The Great Sage Naruto

by Thousandson

This is set 3 year after the war with the Atatsuki and Naruto is about to get a surprising new teammate to take the Chunin exams finally . NaruxIno ,NaruxHinata , NaruxSaku , NaruxHanabi ....NOT a harem.

36. Chapter 36: Gaara's Rain

Authors notes:

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Ergh my muse just showed me that I was paying full attention when I was shown certain parts of the story.

I actually had to go back and add in some parts that I omitted having to do with Konohamaru.

They seemed pretty minor at the time, but this chapter showed me that they were actually important to the story.

It's nothing you need to re-read the entire story for.

I doubt many of you would have caught the subtle difference if I didn't say anything, but still I wanted it to be right so I went back and fixed it.

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Ok even though it wasn't a big hit last time I did this, there is music for part of this chapter should you want to head over to youtube and have the music ready for when the * mark is.

For those of that skipped over the notes the last time I did this.

It's fairly simple. My muse has music either playing in my head or has me listen to it while writing certain parts of the story.

The great majority of the time I don't share the music my muse shows me, but this time I felt it enhanced the scene too greatly to be left out.

The song is '1000 Words' by Jade Vallalon from the game Final Fantasy X.

So poke play when you see the *(site kept removing my * mark so it has been changed to a *start*) mark near the end of the chapter if you wish to hear the music that goes with the scene.

If nothing else it is a really good song that you likely haven't heard unless you played the game.

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The scary thing is that Jade didn't think she was a very good singer...Guess that makes Lea Salonga just barely average...

Didn't understand the reference?

Lea Salonga probably has the most beautiful singing voice you will hear in your life time and even if you don't know her name you probably have heard her sing.

She is the singing voice of Jasmin in Disney's Aladdin and is certain worth a google if you'd like to hear her works.

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Questions/Reviews:

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I was pretty worried about how you all would take the last chapter.

I was rather nervous to check my review for fear that I didn't express what my muse had showed me correctly.

So thank you for all your reviews.

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mead95
2011-08-04 . chapter 35

I have been searching for a new story to catch my interests, and I must say you certainly have succeeded in doing so.

The story is fascinating and there are very few that I've read that has had this depth, even if I enjoy "shallower" stories.

Now my only major word problem and it's 'deja vu' not 'dejavoo'.

Thank you for the correction!

For the people who question "Ruby" as a name I must admit it is at the same time the least and most original name for Kyuubi I've read.

I've never seen it before yet it is one of the first names any of us could use and I applaud you for using it yet must say you could've tried harder.

Yes, I could have easily come up with a better name, but you have to remember, as far as the story goes, its Naruto nickname for her not mine own.

Naruto is a rather dim witted character with moments of brilliances.

Continue writing for every story I've ever read is another life I experience yet will never have. I have just told one of my deepest secrets do not take it lightly.

Sorry to tell you this, but you haven't told me a secret at all. Each character's story from the moment they were born until the moment they die has already been shown to me.

And even beyond that(for my story at least)… You have a vital gift for a great writer, the question is…Will you use it?

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Konaha's Black Dragon
2011-07-27 . chapter 35

Being in the armed forces is a forever of inane boredom followed by seconds of sheer terror and

they take and equal amount of time to describe to someone even though the boredom lasts for an eternity longer.

Great chapter, but at times your tendency for excessive amounts of philosophy can be a browbeating.

First and foremost, thank you for your service in the armed forces. Umm well yeah I'm guilty as charged there.

I'm one of those deep thinking, highly creative and philosophical people, but what do you expect from someone who almost decided to become a Baptist preacher.

I no longer have that calling, but the philosophical part of me remains.

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Mr. The Foolish
2011-07-20 . chapter 35

Woo, finally made an account just so I could review. You should probably elaborate on the whole Sasuke being a sage idea. Razorwing says he's not an active sage, he just bluntly

says that he is. Also, in an earlier chapter, Sasuke thought to himself that Naruto would be breaking a new record by having 5 sages in the village, which, after this chapter, seems to

be sort of a plot flaw. On another note, I've noticed an overuse of the word soulless and variants in the later chapters, which bothers me with repetitiveness. That's the biggest writing

issue I have, and I am too lazy to point out other specific ones. I love the story. Thanks for writing, and thanks to your wife for beta-ing.

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Actually I don't think there will be anymore elaborating on Sasuke being a Sage in my story so I'll try to clear it up here.

Just like my friend that was in the army still has all of his soldier training but his hurt back will no longer allows him to serve in the army.

Sasuke is a Sage but he isn't fit to serve the Leaf Village. If you remember correctly Sasuke was retired back then and had decided to never go back to being a Ninja.

He didn't even consider himself a Ninja let alone a Sage.

Soulless, stunned, confused, shocked, surprised, there are only so many words I have to convey this type of reaction when a character sees something new and unexpected.

I do try to very it as much as possible when a bunch of those events happen in a row.

If you think I'm to repetitive then help me out by giving me some new descriptive words to use.

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demoneyes69(edited to fix grammar mistakes)
2011-07-15 . chapter 35

I have been a huge fan of this story. Your story fascinates me to no ends.

I have re-read this master piece every time you update so every detail is fresh for the new chapter...

I haven't written much but I hope to have a piece like this someday. My work is under cross619..My old account.

Thanks, from demoneyes69

Lol, my friend if you are writing you need use spell check a bit more. God knows it's one of my best friends when I write.

Wow 'Master Piece', what a compliment. I normally reread the whole story about every six to eight chapter or after I've taken a few months off.

But certainly not after every chapter. I don't think I could handle chapters like 'Heart to Heart: Naruto X Ino' and 'Kyuubi's Howl' before every chapter I write.

That would be a little much for me to deal with. As for your writing if you enjoy it just keep doing it.

The best advice I can give you is stay true to your characters and their emotions.

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The way characters interact with each other is the driving point of all good stories.

No matter how good a fight scene I write, it will be hollow if I don't tell the reader why they are fighting and have a third character there to react to the fight.

Can you imagine reading Dragon Ball Z in a novel style format with no pictures? My god, it would probably be the most boring book ever!

Forty pages of fight scenes then one sentence of dialog then another forty pages of fighting… Need I go on?

Yet most people here would probably agree DBZ is one of the best animes of all time with masterful fighting scenes that's hard to stop watching once you start.

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The most important thing for a writer to be is a great story teller. I knew when I started this story that I was a good story teller, but my grammar was horrid at best.

By posting my chapters reviewers like you helped point out my mistakes and helped further me on the path to becoming professional writer.

When you read the first chapter of this story did you ever think it would turn into this?

The story started out as a silly seemingly perverted story then it turned into a tear jerking drama.

Next it turned into wacky, awkward and sometimes ecchi story about Naruto becoming Hanabi's sensei as they grew closer together.

It grew yet again into a stronger romance of two people wanting to be together, but circumstances are keeping them part.

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Then the story grew as they learn about the harshness on battle and learned that they really were mortal when Konohamaru nearly died.

The story then went in a completely new direction changing into a conspiracy theory mystery as Naruto's time grew shorter and shorter.

Now the story has grown darker as Naruto's seal is broken and against all the odds he survives as Kyuubi shows that she isn't a mindless beast when she howls for him.

Their battle looms on the horizon as the story is changing into what it was always meant to be since day one.

A epic story where the world might be destroy, more so from the hero of the story than the villain (according to Kyuubi).

Just now things are starting to happen that were plan out before I typed the first sentence over two years ago and there is still more yet to come.

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But to get this far I spent weeks and weeks researching everything from characters jutsu to the geography of villages.

Much like Naruto, I had to get kicked around a lot to learn to write well.

I got many harsh reviews of this story when I first started it and sometimes it got me down and I would shy away from writing for a time.

I always came back though and found a way to pull the information I needed out of a hateful review to better my writing.

I no longer shy away from my writing because of a bad review anymore.

Through time I've grown to have a more professional outlook on criticism.

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I'm either in synced with my muse and the story comes to me like a raging river or I'm not and I just take a break until I am again.

I have never once thought of this as my hobby or something I just do for fun.

I work eight to five at a normal job to pay the bill, but this is my work, my art, and my craft.

I feel (no blasphemy intended) that being a writer is the closest a human being can be to godhood in a sense.

With a few stroke of the keys I can whisk myself away to London or Paris or the middle ages during the crusades.

I can go to the center of the earth or to the farthest reaches of outer space where strange aliens live.

When I write I am only bound by my great imagination and creativity, and that it why I love it so much.

It's like having an infinite world of freedom all to myself that I can share with others whenever I like.

When I write I feel like I am doing what I was meant to do.

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A blank white screen sets my mind ablaze with a thousand and one stories all waiting for me to just press the keys to tell their tale.

Remember to write for yourself, you will always be your own biggest fan.

You will have to be to spend fifty plus hours writing each chapter.

Otherwise your story will join all the other lost, broken and unfinished stories that litter this site because their writers gave up on their dreams too soon.

Even if everyone hated my story so much that I felt I needed to take it down, I'd continue to write it.

Even if it just sat on my dusty hard drive like an old friend that I could go back and visit just to remember how far I have come.

I hope sharing this with you helps and wish you luck on your writing.

(I probably should have sent this as a private message as it's so long, but maybe some other writers will get something out of it too.)

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Last Chapter.

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Kyuubi's muscles tightened as she clinched her jaw in anger.

The giant fox stood up as Sakura kneeled down and took Naruto's sleeping hand in hers with a look of bright joy in her eyes.

Kyuubi's many tails fanned out like writhing snakes in the air and she growled through gritted teeth.

"You are foolish, brash and reckless mortal!"

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Kyuubi's angry words never fazed her as she pulled Naruto's hand to her chest with both of hers.

She only smiled at Naruto's sleeping form with tears of happiness in her eyes.

Kyuubi's body shivered as her muscles relaxed and she once more sat down and stared at the moon in stillness.

"…I like that in a mortal…" Kyuubi said honestly and softly as Sakura embraced Naruto and closed her eyes on the fox's forehead.

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"Don't get to comfortable with the way I am now mortal. Tomorrow the Keeper of Death himself will tremble before me when I reclaim what is rightfully mine.

It is then that I will become that which your people describe me as and fear most. I will become that raging demon that you thought I was at first fully.

It will be then that Naruto and I will fight. I will fight him with everything that I am to settle the fate of this world."

Kyuubi said as Sakura's blissful smile continued and her breathing came in slow rhythmic sounds as she slept in Naruto's arms on Nine Tailed Foxes head.

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Chapter Thirty-Six: Gaara's Rain.

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Konohamaru and Kakashi slowly made their way down a winding path that lead through a very dense and dark forest area.

"Where are we going Kakashi sensei? You've had me doing pointless stuff for almost a week!

I thought you were going to help me master combining the Rasengan with my fire element!" He complained loudly as he swept another branch out of his path.

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Kakashi hung his head and sighed deeply. "I told you that we aren't training right now. We are on an A ranked mission." He said in exasperation.

"Yeah, yeah. I heard you, but you still haven't told me a thing about this mission.

What are we doing way out here anyway?" He said angrily as he crossed his arms.

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Kakashi's face turned sour as he continued moving forward.

"Did you remember what I told you yesterday about not eating because you are going to get sick on this mission?" He said already dreading the answer.

Konohamaru smiled as he put his finger under his nose.

"Yup, I remembered alright, but Naruto already warned me that you used that kind of tactic.

So I made sure to eat a large dinner and even forced myself to eat dessert.

Hehehe, you aren't going to catch me off guard and force me to train when I'm starving to death. I'm just too smart for that."

He said with a bright smile clearly proud of himself.

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Kakashi sweat dropped as he hung his head in exasperation and shook it.

"Konohamaru…I only used that tactic on Squad Seven when I was training them.

I would never use it on a Chunin and never on anyone during a mission." He said in a tired 'I knew it' tone.

Konohamaru giggled to himself softly. "Yeah, you're just upset that I beat you at your own game!" He said with pride while pointing at him.

