Disclaimer
K. I'm not sure if I have to write these things but I will. I don't claim any rights to Naruto or the charecters. I give full credit to the rightful owners, blah, blah, blah. Except my story line. I mean I have no problem with them using it in Naruto, but I want credit if they do. lmao.
When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.
-Audre Lorde
The moon seemed to brighten suddenly and a blast of golden chakra swirled from Sakura. Sasuke watched her warily but she just winked in response, as if telling him to trust her. He nodded and pulled back, grasping for the familiar silver chakra. Naruto looked between them before calling upon his own - crimson - chakra. Jugo and Neji backed away from them, the strength and power of their chakra physically forcing them to leave.
'Embrace it, Child.' Houkou commaded.
'Destroy them with my power, boy.' Shichibi hissed.
'You need my power again?' Kyuubi snapped.
'Yeah, yeah." The three Jinchuuriki thought in perfect unison.
The three chakra patterns - gold, silver and crimson - all slowly solidified around their hosts, forming tails. The four Akatsuki swore, but made no move to stop them, just stood and watched in horror as the chakra molded to form five perfect chakra tails.
Naruto looked down at himself in confusion. 'The last time I had this many tails my skin burned off....what's with this...?' His body looked no more like his twin tail form, except for the fact that there were five tails instead of two. His blond hair was slightly ruffled, his eyes were a slitted crimson, and his whiskers looked darker, but he was still obviously Naruto.
"Probably because of Nagato's powers." Sakura murmured, looking herself over. Naruto sent her a strange look. "What?"
"Nothing, nothing." He responded, waving his clawed hand airily. 'Geez, mind-reader much?'
"What?" Sasuke asked, looking up at Naruto. "Say something, Naruto."
"Something, Naruto." Sakura and Naruto said in unison.
"No, think something!" He snapped in response.
The two siblings frowned. 'What's he going on about?' Naruto wondered.
Sakura gasped and pointed at her brother. 'Oh my God!'
He looked back at her in disbelief. 'Your lips didn't move!'
'We can hear each others thoughts?!' Sasuke demanded, looking between his teammates in disbelief. 'No way!'
'I believe Nagato's gift held more power than you initially realized, Child.' Houkou murmured, wonder filling her voice. 'It has been a while, Shichibi, Kyuubi.'
'Indeed, Houkou, it has been.' Shichibi responded, a low growl echoing behind his voice.
'What is it, now? Ten centuries?' Kyuubi asked.
'What the hell is that?!' Naruto cried in his mind, looking at Sasuke and Sakura in terror.
'Looks like we can hear our inner demons, as well.' Sakura muttered, a grin flitting across her face. 'Geez, how emo poem does that sound?'
'We'll talk poetry later! We have to fight now!' Sasuke hissed at them, glaring daggers in the two siblings direction. 'Can you give us any insight, Sakura?'
'Well, we'll let Suigetsu handle Kisame, the others can help him if they want. Everyone else should deal with Hidan. So, Karin and Jugo will be able to tell everyone what to look out for. Suigetsu won't care. Me and Sasuke will take Itachi first, Naruto pick a few people to fight Kakuzu and tell them this...'
The four Akatsuki watched the three Jinchuuriki in confusion. They were looking at each other as if trying to forcefully communicate their thoughts... and it looked as if it was working.
'Awright, guys. We can't afford to lose this battle. Are you two ready for it?' Sakura asked, looking between Naruto and Sasuke.
Naruto barked a laugh. 'Look who's asking who, Imouto.' He paused thoughtfully. 'Hey, let's all go out for Ramen after this, like we used to do before everything. Deal?'
'And whoever doesn't make it pays.' Sasuke added.
Their three voices joined in unison. 'Just like the old days.'
"Ino, Hinata, Karin! You three are in charge of healing!" Neji called, unaware of the strategy meeting he had just missed. "We'll split into even grou-"
"Wanna bet?" Naruto and Sakura snapped, turning around to glare at him.
Sasuke took initiative so there wouldn't be an argument. "Suigetsu, you're fighting Kisame. Don't be stupid about it, if you need help just ask. Jugo, I want you to help the Leaf ninjas fight Hidan, you know how he works and it's your job to make sure they don't end up in his trap. Explain it to them, you're in charge. Sakura and I will fight Itachi, Naruto is against Kakuzu. Karin, if anyone's chakra starts to waver, call them back and heal them! Don't ignore it because you hate the Leaf. Right now they're our strongest allies and we'll need their help if we're going to win. Hinata, Ino, go between the fights and heal anyone who needs it." He shouted over the clearing, his voice ringing with such intensity that no one would dare to question him. "I only have two rules. Rule number one: Work like a team, we need this fight so don't be selfish."
