AN: Well here we are again, so near the end of something and so close to the beginning of something new. In case one has not been reading the author's notes up to this point, this is the second to last chapter in Book Two. Next Wednesday I'll be posting the final chapter in this story and taking a spectacle through November and December to put the final polishing touches on Book Three, the first chapter of which will be released early in January.

Thanks for reading this far all and please please review!


Last Ditch Effort

"Karenna!" Trina shouted at the top of her lungs.

Blood was drizzling out of the corner of the Kunoichi's mouth, washing her blue lipstick away as the monstrously long snake literately squeezed the life out of her. Karenna was fighting, struggling to free her hands but the serpent, one of two basilisk-like monstrosities Orochimaru had summoned, had her bound firmly in its coils. She tried to growl at the snake but her energy was draining too quickly.

Karenna's sisters were in no position to help her. Alicia and Trina had their hands more than full just trying to defend themselves from Orochimaru. The Sanin was ducking and weaving among the rows of cloning pods, bursting out from around corners to fling a venomous projectile towards the two sisters, or hack at the with the Kusanagi.

The task had fallen to Karenna to defeat the two serpents mostly out of circumstance. Orochimaru had summoned them for aid and the snakes had gotten between Alicia and Trina and Karenna with Orochimaru nearest Alicia and Trina. Karenna had pulled out all the stops, locking the snakes in her most potent Genjutsus and hammering them with the most brutal attacks she knew, but the serpents proved resilient to any chakra based attacks, rendering Genjutsu a waste of energy. Their scaly skin as well was harder than steel and served as a nearly impregnable defense.

She had finally killed one by grabbing its jaws and wrenching its lower maw completely free of its skull. As the doomed snake vanished in a spray of smoke the second rushed up behind Karenna and lashed around her like a bullwhip, locking her arms at her sides.

Bastard, thought the Kunoichi, her head rolling back as her mouth dropped open. She hadn't been able to breathe for too long. She was for all intents and purposes, on her own and dying. Her mind was spinning. No air, no air, was all she could think even as the snake's deathly embrace began to crush her skeleton in on itself.

"Karenna!" Naruto heard Alicia cry out as he leapt up onto one of the pods to get a better view.

He saw Trina and Alicia dueling with Orochimaru and ostensibly holding their own. Orochimaru must have been nearing the end of his stolen body's life. His skin was a sickly white, and his face was racked with strain and stress as he fought with Kusanagi skillfully, but his movements were jerky, as though he was struggling to keep his balance. Naruto could tell the Sanin wasn't fighting at full capacity, this was his chance.

All I have to do is sweep in from behind, thought Naruto.

And rip him apart with a bit of my help, Kyuubi finished Naruto's thought. Go, we mightn't get a chance like this again, kit.

Right, Naruto thought, sheathing his sword and pressing his hands together. Excitement was welling up in his chest, but suddenly disappeared, replaced with dread. Where's Karenna? Naruto jerked around, looking for the other member of his team.

Focus on Orochimaru kit, growled Kyuubi.

Shit! Naruto mentally barked, spotting Karenna and the snake killing her. I've got to-

They're on the other side of the lab, hissed the Demon as Orochimaru began to pick up speed and press his attack on the other two sisters. Attack now or we'll lose our chance to end this quickly.

Naruto's eyes darted between Orochimaru and Karenna half a dozen times over the next second. His mind was a roar.

This is what we came here to do. This is what you came here to do. The vixen knew the risks. Attack now before Orochimaru has a chance to level the odds in his favor. You don't know what tricks he has yet to use.

A bead of sweat broke out on Naruto's forehead. He looked at Orochimaru and saw that indeed the Sanin was forcing Alicia and Trina on the defensive. Orochimaru had sprouted snakes from the fingers of his left hand and coiled them around Trina's throat, trying to strangle her as he jabbed at Alicia with his wickedly sharp sword.

"I'm sorry," Naruto whispered, his voice straining as he looked away from Karenna as her eyes rolled back in her head. "The mission has to come first."

Naruto jumped down to the ground and dashed towards Orochimaru and the other two Sisters. I have to kill Orochimaru, I have to kill Orochimaru, I have to kill Orochimaru. Naruto was screaming the words in his mind.

