~Chapter 19~

Instead of returning to his seat, Yoru made his way to both the Kazekage and Hokage. Something was off about the Sand and a few Anbu he had passed by. They had a smell to them he didn't recognized, but it made his scalp tingle in a wrong way. As he rounded another corner and up another flight of stairs, he finally made it to the two Kages. He took a step forward, the two Anbu of his village turned to him and nodded their heads, placing a hand over their hearts. His foster father, Kakashi, told him that Anbu who knew his mother and father would do this if they ever saw him. That moment, Yoru relaxed. These two were trusted and they must have been part of his parents' team in the past.

"Lord Third?" Yoru called.

"Hm?" Lord Third turned his body a little to look around the back of his chair. He grinned when he saw the young Uchiha-Hatake. "Ah, Yoru! It's been a long while since I've last seen you. Come, come no need to be shy. I want you to meet the Fouth Kazekage," Yoru walked quickly over and kneeled beside the Hokage. "Lord Fourth, this is one of our promising shinobi-"

Yoru jumped up onto his feet, his heart thudding in his chest. The Hokage and Kazekage looked at him, Lord Third concerned in what was wrong. Yoru took a step back, shaking his head. Before him, the Hokage's eyes and at the corner of his mouth was blood and his clothes had changed, but Yoru was sure that there was nothing... was he caught in a genjutsu he wasn't aware of? Before he culd turn his head towards the Kazegake, someone appeared in front of him and had a tight, choking grip on his throat. Yoru struggled, clawing and trying to pry the hand off. His crimson eyes widened in fear, throwing glances to the side and his heart clenched painfully in his chest.

The Hokage laid dead, the Anbu who showed their respect were dead... everyone laid there unmoving in their on blood... dead.

"W-What's going on?!" Yoru struggled more against his unknown attacker.

A deep, dark chuckle came from the man in front of him. Yoru's crimson orbs met with snake-like yellow ones and panic seized him again.

"Finally... I have the Dragon..." the man's voice sounded joyous, but in a sickening manner. "Oh... so young... so perfect!"

Yoru let out a pained gasp as sharp fingernails bit into the sides of his neck. He gripped the the unknown man's forearm as he was lifted off the ground by a few inches. Yoru growled and gaped, clawing at the man's arm, his lips curled back over his teeth. Yoru kicked out, but the man held him at full arms length away from him. Yoru was suddenly dropped, he collapsed onto his knees and coughed as he placed a hand against his own throat. The unknown man crouched before him, gripped his jaw and yanked his head up. Yoru shuddered at the sight of those snake eyes.

"Too bad you're stuck in this pathetic human form... just like your father... just like Arashiryuu."

Yoru's eyes widened, he gripped the man's wrist with one hand and hoped to relieve some of the pressure. "Y-You know of my father?!"

"Know him? I tried to claim his power!" The man's voice hissed in rage, gripping Yoru's jaw tighter. "That bastard of a father of yours hid you away and killed himself to keep his power from me. Your mother slaughtered the rest of my men and done away with herself so I couldn't use the Dragon's Bone Reurrection jutsu on him!" Then the man cackled crazily, "But now I've found you!"

Yoru's markings began to burn painfully, he shut his eyes tight and seethed against the pain. The man, who held him captive, insane laughter ceased. "What's this?" the snake-eyed man grabbed hold of Yoru's right arm with his left hand, yanking the youth up onto his feet. "Your curse mark is trying to be rid of mine... interesting..."

Tears stung Yoru's eyes, his grip tightened around the man's wrist of the hand that gripped his jaw. "Le-let go of me!" the white-haired youth lashed out, nailing a hit across the man's face.

A pained cry escaped the man and Yoru was released. The youth stumbled back, falling to one knee as he gripped at his right shoulder. The markings he was born with swirled and burned as they glowed, the man's yellow snake-eyes narrowed. Something painful twitched and burned against the left side of his neck. Yoru released the hold of his right shoulder and pressed his left hand against the side of his neck.

"W-what-Argh!" Yor bit out a pained hiss and from the corner of his eye he saw red-orange ribbon-like markings slithering down his arm.