When it was apparent he wasn't going to continue, Neji cleared his throat. "And the second?"
"Stay out of our way." Naruto responded for his friend, forming a shadow clone.
"This isn't a training session, guys. If we lose this mission, we won't just get yelled at or lose a few bucks. We lose our lives. Stay together, stay strong. Let's go." Sakura called, flipping a kunai out.
Sasuke let out a low growl and summoned his Chidori just as Naruto started working on his Rasengan.
'Be careful, you two.' Sasuke cautioned.
'Who are you and what have you done with Sasuke Uchiha?' Naruto demanded with a surprised gasp.
Sakura laughed, holding her kunai out like a dagger. Sasuke followed her towards his brother. Itachi held a kunai out to block Sakura's and grabbed Sasuke's wrist to keep the Chidori away from himself. Sakura kept one hand on her kunai and grabbed another one with her free hand, Sasuke copied her but grabbed his katana instead. Their weapons swiped through air as Itachi reappeared behind them, grabbing their collars - ignoring the fact that their chakra burned his skin - and tossed them both behind him. Sasuke spun in mid-air so that he landed on his knees and was in a good posistion to start a set of hand signs in the air. Sakura had the same idea.
"Chidori!" He rushed forward again, knowing that Sakura would need some cover for the jutsu she was planning.
Itachi just laughed when the electricity spread into the metal blade and deflected it with his kunai. They stood like that, with their weapons pressed together and all their strength shoving against the handles, just waiting.
'Are you done yet?' Sasuke hissed through their connection.
'Get down when I say now.' Was Sakura's response as her hand signs ceased.
"Storm Style: Tsuname Jutsu!" She cried, holding her hand - palm facing them - towards Itachi and Sasuke. A blast of water and wind shot towards them, almost like a Tsuname was originating from her palm.
She waited, watching the attack shoot towards her friend and her enemy. Sasuke didn't flinch, that alone showed how much he truely trusted her.
'Now! Sasuke, jump!' Sakura screamed at him, desperation filling her thoughts.
Sasuke forced the silver chakra into his feet and launched himself off the ground, above the spiral of wind and water. It disappeared the second gravity took over. If he had jumped a few moments sooner the blast would have obliterated him.
Just like it did with Itachi.
'Is he dead?' Sakura asked, confusion lacing her voice. 'That was a lot easier than last time and I'm not that good, am I?'
'He just retreated, Kisame went with him.' Sasuke answered, surveying the two fighst on either side of him.
'Suigetsu looks pretty PO'd.' Sakura observed, grinning at the blue-haired man when he looked over at them.
"Suigetsu! Go help Jugo! He's gonna need it!" Sakura called to him, turning towards her brothers fight. "And remember, don't get cut, okay?"
"Yeah, yeah!" Suigetsu snapped, pulling his large blade out of the ground and rushing into the large group fighting Hidan.
'We're coming to help now, Naruto. How're you holding up?' Sakura asked, rushing up to the blond knucklehead.
'Not bad, he pulled out his five element bodies, like you said he would. Do you really think this plan'll work?' He asked, jumping back so that he was standing between his teammates.
'It's worked so far, dobe.' Sasuke responded, readying his katana. 'Itachi and Kisame left, like we said. Hidan and Kakuzu are still here, like we said. His five bodies are out and Hidan looks pretty desperate, like we said.'
'So, we finish off this guy, then go help the others.' Naruto confirmed, getting his shadow clone to prepare another Rasengan.
'Basically, but don't underestimate him, Ni-san. Kakuzu's a violent person.' Sakura cautioned, flipping a kunai out. 'Okay, who wants what creature?'
'Lightning.' Naruto said quickly, gesturing at himself airily. 'I'm wind, I can take him.'
'Then I'll take Wind.' Sasuke said, sending his Chidori into his katana as if emphasizing the point.
'I'll take Fire, then. Naruto, if you finish before us go for Water. Sasuke, you'll take Earth. I'll go for Kakuzu.' Sakura muttered, looking between the two men beside her. 'You two understand what we're supposed to do?'
"Dattebayo!" Naruto called, rushing towards the Lightning creature.
"Dattebayo." Sasuke and Sakura echoed, their voices were mere whispers as they ran towards their individual targets.