Kill him before he can even the odds, Kyuubi instructed. You must.

A single tear dripped from the corner of Naruto's eye. His mind flashed with the image of Karenna laying helpless on the floor, the constrictor crushing her, and Naruto froze in his step. Karenna's face disappeared from his mind's eye, replaced by an image of Kakashi, laying dead on the rooftop where he'd dueled Kimimaro.

I just let him die, Naruto spun on his heel and tore in the opposite direction. I'm not going to let that happen ever again!

KIT, screamed the Demon. Don't be a fool. Orochimaru is a greater threat than losing one warrior. He wouldn't provide you the same courtesy you're giving him.

"I won't become that monster," Naruto hissed, jumping over the row of broken pods separating him from the Kunoichi and landing only a few feet to Karenna's left. She didn't, couldn't, turn to look at him. He spun around, drawing his golden sword and hacking ferociously at the snake.

In a jerking motion the snake turned its head to see what was happening, just as Naruto's blade crushed down on its skull. The Maiban weapon split the snake's head open like an over ripened fruit and the beast disappeared in an instantaneous puff of smoke, dropping Karenna to the ground with a quiet thud.

Shit, Naruto cursed, dropping to his knees by the unmoving Kunoichi. Half panic stricken Naruto bent down and pressed his ear to her chest. Why did I wait so long, he berated himself, hearing the faint but erratic beat of her heart.

Now we've wasted even more time, Kyuubi broke in. This is becoming more dangerous Naruto.

"Shut the fuck up and save her," barked Naruto, setting his hands on Karenna's shoulders. "Heal her the same way you heal me."

It doesn't work that way, answered the Demon. You're partly Maiban. You're dozens of times more resistant to my chakra than any normal human. The only reason my chakra heals you is because your body responds to the healing treatment and ignores the toxic side of me.

"I don't care," said Naruto. "She's dying and I'm not going to sit on my hands and do nothing. Just get her breathing again if nothing else!"

Fine, said the fox, exasperated.

Naruto felt and watched as a faint haze of demonic chakra eked from his fingertips and seeped into Karenna's body. He held his breath as a second passed and nothing happened. He could feel her pulse weakening.

Kyuubi, he pleaded. Please. I can't let this happen, not on my watch, not again.

Naruto jerked back and stumbled onto his hands and hindquarters as Karenna's chest lurched and she gasped in a huge breath of air. The Kunoichi turned on her side away from Naruto and heaved in another breath, then gagged once and vomited up what little she had in her stomach.

My chakra made her ill, Kyuubi stated flatly. She doesn't have your natural resistance.

"Karenna," Naruto panted as she rolled back onto her back and began breathing deeply. "Karenna, how badly are you hurt?"

The Kunoichi rolled her head and looked at Naruto with a very faint grin. "I'd be a lot worse if not for you," she said, her voice mirroring her smile. "Thank you, Naruto-Sama."

Naruto nodded, but jumped up by reflex before he could say anything. A loud hiss filled the air as another snake, no less than fifty feet long, slithered out from behind one of the rows of cloning pods. The animal looked at Naruto, then opened its mouth and stretched its jaws unfolding a row of viciously sharp, arm-length fangs.

"Orochimaru has too many pets," mumbled Naruto.

SC

Alicia meeped and dodged to the side as Orochimaru swung for her with the Kusanagi. The Sanin was darting about like a hornet trying to catch up with the Kunoichi, but could only move so fast. The snakes growing from the fingers of his left hand were coiled taught around Trina's neck, but the redhead had managed to work her hand between the snakes and her throat, giving her room to breathe.

"Fuck this," Trina groaned, clenching her free right hand.

Trina gasped in pain as a black-steel blade tore out of her right wrist, erupting from her skin with a painful tear and a small spray of blood, extending to a length of almost thirty centimeters.

She hacked the blade at the snakes, severing them like tight strings and stumbled back, rubbing the red marks the serpents had left across her neck. Orochimaru turned as the snakes fell useless from his hand to the floor, ignoring Alicia for the briefest second.

