just barely learned to use wind element chakra.
"When you saw Sai earlier…" Sasuke trailed off.
Naruto flinched and his stomach clenched as his chest began to fill with panic. Heart pounding, Naruto fought the fear pushing it back, conquering it. "Why…why…was he here? He's…D—D…his…right hand. Everything he asks Sai carried out."
"We know what position Sai is in. He is in the greatest possible position to help us and he is our agent within Danzou's organization." Sasuke explained.
"We weren't getting anywhere in gather information, every time we captured one of his subordinates, they killed themselves. About eight months ago we got a miraculously lucky break. Sai found us and told us that he was willing to become our agent." Sakura continued picking up the thread. "He was the reason that we were able to get you out of Konoha. He brought us the movements of Danzou's men through out the Fire Country and within Konoha. He's risked his life for you, Naruto."
"Okay, I understand all of that, but how are we going to get past the fact that every time I see him I want to run as fast and as far away from him as possible?" Naruto asked his eyes dropping to the ground as the mere mention of Danzou made him shudder, terrified him beyond reason. "I'm useless, powerless, weak."
"No, Naruto, you aren't but we have to get past the conditioning that Danzou instilled in you and we are going to have to do it quickly." Sasuke leaned forward in his chair. "I'm thinking that we will just keep going in the direction that we are but with slight differences. If making you face your past has helped then we just keep going in that direction."
Naruto shook his head, he didn't want to go there, and he didn't want them to see the monster that had been created. He didn't want Sasuke to see the helpless, pathetic creature that Danzou had created. He didn't want Sasuke to reject that feeble, puny person that begged for food and allowed degrading things to be done just for a sip of water. He wouldn't survive if Sasuke turned away from him in disgust. His agitation rose and he wanted to hide, before Sasuke could see it.
Sasuke stood and went to the door, opened it and Sai stepped into the room, his dark brown eyes meeting Naruto's. Memories rose in Naruto's mind and he found himself on his feet before the thought even registered.
There were images of Sai standing in the corner of a white room as Danzou approached the restrained boy. He saw Sai coming forward to hold him down as a syringe was pushed into his arm. Sai standing in front of Danzou, an impassive, emotionless look on his face as the demon rushed forward to tear the old man apart; Sai lifting his arm and backhanding the boy before he could get within reach; ordering the men in white masks to chain him to the wall. The man giving orders that the kyuubi wasn't to have food or water until he learned a little obedience. The last image that rose from the hazy mist on Naruto's mind was of Sai looking back at Naruto with pity in his eyes.
Naruto tensed and he began to tremble, fighting the flight syndrome that Danzou had carefully instilled in the kyuubi. The demon emerged turning Naruto's eyes blood red.
"Sai," the demon snarled using Naruto's mouth. A deep growl emerged from Naruto's chest as the whisker marks on Naruto's face deepened and his finger nails lengthened into claws.
Sai swallowed and stepped back causing the demon before him to chuckle menacingly.
"Very nice," the demon hissed, "I'm glad I can scare you."
Sasuke leapt to Naruto's side and set a calm, gentle hand on the demon's shoulder. He felt the heat that radiated from the demon nearly burning his hand.
"Naruto, please come back. Don't let the demon take over," he said softly gently.
The fox's eyes widened swiftly turning to Sasuke and jerking away.
"No!" he howled, "I will kill any of Danzou's men. And I will do it without that wimp getting in the way."
"Naruto," Sakura came up to stand beside Sasuke, "remember. You wanted to do things without the demon; you wanted to do everything with your own power."
The demon howled again. It picked up a chair next to it, roared, and then threw it across the room. Jounin scattered under the onslaught of the demon fox's fury.
"Naruto! You fought and won against the demon!" Sasuke shouted. "You said you didn't want to hurt anyone again. Do you remember?" His own eyes went red as he dodged another chair. He had been inside Naruto's head once but he didn't want to be the one to dissipate the demon's possession.
Suddenly the demon dropped to the floor holding his head snarling.
"You wimp ass kid, you always used to say lend me your power. You begged; told me it was payment for rent. I gave it to you until those weaklings began to tell you, you didn't need it that you could do it on your own." The demon's deep voice raged.
"I don't need you anymore!" Naruto's husky voice countered the harshly evil one and the claws receded. "I'm strong enough!" The whiskers became just lines. "I'm powerful enough to face what comes!" The eyes flashed to blue then back to red. "I have friends, comrades, precious people who you will not hurt anymore!" The blue eyes emerged. "And as long as they stand with me, I will defeat you and anyone else to keep them and Konoha safe." Naruto looked up at Sasuke; he still trembled from the inner combat with the demon. He smiled at Sasuke, a full smile, a Naruto smile. "And I believe that this isn't a dream."
Sasuke blinked back the sudden tears that stung his eyes. He watched Naruto stand and shake off the trembling. He saw Naruto's chin lift in the old defiance. He heard Naruto's determination in his words.
"I am Uzumaki Naruto, son of the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, and I will return to Konoha and defeat Danzou! Believe it!" He held out his fist.
"What a baka!" Sasuke said as he stepped forward, but his own fist raised to meet Naruto's. Sakura, wearing tears and a huge grin stepped forward also her own fist connected with theirs.
"Hell YEAH!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Short chapter I know but I had to end it on that note. Please leave a comment, suggestion, or even a Hi.
Thanks for reading
ZEN