Yoru straightened his back as he looked over his left arm. His attention then turned to his art arm as his own marking began to spread out. He felt the burning warmth on his back and spread towards the foreign markings on his left. He turned his head and shut his eyes, his teeth clenched together as he hissed, trying to brace himself through it. The man began to circle the youth, observing the change in behavior of Yoru's markings against his.

"Fascinating..."

Yoru let out a gasp, falling foward, but caught himself as he placed his hands against the ground, his head low a he panted. His body trembled, another wave of agony racked his body. His clenhed his hands into fists, shutting his eyes tight once more. He could feel forceful change of his body trying to take form into his hated bestial form. What if Sakura and Naruto were still alive and around, what of his cousin... he wasn't about to allow that part of him take over.

"Don't fight it... will it," an unknown male's voice echoed in Yoru's head. His crimson eyes snapped open as he felt a pulsating calling in his body. "Become one with it..." Yoru felt it again and he closed his eyes, trying to relax to concentrate on the unknown man's voice. The painful trembling of his body began to cease as well as the burning pain of his own markings. His brow forward in a frown.

Become one with it...?

The snake-eyed man stopped, frowning in dismay to the change of the boy's behavior. H was enjoying watching the youth struggle, now the boy seemed to have fallen into a calm. Then it finally came to him, the boy was trying to concentrate his power! He gritted his teeth, drawing a kunai knife and went to attack the boy, but his kunai was stopped by another blade. A katana created in shadows just like the weilder that now stood in his way.

"What?! Who are you." Demanded the snake-eyed man, jumping back a few feet away from the shadow warrior and the youth.

"Someone who isn't going to let you have the last Ryuu Youkai... Orochimaru." Orochimaru tsked, crouching down a little in a battle ready pose. The Shadow Warrior brought his blade up, waiting for Orochimaru to charge.

Yoru concentrated all his chakra into the center of his body, his curse mark began to glow a black-violet-blue hue now, he felt the surge of pulsating energy from the bestial side of himslf. He listened to the unfamiliar voice guide him through. His body soon was envoloped in the black-violet-blue chakra, wisping off of him like soft petals of flickering flames. "It is your birthright as Ryuu Youkai!"

Yoru slowly stood up, his back to Orochimaru and the Shadow Warrior. Five larger strands of the chakra branched off of him, taking form into Shadows like the Shadow Warrior, but the fifth was the largest and the shape of a dragon. Orochimaru straightened a little, staring at the other Shadows.

"What?!"

"The Ryuu Youkai predecessors before Yoru... His ancestors and direct parent..." the four of the Shadows took their stance on either side of the Shadow Warrior. The dragon whipped its head into the air and let out a roar, its tail swayed to and fro behind it. "A part of them is reborn in the next generation of Ryuu Youkai... a piece of their chakra is his stength. They- We will stop you!"

The shadow of Nebiah and a female, Yoru's grandmother Akiraiyu, charged forward at Orochimaru. Soon followed by shadows of great-great grandfather Hyiryuen and great-great-great grandfather Ryuutorro. When Yoru finally turned around, breaking away from his trance-like state, he came face to face to the Shadow dragon. Yoru gazed up at the crimson eyes of his great ancestor.

"Arashi...ryuu?" Yoru breathed.

We can only distract him... you must be the one to dispell him from your mind...

Yoru jolted at the sound of Shadow Arashiryuu's voice, he took a step back as the dragon ancestor lowered his head and pressed the tip of his nose against Yoru's chest, just above his heart. A surge of strong draconic chakra from the Shadow rushed into the youth, forcing him to shut his eyes from the intensity and place his arms pritectively iver his face. His body tingled from the power and heat built up in his chest. The pulsating sensation returned, beating with the thrumming of his heart.

Show this treachorious snake our true power he cannot begin to fathom.

Yoru's eyes snapped open, but to only find a humanoid form of Arashiryuu's shadow before him, but... smaller. He then understood why, he had taken the form of his bestial self. Yoru lifted his head up, catching sight of the struggle between the five Shadows and Orochimaru. The youth also soon understood that this really was a form of genjutsu he was trapped within, but how could this happen? He shook his head to clear away those thoughts and raced forward, letting out a powerful roar of his own.