Alicia leapt at Orochimaru from behind, her hands crackling with blue flame. "Time to-" she yelled, stopping as Orochimaru spun, his attack already launched. Alicia barely had time to gasp as the huge ball of concrete sheered away from the floor barreled up, slamming into her like a cannon ball and sending Alicia reeling through the air. The Sanin jumped up and caught Alicia by the ankle just as Trina rushed at him from his exposed flank.

In a blinding spin Orochimaru ripped Alicia through the air and clubbed her into Trina, sending both Kunoichi smashing into the ground. Even as his fingers finished fully releasing his opponent Orochimaru had completed yet another jutsu and pressed one hand to his pale lips. A wall of oil sprayed from between his clenched teeth like an unfolding fan and drenched the ground as the Kunoichi landed and slid back on the slippery surface.

"Kakashi had nothing on me," Orochimaru droned, clapping his hands once.

The oil stirred and jetted up, taking the shape of skeletal hands and arms, grabbing hold of the sisters and holding them to the ground. Orochimaru spat out a spark and instantly the oil caught fire. The flame raced towards the sisters at an amazing speed.

Trina gasped and hacked at one of the gelatinous hands, severing its fingers, but there were still five more holding her in place. "Kai!" she and Alicia both shouted together, propelling a wave of chakra in all directions. The energy broke the hand's grips and whisked all the oil away from the Kunoichi, propelling it along the outer edge of the expanding ball of chakra. The speeding fire met the glob of oil at the edge of the shield and exploded violently, blasting a hole in the concrete floor and shattering every glass pod left in the lab.

Trina and Alicia lay on the floor, their hearing ringing and their bodies aching. Alicia struggled quickly to her feet and looked around for their enemy. Orochimaru was stalking towards them like a lion. The Kunoichi formed the ram seal as Orochimaru reared back and blew out a torrent of white-hot fire.

"Reverse!" shouted Alicia and instantly the fire swirled in the air and rushed back at Orochimaru. The Sanin waved his hand and cut through the flame effortlessly. Alicia slipped to her knees and fell onto her side. She was out of chakra.

"You bitches are making a real nuisance of yourselves," growled the Sanin, his face creased with hate. "I think this has gone on quite long enough. Now to just pin you down."

Orochimaru snarled and tossed his sword into the air, throwing his hands together in a strange seal resembling a spider. "Diachi-shifuto!" barked the Sanin, and immediately the ground around the sisters swirled like water. Trina sank in on her back, but sat up as the liquid concrete swallowed her up to her chest, while Alicia dropped in up to her chin just before the ground hardened again.

"Finally," he growled.

"CHIDORI!" Sasuke roared, falling from the sky like a meteorite, his Mangekyou spinning wildly.

The air filled with the furious screaming of thousands of birds as the Uchiha landed right in front of Orochimaru, his hand shining brighter than the sun. The Sanin tried to jump back but his feet stuck firm in the ground. He'd sunk into the concrete up to his ankles.

"What?!" gasped Orochimaru, looking beyond Sasuke. He'd used his technique on himself. Trina and Alicia were both laying on the ground unconscious. "It was a Genjutsu!"

Sasuke screamed and slammed his hand forward, impaling Orochimaru straight through the heart on the shrieking Chidori. The Sanin jerked forward spat up a mouthful of dark blood onto the ground at Sasuke's feet, then looked up at the Uchiha, his serpentine eyes fading to a milky yellow, even as they burned with hate.

"This isn't the-" he tried to speak.

Sasuke's Mangekyou exploded in white fire, blasting out an infernal wave of the blinding flame as he ripped his hand from Orochimaru's chest. The fire engulfed the Sanin like a tsunami and tore his body in two at the waist, propelling the truncated corpse back through the air as the fire disintegrated everything in its path. Orochimaru's legs remained standing, mindless, in the concrete as the wall of Uchiha fire smashed into a wall of broken pods and exploded in a colossal wave of super-heated air.

Tacitly the Uchiha watched as the fire quickly burned itself out, leaving nothing but the charred remains of the Sanin's upper half lying on the floor: very, very dead. Sasuke turned as Naruto, supporting Karenna on his shoulder, hobbled around the corner. It looked like the Uzumaki boy had two massive puncture wounds in his left thigh, but the holes were closing up before Sasuke's eyes.

Naruto smiled, looking between Sasuke and the scorched body. "Looks like I wasn't necessary after all," he said. "Sasuke, it's been a while."

