Chapter twenty one

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, only the occasional OC that may / will appear

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The first thing that registered in Sasukes mind was the sound of echoing laughter. It had a demonic tune, and left a small tingle down his spine.

Water lapped at his shins, leaving the hem of his pants wet and clingy. The only light to see by was a greenish hue, and a strange stench coated the area. Sasuke lifted his arm to his nose, using his sleeve to cut off the stench from his nose. Sasukes eyes blazed into his Sharingan, as he observed his surroundings. He was definitely not on the outskirts of Konoha anymore.

His eyes followed a random line to the side, and he saw a blonde headed figure come into his focus.

Naruto looked strange. His hair was no longer the sunny yellow it normally was, but instead was tainted green. His face looked haunted from the light, and his legs were drenched in the water. He was kneeling, rather than standing in the water. His hands were balled into fists by his side, and an angry aura surrounded him.

Sasukes eyes flicked up, and he felt like falling backwards. A large, red covered demon stood behind iron bars. Its head was turned on the side, with the left side of his face pressing into the bars. An evil grin was plastered on its face, and its eyes were narrowed. Two long red ears poked up from its head, and nine tails flowed and flicked behind it.

Kyuubi no Kitsune.

"well, the Uchiha visits me at last!" Kyuubi growled, his grin getting impossibly bigger. Narutos eyes focussed on Sasuke, and his eyebrows furrowed.

"It wasn't exactly a planned visit." Sasuke dead panned. Why was he here?

"yes, well, I do not generally let anyone in here, besides the brat and myself." Kyuubi responded.

"then why did you let me here?"

"because, Uchiha, you and the brat will have to be the little heroes and stand up to evil!" Kyuubi snickered, shifting slightly in his cage.

"oh? And what evil might that be?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes, his gaze shifting between Naruto and the demon fox.

"haven't you paid attention to anything the brat's been saying? Waru, Uchiha. Waru is the evil." Kyuubi said, directing a glare to the black haired man.

"Oh really?" Sasuke dead panned, crossing his arms over his chest with a blank face.

"yes, really. And you should be glad I'm willing to help. After all, I'm about to be… re-united with an old friend of mine, so you should be thankful." Kyuubi muttered, standing on all fours and his tails fanned around behind him.

"an old friend?" Naruto asked, finally speaking. Kyuubi and Sasuke looked to the blonde.

"yes. I believe Gekido is her name… she's a strange demon, and not a tailed one at that. She's a Ketsueki Ookami, a blood wolf." Kyuubi nodded at his knowledge.

"a blood wolf? Why is that familiar…?" Naruto muttered.

"because, She is part of the 'Chi no Noroi'. Remember what you told the Uchiha? 'by its birth, its coat soaked by blood, brings forth the curse, but with its death it will bring the immortal curse to a mortal state, allowing the curse to fall into deaths embrace.' Or did you forget that already?" Kyuubi asked, silently letting his gaze flick between the blonde and black haired men.

"no, I remember. But, this blood wolf…eh, Gekido, is the thing that ties the curse to its immortality?" Naruto asked, slowly standing. He ignored the soaked pants clinging to his legs, put his hands on his hips and turned to the demon.

"essentially, yes. But she hasn't been 'born' yet."

"how can she be an old friend if she hasn't been born yet?" Sasuke asked with annoyance.

"because, Uchiha, she tends to be forced into a mini… capsule, until she is required." Kyuubi replied.

"sort of like a summoning technique? Except, stored in a… capsule, until she's needed?" Naruto asked, scratching the back of his head.

"exactly." Kyuubi stared at the Uchiha, giving him a strange look.

"right. So how will we know when she's be born?" Naruto asked, cutting off Sasukes question. Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"hmm… well, I'm not sure. But it will be soon." Kyuubi finally let his eyes leave the Uchiha, and he began staring away.

"right. Be vague." Naruto huffed.

"how do we kill it?" Sasuke asked.

"oh, that's fairly simple. Just kill her like you would a normal wolf. Except... you have to extinguish her eyes."

"what?" Naruto asked while Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"well, her eyes are flames… if that makes sense. So in order to kill her, burning, stabbing, whatever, you have to get rid of her eyes. So, use water, wind, whatever to get rid of the fire in her eyes, and then finish her off." Kyuubi responded, before a yawn broke through his lips.

"there's one more thing I'm going to say, before I kick you both out of here." Kyuubi said, before sucking in a giant breath. His body seemed to grow much larger, and his eyes grew feral. He snarled, bringing his attention to Sasuke.

"I swear if you ever betray the brat, by not believing him or allowing him to be hurt, there will be hell to pay. I have not allowed you to become best friends with the brat for you to suddenly not care." Kyuubi snarled, his red chakra seeping from him and glided across the water towards Sasuke.

Sasukes back was straight, his eyes glaring at the demon.

"and who said I would do any of that?" Sasuke asked.

"no one had to. I can see it inside of you, Uchiha. You're like the rest of them. If you don't like the situation, you do what you can to get rid of it." Kyuubi snarled, and a burst of chakra sent them spiralling into darkness once more.

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Naruto groaned, a sharp pain erupting behind his eyes. Sasuke sat up, his Sharingan slowly fading from his eyes. He rubbed his eyes, and Naruto sat up clutching his head.

"what the hell was that?" Naruto grumbled, rubbing his head. Sasuke looked over to him. Apparently, they had both collapsed with that.

"how would I know? Aren't you more… sociable with Kyuubi?" Sasuke grumbled as he stood and brushed the dirt off his clothes.

"I guess. But sometimes I don't get him like that." Naruto stood, before realizing that through the talk with Kyuubi, he had lost his henge. he quickly found his way into the cabin, and promptly slammed the door in the Raven's face.

"Oi! Dobe, open the damn door!" Sasuke called angrily, slamming his fist on the door. He jiggled the door knob, and found it locked.

"why should I?" Naruto grumbled, leaning against the locked door.

"Dobe." Sasuke said as a warning, trying to turn the lock again. If it didn't open, he would bash the door down.

"I heard what Kyuubi said. You don't even believe me! Or care about the fact that I'm terrified out of my life at the moment!" Naruto snarled, the tell-tale of Kyuubis influence beginning to show.

"and you'd believe the damn fox over your best friend?" Sasuke snarled back. there was a pause.

"…go away, Sasuke." Naruto said through the door, although it was softer, sad.

"Naruto, I swear…" Sasuke sighed, annoyed. He looked up, somewhat curious, when the door unlocked.

"Naruto. Do you really believe I don't believe you when you say the village is in trouble?" Sasuke asked, his face stoic. Naruto snorted.

"I don't know what to believe. First, I'm a traitor to the village, but you come and bring me back. secondly, you get me back here, but you seem like you regret it. third, you don't believe me, but now you're trying to convince me you do. What is it? do you really want me here, or do you want me gone? Because if you want me gone, I'll be gone before you say 'Go!'" Naruto hissed, hands clenching, Kyuubis influence multiplying.

"if you leave, I'll just bring you back again. And again if I have to." Sasuke hissed, his hands forming fists. A moment of shock and surprised flicked over Narutos face, before slipping back to annoyed.

"Teme! How the hell-" whatever he was going to say was cut off, as a sudden scream erupted from the village.

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Written by Urufu-chan

(Ochibi and Urufu)