"What're you doing?! Who are you?!" Kakashi was held back by two Anbu, while a man with long black hair, who wore armor centuries old, stood over the unconscious white-haired youth.

It had been weeks since the attack from Sound and Sand on Konohagakure. Yoru was found amongst the rubble near the Third's body. Orochimaru had attacked the boy without the youth knowing, leaving his mark on Yoru's neck. For days, the Uchiha-Hatake had showed signs struggling against the foreign poisons and the curse mark Orochimaru ha left, but had yet to improve. Kakashi was pushed back and he gritted his teeth. This was the second time Yoru was placed in the hospital, but he wasn't the only one this time. Sasuke laid in the other room, trapped in a genjutsu from Itachi.

The two Anbu closed the door to Yoru's hospital room, Iruka grabbed hold of Kakashi's shoulder,stopping the jounin from attempting to go at the Anbu again.

"Kakashi..." Iruka said firmly, but in a gentle tone. Kakashi looked to his friend then down at the floor. Iruka managed to lead the crestfallen jounin to the waiting room.

A week ago, Naruto had left with Jiraiya in search of a top medical nin by the name of Tsunade. He was also, what Kakashi knows, being trained by the Sanin while they looked for her. The jounin also hoped that the other Sanin, Tsunade could help his foster son as well. Now... now he wasn't sure since the uknown man in the his foster son's room was doing something, with the guard of two Anbu on top of that.

-A few more weeks later...-

Sasuke had finally woken up with the help of Tsunade, but Yoru... he had still to wake up, even when the unknown man was in there everyday with the youth. Kakashi felt like he had failed his late Captains, for not being able to make it in time to save the youth from this. Kakashi saw the white-haired boy as family and if Yoru never woke up from this... he'd be alone again. Iruka has been staying with Kakashi, to make sure that the jounin ate and slept properly.

Even a few times, Naruto had attempted to confront the unknown man, only to be stopped by his cold gaze. For a few of those days, Sakura tried to lighten the mood with Sasuke, trying to start up conversation or offer him snacks she made. Each turned down, but she never gave up. One time, while Naruto laid on the floor between the two, Sasuke had lost his temper and smacked a plate of peeled apple slices from Sakura's hands. Another fight had broken out between the two genin boys, both meeting up on top of the roof.

When the two had charged at each other with their strongest jutsu, Sakura had jumped in between them. Kakashi had made it in time to stop the two before Sakura was hit, throwing the two boys opposite from each other.

"That's enough! I didn't teach you that jutsu so you could use it against your own teammate, Sasuke!" Kakashi had straightened up, still looking a little worse for wear. "Were you actually planning on killing Naruto? Is this all because-" the jounin couldn't finish his sentence.

Sasuke looked away, not wanting to answer his sensei. Sakura had fallen to her knees, her heart heavy in her chest. She didn't want any of them to fight, she wanted all the fighting to stop, for Yoru to wake up and for everything to go back to normal. All she wanted was to see her team together on a D-rank any genin took and them having fun with it. Why couldn't she at least have that for them all?

Sasuke and Naruto parted ways, Naruto heading home and Sasuke returned to his hospital room. For another few days, both boys didn't talk and Yoru's condition hadn't changed.

Yoru paced back and forth, his frustration with the Shadow Warrior building. He couldn't really tell how long he had been here, but had a feeling it was much too long and that something was wrong with his team. It was that gut feeling, an instinct that nagged at him constantly. He stopped pacing and faced the Shadow Warrior, his crimson gaze firm and showing that he had enough.

"Why can't you just tell me how to wake up from this?"

"I can't... you must do it yourself or risk losing a part of what scrap of humanity you have left..." the Shadow Warrior stated.

Yoru snarled and turned away, stalking towards the door he couldn't open. He gripped the handle and continuously tugged on it, slammed his shoulder against it, pounded his fists, but nothing seemed to work. He knew this was the door to his material self, but the problem was getting it open. He stepped back away from the door and crossed his arms, his head down as he had shut his eyes, thinking for any solution.

