So I had an evil cliffie last chapter. The suspenseful wait is over! (not really)

Let Sleeping Demons Lie

"All right, Sasuke. Let's go wake the sleeping demon."

~o0o~

The nearly full moon cast enough light on the open grounds behind The Academy that neither teenage boy missed the lights from the school. They made their way across the lawn far from any witnessing eyes, both perfectly aware of what they were about to do. Of the consequences. One didn't care. The other was too curious to call this off.

Sasuke couldn't help but be a little nervous as he padded silently across the grass. He didn't stop walking until the distance felt safe. Then he faced Naruto, glad of the silvery light by which to see the other clearly.

"We don't really have to do anything," he said. "I just want to see your third form. I mean . . . what it feels like." And ascertain for himself if the Controller had improved at controlling himself.

"Sure," Naruto said with an easy smile. "We can do whatever you want. It's probably best we start slow until we both get used to it." He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. "It always takes me a little practice to get really good with my third form with each Coordinator. So it might be kinda rocky, just to start."

That was true of any new partner. Sasuke just motioned Naruto to move closer and get started. Those warm hands, rather bigger than his own, captured his and tugged him into a loose embrace.

"Whatever happens," Naruto whispered, "I would never hurt you. Just remember that, okay?"

"Of course I will, idiot," Sasuke chided, opening himself up to link.

That angry red chakra, so strange and invasive and appallingly hungry, rushed into him.

~o0o~

The soft beep on the monitor brought Itachi out of his meditation. With a frown, he straightened and looked at the screen. The digital blueprint of The Academy dominated one half, the sprawling grounds beyond the other. Itachi frowned, watching a small red light.

Sasuke had left the buildings and moved beyond Academy property.

Curious, Itachi studied the image for a few moments. What could you be doing, little brother? It's past curfew. All students should be indoors by now. Turning his chair, he opened a dialogue box and typed in the word 'Mockingbird'. About thirty seconds later, his personal comm chirped. He hooked the bud over his ear.

"Uchiha," said a raspy voice.

"Sasuke went behind the buildings, out toward the trees," Itachi said without preamble, not taking his eyes off the screen. "Go find out why." He terminated the call and tossed the bud back onto the table.

Utterly without permission, a ghost of a smile crawled over Itachi's lips. Making me jump through hoops and keeping me in suspense. What a terrible little brother you are. He leaned back in the chair and waited for the response.

~o0o~

Though Sasuke had rather suspected Naruto's third form wasn't an actual weapon, it still caused a moment of confusion when he looked down to find nothing in his hands. A bright red glow demanded his attention right in front of him, and he looked up with a frown. What the -?

There. Sasuke's heart leaped into his throat and he nearly choked on it. Completely unable to help it, he recoiled a few steps. Several things all vied for dominance inside him, including extreme annoyance that the idiot hadn't fucking warned him!

"Naruto?" he gritted between clenched teeth.

The so-called third form was as big as a fucking building. And it wasn't a "manifestation" of the Kyuubi. With nine tails lashing and gaping jaws frozen in a terrifying grin, it was the Kyuubi staring back at him. Its single paw was bigger than Sasuke's whole body.

What the fuck were the Shinobi thinking, trying to seal this thing inside a single person?

The Nine-Tail took a step forward. Sasuke matched it with two backward. It stopped moving.

"Sasuke, it's me," Naruto's voice said into his mind. "I know what it looks like. Believe me, it freaks me out, too. But it's just me. I won't hurt you. So please stop looking so afraid."

Instantly irritated, Sasuke straightened and folded his arms. "I'm not afraid. Idiot! I'm just completely taken aback. You should have told me you transform into the fucking demon."

The Kyuubi lowered its head, and the grin faded. "Would you still have agreed to partner with me?" Naruto asked, sounding (and looking) pathetic.

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke took the necessary steps to reach the Controller. "Of course, you fucking moron." In fact, he thought to himself, he would have been even more eager. This was truly an unique experience.

Reaching out with a hand that didn't tremble, Sasuke rested it on a huge paw. It almost surprised him to find it warm and furry. Then he looked up into that freaky face, holding up both hands. The Kyuubi lowered its muzzle so Sasuke could cup it.

"You're sure ugly like this," he mused.

"Hey! Jerk!" Naruto whined.

After a few moments of appraising the situation, Sasuke made a startling discovery. "You feel different like this."

"I do? How?"