Sasuke nodded and returned the smile, sheathing his midnight blade behind his back. Before he could say anything, the faintest hiss caught their attention, and Sasuke pulled his robe away from his neck and shoulder.

The cursed seal was evaporation, quickly. As Naruto, Karenna, and Sasuke watched, the black tattoo hissed and began to fade away, giving off a sooty smoke as it did. In less than half a minute it was gone, leaving Sasuke's neck, shoulders, arms, and wrists completely clean.

The Uchiha held his hands in front of his face and looked between them and Naruto. He smiled widely and closed his eyes, squinting to hold off tears. "Thank you Naruto, thank you so much." Sasuke's voice quivered but his smile was so bright.

"Don't mention it," said Naruto, "you were the one who killed Orochimaru." He gestured to the corpse. "All I did was handle a couple of snakes."

Sasuke shook his head. "No Naruto," he said. "Just accept my thanks and let's leave it at that. Oh, by the way," he walked forward and drew the dark sword, twirling it in his hand to hold it by the blade and offer the handle to Naruto, "I believe this is yours."

Naruto laughed once. "Keep it," he said. "I've gotten used to only using one, and anyway, I get the feeling it would rather belong to you anyway."

Karenna looked away but smiled very lightly to herself. "So does this mean we've won?"

Naruto looked over at her and nodded. "We're done here," he said, looking back to Sasuke. "Let's go home."

Now Sasuke nodded. "I-"

KIT!! Kyuubi screamed inside Naruto's mind. KIT!

"What?" Naruto mumbled.

A wave of energy, more evil than anything Naruto had ever felt in all his years of living with the Kyuubi, rolled through the room like an arctic storm. Everyone present shivered. Naruto whirled around as a thundering crackling filled the room. The halved corpse, Orochimaru's remains, was hovering in mid air. Purple bolts of lightning streaked from the body and tore up holes in the ground as the body shook and sizzled.

Great purple appendages, twelve of them in all, burst from the body and formed a dozen thick arms as Orochimaru's head, little more than a burned out shell, washed over with violet energy and lengthened into a serpentine skull. Before their eyes, Orochimaru's cadaver was being molded into a great and elongated body by an otherworldly energy.

"Shit!" cursed Sasuke, leaping at the body, flourishing his sword in hopes of killing whatever it was before it could move to attack. A bolt of purple lightning as big around as a drainage pipe tore off of the body and slammed into Sasuke's chest. The Uchiha flashed bright blue and rocketed backwards through the air, collapsing in a heap next to Alicia and Trina, who had woken and begun pushing themselves up.

"Naruto," said Sasuke, rolling to his hands and knees. "It's Orochimaru's last resort! This is what he was trying to summon!"

As everyone watched, the remains elongated and warped into a stocky, but long body, maybe twenty feet from the tip of the dragon-like nose to the end of the tail. The crimson eyes opened wide as the purple energy encasing the body vanished, revealing a great twelve-legged serpent with jet black scales.

The dragon opened its jaws, displaying two roes of deadly teeth. Sassssuke hissed the beast in a deathly voice. Time to die Sassssuke. It's time to pay for your treachery.

Kit, Kyuubi tore into Naruto's thoughts. This is terrible. This is a demon of the Nether! Orochimaru has combined his soul with a demon of the Nether!

"Orochimaru will come here himself and manifest his demon… If that happens, no one will be able to stop him." The words of the late Mizukage echoed in Naruto's mind. Kyuubi, how do we stop it?

The dragon leapt up onto the ceiling, its claws shredding into the concrete to hold itself in place. It looked down at all of them and opened its jaws, loosing a screeching roar that made all of the Ninja cover their ears.

All we can hope to do is overpower it with sheer brute force, said Kyuubi. Kit, you're going to use all of my strength against this monster, do you understand, every last bit. If we don't kill this beast quickly it will most certainly kill us.

"Sasuke! Trina, Karenna, Alicia" shouted Naruto. "I'm going to handle this." Even as he spoke he felt Kyuubi's power welling up inside of him. "You just get the hell out of here!"

"But-" Trina and Sasuke both started to protest.

"GO!" growled Naruto, demonic chakra permeating his voice. "That's an order."