The Shadow Warrior stood motionless behind him, observing the youth. Yoru opened his eyes, dropping his arms to his sides and an idea came to him. He spread his feet apart, even with his shoulders and held his arms about a foot away from his body, palms facing the door. He closed his eyes and concentrated his chakra like he did before during the conflict with Orochimaru. The Shadow Warrior watched, his dark eyes narrowed as the youth's chakra began to envelope him. A tendril branched off and took form of a man three heads taller to Yoru's five-foot-one.

Yoru opened his eyes and a pained, sorrowful expression took hold of his features. The man, who stood before the youth now, was his father Nebiah- or a shadow of the man Yoru knew in his short childhood with his biological parents. "Father..." Yoru shook his head, clearing it so he could think properly. He gathered his composure and stood strong before Shadow Nebiah. "How do I break free from this genjutsu?" he questioned.

"To break it, you must first look into yourself... seek the beast inside and confront it. You may have the blood borne ability to take its form, but you do not understand who you truly are..."with that, Shadow Nebiah dispersed into small, fluttering black petal-like flames.

Yoru looked down at the ground, clenched his fists and lifted his head up. Taking a deep breath, he spun around on his heels and marched past the Shadow Warrior. The Shadow Warrior chuckled, crossing his arms as he allowed the youth by.

"This... this is your first test to prove your worth as a Ryuu Youkai... *********u."

Yoru stopped dead in his tracks, his heart skipping a beat in his chest. He turned to face the Shadow Warrior, knowing that it was a name the Shadow had spoken, but he just could not understand it for some odd reason. It was like trying to hear through a wad of cotton. "What did you say?" the Shadow Warrior simply stared at him, unmoving and refusing to answer the youth's question. Yoru frowned, gritting his teeth as the frustration returned and he turned his back to the Shadow, continuing his way down the path to the deepest part of his being.

Yoru came to an old black, twisted wrought iron gate much larger than himself. Behind it, there was a tunnel that led into a near pitch black darkness. He tried to open it, but was only about to pry it open enough for him to slip through. The white-haired youth brushed himself off from the dust and dirt from the gate doors. He glanced over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes at the Shadow Warrior that followed, walking straight through the gate.

"If you won't help me, then go away." Yoru snapped. "You'll be in my way..." he then grumbled.

The Shadow Warrior didn't listen, just kept on following the youth. Yoru threw another glance over his shoulder, sighed and continued forward. The deeper he went in the tunnel the darker it became. It took a bit for his eyes to adjust, but once they did he was able to tread more carefully through the dark. The white-haired youth soon came up to another door, but much different to the wrought iron gate just outside the tunnel entrance. This one had multiple seals, but there was one that looked very familiar. Yoru gripped his right shoulder, gazing up at the seal that kept the great iron door shut.

'A test to prove my worth...? But why must I prove myself?' Yoru thought to himself, hesitantly reaching up to the similar seal that he wore on his skin. His fingertips touched the parchment and a blue electricity jumped at him. "Ouch!" he pulled his hand back, taking one step back.

"Do not hesitate." The Shadow Warrior's voice sounded behind him.

Yoru glared over his shoulder then relaxed a little. He turned his attention back to the sealed door. He brushed a hand over the iron, "What's behind this door?"

"You already know that answer..."

Yoru frowned, huffed and crossed his arms as he looked over the seals again. "If I knew the answer then I wouldn't be asking... wait...!" Yoru turned around to face the Shadow Warrior. "Are you saying that the Beast is behind that door?!"

The Shadow Warrior didn't answer, that's when Yoru finally noticed the sharingan the Shadow had. The youth was shocked, shaking his head as he stepped back away from the Shadow Warrior.

"You're-"

"An Uchiha? Yes... I am."The Shadow Warrior walked forward, standing beside the youth and looking up at the sealed iron door. "All I am is a living Shadow... Now, fulfill you task at hand or remain trapped here..."