"You're going to regret it…" Kakashi warned as he moved forward with his head slumped forward.

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As they moved deeper and deeper into the forest the growth became thicker and thicker.

After a long silence between them Konohamaru asked with a longing and serious face.

"Hey…How is Hanabi and when is Naruto getting back from his mission?"

Kakashi suddenly put on a passive face and said.

"Hanabi still has a very contagious strain of the pocks. Naruto will be gone for at least another week."

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Konohamaru looked at the ground in disappointment and frustration as he kicked a rock out of his path.

"Aww man! That long? Can you at least tell me what kind of mission he is on that would take him so long?" He asked in annoyance.

Kakashi rolled his eyes and said. "Of course not. He is on an S ranked mission that is top secret just like always."

Konohamaru stopped and threw his arms down as he stomped his foot in frustration.

"Damn it! Why am I always left out of everything? Why am I always the last to know?

Aren't I a Chunin now? Don't I have a right to know?" He said angrily.

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Kakashi sighed as he pushed a bushy growth out of his way and entered a large clearing.

It was nearing dawn and it was still dim, yet he could see the smoothly cut boulder next to the bank of a shallow pool.

Fireflies danced and blinked at the far bank of the pool with cattails growing out of it.

Goldfish and Butterfly Coy churned the water in front of the stone as they walked up to it.

"What the heck is this place?" Konohamaru said loudly as he looked around clearly unimpressed.

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Kakashi turned around as he stepped up on the flat boulder.

"You said you are tired of always being left out of the loop so here we are. This is the entrance of Hokage Training Ground Three.

It was created by none other than the Fourth Hokage and requires either his chakra or his sons to even enter it."

Konohamaru's eyes went wide with delight and surprise.

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"Wow…We are going to H-Three….Wait the Fourth Hokage had a son? Who is he? I bet he is an extraordinary ninja!

Where is he? I mean if we need his chakra to enter the training ground then that means he got to be somewhere around here.

I wonder if he would train me while Naruto is away!" He said as he looked around franticly.

"Wait…why would you keep such a super ninja hidden away?...

Oh I see he's the village's secret weapons, our ace in the hole if anything gets really bad for the village.

I can't wait to meet him!" He said excitedly.

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Kakashi slapped his face hard and then slowly swiped his face with it.

"He's is an even bigger idiot than his master…How could he not know? It's been spelled out for him so many times…" Kakashi thought sourly.

"Yes he is an extraordinary ninja with powers that far surpass even lady Tsunade and your wildest imagination."

Kakashi said clear surprised that Konohamaru was still unaware about who he was talking about.

Konohamaru was jumping up and down with excitement. "If I can get him to train me then maybe I can catch up to Naruto!"

He said as he raised his fist into the air with a gleeful smile.

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Kakashi sweat dropped and prayed. "Kami please don't ever let this imbecile ever hold a position of leadership…it would be a disaster."

"Hey Kakashi sensei I don't see anyone around here. What does the Fourth Hokage's son look like? Is he hiding or something?"

He said as he looked around with a goofy smile on his face.

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Kakashi sighed and then said. "He looks exactly like the Fourth Hokage, but…he has some defining features that sets him apart from his father.

And no he isn't hiding, he is away from the village right now. Our mission is to help him by doing a task inside of H-Three."

"Woohoo!" He jumped for joy. "A mission to help the Fourth Hokage's son, a super ninja! Just tell me what to do Kakashi sensei." He said happily and determinedly.

Kakashi explained. "Well to enter you need a Kunai Spirit Marker. You do have one right?"

Konohamaru smiled brightly as he drew two kunais hand held them above his head as he said.

"Yup, I've got two of them, one from Naruto and one from Hanabi!"

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Kakashi said in a reserved manner. "Good, but you only need one so use the more powerful of the two you have."

Konohamaru's eyes darted back and forth in thought at the two kunais in his hands with an intense, questioning look on his face.

"How do I know which one is stronger?" He finally asked.

Kakashi gave him a tired look and said. "Of the ninja that gave you them to you, which of them is stronger?"

Konohamaru thought about it intensely for a moment before his eyes lit up.

He holstered one of them and held the other out in front of him.

"Ok Kakashi sensei I'm ready!" He said while raising one of the kunais over his head.

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Kakashi gave him a sour look before saying. "You're using Hanabi's kunai aren't you…"

He gave Kakashi a reserved and confused look and said. "Yes, of course I am…

Didn't you tell me to use the one from the stronger ninja? Naruto forfeited to her at the Chunin exams.

They would need to fight again for Naruto to prove that he is better."

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Kakashi looked down and sigh in exasperation. "I knew it…" He said to himself before turning to Konohamaru.

"Konohamaru… Has Hanabi ever leveled a mountain or summoned a cyclone the size of the village? Has she ever stopped a war single handedly?

Has she ever…Never mind I don't even want to know what you were thinking when you decided which kunai to use.

Just use the one Naruto gave you." He said bluntly.

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Konohamaru have him an annoyed look and said. "Well, why didn't you say that in the first place?"

"I thought I did…" He thought to himself.

He drew his own cobalt blue kunai and said. "Ok we are going to enter H-Three.

You just need to hold your kunai to your chest like the way Naruto does when he uses his Yellow Flash jutsu. I'll handle the rest."

Konohamaru gave him an odd, disbelieving look but did his as he asked.

Kakashi started going though hand signs for a long moment as the stone bench began to glow.

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Konohamaru started to feel weightless like he was drifting up and then suddenly he felt like something reached out and slammed him into the ground.

He hit the ground with such force that it knocked the breath out of him for a moment.

He gasped for air as his head swam. He turned a sickly green color as his cheeks bellowed before he got sick in violent heaves.

He threw up for so long that he thought it would never end. When he stopped heaving he curled up into a tight ball next to his small pile of vomit and muttered.

"Stop the world….I wanna get off."

Kakashi only smiled at him in his nauseated state.

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Konohamaru opened his blurry eyes few minutes later. His face was lying to the side on the cool grass near the still pond.

Kakashi was sitting on the stone bench with a glowing orb light jutsu hanging in the air above his head while he read a book.

"Urgh…" He said as he stirred. He managed to sit up on his knees while slowly drifting from side to side as he was still a light shade of sickly green.

He wrapped his arms around his stomach while clutching at it as it churned. He heaved slightly, but chewed it back as to not get sick again.

After he calmed his angry stomach down he blinked a few time while looking around to clear his vision.

He saw the dark still pond and the stone bench by the shore. He shakily stood up and grabbed his dizzy head.

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"Urgh! What happened? I feel like I just got out of Naruto's 'Whirl and Hurl' jutsu." He said wobbly.

Kakashi closed his book with a snap and looked over at him.

"I see you're finally awake. I guess I shouldn't have to tell you I told you so, but I told you so…" He said with a smirk.

Konohamaru looked around in confusion and said. "Hey I thought we were going to H-Three. This is right where we left from."

Kakashi hung his head and sighed. "It's like Deja vu all over again…" He thought sourly.

Konohamaru's eyes suddenly went wide.

"Wait Kakashi sensei! Take me back! You didn't need to take us back for my sake. I can handle it. I won't get sick this time I swear!"

He said desperately and quickly.

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Kakashi shook his head at the ground.

"Konohamaru…" He said in a tired tone. "You're a full fledged Monkey Sage now. Be mindful of your surroundings.

I thought you would understand better than Hanabi did, but it seems that I was wrong. Look around carefully Konohamaru."

Konohamaru looked around for a long moment and then turned to Kakashi with a confused look.

He shrugged and said. "I don't see anything different here."

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Kakashi sweat dropped as he leaned forward slightly in his shock.

When Kakashi mastered himself once more he asked.

"I thought a Monkey Sage was supposed to know each and every tree like they were his home."

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Konohamaru shot him an annoyed look and said. "Only if it's a tree I've climbed before!"

"Konohamaru don't you notice anything missing?...Maybe the wind?" He said knowingly.

He looked around and said. "Hey that is strange. There is no wind here…and the fireflies are gone too."

He looked around carefully and then said. "This isn't the same forest were we just were, it only looks like it. It is too quiet here. Where are we?"

Konohamaru turned and gave him a perplexed look.

Kakashi said. "Well at least you understand we aren't in the same forest."

"Bu-but where are we then?" Konohamaru asked.

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"This is H-Three. It is a pocket of time/space meant only for the use of the Hokage to train in exceptionally dangerous jutsu.

H-Three was created by the Fourth Hokage and your grandfather after one of his jutsus went wild and destroyed H-One.

Now his son has been coming here for over four years to train just like his father did." He said and Konohamaru looked at him in awe.

"Wow I can't wait to meet the Fourth Hokage's son! When do you think he will get back from his mission?" He said excitedly.

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"I hope it's shortly after we complete our mission." Kakashi said and then started down the path.

"After all when he gets back he will be named as the Sixth Hokage." Kakashi said casually.

Konohamaru's face suddenly changed to anger.

"Now wait just a minute there buster! Me and Naruto are going to fight it out for the title of Hokage!

I don't care if he is the Fourth Hokage's son he better get to the back of the line!

Me and Naruto have been training all our lives to become Hokage!"

He fumed as he pointed his thumb over his shoulder.

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Kakashi gave him a slightly amused smile and said. "And here I thought you wanted him to train you so that you could beat Naruto…"

Konohamaru threw his arms down as he followed him and said. "That was before I found out he was also vying for the title of Hokage.

Now I just want to pulverize him when I see him." Konohamaru smashed his fist into his palm.

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Kakashi laughed softly and then said. "You are welcome to try when you see him, but if he got serious you'd never lay a hand on him.

You'd be dead before you realized what hit you."

Konohamaru crossed his arms with an annoyed look on his face and said. "We'll just see about that when I meet him."

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They walked for some time before coming to the main gate of the Village.

As they were walking by dark, empty houses Konohamaru quietly and curiously asked.

"Hey Kakashi sensei…You said Naruto uses this training ground a lot right? Does that mean he also knows the Fourth Hokages son?"

Kakashi never turned around as he continued forward down the street and said. "Yes he does, you might say they know each other very well."

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"Have they ever sparred with each other?" He asked.

Kakashi looked up in thought before saying. "You might say that they did…"

Konohamaru smiled as he put his arms behind his head and then said. "I bet he wasn't so cheeky after Naruto beat him."

"Actually it was a tie, they are even in power." He said and Konohamaru eyes went wide.

"He's as strong as Naruto?" He said in disbelief.

Kakashi sighed and said. "Yes… that's what I said."

Konohamaru quickly caught up to Kakashi side as they walked down the street with his light orb jutsu leading the way.

"If he is that strong how will I know it's him if I meet him?" He asked intently.

Kakashi said in a tired tone.

"His likeness is all over this place. You will see soon enough, we are almost at Main Street."

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They rounded the corner and Konohamaru caught sight of the glowing golden Hokage monument that lit up the streets in its warm dim light.

He saw thousands of Naruto's chakra clones littering the road.

His face changed to a boyish smile as he waved. "Hey Naruto, when did you get back?"

The clones never moved. They sat still in their crossed legged meditation position.

Konohamaru slowly pulled his hand down as he looked at the clones in confusion.

"HEY NARUTO!" He yelled loudly.

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Kakashi gave him a queer look. "They can't hear you, they have been put into stasis. Just follow me." He said and then leaped up onto a nearby building.

Konohamaru looked around for a moment and then followed him.

He landed beside him and then his eyes went wide in shock and amazement as he looked over the village to see thousands upon thousands of Naruto clones.

"Wow there is so…many of them… I didn't know he could make so many…" Konohamaru said in awe.

"Why would he make so many only to have them sit there?"

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"Can't you think of a reason?" Kakashi looked over to him and asked.

Konohamaru turned slowly in a circle to get a full view of the village covered in Naruto clones with a wide eyed blank stare.

He turned until he faced Kakashi with his gaping stare of disbelief as he slowly shook his head unable to speak.

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"This has been part of Naruto's four years of preparation to fight the strongest being in the world." He said as he returned his gaze out to the dark village.

