The Three-Tails and False Hope

Kairi stretched her muscles after Sakura was finally done.

"You sure you're alright?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah," Kairi did a little jump to check her energy, "I'm all ready to fight some ninjas, besides, you know Naruto is completely hopeless without us."

Sakura laughed, "Yeah, you're right, let's go."

Namine slumped against the tree, her arms were killing her. If it wasn't swordplay training, it was Rasengan training. She was amazed her arms were still attached.

"This looked so much easier when Kairi did it," Namine weaved some hand signs and in a puff of smoke her appearance changed. She looked like Kairi, "Well, at least I can transform."

In another poof, Namine was back to normal.

She looked up into the sky of the enchanted forest. She really wished this would go faster. Well, for her, time flowed differently in the forest. She had been there for months but to everyone else it had been a few days.

"Okay," Namine forced herself back to her feet, "Break time's over."

She had a lot of catching up to do. To her friends, to her family. But she was as an Uzumaki, and Uzumaki were stubborn. Especially the women, according to her Mom.

"I'm going to learn the Rasengan and get my Keyblade!"

Namine flinched when she heard a snap. She quickly looked toward the sound, but didn't see anything, "Hello? Merlin?"

No answer. Namine took in a breath. She picked up her practice sword and carefully went further into the forest to investigate. She wanted to use the sensory ability of her chakra, but that could only detect other chakra. No one outside of Naruto's world had chakra, if there was intruder it would be useless.

Namine recalled her training. Trying to stay focused, absorbing as much of her surroundings as possible. She swallowed, Namine had never been in a real fight before. She hoped she was wrong.

She looked around. She didn't see anyone. So what was…

"Namine?"

Namine jumped with a yelp. She turned to see Merlin.

"Merlin, don't scare me," Namine said.

"My apologies, but I did call," Merlin explained, "It's time for dinner."

Namine sighed. Maybe she was just tired.

"Okay, that sounds nice."

When the two left, someone stepped out of the tree, "What do you know," a female voice said, "The little witch really is trying to get herself a Keyblade."

Kairi and the others ran through the forest, following Naruto's trail. Kairi nearly tripped when she picked up chakra… a lot of chakra.

She landed on a branch, and stopped.

"Kairi?" Sakura stopped near her.

"There's a lot chakra in that direction," Kairi explained.

"Really?" Hinata used her Byakugan, "I see a lake."

"A lake?"

"Yes."

Kairi turned, "I'm going to go check it out. You guys keep going."

"Are you sure?" Sakura wasn't sure Kairi should be on her own after just recovering.

"I'll be fine," Kairi gave an assuring smile, "Trust me."

"Okay, you better come back Kairi," Sakura said.

"Yes ma'am," Kairi nodded before going to the lake.

As Kairi got closer to the lake, she noticed a fog. But there was something weird about it. It didn't feel like natural fog. The fog was really thick, so Kairi forced herself to walk. She kept her sensory skill activated, she didn't want to be ambushed.

Suddenly, her next step made a splash. She used a weak wind spell to clear the fog around her, "Looks like I found the lake, now… Naruto?"

Kairi could sense Naruto's chakra out in the lake. He was going towards the huge mass of chakra.

Kairi looked out, "As much as I'd like to walk on water, honestly, it's not as fun as swimming," Kairi summoned her Keyblade and waved it over her. Sora taught her a spell that allows her to breathe under water. He learned it in the Caribbean.

Kairi dived headfirst underwater, then she spun her Keyblade in front of her; like a propeller. To catch up to Naruto. Honestly, it was much clearer under the surface than it was below.

But, the chakra was still an issue. Something bad was happening. You didn't need to be a sensory type to see that.

As Kairi got close, she spotted to big frog legs swimming against the water. Kairi stopped spinning her Keyblade and went to the surface. She could barely make out the shape of the two frogs, "Naruto?"

"Kairi, is that you?"

"Yeah."

"Guys, turn back!"

"Hold on, we are," Gamakichi complained.

Soon Kairi saw the two big frogs, and Naruto was sitting on the yellow one, "Kairi, are you okay?"

"I'm alright," Kairi said, "I sensed a weird power and came to check it out."

"Really so was I," Naruto said, "Hey Gamakichi, give Kairi a ride will ya?"

"Sure, I guess I can't leave a lady in the water like that."

Kairi got on top of the red frog, "Thank you, I appreciate this."

"See that, an actual 'thank you.' Ya sure you're related to Naruto?"