Yoru stared at the Shadow Warrior for a moment longer then turned back towards the door. He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath and stepped forward, reaching for the seal once more.

-After Sasuke leaves village and his fight against Naruto...-

Sakura stood at the gates of Konohagakure, Naruto facing her as Kakashi and Jiraiya spoke to each other. Sakura looked down at the ground, feeling like her heart had broken in two the night Sasuke had left. She was still surprised she still had such feelings for Sasuke, even though those same feelings began to reach out for another.

"Don't worry, Sakura," Naruto got her attention, he gave her his goofy grin. "I promise I'll bring Sasuke back!"

Sakura smiled faintly, feeling like she was going to cry again. She wiped away the tears and tried her best to keep calm. "What... what if Yoru wakes up? He'll be devastated once he learns Sasuke's gone..."

"You mean when he wakes up." Naruto placed his hands on the pink-haired girl's shoulders. "He'll wake up, Sakura. I don't know who that old-fashioned guy is, but I have a feeling that he's doing his best to help Yoru out."

Sakura looked up, her green eyes a little wide from Naruto's words. She smiled and nodded her head. Naruto was called by Jiraiya, saying that it was time for them to leave. Kakashi bid Naruto farewell and to behave and do his best at his training. Sakura watched another of her teammates leave, but knew in her heart that Naruto was going to be okay and that he was right. Yoru will wake up, just that she didn't know when.

Yoru dodged another swipe from the Dragon version of himself. He cursed under his breath when he miscalculated his own jump and was caught midair in the stomach by the beast's tail. He flew back, tumbling and skidding across the stone floor head over heels. His back made contact with the wall and the wind was knocked right of him.

"Hngh!" Yoru collapsed on his stomach, struggled to push himself up onto his right forearm as he pushed up on his left hand. He coughed and hacked, gasping for breath. This is impossible! He expects me to fight THAT?!

The Dragon took its stance and roared right at the youth. The Shadow Warrior watched the fight take place from the opposite side of the room. It lunged at Yoru and the youth got onto his feet in a low crouch and dodged the attack by leaping forwards. He tucked and rolled, getting back onto his feet once more. Once Yoru had gotten back up, the Dragon didn't hesitate to attack again. The youth kept on dodging, mistepped and received a small gash on his left upper arm from the tip of the Dragon's outstretched claw.

Yoru cursed under his breath, took a running start once his feet touched the ground again and headed straight towards the beast. He kicked off the beast's large paw and flipped into the air. He threw three kunai knives straight at its back, all hitting their mark, but what he didn't expect to happen was the searing pain in his own back.

Yoru landed on his feet, stumbled and let out a pained cry equal to the Dragon's before him. He collapsed to his knees, panting heavily for breath as his body shook. He looked up and this time, the Dragon mirrored his movements. Shocked awe overwhelmed him, he straightened up and the Dragon had done so as well. He left a hand and the Dragon lifted its paw. Yoru stood up and the Dragon got back onto its feet.

No... no way...

"Have you figured it out yet?" The Shadow Warrior said. "Had so little pain awaken your senses of reality?"

Yoru turned his head to look at the Shadow and he frowned. "Sense of reality... what the heck does that mean?" When Yoru had bit out a growl with his words, the mirrored-movement Dragon before him growled as well.

The Shadow Warrior came over, standing beside Yoru. "All you need to know is who stands before you now..."

Yoru turned his head back to the Dragon, remembering that once he had opened the door he had found himself in the middle, chained and seemed weak. Now, he was beginning to understand. He wasn't supposed to fight with the Dragon, the beast inside himself, but become one with it. To accept himself for who and what he was. He didn't need to fear what he was any longer just because of what happened way before his time.

"I'm..." Yoru reached out to the Dragon and this time the beast lowered its head. "Him and he is me... we are the same, human and beast." The Dragon dispersed into black-blue-violet flame-like petals, revealing the Shadow Yoru. Yoru closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, opening them once more and had activated his irridescent pearl colored sharingan. The Shadow Warrior nodded his head in approval, the Shadow Yoru joined the youth's body and Yoru turned to face the Shadow. An age old knowing flickered in the boy's eyes, having found the truth inside himself once and for all.