He blinked a few times and swallowed hard before gazing out on the village again.

"Th-There must be over forty-thousand of them…" Konohamaru said while still trying to process everything that was seeing.

"I've counted over sixty-thousand and that doesn't even include all the ones that are hidden out in the forest.

It is likely over one hundred-thousand or higher." Kakashi said as he marveled at them for a moment before turning back to Konohamaru.

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Konohamaru stared blankly out over them for a long time before finally turning toward Kakashi.

He sadly looked down at the ground as he clinched his fist.

"Why…Why did he tell me that he was going to fight a being of such power?…Why didn't he ask for my help?...Who is this being for that matter anyway?"

He said in frustration as he clinched his teeth. "Why am I always the last to know!" He said as he clinched his fist so tightly his knuckles cracked.

Kakashi chuckled softly to himself and never looked over at Konohamaru.

"Who said you aren't going to help him with his fight?" He said subjectively.

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Konohamaru relaxed slightly, but looked even sadder. "He never told me about any of this. He only told me that he comes here to train…

And even now you are telling me the Fourth Hokage's son is about to be named as the Sixth Hokage when me and Naruto have been working all our lives for that."

He said while lost in his sad thoughts in disappointment.

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Kakashi placed his hand on Konohamaru's shoulder and said. "You can't sulk here. We are still on an A ranked mission Konohamaru."

Come on we need to get going. Just make sure you don't disturb any of his clones."

He leaped off in the direction of the Hokage monument.

Konohamaru continued to gape sadly at the clones for a moment long before following him.

They bound through the dim village carefully until they reached the bottom of the stairs going up to the Hokage monument viewing platform.

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Kakashi led the way up the stairs as Konohamaru followed.

"Hey Kakashi sensei, what exactly are we doing here? I mean, what is this mission all about?"

He asked quietly as his mind was still trying to come to grips with all of Naruto's clones.

Kakashi stated. "I will explain that once we reach the top."

Konohamaru looked down as he followed him silently.

They stepped onto the dim viewing platform.

.

"Hey, you're finally here Konohamaru." Udon said with a smile. Konohamaru looked up as Moegi said.

"We were starting to worry that you might have gotten lost."

Konohamaru gave them a confused look and ask. "Udon…Moegi, what are you doing here?"

Moegi gave him an odd look and said. "What do you think we are doing here? We are here to help Naruto same as you."

Konohamaru shook his head and said. "I'm not here to help Naruto. I'm on a mission to help the Fourth Hokage's son-"

Their eyes went wide as Moegi said. "Wow…Naruto is the Fourth Hokage's son."

Udon said in surprise. "T-That explains why he would always look at the Fourth Hokage's face on the monument when he was talking about his father."

Konohamaru gave them a perplexed look as he said. "No…that can't be true. Naruto's last name is Uzumaki not Namikaze."

.

Udon looked at him in a reserved manner and said. "Konohamaru, it was customary for the women in the Uzumaki Clan to keep their Clan name after marriage.

The Fourth Hokage's wife was Kushina Uzumaki… She must have been his mother.

That explains why Naruto has both their pictures on the center of his mantle."

Konohamaru turned around slow towards Kakashi with a shocked and disbelieving look in his eyes.

.

"Kakashi sensei…is this true? Is Naruto really the Fourth Hokage's son…?" He asked intently.

"Of course he is, it's obvious if you just take a look at him. He is the spitting image of his father.

Weren't you paying attention during Sakura's conspiracy theory speech on who the rightful Hokage should be?

She even outlined most of his linage during it." He said.

.

Konohamaru wore a sad and pained look on his face as he looked down.

"I kind of…nodded off during part of that conversation.

Why…Why didn't he tell me any of this? He knows I'm the grandson of the Third Hokage after all.

And why did the Fourth Hokage seal something so horrible into his own son…" He said distantly.

.

Kakashi said. "Does who his father is change who Naruto is? The answer is no, it does not.

It's probably the same reason he didn't tell you about his eyes.

As for why he sealed the beast into his own son, well Naruto was the only vessel that could contain it.

Naruto has two bloodline traits of sealing flowing through his veins.

The one from the long lived Uzumaki Clan on his mother's side and one from the Namikaze Clan on his father's side.

Sensei Minato had no other choice."

.

Konohamaru shook his head at the ground and said. "Then I'm pretty sure I know what being he's fighting."

Moegi gave him a curious look and asked. "Then who or what is it that he is fighting? Kakashi will not tell us even though we asked him many times."

He raised his head to look at her and said.

"Moegi…Seals don't last forever no matter how powerful they are. I should know, I had one on me for most of my life."

Udon's eyes went slightly wide as he said. "Then you mean Naruto is fighting…"

"The Nine Tailed Fox. A being so powerful that not even the Fourth Hokage couldn't wound it so he sealed it away." Kakashi said seriously.

"Wait if Naruto is fighting the Kyuubi demon and his father couldn't kill it then why are we here instead of out there helping him fight it." Moegi asked curiously.

.

"Because we can't help him fight the Kyuubi directly. Only Naruto stands a chance of coming to blows with it and not being killed by its chakra.

As for what we are here to do, we or rather Konohamaru is here to destroy the time/space crystal that keeps H-three sealed away." Kakashi stated.

"What? Why do you want me to do that?" Konohamaru said in shock.

"Naruto himself handed us this mission. All of Naruto's chakra clones are sealed away in this place so they are useless to him right now.

After we break the jutsu that's holding this place in another time/space all of his chakra clones will appear all over the village then he will be able to use their chakra in his fight.

Or at least I hope that's how it's going to work." He said in a reserved tone.

.

Udon blinked at him a few times and then said. "What do you mean you 'hope' that's how it's going to work'?"

Kakashi turned to Konohamaru and seriously said.

"This isn't an A ranked mission for nothing. Messing with Time/space jutsu is highly dangerous.

If things don't turn out right we are very likely going to die or worse be trapped in another time space forever."

.

"Why me?" Konohamaru finally asked after a long moment in thought.

Kakashi eyed him carefully before saying.

"Firstly is because the time/space crystal here is nearly indestructible and we would need a very powerful jutsu just to damage it.

Secondly is because Naruto tasked you with this personally Konohamaru. He believes in you and believes you alone can do this task."

Konohamaru shook his head in distant confusion and said. "But you know way more jutsus than me and you're a much better Ninjutsu user than me."

"Konohamaru, the Fourth Hokage himself made this time/space crystal. He had the keenest mind of all the Hokage's.

He made this crystal as not only a time/space jutsu holder, but also as a chakra absorber.

If I hit it with my strongest attack it would only absorb my jutsu and make itself stronger." He stated seriously.

.

"But what attack do I have that could surpass anything you could throw at it?" He questioned him.

Kakashi smiled slightly and said. "The Fire Released Rasenshuriken."

"Kakashi, I haven't even come close to perfecting that jutsu yet! How can I use it when I'm not done creating it?" He asked in blank surprise.

.

"Calm yourself Konohamaru. That is why we are here. I've had Udon and Moegi training to aid you with chakra control.

They will help you form the jutsu then you will give it to me and I'll throw it." He said calmly.

Konohamaru thought about it for a long moment as he turned around.

"Konohamaru…" Moegi said softly.

.

He sighed and shook his troubled head at the ground.

"No…it's too dangerous. I'm not going to put you all in that kind of danger.

Naruto wouldn't do it and neither am I." He said as he turned around before looking seriously at Kakashi eyes.

"I'll just have to do it myself!" He said resolutely.

.

"Time is of the essence-" He said before Konohamaru cut him off.

"I know, but this is something I need to do for myself because Naruto believes in me. I can't let him down. I'll do this no matter what."

Kakashi smiled knowingly to himself as he took out Naruto's kunai Spirit Marker and then went through several hand signs.

"Un-Sealing Jutsu Vault Release!" He said and the ground shook as stone tiles at the other end of the platform slid back.

As they grinded to a halt as four feet tall stone pedestals rose up from the opening.

The pedestal had sealing jutsus engraved all over it and on top if it sat a two feet tall and one foot wide red crystal shard.

The crimson crystal shined even in the dim light.

.

Udon jaw fell open in stunned surprise. "Is that really as time/space crystal? It's huge!"

Konohamaru eyed it without pause or reaction. His mind was calm while only thinking of the task at hand.

In his mind Kakashi, Udon and Moegi no longer existed in the world. There was only him and his foe, the crimson crystal.

.

"Yes, that is the time/space crystal Minato and Hiruzen created to hold this place together.

Udon, Moegi, follow me it's not safe here anymore. I've only seen Konohamaru this serious and focused once before."

He said as he turned around and leaped over to the low hanging eves of the Hokage tower.

They raced to keep up with Kakashi as he bound effortlessly to the top of the tower.

Udon and Moegi had to be careful where they landed as it was covered in Naruto clones.

.

"When was the other time you saw him this serious?" Udon asked carefully.

Kakashi turned around and looked at Konohamaru from over the railing.

"It was when he and Naruto fought at Hokage Training Ground Two right after he got back from the Monkey Clan after obtaining the rank of Sage."

He said as he watched Konohamaru's still outline starting glowing blue with chakra.

.

"What happened?" Moegi asked and then swallowed hard as she looked at him from the nearby railing.

"Naruto held back but Konohamaru went all out against him. He proved that day that he was a true Sage like his grandfather, the Third Hokage.

Even Tsunade said that she wasn't sure who would win if her and him clashed in combat after seeing their match."

"He fought like the Third Hokage when he fought Naruto?" Udon asked clearly stunned.

.

Kakashi shook his head and said.

"No, he is a Monkey Sage and did use their techniques like the Third Hokage, but he is still Naruto's student.

He is a far fiercer Shinobi than the Third ever was.

If I had to compare his fighting that day to any other Shinobi I would have to say he fought exactly like history tells us that Tobirama fought.

He fought him like the Second Hokage, like he was the fiercest Shinobi alive…The harder he fought and the more Jutsus he used the bigger Naruto smile at him became.

H-Two was devastated and the other Anbu were in fear for their life before it was over."

.

"What about Naruto? Was he ok afterwards?" Moegi said with her voice full of concern.

Kakashi stole a glance at her before turning back to Konohamaru's body that had been lit aflame with bright burning blue chakra.

"He wasn't even breathing hard. He took everything that Konohamaru threw at him and the only thing he gave him back was a proud smile.

After it was over and Konohamaru was panting on all fours he only walked up to him and put his hand on his shoulder and said 'Well done Monkey Sage'."

Moegi and Udon looked down at Konohamaru in new found respect.

.

Konohamaru had his eyes closed as he gathered the chakra he needed and concentrated on how he was going to form his jutsu.

"Naruto is this really all you have tasked me with as your apprentice?…

I know we all might die from me breaking this crystal, but I hoped you would have given me a bigger part to play.

I understand your reasons though. Me and Hanabi are the two most important ninjas in the entire world to you.

Don't worry master I will pass on your teachings to the next generation. If death comes for me I will refuse to die just like you told me too.

I'll do whatever it takes to get back to the village even if I have to learn time/space Ninjutsu out in the void."

He thought and then slowly moved his hands up into the seal of the tiger.

.

He took in a long deep breath before quoting his master aloud.

"'Fire is unlike any of the other elements. It feeds off of death of all kinds from dead trees to Shinobis. Its hunger is insatiable while it lives.

As it eats it grows stronger and with it its hunger only grows more. It will only die when it had nothing else to devour.

You will have to combine your fire element with the Rasengan. Remember you are the future keeper of the Shadow Clone jutsu.

If it proves to be too hard break it up into smaller tasks and hand them out to you clones.' Alright Master Naruto, that is exactly what I am going to do.

Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

.

Five clones appeared around him. One helped him create the whirling glowing blue ball while the other four held their hands out and streamed fire into it.

Konohamaru strained to keep control as his clones formed the jutsu as the whine of a roaring fire grew louder and louder.

"Have to hold it together…I can't force too much chakra into it to quickly…" He thought through gritted teeth.