We must end this quickly, Naruto. Kyuubi growled, an edge unlike any Naruto had ever heard before in his voice. Orochimaru has the advantage in both strength and in longevity. Your body won't stand my full power long but I'll envelop you in all my power and you will have a more complete defense. Use it to get in and take the fight to him.

"C'mon," said Sasuke, dashing off into the laboratory. "The emergency exit is this way!"

Like I'll give you time to escape, chortled Orochimaru. The dragon's muscles tensed and he exploded in a jump towards the fleeing Kunoichi and Sasuke.

Red chakra erupted from Naruto and he leapt into the air on a course to intercept Orochimaru. As Naruto reached out with bloody ethereal claws and sank his nails into Orochimaru's hide, five tails of red chakra burst from the boy's lower back and thrashed in the air. Naruto and Orochimaru crashed to the ground as the swirling red chakra coalesced into the form of a fox around Naruto.

You will be the heart of my avatar, Naruto. Kyuubi said quickly: the greatest weapon I can offer. Use it to destroy Orochimaru.

Sasuke and the Sisters stopped only long enough to glance back at Naruto. Just as with Jiraiya and the Fourth, they all knew that Orochimaru was outside of their league now. "Naruto!" shouted Sasuke as they all turned around and ran towards the edge of the lab, "be careful!"

Naruto threw any thought of caution out of his mind. He wrenched himself forward and locked his jaws around the back of Orochimaru's long neck and reached around his back and drew the amber sword. The blade of the weapon was boiling as it always did when Naruto used Kyuubi's chakra, but now sparks the color of blood were flying from the blade.

Naruto, hissed Orochimaru, reaching around with six legs and digging his long claws into Naruto's back. Let us make this quick. I don't have time to play with you.

Naruto didn't answer. He flipped his sword point down in his hand and shoved it down into Orochimaru's side between two ribs. The monster howled in pain as Naruto twisted the sword, but jerked Naruto from his back, tearing up skin where Naruto had buried his teeth in the Sanin's neck, and slammed him to the ground in front of him.

With four arms Orochimaru held Naruto down as he reared back, coming back down and hacking at the Uzumaki with two wickedly sharp claws. Naruto swiped his arm around, severing the four feet holding him down, and rolled away just as the claws tore into the concrete he'd had his head against a second earlier. Orochimaru growled as Naruto jumped away but opened his mouth and loosed a torrent of black fire, blistering hot, that filled the room like a flash flood.

Naruto jumped up onto one of the pods to avoid the fire, but the flame burned with such an intensity that all of the steel pods left in the room began to melt and sink down towards the ground at a staggering rate. Another two tails burst from Naruto's back and he landed in the fire, standing unharmed as Orochimaru's flesh and claws grew back before his eyes.

This has got to end quickly. Naruto and Kyuubi were now thinking more as one person rather than two distinct entities and the demonic chakra was swirling so thick around him it was impossible to tell that the boy's skin had begun to burn away in the face of the chakra, leaving him as monstrous beneath the armor of energy as he appeared in it. The avatar of the fox, standing as tall as Orochimaru was long, surrounding Naruto was so thick the boy's body hung suspended in the chakra's core by nothing but the density of the raw energy.

The scene was truly hellish. Orochimaru's fire was black but gave off a blinding white aura beyond the flame, and had purged the room of anything besides the two dueling demons. Naruto and Kyuubi's fiery chakra cast a bloody glow all throughout the huge room as they stared down Orochimaru, and the amber sword glowed like a brand plucked from the sun. The avatar extended to envelop the sword in a blade of chakra almost ten feet long.

Orochimaru opened his mouth again and sprayed another wave of the black fire at Naruto. The demonic Ninja charged forward, splitting the air in his path as he ran, and barreled headfirst through the unearthly flame. Naruto jabbed forward, trying to stab the blade into Orochimaru's neck, but the serpent was too fast, and coiled around Naruto's arm and chest. He bit into the fox's neck, wrenching his head around like a rabid dog trying to break Naruto's spine.