Sasuke shrugged, idly brushing his hands over the tawny muzzle. "There's no strain of being linked up. I can sense your chakra, so I can tell we're linked, but you're not causing any drain."

The practical implications were dizzying. If this is what it's like to use his third form, I could fight with him as my Controller until I ran out of physical energy. I could maintain a bond with him like this for . . . an hour. Hell, two.

Apparently, the same thing had occurred to Naruto. The grin came back. "What did I tell you? I'm the best!"

With a put-upon sigh, Sasuke lowered his hands. "You're certainly unique," he conceded. "But how, exactly, is this form well balanced between offensive and defensive capabilities?"

"Like this," Naruto said. With one hop, the Kyuubi landed right over Sasuke and hunkered down.

This wasn't at all what the Coordinator had in mind, but being surrounded on all sides by the massive Nine-Tail was . . . effective. "Okay," he said. "Put me on your back and run past the trees." He pointed west, away from The Academy.

"Yeah, let's see how fast I can go!" Naruto agreed at once.

Giving no further warning, the Kyuubi moved and clamped his jaws around Sasuke's body. He almost yelped at the sudden pressure, but it didn't quite hurt. And at least this wasn't a true demonic body so there was no saliva or bad breath. The rush upward when the Kyuubi straightened was ever-so-slightly nauseating, and he was deposited onto a broad and furry back.

"Hold on!" Naruto instructed before bounding forward.

With no real purchase, Sasuke just grabbed to fistfuls of fur. It was enough to keep him seated. Closing his eyes, he couldn't help the slow grin. They were moving fast. Faster than a galloping horse. Then, with a massive leap, Naruto sailed up into the night sky.

They were flying. Sasuke couldn't help it. He just couldn't. He burst into laughter and let go, flinging his hands up. Naruto's voice joined immediately, warm and bright in his mind.

"I feel like I could do anything with you!" Naruto crowed. "You're just so crazy powerful, Sasuke!"

For the first time since meeting this loud, obnoxious, pushy blonde, Sasuke considered what it would be like to bond with him. Seriously considered it.

"How long can you maintain this form?" he asked.

"I'm not really sure," Naruto replied. "I've never tried to go for more than about two minutes. With any other Coordinator, I've always felt this urge to . . . I dunno. Go on a rampage or something. I just feel this constant strain against them. But with you, what I really want is to protect you and be with you. It's actually strange not to feel the constant battle."

That struck Sasuke as odd. He resolved to ask Kakashi about it once he and Naruto could officially link up like this. "We better go back," he said with tremendous reluctance.

"Yeah, I guess," Naruto said, spinning in midair.

It almost unseated Sasuke, but he managed to keep his spot. The Kyuubi hit the ground and started running again, eating up wide swaths of distance with each leaping stride. In no time at all they'd reached the place where they'd started, and the Kyuubi once more twisted its head to lift Sasuke in its jaws. More prepared this time, Sasuke didn't struggle as he was set on the grass.

For a few seconds, neither of them moved. Sasuke kept his eyes on the Nine-Tail, not wanting this bizarre but exhilarating moment to be over. There was so much about this he didn't understand, and he wanted to. Quite badly. The Kyuubi's rather frightening visage peered down at him, waiting patiently for their link to unravel.

Instead, Sasuke did something else. He didn't know what possessed him to try it, but quite arbitrarily it popped into his head. He activated the Sharingan.

~o0o~

After terminating the call, Itachi once more leaned back in his chair. Stunned, he stared blankly at the screen in front of him. Sasuke left with the Controller who has the Kyuubi sealed inside him. After all the years I spent searching for that brat, my little brother found him for me. And linked up with him.

And icing on the fucking cake, the kid actually transformed into the Kyuubi. This was absolutely unheard of. No individual with a demon sealed inside them had any kind of relationship with the creature. The seal was supposed to prevent that.

This changes things. Itachi closed his eyes. No. This changes everything. He felt a stab of irritation that he'd learned of this development in this way. There was no way to keep it from Akatsuki for the time being. Ah, well. No use crying over spilt milk. Straightening, Itachi turned off the monitor and rose. Best start damage control right away.

~o0o~

Black. Darkness and shadow spanning as far as he could see. There appeared to be no ground, no walls, no ceiling, no sky. Yet he was standing on something, he could feel it beneath his feet. Maybe he'd gone blind? Wait, what had he just been doing? Raising a tentative hand, he was relieved to find he could clearly see it.

Yet there was nothing beyond his hand. Just black. Where am I? How did I get here? Am I dreaming?