He strained to form his chakra into the fan like blade of Naruto's Wind Release Rasenshuriken.

He fought with all his might but the jutsu collapsed in on itself and dissipated with a dull pop noise.

.

Konohamaru was breathing hard but was still eyeing the crimson crystal with indomitable determination and resolve.

Udon wore a slightly scared and disappointed look on his face before saying. "He failed…What are we going to do now?"

Moegi started to speak before Kakashi said. "He didn't fail. Did you forget who his master is so easily?"

Udon's eyes turned back to Konohamaru. He sat down in front of the gleaming crystal in a cross legged pose and laid his hands in his lap.

He closed his eyes and sat perfectly still.

.

Moegi tilted her head at him curiously before asking. "What is he doing at a time like this?"

"You can only fail if you give up Moegi. Konohamaru is just like Naruto.

When he gets knocked down he will pick himself back up and keep trying until he gets it right.

That's why Naruto put his faith in him to complete this mission.

.

"It's not working. No matter how hard I try to form the fire chakra into blades like Naruto does with his wind it only snuffs out the fire.

If I don't fully form it into blades then the jutsu will not hold long enough for me to throw it.

It will be too unstable and fall apart before I can hit a target with it."

He thought as his mind became stiller and calmer with each passing second.

"He is using the Monkey Sage meditation technique. Raichi trained him to use his head after all."

Kakashi said to answer Udon and Moegi's confused looks.

.

"Fire breathes…It needs air and kindling. My chakra is the kindling but forming it into dense blades doesn't allow it to breath and it dies out.

I can't form it into blades like Naruto does, but what shape should I form it into?" He thought for a long moment.

"A shuriken…It isn't alive, it's like the wind. It only needs itself to become a deadly weapon.

But fire on the other hand needs my chakra and air because it's alive and must breathe.

What shape should I use to combine it into the Rasengan? Maybe I should shape it like something else that is alive.

But what shape in nature is there that can keep up with a balanced prefect sphere?"

.

The minutes slowly ticked by as they all watched Konohamaru and then suddenly he smiled.

"It seems he has a plan now." Kakashi said as Konohamaru stood up and opened his eyes.

He leveled his look once more at the giant crimson time/space crystal with an intensity in his eyes.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He said with the seal of the tiger up and two clones appeared.

"Right, let's do this!" He said to his clones as he clinched his teeth and then held out his right hand.

One of his clones formed the glowing blue Rasengan in his hand.

.

The other spun its fire element into a thin compressed thread and slowly fed it into in Rasengan.

The jutsu slowly took shape.

His heavier fire chakra became infused with the Rasengan and turned it as crimson as blood before being thrown just outside of the jutsu in rippling waves.

"Almost there…Almost there…Hold it together…This is it!" He thought through strained gritted teeth as the jutsu roared louder and louder in his hand.

.

Kakashi was shielding his face from the intense light while Moegi and Udon covered their ears from the sheer sound of it.

His clones dissipated in to smoke when the jutsu became so bright that he could hardly stand to look at it.

He held the jutsu over his head and said with conviction in his eyes. "This one is for you Naruto! Fire Released Rasengan!"

He reached back and hurled the rippling crimson jutsu with all his might.

It raced across the viewing platform and smashed into the crystal where it grew and expanded to the size of a house.

.

The crystal glowed dimly white and started absorbing the jutsu as fast as it was trying to expand.

The enormous heat from the jutsu caused the tiles around the pillar to crack and shatter.

The jutsu began breaking down into smaller explosion that the crystal drew into itself.

By the time it absorbed the whole jutsu it was glowing a blinding white.

.

"Damn…" Konohamaru said between his labored breaths as he propped himself up on his knees.

"It…didn't work…"

Kakashi moved his arm that was shielding his face and looked down at the crystal. It was still blinding to look at but was slowly growing dimmer.

He jumped down to the platform followed by Moegi and Udon with worried looks on their faces.

Moegi went to Konohamaru and helped him into a sitting position on the ground.

.

"Are you alright Konohamaru?" She asked with concern in her voice.

"Yeah….but I'm going to have to do it again…" He said breathlessly as sweat rolled down his face.

"I don't think that's a good idea Konohamaru. It looks like that jutsu takes everything you have just to use it once.

If you do it again you might end up putting yourself into chakra exhaustion." Udon said quiet warning tone.

"The heat was so intense that it gave him a sunburn. I'm over fifty feet away and I can still feel it radiating from the crystal." Kakashi thought in surprise as held his hand out to feel it.

"Even Naruto can't combine fire alone into the Rasengan. He always reinforces with the wind or else it will snuff out the flame.

You truly have taking a step closer to Naruto Konohamaru…"

.

He took a moment to catch his breath. "That doesn't matter. Naruto believes in me. I can't let him down no matter what, not this time.

I don't care if that thing was made by my grandfather and the Fourth Hokage. I will find a way to break it!"

He said as he got to his feet and conviction shined in his eyes once more.

He put up the seal of the tiger as Moegi and Udon's eyes went slightly wide and back away from him quickly in timid fear.

"Shadow-" He started to say.

Kakashi never took his eyes off the cooling crystal, but held his hand out to the side in front of Konohamaru suddenly to stop him.

Konohamaru gave him a confused look and Kakashi said. "Don't be in such a hurry. Just watch…"

.

Konohamaru shot him an annoyed look and bluntly said. "I need to break it right? It's not broke. What do I need to watch for?"

Kakashi continued to watch the fading crystal for a moment as it dimmed down.

The crystal that had once been a shinning crimson color slowly faded to a dull purple hue.

The seconds slowly moved by until there was a pop noise that echoed through the silent village.

Konohamaru's annoyed scowl suddenly turned into a blank look of hopefulness as he saw a small crack appear on the upper left side of the crystal.

Kakashi, Moegi and Udon watched as the held there breaths in anticipation.

A cracking noise sounded twice more in rapid succession and the small cracked forked off in two directions before the crystal fell forward off pedestal.

It clattered to the ground as a gust of wind blew.

.

Kakashi's eyes went wide with shock.

"Amazing….He broke the time/space crystal made by two of the Hokages on his first try…Naruto was truly right to place his faith in him...

Even Lady Tsunade and me together couldn't have broken that crystal… Amazing, simply amazing Konohamaru…"

He thought as the dim blue nights sky seemed to shatter and fall away.

.

.

"Get up! It's time for breakfast Rukien!" An older woman's voice yelled at him and then he heard footsteps storming off.

He groaned as he rolled over and buried his face into his pillow before pulling the covers over his head.

"Man…Why do I have to get up so early today? Can't they announce the Genin squads at a normal hour?…" He mumbled to himself in dismay.

He sat up and yawned loudly while stretching. He looked around sleepily as he blinked a few time to clear his blurry morning vision.

He sighed deeply and looked sourly out the dark window near his bed before saying to himself. "The sun isn't even up yet…"

.

He got out of bed and opened one of the three small drawers under his bed to get his clothes.

He got dressed and tiredly went across the hall where he waited into line with the other orphans to use the bathroom.

Once inside he stood before a small mirror and wet his hands in the sink. He styled his fiery red hair just like his idol, Naruto, into spikes.

He cleaned the sleep out of his emerald eyes and washed his face before heading down to the long breakfast table.

The other twelve orphans that lived there were already eating quickly when he sat down.

He started gnawing on some plain toast on his plate as the head mother glared at him sternly.

The head mother was an old skinny woman with a hooked nose, a wrinkled face and short white hair.

.

"Rukien you aren't the only one that lives here. I shouldn't have to keep coming back to wake you up all the time.

Next time I will send you to the academy without breakfast. We will see if that rectifies your little sleeping in problem."

She stated sternly.

"Yes head mother Yaheko…" He said in a tired tone.

Yaheko's eyes narrowed at him in a scowl and said.

"I've arranged for Joel to take you all to the academy today. He should be coming down any minute.

So you had best finish your breakfast before then."

.

Rukien rolled his eyes at his toast. "Joel…That sadist, oh joy. He takes ever opportunity to 'discipline' me that he can think of.

Why couldn't it be Hikrio? She's always so nice to me. And today was supposed to be a good day."

He thought as he quickly scarfed down his two pieces of plain toast.

.

A moment later a middle aged, tall, skinny man with brown hair and brown eyes came down the stairs.

"Come now children, it is time to go." He said as he clapped his hands together twice loudly.

They all lined up at the door. Rukien took his time getting into line to be in the back, away from Joel as much as possible.

Joel turned around at the door in inspected the line for a moment.

"Rukien." He said and then Rukien cringed and swore under his breath.

"To the front of the line. I want you where I can keep an eye on you. We don't need you wandering off now do we?" He said musically with a fake smile.

.

Rukien tried not to give him an agitated look as he walked up to the head of the line.

Joel leaned down to him and whispered to him. "I should hope a self centered snotty brat like you can at least lead the line to the school."

Rukien knew better than to show his anger to Joel. He knew Joel was trying to bait him into making a scene to give him an excuse to 'disciple him'.

He gritted his teeth in a smile and softly said. "Yes Mr. Joel."

"Alright everyone we are leaving. Farwell Lady Yaheko." He said musically with a smile as he opened one of the double doors.

.

It was still dark out and the first rays of light from the morning sun were just creeping over the top of the Hokage monument.

Rukien filed out and promptly tripped right on his face.

He sucked in his breath in sharp rasps as his eyes watered in pain.

"Ta ta ta…ouch! Oh, that smarts." He said as he rolled over and covered his face with his hands.

"Rukien! What have you done now?" Joel yelled at him and then emerged though the door.

Joel's eyes went wide for a second before putting on a cheery strained smile again.

Rukien sat up and peeked through his hands while in pain at what he could have possibly tripped over that was right in front of the door.

He could only make out the blurry outline of a man sitting crossed legged in meditation with blondish hair.

.

"My deepest apologies Great Sage." Joel said with a low bow.

"I will make sure the boy is whipped accordingly for disturbing you."

"Great Sage…" Rukien said while holding his nose before his face went wide with surprise.

"Sensei Naruto! What are you doing meditating right outside the orphanage?" He asked intently and curiously.

Naruto sat perfectly still with his eyes closed.

His white Sage uniform was covered in gray tree moss and there was even grass growing out of his left sandal.

Joel shot him and angry look and sternly said.

"You will not address him in such an informal manner ever again Rukien! You will address him as Great Sage or Hero of the Five Nations."

.

Rukien was oblivious to Joel's words and smiled proudly as he pulled out a water balloon.

"Hey sensei, look at this!" He said as he kneeled down to Naruto excitedly with the balloon him his hand.

He closed his eyes in concentration and a moment later the balloon became bumpy all over before bursting showing him with water.

"Pretty good huh sensei?" He said with a boyish smile clearly proud of himself.

"Sensei…" He said questioningly and then he looked around as the sea of Naruto clones blanketing the area as far as he could see.

Joel and the other students coming out the door eyes went wide in stunned shock as they gapped at the sheer numbers of Naruto's clones all over the village.

"So…many clones. What is going on? This is extreme even for the Great Sage…" Joel said as he marveled at them all.

.

---

.

The cool desert night began to ebb and wane as the eastern skies started to glow light purple and pink.

Two small makeshift tents had been set up around a tiny cooking fire that had long since gone out.

Sakura was sleeping soundly curled up in a ball on the windswept desert floor.

The wind howled over the desert sand dunes and blew grains of sand into her face that prickled her skin.

She stirred and then rolled over onto her back, but the endless pelting of sand on her face refused to let her return to her slumber.

She groaned as she sat up. The left side of her face had sand sticking on it from sleeping on the desert floor.

She shielded her face from the wind and slowly opened her blurry eyes while trying to remember where she was.

.

Memories slowly came back to her.

She remembered following Naruto from the Leaf Village to the Sand Village when his Jinchuuriki seal was breaking.

She remembered their talk with Gaara and racing across the desert on his sand jutsu.

She recalled Naruto breaking the last of the seal holding Kyuubi inside him and her reforming piece by piece.