"Say it... speak your true name."The Shadow Warrior urged.

Yoru straightened his back, his shoulders squared and he lifted his head high a little more. His marks glowed with warmth, not the pain it used to bring him. "My name is of my ancestor, the first of the Ryuu Youkai, blood brother of the Uchiha - Arashiryuu..." Yoru looked down at his right hand, the markings having stretched to his fingertips now, an old sorrow returning. "My namesake."

Memories of his father, Nebiah, telling him the story about Arashiryuu's love for a Senju woman and how their bloodline had become cursed. He finally remembered what his father had said. "He's your namesake, Arashi." his father's voice, full of warmth and love as he chuckled. "Our little Ryuu Yoru."

Yoru clenched his fist and closed his eyes, tears streaming down his face as he silently cried. All this time, his name was his ancestor's name... how could he forget such a powerful name of his bloodline?

"Arashiryuu, look at me!" Nebiah had his only child look up to him, using the sharingan on his son. "Your name is Yoru, understood? Now go with Kakashi! Go!" it had pained Nebiah to use a genjutsu on their child, but it was the only way to make sure to hide him long enough from Orochimaru and the Sound. Just long enough for his and Trezza's son to become a strong shinobi one day.

Yoru piqued, the memory startling him. The Shadow Warrior stared at the youth.

"You've been asleep for far too long... is it wise to dally here long?"

"What... ah, yeah..." Yoru wiped away the tears and was about to walk past the Shadow. "Let's try to find a way out of here... er I should..." The Shadow Warrior grabbed Yoru's arm, stopping the youth. Yoru looked at the Shadow and frowned a little. "What?"

"This... I can help with." with that the Shadow Warrior spun the white-haired youth around and his sharingan caught Yoru.

Everything seemed to stand still for the boy as he couldn't look away from the Shadow's eyes. He felt himself slip unconscious, everything gone dark around him...

The long black-haired man stumbled back away from the youth, leaning against the wall behind him.

"It is done..." he said in a tired tone.

The white-haired boy, Yoru, stirred on the hospital bed. Slowly starting to wake up from what had turned into a nightmare now into an understanding of himself. He grunted as he sat up, propping himself up on his forearms. Yoru still felt weak, weaker than he had before a couple months ago. It took a bit for his eyesight to focus in again and he blinked, taking in his surroundings.

"Welcome back to the real world, child." the man spoke, drawing the youth's attention.

Yoru stared at the man for a long moment, trying to figure out why he was so familiar. Then it hit him. Yoru jolted straight up, a shocked expression on his face.

"Y-You were the Shadow- n-no... you're... you're-"

The man nodded his head once, "My name is Kagenashi... your ancestor's brother and the creator of that curse mark on your arm and back..."

Yoru shook his head, finding it hard to believe, but the man was right there in front of him. "How's it even possible...?"

Kagenashi pulled up a chair next to the youth's bed, having the boy lay back down.

"I had done something very foolish in the past that caused someone I had one held dear great pain," he continued. "The very same night I had placed that curse on my brother... was the same night I had also somehow cursed myself to a life of immortality..."

Kagenashi continued to explain his story to Yoru, how he lived each passing year watching his brother's children grow and have their own children... so on and so forth. Yoru listened, laying on his side as Kagenashi told him his story.

"By tonight you should be feeling better... by then, we'll be leaving to start your training."

Yoru frowned, propping himself up. "What? Leaving?" he shook his head. "I don't want to leave!"

"I may have guided to your true self, but you're still a danger to everyone you hold dear!" Yoru flinched at Kagenashi's words. "Now, rest up and tonight you may visit and say your goodbyes to ONE other person."

Kagenashi left the youth alone in the room, to find the boy's foster father and finally let light on the details. Yoru curled up in a ball on his side, feeling like his world was going to shatter to pieces again... say goodbye to only one person?

I ended up putting chapter 19 and 20 together... so~ there you have it... epilogue coming right up then i'll be gone to plot the next book! Thank you for following this story til the end! TTwTT