A strange, low sound abruptly permeated the air. A sort of growl-ish noise, it reminded him of an engine or motor. Then it grew louder, and Sasuke blinked. No, that was a deep-throated laugh. It filled all the not-space around him, and he realized something horrifying.

Whatever was responsible for that sound must be fucking huge.

"Well, well, well," said an enormous voice. Loud wasn't a correct adjective, because the voice didn't make his eardrums ache. It made his very bones shake. "I'm a little surprised you were able to reach me here, boy."

Heart beginning to race, Sasuke spun in a full circle. Nothing. "Where are you?" he demanded.

An impossibly deep chuckle. "Right here."

Whirling, Sasuke almost bolted at the fright he received. He only barely managed to steel himself. What the fucking hell. His voice came out in a dry croak, "Kyuubi."

"If you must call me anything, I would prefer it be my name," the Nine-Tail said. "Kurama."

Sasuke gazed up at the monstrous demon, mind racing. What the fuck happened? How am I seeing him? And why can't I remember? The last thing he recalled was . . . asking Naruto to come out beyond The Academy grounds to check out his third form. Then, nothing.

"Am I inside Naruto's head?" he hazarded.

Another chuckle. "An enlightened guess, since you clearly have no memory of what you've done. Of course it would be an Uchiha who sees me. But one so young and inexperienced? That's truly remarkable."

Growing more confused by the second, Sasuke resisted the urge to lose his temper and punch the cryptic demon (seriously, what would that accomplish other than possibly pissing the creature off?). "I don't understand. What I've done?"

"Why, yes," the Nine-Tail said, its jaws opening in a panting grin. "You looked at Naruto in his infamous third form. While you were linked with him. While my chakra was pouring through you."

For a split second, that made no sense. Then Sasuke inferred. I used the Sharingan. Why do I have no memory of doing that? "Why did that bring me here?" he demanded, once more looking around. Still seeing nothing but black.

"You haven't been brought anywhere," the demon said in chiding tones. "You haven't moved."

That made Sasuke feel a little better. "What do you want?"

The demon's grin widened further. "I was about to ask the same of you. After all, you're the one who sought me."

If he had indeed activated the Sharingan, Sasuke supposed that was true. "So you're . . . awake?" he asked. "Inside Naruto?"

"Sometimes," the Nine-Tail confirmed. "It is a frustrating experience, I must say."

"How do you know I'm an Uchiha?" he wanted to know.

The Kyuubi moved. It was so fast Sasuke couldn't have avoided it, and his body practically went numb in fear. But all the Nine-Tail did was bump his nose against Sasuke's chest.

"The Sharingan," the demon replied. "Obviously. And you look quite a bit like your older brother, you know."

Completely unable to help the impulse, Sasuke grabbed onto the demon's muzzle and glared into its red eyes. "You know who my brother is?"

Another chuckle. The Nine-Tail didn't try to make him let go. "I do. I know a great many members of your family, in fact. Once, the tailed-demons had a great many dealings with the Uchiha clan. I daresay, that is what made them so feared in the Empire."

Sasuke stared at the creature, mind racing so fast he couldn't keep up. There were just so many implications . . . "What do you mean?" he settled on asking.

"I think that's enough for now," the Kyuubi said. "You're still a bit too inexperienced for this kind of strain. But Sasuke, come see me again when you're ready. I'll be waiting."

Everything faded away.

~o0o~

Their link didn't unravel so much as shatter. Naruto had no idea what happened, but Sasuke just suddenly collapsed. The jarring transformation left him a little disoriented for a few moments, but he vigorously shook his head to clear the cobwebs.

"Sasuke!" he exclaimed, rushing to his side. The other teen didn't stir when Naruto levered him up into his arms, entire body limp and unresponsive. But worse, his eyes weren't closed. Open narrow slits, Naruto could see they'd turned red.

He musta used that Uchiha jutsu. But what happened? Why's he like this? He gently shook. "Sasuke? Hey, snap out of it, okay? C'mon, beautiful. Show me you're okay."

Nothing. No response. Naruto only lasted another few seconds before panic overcame self-preservation. Yeah, they were going to get in a shit-ton of trouble for what they'd just done. But Sasuke obviously needed help. He didn't care what happened, as long as his Coordinator was okay.

Rising with Sasuke held firmly in his arms, he made his way back to The Academy as fast as he could.

Just hold on, Sasuke. Everything will be fine.