She remembered healing Naruto with all her chakra and nearly dying before Sasuke saved her and then Naruto.

He mind was flooded with thoughts as she remembered feeding Naruto in his sleep and how he embraced the Kyuubi like she was his mother.

Most of all she remembered her talk with the Nine Tailed Fox and climbing onto her head to sleep next to Naruto.

.

Her eyes went wide with frantic worry and she quickly looked around for him. "Naruto…Where is Naruto?" She said.

"He is over there." Sasuke said as he came around from the other side of his tent while pointing towards the newly dawning day.

Sakura scrambled to her feet as she brushed the sand off of her face and looked in the direction Sasuke was pointing.

The first golden rays of light crested over the horizon. Her eyes watered slightly as they slowly adjusted to the morning light.

In the distance standing near the edge of the sand dunes eastern side was the dark silhouette of a man with the new day dawning around him.

.

"He's been up for nearly an hour and all he does is stand there and stare down at Kyuubi in silence." Sasuke said as he came up to her side.

"What is he…I see… He must be waiting for us to get ready.

We need to speak to him and find out his plan for fighting her…" She said slightly worried as she tilted her head down.

"I don't think that is entirely it Sakura. I believe he is trying to still his mind for the battle to come." He said and then turned his head towards her.

"He looks just like Kyuubi did last night…You know, when she stared at the moon in silence don't you think?"

.

"Yes, he kind of does I guess. I better get ready. I still need to do a medical check on him to make sure he is ok." She said slightly forced to cover her nervousness.

She went over to her pack by her tent and quickly strapped on her ninja gear and gathered a few medical scrolls before returning to Sasuke side.

After a long moment of silence Sakura worriedly and nervously said. "Hey Sasuke…Are you a little scared?"

Sasuke shook his head and calmly said.

"No. I chose this path myself and no matter the outcome I am resolved to follow it to the end." He started walking to Naruto's side.

Sakura blinked a few times trying to take in her surprise at Sasuke's unwavering confidence before taking a few quick steps to catch up to him.

They came up to either side of him and looked down at what he eyes were locked onto.

The massive Kyuubi sat still in a lower flatter part of the desert staring off to their far left waiting for Naruto to take his place.

.

Naruto's face was unreadable and blank as Sakura gently touched his forearm and shyly said.

"Naruto…are you alright? You seem a bit worried."

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried Sakura." He said distantly.

"I need to check you out before we go to make sure you are in top shape…" She said with a forced voice.

Naruto solemnly shook his head slowly back and forth.

.

"No, there is no need for that. I'm better than I ever hoped for. Besides the time has come, it can't wait any longer."

He said and suddenly started walking down the dune towards the towering Nine Tailed Fox.

"I'm…I'm not ready…I don't even know his plan yet. How can they walk off like they were just going to get breakfast?...

It's like they are already at a impossible last stand when fear and doubt have left them…It's like they already know they are going to die…"

She thought sadly and fearfully as she grabbed her elbows before following them while trying to hold back her tears.

.

Naruto led them around Kyuubi's massive form and just over one hundred yards out to the exact place she was staring at.

Sakura timidly and fearfully trembled as she took her place at Naruto's left side while Sasuke held his head up high on his right.

Kyuubi's eyes seemed to flicker to life and she raised her giant head up tall and looked down at him.

.

"No…I have to stop shaking…I trained to be a Sage for this. I'm not going to rely on them anymore. I'm strong too.

I will stand on my own two feet as an equal member of Squad Seven even if I have to die for it!

Naruto is the one that will save or destroy this world NOT her!"

She thought with resolve and her trembling stopped and her fear left her.

.

"You are a strange mortal Sakura.

You, who had the blinding courage to climb on top of my head last night and yet you tremble before me the next day…"

The Nine Tailed Fox said to her.

She gave Kyuubi a sly smirk before boldly saying.

"It wasn't because of you that I was trembling. It was because of Naruto.

After I realized that the fear went away and all that was left is my resolve."

"You are right to fear him mortal. I see you understand that my words about him are true." Kyuubi's voice boomed across the desert.

She shifted her giant emerald eyes to Naruto and his calm look.

"It is time Naruto. As per our agreement you may use any one jutsu before our battle and I will not try to stop you." She said with a slight bow of her head.

.

Sasuke face became confused as he turned his head toward Naruto.

"What's all this about Naruto? You never told me about this part of your agreement." He said intently.

Naruto looked down and then took in a deep breath before looking back up at Kyuubi and said.

"Can I us-"

"Use two jutsu? Yes Naruto…for they only help us both in the end. I know what you plan to do…" The fox's eternal voice sounded out across the desert sands.

.

"What? Then you could use the Moon Sage's jutsu on her without her fighting back right now. You can end this before it even starts!" Sasuke said in surprise.

Naruto looked down again as he slowly slid the Thunder God Sword off the two polished sheath rings on the back of his belt.

He looked back up at Kyuubi and held the sword out to his side in front of Sasuke.

Sasuke swallowed hard and lightly took the sword from his hands.

Naruto's arms fell slowly back to his sides.

Sakura waited him with baited breath and he took in another breath. He closed his eyes to resolve himself.

.

The wind howled across the morning desert as Naruto put up the seal of the tiger.

He opened his eyes and said. "Shadow Clone Jutsu."

A single clone appeared next to him and stood still.

"One clone? Only one clone? Rikudo's jutsu would take at least seventeen clones.

What could he possibly be able to do with a single clone?" Sasuke thought in utter confusion.

Naruto and his clone looked at each other and then he gave his clone a slight nod.

His clone snapped a cobalt blue kunai from his holster and twirled it around his finger a few time before gripping it in his hand tightly.

The clone moved so fast that Sasuke could even sense it.

.

Suddenly Sakura's face changed to confusion as she looked out at the desert sands from a high stone platform.

It took her a few moments to even grasp that Naruto's clone had his arms around her while holding a spirit marker in front of her.

She slowly looked to her side and saw Gaara and Matsuri watching them quietly on the other side of the Kazekage's tower roof.

Her eyes went wide with realization at what had just happened.

.

"No…" She said sadly while she looked down. "Not this time…It was supposed to be different…"

She gritted her teeth in raising anger as she clinched her first at her sides and tears welled in her eyes.

"This time I was supposed to protect you! I was finally going to stand by your side as an equal! Why? Why does it always turn out like this?

I'm strong too! I can fight as well! That's why I became a Sage Naruto!"

She yelled emotionally at him.

.

He embraced her trembling body softly and whispered so close to her ear that she felt his every word.

"I'm sorry Sakura. This fight is too dangerous for you. You have already played your part in this battle and I thank you for it.

Without you I could have never made it this far..."

.

Sakura didn't know if she was trembling from despair or outrage when she spoke again.

"So…you're leaving me on the sidelines again.

You can't protect me and I'll only get in your way is that it? But you can protect Sasuke huh?"

The Naruto stood gazing out over the desert from over her shoulder.

"No, I can't really protect him either, but I need him for this fight. I'm still too weak by myself." He said like he was cursing himself.

.

Sakura anger subsided yet she still trembled in his arms. "You…you mean Sasuke is going to…"

"The odds are definitely not in our favor Sakura. I will not try to soften the blow.

We both will almost certainly die, but what we are trying to do is worth laying down our lives even if it's only a sliver of a chance that we succeed." He said to her softly.

.

Sakura's lips quivered and tears broke the rims of her eyes. "Promise me…Promise me on your Nindo that you will return.

After all you've never broken your Nindo and you have to become the Hokage still..." She said trying to hide the fact that she had lost faith in her own words.

"I will be the Sixth Hokage Sakura Chan…but my rein will probably only last a fraction of a second…

It might not even be recognized, but I will know I held the title of the strongest ninja in the Land of Fire if only for an instant."

He told her with conviction.

She swallowed hard and begged him with devastation in her eyes. "Promise me…"

.

He shook his head softly and said. "No more promises on my Nindo Sakura Chan, it's beyond that now…"

"But…" She said with a quivering voice as she shook away her tears.

"But I love you. I really want to tell you that…Even though I know it will only hurt you…But I just can't right now even though it's my last chance..."

She thought sadly before raising her head again.

She took in an unsteady breath and said with a lost voice.

"What am I supposed to tell Hanabi? How can I face her after this if she survives? What am I supposed to do Naruto?"

.

Naruto winced like someone had stabbed him as he looked away. "No, I can't leave her that type of message. I can't tell her how I really feel.

It's almost over. I only need to be strong a little longer even though it is so painful..." He thought as he looked down.

Sakura didn't even need to look at his to know what he was thinking.

It took Naruto a brief moment to master his thought again and speak.

"Tell her that you understand Sakura-Chan. Thank you and I'm sorry for everything…Goodbye…"

He said and then his clone embraced her tightly before dissipating into smoke.

.

His words echoed hollowly in her soul as she felt Naruto's touch leave her.

"Good…Goodbye…but Naruto never says goodbye…"

She thought blankly and finally it hit her fully that he wasn't planning on coming back.

"No, not this time…Naruto and Sasuke are the two people I care about most in this world. We are Squad Seven…The three of us are one.

If they are going to fight to the death I will be their too. I'm not some dainty flower that needs to be protected!

I'll go after them and help them even if they don't like it!"

She thought with conviction as she stepped up on the railing and leaped out into the air above the desert.

.

She suddenly felt something grab her and slam her back down onto the top of the Kazekage tower.

She angrily looked over her shoulder and saw Gaara holding up the half seal of the tiger as sand coiled around her wrist.

"Gaara what are you doing? Let me go this instant! I have to go help Naruto and Sasuke!

Those two idiots are hopeless without me! They need me even if they don't realize it now!" She yelled at him as she fought against his sand.

When she managed to break one thick strand of coils two more would pop up and bind her again before she could get away.

.

She broke the sand and it rebound her again and again until she was panting on her knees with her wrist sticking through a glittering three feet tall pile of hardened sand.

She shook her head in frustration and begged him. "Gaara…What reason do you have for doing this? Just let me go…"

He calmly said. "I'm sorry Sakura. I can't break my promise to Naruto. I cannot let you go."

Her eyes went wide in sad realization.

.

Flashback.

---

.

They were just outside the Sand village and Naruto seal was breaking.

The massive spectral form of the Nine Tailed Fox sat still on the desert floor as Naruto spoke to Gaara.

"Is-Is everything ready?" Naruto asked before collapsing onto his knees while panting hard.

He nodded his head as Sakura timidly came up and took her place next to Sasuke.

"Yes Naruto. I've evacuated the village just encase. Only me and my chronicler are left in the village." Gaara looked at him for a long time and then said.

.

"You have made it farther than anyone else could have hoped to make it with a breaking seal…I will help you by making the last leg of your journey for you."

Gaara put his hands together as he closed his eyes. He summoned a great amount of chakra inside of him as the ground started to quake.

He strained with all his might and lifted the four of them up into the air on a giant sand disk.

Gaara opened his eyes and said.

"This sand will take you to the heart of the desert Naruto. The only thing I can tell you is I believe in you my friend.

Defeat the fox and become a Hokage like no other…"

Naruto looked down at him from high in the air and said through gritted teeth. "Remember your promise…Gaara…!"

.

"I would die before I broke that promise Naruto! Never lose heart; never forget who you are fighting for Great Hero of the Five Nations!"

Gaara yelled back to him with pride while waving his hand as the sand disk rose higher into the air and speed off over the cliffs heading for the heart of the desert.

.

---

End of Flashback.

.

"I know you might not like it Sakura, but Naruto wants to keep you safe.

On my Nindo I swore that I would keep you safe and I will die before harm comes to you." He said calmly as he turned to look back out as the desert.

Sakura looked down sadly and said. "Damn you Naruto…This isn't fair. It's not fair at all! I don't need Gaara to protect me!"

She struggled against his hardened sand jutsu but didn't have the strength to break it.

Gaara folded his hands behind his back and said.

"It is no use fighting it Sakura. Even at full strength you are no match for me.