Inside the armor of the avatar Naruto's body was screaming in pain. The chakra was eating him alive even with his Maiban resilience, and Orochimaru's teeth tore through the armor and into his shoulder and hip. Another tail appeared and the eight thrashing appendages wrapped around Orochimaru like constrictors. Naruto grabbed hold of the Sanin with his arms and began crushing his as tightly as he could with all eight tails and every ounce of energy he could spare. Naruto could feel the fox-like avatar warping inwards with the pressure of his death grip.

Orochimaru roared with effort and a wave of purple chakra exploded outwards from him, knocking Naruto backwards and breaking the tails' grip on him. Naruto's fist remained clenched around the Sanin's neck though and Naruto jerked Orochimaru back in close. The ninth and final tail tore from Naruto's back and every cubic centimeter of air in the room ignited, exploding into flame as the energy continued to roll off of Naruto and Orochimaru. They could both feel the ground all around them shaking. Their very existence threatened to rip apart the room.

Orochimaru opened his jaws again and belched out a pillar of fire straight into the avatar's face, peeling away the ethereal ears and ripping the molten skin from the demonic fox. The Sanin continued to scorch the fox and move his head in closer even as Naruto tightened his grip around his enemy's neck.

Orochimaru's jaws locked around the avatar's neck again and Naruto felt the deathly fangs tearing into him once more. He roared, Kyuubi roared, the avatar roared, and he shoved Orochimaru back, his whole body drenched in pain he'd never imagined could exist. Naruto saw the fatigue in Orochimaru's inhuman eyes. The Uzumaki reared back and held the fiery sword above his head, point the tip down towards the snake.

As Orochimaru swung his barbed tail at the avatar and buried the spike deep in Naruto's thigh, the Uzumaki wrenched downwards and drove the heavenly blade straight into the top of Orochimaru's skull, splitting the demonic bone and eliciting an otherworldly screech from the dragon. Naruto let go of the sword as white hot energy exploded from the dragon's skull, tearing the blade from his hand. The black fire began to wave around wildly as Orochimaru's mind began to weaken from the trauma.

All of the burning air left in the room carried the demonic howl to Naruto's ears and he knew this was the only chance he would get. After this he would be utterly spent. The giant avatar of the fox reached forward, grabbing Orochimaru around his elongated neck and ignoring the searing energy that continued to peel away the fox's powerful shell.

A flood of images washed over Naruto's mind at just that instant. Thoughts of every atrocity he'd ever seen as a result of Orochimaru's evil. Both Sound invasions of Konoha played out behind his eyes and he saw every one of the dozen villages he'd come across that had been slaughtered by the evil Sanin. Tears began to evaporate from Naruto's eyes even before they could roll down his burning cheek.

Today, Naruto and Kyuubi's voice growled so loudly the whole world seemed to shake, you pay for all of your crimes!

The avatar reached up and jerked the blade from Orochimaru's skull and reared back again, lashing forward and driving the fiery amber sword deep into the dragon's heart. Orochimaru stumbled backwards, howling wildly and thrashing his arms around in the air. He straightened up fully, still screaming, then fell forward into the fire, driving the sword completely into his chest, up to the very pommel.

Instantly all of the black fire, animated by Orochimaru's will, went out, leaving Naruto's glowing shell the only light in the room. Even as Orochimaru fell, the avatar began to fall apart and crumble. Naruto fell from the bosom of the fox and landed hard on the scorched but cold concrete with a thud and a crack as what was left of his collar bone broke on the impact.

He rolled onto his back, panting, and opened his eyes. He couldn't see anything, whether because there was no light in the room, or because the avatar seemed to have burned out his eyes, he didn't care. Naruto couldn't feel that he was naked, nor that all of his skin had been quite literately boiled away. All the boy knew was that Orochimaru was dead. The evil presence in the room was utterly gone.

If Orochimaru is truly dead then, thought Naruto, then I guess justice has been done.

An image of Kiri, burning to the ground in the fires Naruto had started with the very hands that had just erased the evil Sanin flashed in Naruto's mind. A mental image of Kakashi, laying dead on the rooftop followed. He saw Sakura's face, crying from how he'd broken her so deeply, and he cried. The tears rolled down his raw cheeks even as Kyuubi's chakra began to replace the flesh it had burned away.