"Come on," Naruto complained.

The frog riding Uzumaki's traveled deeper into the lake towards the large mass of chakra.

A roar split the air, causing Kairi to jump.

"Do you guys hear that?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah," Kairi said, "What is that?"

"Don't know."

Kairi summoned her Keyblade and used it to focus her sensory chakra.

"Okay, there's a huge mass of chakra. That's still the same, but I'm picking up other chakras," Kairi said.

"Can you tell who it is?" Naruto asked.

"It isn't anyone from our group," Kairi said, she then gasped, "The crystal style user is there. It feels like she fighting, the giant chakra."

"Her again?" Naruto growled.

"Naruto calm down," Kairi said, "Believe me. I want a rematch, but something strange is going on. We need to be careful," Kairi looked down at the toads, "Please go in slowly. We don't know what we're going into."

"Okie dokie," Gamatatsu said.

"Hey, I'm your summoner."

"You're our Dad's henchman," Gamakichi said.

"He's your Dad's what?" Kairi asked.

"Uh… Let's stay on topic here," Naruto said, "Go slow and steady."

Oh well, Kairi could tease Naruto later. After a bit, everything went quiet again.

"What's with this place?" Naruto asked.

"There's no signs of fish anywhere," Gamakichi said.

"Maybe whatever made that roar, scared them off," Kairi deduced.

"I see something," Naruto said.

Kairi looked ahead, "Crystals, and they're really big. The crystal style user was here."

There were pillars of giant crystals that rose from the lake, forming a circle around a giant jagged crystal. The group of Uzumaki and toads swam closer, into the circle.

"Hey, it's a turtle," Gamatatsu said.

"What is?" Kairi asked.

"There's a turtle in that giant crystal."

Kairi and Naruto looked inside. There was a giant, spikey turtle inside the crystal.

"Brother," Gamatatsu said, "What kind of turtle is that?"

Kairi could feel Gamakichi tremble, "What's the matter?"

"Guys," Gamakichi said, "That's a tailed beast in there."

"A tailed beast?" Naruto asked.

"Like the Nine-Tails?" Kairi quickly looked up to get a better look. It was certainly big like the Nine-Tails. Her eyes went to the back, how many tails did this one have, "Three tails," Kairi looked to Naruto, "I thought all the tailed beasts were sealed inside Jinchuriki. What's this one doing here?"

"I don't know," Naruto said, "But it looks like its trapped in there."

Kairi frowned, she got off Gamakichi. She walked on water to get closer to the trapped monster.

"Kairi," Naruto called.

"I just want a closer look," Kairi said.

Aside from the Nine-Tails, Kairi hadn't seen another tailed beast. Honestly, after what she saw, she didn't have a good opinion of them.

The Nine-Tails attacked the Leaf, and killed her parents, he tried to kill her and Naruto. Now he was constantly trying to take Naruto's body and kill him in the process.

She looked over the spiked creature. The crystal style user was strong, if she could capture something this big.

But, if the Three-Tails was here. Why didn't they hear about it until now? Why didn't she hear rumors about a giant turtle monster attacking people? Wasn't it dangerous?

Suddenly, the giant eye turned to look at them, Kairi quickly jumped back. Then, the monster began to roar and the crystal easily shattered.

Kairi managed to get back on the toad.

"This is our fight!" They looked to see the crystal style ninja in the air. Releasing attack after attack on the Three-Tails.

"What's she fighting the Three-Tails for?" Naruto asked.

"Naruto we need to get out of here," Kairi called.

"Be careful," the shout of a small child made them both look towards a boat nearby.

Kairi recognized him, sitting in the boat was the boy she saw before, "That boy."

"Kairi you know him?"

"I saw him when we were looking for Orochimaru's henchmen," Kairi explained.

"I saw him too," Naruto looked worried, "Was the place he wanted to return to all this time, was with them?"

Kairi looked alarmed. She looked at the boy, he was young, there was no way he understood if someone was bad.

Kairi watched her get hit back by the Three-Tails. Kairi gritted her teeth, "Never send a crystal style user to do an Uzumaki's job."

"Kairi?" Naruto asked.

"I can stop it, at the very least I can hold it here," Kairi said, "I'll use my chakra chains, you go back. Tell Kakashi everything. Figure out our next move."

"What? But you'll have to stay here to keep it here," Naruto said, "Who knows how long it will be."

"We don't have an option, we-…"

Kairi was interrupted by a scream.