Besides if you can't break my jutsu then how can you possibly think you can still help Naruto?"

.

"Gaara you have no idea how I feel. I can help him!" She said as she slumped down and winced her eyes closed sadly.

"I know exactly how you feel Sakura. You want to rush to his aid and help him desperately. You don't even care if you die doing it.

I know that feeling because it is the same way I feel, but unlike you, and possibly even Naruto, I haven't lost my faith in him."

He said quietly.

.

"I-I haven't lost my faith in him…" She said unconvincingly.

"It's time you grow up Sakura. You need to learn that you can't stand by Naruto's side as his equal.

You must understand that you can't follow the path he is traveling no matter how hard you try.

You need to become strong right now. It takes much more strength to have faith in him then it does to rush to his aid when you will only die."

He said like he was talking more to himself than her.

.

.

Sasuke gave Naruto a blank expression that slowly faded as he came to understand.

"I get it…So you didn't want Sakura here. You're protecting her even still." He said with an understanding look on his face.

"That's right Sasuke. I don't want you here either, but it's unavoidable now…" He said seriously.

"I see then, you and the accursed Uchiha will be fighting together. So be it!" Kyuubi's voice boomed as her rage started to rise.

Kyuubi turned around and pointed her head towards the sky.

Sasuke grabbed the hilt of the Thunder God Sword before Naruto stopped him.

.

"No Sasuke, not yet. I used my jutsu now Ruby will use hers." He said without ever looking at him.

Sasuke wore a curious expression before asking. "This is part of your agreement with her I take it. Do you know what she is about to do?"

He nodded his head quietly and didn't speak for a long moment.

"Well Naruto?" He questioned him expectantly.

Naruto watched Kyuubi open her mouth as the air around them seemed to become eerily cold.

"She is going to reclaim the part of herself that my father sealed away. She's going to take back the darker Yin part of her soul from death itself."

He said without emotion.

.

Sasuke started before saying in shock. "She's what? Naruto you can't let her do that! We already barely stand a chance now, if she become whole again…"

"I have to let her Sasuke. She kept her word and let me send Sakura away now I have to keep mine.

I need her to be whole again for this fight." He said in an absolute tone.

Sasuke's mind spun in confusion at his words and it took him a moment to calm himself.

"What will happen if she becomes so much stronger?

If she takes back her Yin side she will lose all the reasoning she has and become like a mindless beast of destruction.

Tell me you have a plan to kill her or seal her away." Sasuke said intently.

.

Naruto chuckled softly and said. "You always called me dumb when we were younger but you never did get it."

"Get what?" He asked in a reserved tone.

"This never was a fight to kill or seal away Kyuubi…" He said with a smile on his face.

"Then please tell me we aren't out here to become martyrs to the village Naruto. What exactly did you promise Kyuubi?" He said with concern.

.

"'The way to stop hatred and war is to truly understand one another'. Jiraiya taught me that.

Shortly after I ended the Fourth Great Shinobi War I came to realize that the seal holding Kyuubi wouldn't hold for very long, not even a year.

I still had many things I needed to do before this day came. I spoke with Ruby and we came to an agreement.

I would let her out of the internal cage that she was in and she wouldn't try to take over my body or destroy my mind.

Our agreement did not come without its price as you already know… I couldn't bear any children because of it.

Yet because of that the seal survived nearly four years and allowed me to train Hanabi and Konohamaru.

I only had to agree to something that I knew I would one day have to do anyway."

He said as he watched a black swirling cloud forming in the sky above Kyuubi's head.

.

"So what exactly are you planning to do Naruto?" He asked intensely with a hint of annoyance.

"I'm going to save the Nine Tailed Fox's soul by taking away all her hatred and put it into myself.

I'm trying to redeem her and turn her back into what she once was." He said seriously.

Sasuke was speechless for a long moment trying to come to grips with just how loftily Naruto's aspirations truly were.

.

"You-You really think we can do something this insane?" He said blankly in shock.

He turned to him a smile hollow yet hopeful and said.

"Realistically…I doubt it, but there is always hope that we might pull it off.

Beside we won't know what we can do until we try and I've never been a realistic ninja anyway…"

.

Sasuke sweat dropped and gave him a queer expression of disbelief before saying.

"You mean to tell me…That I followed you on to the field of battle to fight the most powerful being in existence that you are letting it become strong before our eyes…

With our only hope being a jutsu that we aren't even sure of exactly what it does when even you think we can't win…

This has to be the stupidest thing any ninja, person or being has ever done Naruto…What reason could you have for even attempting this folly's errand?"

.

"Because I've got something to prove Sasuke." He said calmly.

Sasuke yelled at him in outrage.

"The only thing you're gonna prove is you that you are the stupidest Shinobi on the face of the planet you MORON!"

.

Naruto shook his head lightly and looked up a Kyuubi. "I'm trying to prove no one is beyond redemption Sasuke…

Everyone can truly understand each other if we try hard enough. If I can redeem her then even if I die doing it I will have proved anyone can be saved.

Even if death takes me it will be proof that the Five Ninja Nation can unite in a lasting peace. That has always been my dream to accomplish that as the Greatest Hokage.

I'm not going to quit or back down just because I will probably die. The chance to achieve this is worth laying my life on the line." He said seriously.

"If you want to back out now Sasuke I can still jump you back to the sand village as soon as the battle starts."

.

Sasuke gave him a sour expression as he thought out loud.

"Hmm, too leave you here alone with Kyuubi when a gateway to hell is open in front of me.

For the sake of human kind I think it would be best if I don't take your title of the 'Worlds Stupidest Shinobi'.

You'd probably screw up and somehow manage to leave the gateway to hell open.

I don't want to even think about what that would happen in that case.

I guess if you are stupid enough to try this against all the odd then I'll just have to be crazy enough to follow you."

He said with slight grin which Naruto stole a glance and returned his grin.

.

"Hey Sasuke…Thanks for helping me." He said honestly while watching Kyuubi.

"Thanks for saving me from myself.

I think I understand now why you want to save her as well and I believe there is more to it than uniting the five nations."

Sasuke said honestly and knowingly.

.

Naruto smiled as he looked down and nodded his head in agreement.

"Yeah, what can I say? Ruby is my friend too and you know that I will not stop trying to save my friends if they need me."

He said honestly.

.

The swirling dark cloud dominated a great portion of the western skies when Kyuubi's body suddenly flared to life with red chakra that radiated pure hatred.

She snarled and crouched low as her demonic eyes scowled into the gate she opened.

Her tails fanned up into the sky and two giant red chakra hands shot out of them and into the darkness of the gate.

The wind blew like a hurricane from the force of her chakra's movement.

.

Sasuke shielded his face from the blast a fought to stay up right.

Naruto quickly took hold of him and leaped backwards.

"What's happening?" He yelled through the wind as Naruto landed and leaped back again.

"It's started! Whatever you do don't use your jutsu to look into the gate to hell. You'll die!" He yelled back to him as he looked away.

They landed over six hundred yards away when Kyuubi's outraged ear splitting roar of a voice screamed across the desert and made it tremble.

.

"SHINIGUMI! YOU ARROGANT GREEDY LITTLE FOOL! HOW DARE YOU CONSPIRE WITH MORTALS TO STEAL MY SOUL!"

Kyuubi two chakra hands had the demonic horned white robbed creature pinned down by both its arms.

Even when prone Shinigumi had a sadistic sneer on its face.

"YOU DARED TO HELP HIM SEAL MY SOUL INTO A FRAIL HUMAN BODY ALL FOR ONE MORTAL SOUL!

I WILL SHOW YOU AGAIN WHO IS THE STRONGEST BEING IS!"

The Nine Tailed Fox screamed in fury as its red chakra poured out and towered high into the skies.

.

Every hair on Kyuubi's body flickered like a flame radiating in its outrage and hatred for Shinigumi's very existence.

The demonic fox's chakra burned like an inferno for over two hundred yards around it, searing very desert sands into molten glass.

The sheer heat coming off of her became too much to bear for Naruto and Sasuke forcing him to put more distance in between them.

Kyuubi's towering chakra not only burned into the skies, but floated off of her like a dangerous mist that filled the area near her like poison fog falling out.

Naruto was frantically leaping back as fast as he could to keep out of range of the intense ever growing chakra and heat coming from her.

.

Kyuubi's body suddenly tensed lower to the ground and the chakra mist started to move back towards her.

Sasuke yelled as loud as he could though the gale force winds.

"She's drawing in an ungodly amount of chakra! There is no way we will survive the blast! Use the Yellow Flash to jump us away!"

Naruto was leaping backwards from sand dune to sand dune as such incredible speeds; he almost looked like he was using time/space Ninjutsu.

As he arched back and forth from dune to dune he yelled back.

.

"I can't Sasuke! I can't use any jutsu. I gave my Nindo on it!"

Sasuke barely heard him even though he was inches from him though the screaming wind.

"Great, you stupid Toad Sage…We are going to die before the battle even starts all because of your stupid Nindo!"

He yelled back in annoyance but Naruto never heard him. He was too busy leaping and dodging for both their lives.

.

Kyuubi screamed in both fury and pain as her chakra became so dense that it exploded upwards into hundreds of huge chakra arms that shot into the darkness of the Hell's gate.

The force of her attack sent a tsunami of shattering glass shards, molten lava and burning sands racing across the desert at incredible speeds.

.

Naruto's eyes went wide and he quickly turned around and sprinted as fast as he could while holding Sasuke close to him.

"OH SHIT! There's no way I can out run that!" He screamed in a panic as a mushroom cloud shot into the sky and a shockwave trembled across the desert.

.

---

.

Gaara was standing at the railing of the Kazekage tower with one hand over his left eye using his Third Eye jutsu.

Matsuri worriedly watched the dark circular cloud and the ever growing red chakra that was dominating the horizon before asking carefully.

"Gaara…What is happening?..."

Gaara eyes went wide as he saw the massive amount of red chakra shoot into the dark clouds at blinding speeds a split second before the tsunami ripped across the desert.

He saw Naruto, Sasuke and the tsunami that was turning the desert into a glass shards and lava rapidly approaching them.

.

"Nooo!" He said soullessly as he quickly put his hands together in a prayer like sign and closed his eyes tightly.

"Naruto you may not be able to use a jutsu, but I can!...Mother…" He called to her with all his being and soul.

"Mother please let the protection you have given me all my life fall to Naruto…

Take all my chakra if you must, but please….Please Mother Karura I beseech you! Please save him!"

Gaara begged her with all his might with his eyes winced closed in concentration.

"What kind of jutsu is that?" Sakura thought in curious shock.

Matsuri was thrown from her feet and tossed like a rag doll when the desert in front of Gaara exploded outwards.

Sakura hunkered down behind Gaara sand jutsu trying to weather the backlash of his jutsu that was tearing its way across the desert at tremendous speed.

.

---

.

The tsunami wave of lava that had glass shards and boulders shooting out of it and exploding in mid air raced toward Naruto and Sasuke.

"Shit!" Naruto thought as did the only thing he could think of.

He crashed into a sand dune and shielded Sasuke with his own body and instant before everything went dark.

The terrible sound of hissing, cracking and explosions sounded as a defying roar that flowed over them.

.

---

.

Kyuubi's eyes only shined with pure hatred as it had every part of Shinigumi pinned down with its great number of raging chakra of hands.

Many of her chakra hands gripped at its mouth shattering Shinigumi's jagged teeth as they ripped to open its mouth.

Darkness blacker than the deepest night was inside Shinigumi's maw and the screams of the tormented dead souls rang out over the desert in eerie wails.

Kyuubi's many burning chakra arms parted as another came forth dwarfing all the others.

It slowly writhed and snaked its way up towards the darkness of Hell's gate radiating its desire to rip forth what had been stolen from her.

.

Shinigumi struggled knowing what was coming for it.

The death god managed to turn his hand over and cut several of Kyuubi's chakra arms that were pinning down its right arm with its white soul slicing blade.

Kyuubi tensed again pulling Shinigumi forward and then slamming him backwards against an unseen force.