And now it's only fair that I die for my crimes too…

No, Kyuubi interjected, his voice subtle but intense. No kit. Orochimaru died for his sins as was right. But you and he were not the same. Your part is to live on now and make reparations for yours. It was right for Orochimaru to die because he would never try to make his wrongs right. It is right for you to live so that you can try to repair the damage you've done.

Naruto didn't respond. His chest was aching with more than physical pain as he saw Sakura's face, torn with the agony he'd put her though.

I'm not going to let you die kit. I don't want to die. Unless you want to be utterly useless you're going to satisfy your conscience and try to correct all of your mistakes so you can lead your people into your 'shining new age' or what have you. That can be your purpose now if you want.

I'm just so-

Stop moping Kit, chided Kyuubi. You're beginning to annoy me. You've killed Orochimaru, by your human standards you've more than made up for your recent crimes. If it's purpose you want now, make your own: continue your quest to become the leader of your village, do whatever you want, just stop whining about continuing to live when you most likely have a long life ahead of you and you have no idea what death will bring you.

For a long time Naruto was silent as Kyuubi slowly rebuilt his tattered body. There was still no air in the room, but the demon fox kept Naruto's lungs at work with the ethereal red energy the boy had come to rely so heavily on. The Uzumaki didn't count the minutes passing. He simply laid back and thought, trying to imagine some way he could apologize to Sakura for everything he'd put her through.

He came up empty.

You'd best thank whatever god you humans worship that you're Maiban, said the Demon. If you weren't, just the chakra keeping you alive right now would be eating you alive.

Naruto shook his head, surprised that he'd healed enough to move already. "How far are you on my body?"

Done, said Kyuubi. You should at least be able to walk now though your full strength could take weeks or even months to return.

"What?" Naruto gasped. "How long have I been out of it?"

About four hours, said the fox. You were deep in thought, but air has begun to seep back into the room, through the emergency exit your friends escaped though I imagine… You'd best get up and go. I'm not sure this place is structurally sound anymore.

"Right," Naruto muttered getting to his feet. "I should- SHIT!" He swore loudly, crumpling to his knees and wrapping his arms tightly around his chest as he crumpled over.

Kit, what is it?

Naruto clutched at his sides as a fiery pain tore through his chest and stomach. An impaling stake of flames seemed to drive through him as he tried to stand. Every muscle in his body screamed and contracted painfully, twisting Naruto into a curled mess on the floor as he pressed his forehead to the concrete.

Kyuubi, Naruto growled, throbbing all over as the pain slowly subsided a moment later. What the hell was that?

I have no idea Kit, said Kyuubi as Naruto uncurled and lay on his back. There was nothing wrong with you. Suddenly you collapsed and started screaming. It was only after that that your muscles started to lock up.

"It was like I was on fire," said Naruto. "And you're saying you couldn't tell?"

I could tell you were in pain, but I couldn't discern any physical cause for the fit. You simply collapsed in agony. There's no ailment with you and your body is fine.

Naruto huffed and rolled onto his hands and knees. Slowly and carefully he pushed himself up and got to his feet. This time he was fine. He felt nothing but a minor ache in his chest and shoulders. What the hell was that? he wondered. He held his hands up in front of his face and breathed deeply. The air wafting into the room came from far away but smelled sweet and fresh.

"Let's find that exit," said Naruto. He held one hand above his head. "Some light please?"

A red spark, small but intense, flickered to life in the palm of Naruto's raised hand; it illuminated the gloom for several hundred feet around him. The room was completely barren. All of the lab equipment had melted and formed a layer of faultless slag over the ground.

"There," he muttered, looking to his left and seeing a door set in the wall, open about halfway. "Finally some- Damn, god damn it!"

Pain exploded in Naruto's hand and the red light vanished. He dropped to his knees, clutching at his wrist; it felt like his bones were going to fly out of his skin. "Kyuubi!" Naruto screamed. "Help!"

I don't know what to heal, kit, said the demon. There's nothing wrong with you.

"Then just heal everything in my arm!" Naruto shouted.

Fine…

Naruto felt the demonic chakra roll through his arm like a soothing balm, until in a flash the salve became a venom, burning through his muscles and veins, igniting unimaginable pain in every cell it touched.

"Kyuubi Stop," Naruto shouted. "It's your chakra! It's your chakra!"


AN: Never use a microwave oven to create plasma.