The boy in the boat was standing. Chakra shot up, from him into the sky as he screamed. The Three-Tails stopped moving when he did.

"What happened? The Three-Tails stopped moving."

"That kid…" Naruto said.

Kairi looked at him confused.

"That kid is controlling the Three-Tails."

The crystal pillars surrounding the beast, began to break and shatter. Then it released a powerful roar, that created a massive wave, that overswept everyone.

Kairi's spell was still in effect, so she could breathe underwater. However, "Naruto!" Naruto couldn't.

Kairi barely caught a glimpse of orange, and began to swim towards it. She was an islander, she swam through stronger currents than this! But Naruto was getting further and further away.

Kairi reached out her hand and shot out her chakra chain. It wrapped around Naruto's wrist. Naruto recognized Kairi's chakra chain. He grabbed it and started to pull, hoping to bring Kairi closer. But before either of them could reach each other, they were shot away in a giant tidal wave.

The world spun around Kairi once again. She used all her power and focus to maintain the chakra chain. She wasn't going to lose Naruto!

Finally, she lammed into the ground, and the water receded. She was back on shore.

"Ow…" she muttered as she stood up. She looked at her arm, her chakra chain was still there, but Naruto was no where in sight. Before Kairi could see where it went, the fog came back, and covered the land.

"Naruto, you better still be on other end of this," Kairi began to follow her chain, slowly recalling it as she walked.

She looked in the direction of the lake, so that was the Three-Tails. They needed to do something. Apparently, Orochimaru wanted it. While, Kairi was perfectly happy with the thought of the Akatsuki not getting another tailed beast, something told her; it wouldn't be a good thing for Orochimaru to have it either.

But, why was it here and not in a Jinchuriki? Then there was that boy. Kairi was worried, he had a power that could stop it, and he was with Orochimaru's henchmen. When Kairi talked to him, he didn't seem like a bad kid. He just seemed lost and confused.

Kairi's hands tightened into fists when she recalled the stories Naruto told her. How Orochimaru, used and tricked good, innocent people into doing his bidding.

Was he using that kid?

"If I ever see that snake," Kairi muttered.

A twig snapping made Kairi summon her Keyblade, "Who's there?"

No answer. Kairi tried to sense someone, but didn't pick-up anything. She carefully walked towards the sound. Keyblade drawn, she finally saw a figure in the mist.

"Who's there?"

"Kairi?"

The red-head froze. That voice… it couldn't be…

"Oh good, I finally found you."

Kairi dismissed her Keyblade, when the figure came closer.

Kairi's face broke into a smile and tears ran down her face at who she saw in front of her, "Sora…"

Sora was there, a few feet from her.

"Kairi," Sora smiled, "I made it."

"Sora, I can't believe it. You're really here."

"Yeah," Sora smiled, "I'm sorry I took so long to come back Kairi."

Kairi wiped her eyes as she began to approach him, "You should be sorry. You have no idea how hard it's been."

"I know," Sora said remorsefully.

Kairi smiled. She was so happy to see him. Sora was there, everything was going to be okay now.

"But," Kairi raised her arms, ready to give Sora a hug, "I'm so glad you're back."

Sora opened his arms, ready to accept Kairi's hug.

"Kairi!" Kairi was suddenly yanked away from Sora. She looked to see Sakura had pulled her away.

"Sakura what are you doing?" Kairi asked, "He's not going to hurt me, he's-…" Kairi gasped when she looked in front of her again. She was just one step away from falling over a cliff. Kairi took several steps back, "That cliff wasn't there before."

"It was," Sakura said, "This fog, it makes you see things. Naruto almost hurt Kiba a few minutes ago."

"It did? Is Kiba okay?" Kairi asked.

"Yeah, we managed to stop him," Sakura explained, she pointed to the chakra chain, "Your chain is still connected to Naruto, so I managed to follow it to you."

Kairi looked back to the cliff.

Sora was never here.

Her chest started to feel heavy with sorrow.

"Kairi? What's the matter?"

"I thought…" Kairi looked down, "I thought, I saw Sora. I thought he was here. I thought… I thought he was going to make everything okay again."

Sakura placed a hand on her shoulder, "You'll see him again, but first we need to get back with the others. Let's follow your chain.

I feel bad for what I did to Kairi.

Today is the birthday of Naruto and Kairi (At least it is in this fic)

It is a time to celebrate and not just the birthday of our favorite fictional characters. For Sora, is in Smash! For a brief moment, Mario held the Keyblade… To think this day would come!