"YOU FOOL! YOU THINK YOU CAN USE YOUR PATHETIC POWERS ON ME!"

The giant red chakra hand shot up into the whirling darkness of hell's gate and deep into Shinigumi.

The wailing cries of the dead turned into shrieks of utter terror as Kyuubi dove deeper and deeper into Shinigumi's body searching for what was rightfully hers.

.

Kyuubi's arm arched and bent as it swept thought the darkness of hell, searching, ever searching for the other half of her soul.

She felt that she was getting closer and closer to its evil malice born out of her hatred. Kyuubi's eyes flared as she stood up fully.

"I found it! NOW I WILL RIP IT BACK OUT OF YOU BODY! Kyuubi yelled in excitement and hatred.

"I'll not let you have it so easily Oinari…" Shinigumi said in a dark other worldly voice that would make most mortals go insane from hearing a single word from him.

.

---

.

Naruto and Sasuke were both panting in the darkness as the earth shattering sounds of the battle raging in the desert were muffled yet still incredibly loud.

The ground kept shaking underneath them in random intervals.

"Are we…dead?" Sasuke breathlessly said.

"I'm…not sure." Naruto said drawing in labored breaths that burned in his lungs.

The both took a long moment to steady their breath before Naruto said.

"I can't see a thing. Where are we?"

.

"Well don't look at me, I'm blind remember." He said sarcastically.

"Thanks, like I don't already know that Sasuke…Could you just help me feel around so we can try to figure out where we are?"

He retorted sharply while getting up on to all fours groping at the sandy floor.

Sasuke started feeling around as well when Naruto found the wall of the room.

He patted lightly up its dome surface.

"OUCH! HOT! HOT! HOT!" He yelled in pain as he waved his hands over his head and then blew on them several times.

Sasuke sighed bitterly and flatly said. "That settles it…We are in the ninth circle of hell…"

.

"Enough with the sarcasm Sasuke! Can't you summon a light or something so we can figure out how to get out of here?" He said in annoyance.

Sasuke held up his pointer finger and summoned a tiny arching bolt of lightning.

It flickered and danced on the end of his finger dimly lighting up the strange room.

Naruto slowly gazed round the oddly shaped room.

It was shaped like a rough triangle, but two of the walls curved out from the ceiling and then curved back into the wall.

The third wall looked like a bunch of interlocking sand logs stacked together.

The ceiling curved down slightly in the middle but jutted down more so in two places near the sand log wall.

.

"Well, do you know where we are Naruto?" He asked after a long moment.

Naruto shook his head slowly back and forth.

"Not a clue Sasuke. I've never seen a room like this.

You might want to use your sight flash jutsu to take a look at it so we can figure out a way out."

He said while peering around the strange room.

.

He moaned in displeasure as he turned his head in a few directions sending out tiny bursts of chakra to see.

"Well do you have any idea where we are?" Naruto asked.

"Not really, but you know that one wall kind of looks like interlocking fingers." Sasuke said in thought.

Naruto gave it a curious look and said. "Yeah, now that I think about it, it kind of does…"

"I think we are in a jutsu Naruto." He said seriously.

"Hmm your probably right, but this definitely isn't one of Kyuubi's…Do you think you can use your Chidori to bust us out?" Naruto asked hopefully.

"I doubt that is such a good idea until we know what we are dealing with." He said in a reserved tone of voice.

.

Then a beautiful female voice said. "I'm sorry little ones, but I can't let you out yet. It's far too dangerous outside for mortals right now."

Sasuke started slightly as grains of sand fell from the ceiling when she spoke.

Naruto looked around in awe and wonder. "Such a warm…caring voice…Who are you?"

The ground tremored and shook before finally becoming still once more.

"We have clashed in battle before Naruto Uzumaki, but today I am protecting you.

My mortal name was Karura, but you would know me better as the spirit of Gaara's mother." She said in a kind soft and caring voice.

.

"Then where are we?" Sasuke asked curiously.

"I have buried us over a hundred meters below the surface of the sand to protect you from battle the Kyuubi is waging on Shinigumi." She said musically.

"Gaara sent you didn't he?" Naruto asked with a hint of worry in his voice.

"Yes he did Naruto." She said.

"But does that mean Gaara is defenseless right now?" He asked worriedly.

.

"No, far from it. He is stronger than me and even his father, the Fourth Kazekage, even without my help." She replied.

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good to know…Hey Karura…Thanks." He said honestly.

"No Naruto, I'm happy to do this for you. It is I that should be thanking you.

Without your guidance and kindness Gaara never would have become the fine man he is today."

She said with overwhelming joy in her voice.

.

---

.

Shinigumi fought to keep Kyuubi's darker half of its soul sealed away, but Kyuubi slowly and purposely started pulling.

Shinigumi fought with all its strength but Kyuubi toyed with the god of death savoring every moment of reclaiming her soul with a sadistic look in her eyes.

Minutes went by as Kyuubi's massive chakra kept being drawn back down into its body.

The god of death felt Kyuubi's darker half reach its mouth and struggled to close its jagged maw.

Kyuubi strained to hold the demons mouth open as darkness poured out of Hell's gate into the sky in writhing streams of evil darkness that towered into the heavens.

Day turned into night as the darkness of Kyuubi's soul started emerging from Shinigumi's mouth.

.

A giant dark fox's head with burning black eyes was pulled forth from the demon's mouth.

It struggled flinging its head back and forth violently trying to free it's self from hell grip.

"You are a fool Oinari. You once begged me for death and I gave it to part of you.

Now you dared to come back and try to bring it back to life." Shinigumi spoke in an ungodly voice.

Kyuubi gritted its jaw revealing her razor sharp canines before letting loose an earth shattering roar as she pulled with all her might.

Another tsunami raced across the desert as Kyuubi's darker half was pulled completely out of hell into the void of the gate.

.

Two red hands were wrapped around the dark soul.

Kyuubi's flaming red chakra had wound itself around its upper torso and a scaled, claw, demonic hand trying to pull it back into the depths of Hell from its hind flanks.

Kyuubi continued to pull and the black fox spirit reached the outer gate of hell.

The dark fox braced its legs on the edges of the gate and helped pull itself forward.

Sensing its freedom is near it let loose a ghastly roar that stripped the few clouds from the sky with its desire of destruction and death of all life.

Its nine tails took to the skies and fanning out over the heavens casting a dark evil presents over the landscape.

Both halves of Kyuubi struggled forward, but were locked in a tug a war with the death god where both sides were pulling but neither side moved.

.

"How can you still have the strength to FIGHT ME?" Kyuubi screamed in outrage that sent out another shockwave across the torn desert.

"That part of your soul is too dark for this world Oinari that is why I helped a mortal seal it way. It no longer belongs in this plane of existence.

With it you will only bring disaster and destruction to this world and to yourself.

You cannot return to what you once where as long as you have it not matter what you do..." Shinigumi's demonic voice rang out to her.

.

Dark Kyuubi roared again and brought down its massive clawed paw on the death gods arm causing a titanic explosion that ripped across the sky and sent out a sonic boom.

Shinigumi screamed a wail of utter madness as its hand was severed and fell away into the void.

Kyuubi drew her red chakra arms back inside her as dark Kyuubi descended to the earth like death itself with explosions following in its wake.

Its many tails soared out behind it as its dense chakra body landed on the desert floor with such force that it sent out an earthquake for miles.

The bedrock under the desert cracked and broke sending geysers of lava shooting up into the skies where it rained down setting the very desert sands a flame.

.

Kyuubi pointed all nine of its flaming red tails toward its mouth and gathered up a massive amount of chakra that sent out a screeching whine.

She forced it to shrink to one tenth its size in an instant and quickly swallowed it.

Light crackled in between her fanged teeth as she drew her head up to her full height.

"You will come to regret this Oinari…" Shinigumi said in a spiteful ominous tone.

Kyuubi opened her mouth and shot out an incredible red beam of condensed charka that twinkled with white stars around its edges.

It instantly covered the distance between Kyuubi and the hell's gate before filling the sky with a cluster flaming red explosions that shook the desert.

.

---

.

Gaara was breathing hard with both his hands out in front of him as another wave of sand and lava raced toward the village.

"Sand Tsunami!" He yelled and the sand in front of the village raced forward and crashed into the other destructive wave in a thundering crash canceling them out.

Gaara hit his knees panting as Matsuri rushed over to him. "Gaara!"

She grabbed him by the shoulders with a tearful and worried look in her eyes.

"Gaara you can't keep using that jutsu! You're already exhausted and the area in front of the village is down to its bedrock!

Gaara please we have to leave! The Village can be rebuilt, our lives are more important!" She begged him.

.

Gaara continued to pant on his knees.

"Kyuubi makes…. the other tailed beast look like children. This is unlike any Shinobi fight I could have ever imagined… It's more like a war between the gods!"

He yelled to the darkening sky as the ground shook again signaling the next wave of lava and sand approaching.

Gaara got to his feet as Matsuri wrapped her arms around his waist and begged him.

"Gaara please don't!"

.

The Kazekage drew both his hands back as lava poured over the wall of sand that was already over a hundred and fifty meter tall.

It hit the bedrock were it hissed and rolled forward.

"Sand Storm Devastation!" He yelled while bringing his hands together and summoning a cyclone of wind that tore into the lava.

The wind dissipated the heat from the lava cooling it into smoldering dark rock.

Gaara hit his knees again panting while holding on to the railing with one hand for support.

.

Sakura was cringing behind Gaara small hardened piles of sand that was binding her hands while trying to weather the calamity from the battle.

She didn't even try to run away when Gaara's chakra gave out and the jutsu fell into normal sand again around her.

She only tried to shield her face of the blasts of wind.

.

Razorwing landed unsteadily next to Gaara with Matsuri clutching at him with tears in her eyes while begging him to stop.

"Gaara! You have to move them to the Great Cliffs! It's the only place high enough-" He yelled but an evil ear shattering roar cut him off followed by a blast of wind.

Gaara continued to pant as Matsuri strained against his weight to help him to his feet.

Sakura fought to stop her legs from trembling.

"Kyuubi…She really meant what she said about deciding the fate of the entire world…I can't stay here…I have to move or I'll die."

She strained again and again to rise but her legs refused her.

"Damn it!" She yelled in fear and frustration before biting down hard on her hand.

.

Matsuri yelled over to her with Gaara's arm slung over her shoulder. "Sakura! Come on! We have to leave!"

Her trembling lessened enough for her to stand before another roar and shock wave threw her to the ground again.

"Damn…" She said though the howling wind as she weathered the latest blast of wind before struggling back to her feet.

She fought her way over to the others and then they made their way down into the village.

.

Once they were off the roof traveling became much easier, but the quaking ground still knocked them off their feet at times.

It was far too dangerous for Razorwing to fly so he waddled along beside the slow moving Gaara and Matsuri.

Sakura wasn't in much better shape than the rest of them but headed the group.

They were all too tired to speak as they headed towards the back of the village.

.

It only took them a few minutes to reach the back wall of the village, but it felt like a life time.

Gaara in his exhaustion stopped them at a tall ladder leading up the sheer wall to an opening in the rock.

"This is it. There is a secret passage that will lead us out behind the Sand Village.

Then we can come up the other side on the Great Cliffs near the chasm that connects the forest and the desert.

That place should be safe enough for us." Gaara said in a tired tone just before another shockwave near sent them to their knees.

.

"Quickly! Before the next one hits!" Razorwing yelled and then flew up to the opening.

Gaara started up the ladder first followed by Sakura and then Matsuri.

Gaara managed to move at a fairly quick pace considering his exhaustion with Sakura right on his heels.

Sakura and Gaara made it to the top before the next shockwave hit.

Matsuri stole a quick look back at the desert and saw Kyuubi's body shooting a giant red chakra hand into the swirling dark clouds.

.

Sakura turned around to help Matsuri up when the ground quaked violently.

Matsuri screamed and lost her grip. She started to feel weightlessness taking her when Sakura snatched out and caught her arm.

Even with her enhanced strength she had to strain with all her might to keep a hold of her while the ground shook.

Matsuri eyes where shut tight in fear as she dangled from Sakura's arm.

Razorwing jumped over Gaara sitting on the floor panting and used his beak to latch on to the back of Sakura's uniform.

The both pulled as hard as they could under the trembling ground.

They yanked her through the opening and she fell on top of Sakura.

Razorwing barely got out of the way in time from being on the bottom of the pile.

.

Matsuri looked miserable panting on Sakura's bust. Sakura was no better trying to catch her breath as the tremors died down once more.

"I know you're all tired, but we can't stay in this tunnel and rest. With the state things are in it could collapse at any moment." Razorwing spoke in a noble voice.

"Yes we must make haste…We can rest after we get to the other side of the cliffs…It's only a few hundred more feet." Gaara said breathlessly as he slow rose.

He walked down the dark passage with one arm resting on the walk for support while his other arm was warped around his mid section.

Matsuri blushed as she got up from her comprising position on Sakura and quietly said. "Sorry Sakura…"

.

Sakura struggled to her feet and clutched her should before saying in a tired tone. "Less talking, more moving Matsuri."

It seemed to take an eternity to reach the light at the end of the tunnel.

It didn't help that Matsuri started from every noise along the way while looking around nervously at the walls.

Gaara was dragging his feet in exhaustion by the time they reached the ladder at the other side of the cliff.

There was a two hundred feet drop to the sandy floor from the tunnel.

Razorwing looked Gaara up and down while he panting by the exit.

He looked back over his shoulder and told the others.

"It doesn't look safe for the Kazekage to make his way down on his own. I will take him to the ground myself." Razorwing said.

.

*Start*

---

.

Sakura gave him a disbelieving look though her tiredness and said.

"I know you're big for a hawk, but you are still only just over three feet tall. I think Gaara's weight is a little much for you…"

Razorwing jumped up and latched onto his shoulders before leaning forward.

They fell out into open air. "I am the Lord of the Skies after all Sakura!" He said out into the fading distance

"Gaara!" Matsuri screamed and reached for him before Sakura stopped her from jumping to her death.

They fell down fifty feet before the noble hawk opened his broad wings and slowed their decent.

He glided in lazy circles and deposited Gaara gently against the sheer cliffs face in a sitting position.

.

"Matsuri…We have enough to worry about without you doing anything else stupid." She said and then sighed as she released her grip on her forearm.

Sakura grabbed the edges of the ladder and started sliding down.

Matsuri was slightly embarrassed as she grabbed the ladder rails and followed Sakura.

A split second after Matsuri's head cleared the exit passage another shockwave hit sending a gale force wind of dust and debris rocketing out of the tunnel.

She yelped as she was pelted with small rock and sand on her way down.

She tensed up as she thought. "Another second and I would have been killed…It is so scary right now…"

She reached the ground where she fought her wobbly legs for a moment before falling on her butt.

"Ouch!" She yelped in pain.

.

Sakura went over to Gaara and inspected him.

She was already healing him while clutching her hurt shoulder when Matsuri finally walked up to them shakily.

They all were filthy covered in sand and dust. The winds and blasts had left their clothes ripped up and tattered.

Their hollow expressionless faces showed that they were drained mental and physically.

They could hardly stand and the battle still raged turning the desert into blasts of broken dunes and flaming rocks.

.

Matsuri caught sight of the swelling bruises that Gaara's shackling jutsu inflicted on her and winced at it.

Sakura poured her healing chakra into Gaara as the Kyuubi's roar echoed in the distance.

Matsuri felted herself sinking into sadness as she looked into Sakura's tired eyes.

Gaara's breath came in slow rasps and his eyes seemed to have lost their vibrancy.

They looked distant, defeated and only a hint of his former determination glimmered in his eyes as his head slumped on his shoulders.

She cringed when Kyuubi let loose another inhuman roar as sand rained down on them like water.

.

"Gaara…" She called to him softly with tears forming at the rims of her eyes.

Gaara slowly rolled his head upright on his shoulders.

His eyes seem to take a moment to focus on her like he was pulling himself out of the nightmare of his own mind.

"Yes Matsuri…" He said in a tired distant tone.

.

"Are you alright?…You just look so… defeated and tired. It-It's just I haven't seen you look like this since…since."

Matsuri choked one her words as she turned her face away and down.

Another thundering roar sounded from the heart of the desert as tears rolled down her face.

Gaara stayed silent for a long moment as Sakura heal his tired body.

.

"Yes…It does feel like that… It feels like I'm back in the Fourth Ninja War. It feels like I am trying to fight something so much stronger than myself.

When all I can do is try to save as many people as possible and lament the fact that I wasn't strong enough to save them all…

All the while knowing that tomorrow will only bring more of the same." He said hollowly.

.

"It does remind me of those days. When no matter how many people I heal I know I can't save them all.

More and more of them show up every day and even though I'm tired and hungry I just keep going until all I see is more death every day.

Until I start losing my feelings for my patients and I just want it all to end." Sakura said distantly.

Tears flowed freely down her face as distant explosions shook the earth. Sakura started healing her shoulder when Matsuri said.

"Then let us flee! The sand village is lost! Let us retreat to the Village Hidden in the Leafs! There we can unite the Shinobis and come back to take that monster down!

Please don't tell me you are really planning to go to the Great Cliffs Gaara…" She said sadly with her tears rolling off her cheeks.

Gaara slowly rose to his feet at took a step toward the Great Chasm.

.

"I will not ask any of you to follow me…" He said resolutely as the wind howled tossing his outer coat in the breeze and started.

Sakura slow stood up on her feet while healing her wrist to followed him.

"Gaara…there isn't any reason left to be here. You are just putting your life at risk. Do you want to die for nothing?" She yelled at his back as he walked away.

"There is every reason for me to be here. I am the Kazekage and this desert is my home. I have every reason to stay and fight for my homeland.

If you wish to head to the Leaf Village I will not stop you." He said without emotion.

.

"Gaara!" She yelled to him as Sakura came up and put her hand on her shoulder and gave her an understanding look.

"Matsuri it doesn't matter where we go... This is the Day of Destiny. Naruto's destiny…Today is the day he will either save world or it will be destroyed.

There is no place far enough to run anymore…" She said helplessly.

"Gaara, why won't you look at me? Why don't you ever think about how I feel!

Damn it, I don't want you to die! I don't want you to die at all! I LOVE YOU GAARA!"

She screamed desperately to him and she shook her head as tears flew off her face.

.

Gaara's eyes went wide as he stopped in his track in blank shock. His chest tightened and it became harder to breath.

Kyuubi's roar ripped across the landscape again, but all Gaara could hear was three of Matsuri's words echoing into the depths of his soul.

"What…What is this…feeling…A heaviness over my heart…Di-did she cast a jutsu…on me?" He thought as his trembling hand slowly reached for his heart.

"What a strange feeling…It's…indescribable…For some reason I just want to run to her…Why would I desire something like that?

What meaning would there be in doing something like that?..." He wondered in stillness while trying to come to understand his feelings.

.

Matsuri clumsily ran to him while crying.

Sakura's head was leaned forward and her sandy hair was hiding her dust covered face.

"Gaara…" She said softly to herself as she heard Matsuri's feet hitting the sand.

"How can you still be standing?...Those are the same three words that brought Naruto to his knees…"

.

Matsuri crashed into Gaara's back and embraced him fiercely as she cried. "Gaara…"

"So warm… her embrace is…How did she know? How could she know what I wanted?

How did she know what I was thinking? Her embrace…it's like when mother protects me and cradles me in the sand, yet it is so different…"

He struggled with his thought as he looked down as Matsuri's hands around his stomach.

"Her hands…I never noticed it before, but they are so small…compared to my own…"

He thought distantly as he held his opened hand near hers that were clutching at him desperately.

A single drop of water fell into his open palm.

"Rain?... A drop of rain?...But how?...The battle sheered the clouds from the sky…" Gaara thought with lost eyes as he looked up and only saw dust in the air.

"Gaara…I don't want you to die…" She cried sadly into his back.

.

"The pain in my chest grows stronger…the tighter she holds me, but for some reason…I don't want her to let go…

But does that mean…that I like this pain?...That makes no sense. Why would someone like pain? But still I don't want her to release me.

I don't understand…I don't understand at all… There must be something…wrong with me…" He thought as he turned his lost confused eyes to Sakura.

A single tear rolled off his long black lashes and trickled down the left side of his face.

He looked at her for a long moment with his lost face as another drop of water fell into the palm of his still hand.

"Sakura…" He said with a blank almost begging voice. "What…is wrong with me…and where is this rain coming from?..."

.

Sakura limply covered her trembling lips with shaking hand as her eyes started to water.

She bit her lips together and then swallowed hard.

"There's nothing wrong with you Gaara." She said softly.

.

"Are you sure?…I have this strange pain…" He said was he turned his hand with two drops of water in it towards himself and placed it above his heart.

One of the drops of water rolled off of the side of his hand and the other flowed down to his pinky a where it glistened at the end of his finger.

"It's a pain… right here…and even though it hurts…I don't wish it to leave me. Have…Have I become a masochist Sakura?"

Gaara spoke slowly and asked her honestly with a hint of worry and lost wonder in his lost eyes.

.

Tear threatened to break the rims of her eyes from seeing how Matsuri had touched Gaara so.

"No Gaara you aren't a masochist. The rain is coming from you…" She said with a heart touched pained smile.

He gave her a pained look of lost confusion as two more tears fell down his face.

"But what jutsu could she have used one me to make me rain…I-I can't use the water element… My chakra leans the farthest away from the water.

What is the name of the jutsu to make people rain?

Why would a person want to make another person rain Sakura? Why would they want to make another person feel this way?…"

He questioned her in a desperate voice for answers his rain slid down his face.

.

Sakura fought back her tears and said. "It's called… love Gaara…"

Gaara lost eyes went slightly in surprise and said.

"There's a jutsu… to make others feel love? Is there really such a thing like that?... And Matsuri knows how to use it?

How have I trained her all this time and not known that she possessed such a supremely powerful jutsu?

With a jutsu that powerful Naruto's dream and my own of uniting the nations in peace could easily be achieved.

Maybe she can use it on Kyuubi and help Naruto save her… Can you teach me this jutsu Matsuri?"

Matsuri trembled and said. "Naruto is trying to save the Nine Tailed Fox? He is not trying to kill it?"

Gaara nodded his head at the ground and said.

"Yes, he is trying to save her soul. Kyuubi is lost in the darkness just like I was when Naruto save me…

He intends to show the world that no one or being is above redemption. His aspirations are truly that great."

.

Sakura shook her head back and forth as her own tears broke the rims of her eyes and rolled down her face unable to find the words to tell him.

Matsuri slowly released her embrace on Gaara and wiped the tears out of her eyes on her sleeve as she sobbed.

"I-I'm sorry Gaara-" She started to say before Gaara turned to her and embraced her tightly.

They were both covered in dust and filth except for the places where tears had streamed down there face as they clung to each other.

"Even if you cannot teach me how to make other's rain…Please… don't stop your jutsu on me now Matsuri…"

He begged her as he rested his face on the top of her sandy light brown hair with his eyes closed.

.

Sakura whispered softly to herself. "Actually Gaara there is no jutsu to make other people feel love…Wait…

Actually there is, but only Naruto is foolish enough to use it…"

.

"Matsuri….please let me rain… just a little longer…I-I just do not wish to let you got just yet…"

Gaara pleaded to her as his rain fell in droplets into her hair as she cried into his chest.

In the midst of a battle that shook the very earth they held each other tightly unable to find the words to tell one another how they truly felt.

They only could express their feelings by embracing each other with tears rolling down their faces.

.

---

.

After notes:

Sorry for all the grammar errors. I know it's probably full of them as my editor(wife) raced through the chapter to see what happened next and didn't edit like normal.

Hope you all enjoyed it, especially those of you that actually read the note at the beginning and listened to the music that went with the final scene.