Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and gang. Just playin' with 'em ;P. Any OCs you see in the story are mine.
Notes: Hah! Thought I was late? Well, worry not, for I have two chapters here for you today! I'm in a rush right now, so all I have to say is that please, don;'t hastily jump to conclusions about chakra chaos. This interlude is to help explain some stuff. If you're still confused, then I'll just have to write an explanation in the 11th chapter. Enjoy!
Edit: Gah, apparently messed up my story format. Curse it! Here's a second upload.
Edit2: I can;t get Chapter Ten to upload right. Fuck. So sorry for the lack of punctuation in the next chapter.

Interlude I: Perspectives.

The blood was still, shimmering in the orange sunset. The boy was unconscious, his eyelids closed while he silently laid on the battered floor. The wind ruffled his torn clothes, sliding over various fading cuts and scars.

Iikagen dipped his finger into the blood, admiring the small ripples that danced across the puddle. The red liquid quivered, gently lapping at the god's finger. A faint growl of the slumbering chakra echoed in his ears.

"Iikagen."

The immortal teen twisted his head back slightly, his left eye glancing at the speaker.

She sat cross-legged behind him. Her silver hair was wild, fluttering messily on the tails of the evening breeze. Her teal eyes stared back, twinkling with mirth and amusement. She wore a simple white apparel with two glittering silver bracelets. She wore a cocky, almost fox-like simper across her young face.

"Gingitsune."

"Aww, so cold. . .no love for me?"

Iikagen rolled his eyes, but a small smile tugged his lips. He lifted his finger, softly shaking the dripping blood off.

"What are you doing here?" the god asked.

The goddess shrugged, her gaze flickering to the sleeping blond.

"You care for him," she stated neutrally, with a hint of curiosity.

"Perhaps I do."

"Then why do you not heal him? He is injured. He is crippled," she asked. "You can heal him."

"I do. So?"

Gingitsune frowned, sticking her tongue out at the god's flippant answers. Unfolding her legs, she stood up and walked to the side of the boy. Iikagen raised his eyebrow.

"What are you doing?"

The silver-haired goddess said nothing as she crouched down and slowly ran her hand through Naruto's hair.

Iikagen sighed.

"I cannot heal him. The chaos of the chakra is built upon his past nightmares and traumas, things which only Naruto himself can heal."

Gingitsune snorted. "Hah! When has that stopped you? You are a god! You can do almost anything!"

"Everything actually. I can do everything, that's why I'm awesome," Iikagen corrected with a straight face.

The goddess stuck her tongue out at him again, bringing a small laughter from Iikagen's lips.

Gingitsune looked down. Her hand snaked across his chest, parting the shredded shirt to trace the blackened scar of a cross, watching quietly as it refused to fade.

"Iikagen. . ." she murmured. "Can you stand to see him in such pain?"

The golden-eyed teen looked cheerlessly at Naruto's broken body.

"No. . .but it is the only way. I have already helped him greatly. The rest is up to him to do it. His pain, his past. . .they are his trials. He must overcome them alone."

Gingitsune nodded. Slowly, she leaned forward, planting a soft kiss on the boy's forehead, silently wishing him luck before she stood up.

"You like him, don't you?" Iikagen asked.

Gingitsune glanced at the slumbering boy, shrugging her shoulders lightly.

"If you're his brother, then I'm his sister-in-law, remember?" she said with a light flourish and a small grin. "I guess it's my duty to care."

Iikagen chuckled.

"Whatever, Gingitsune," he said, wrapping a hand around her. He looked at the purple sky. "It's getting late. We should return."

Gingitsune nodded imperceptibly, her sad eyes never leaving Naruto.

The deities disappeared. The sun crept away, inching back into its mountainous retreat, leaving a dark, musty shadow to cover the room.

The blood was still, shimmering like glass.

-

Naruto stirred. Grunting, he shifted up, pushing himself with his hands. A splitting headache cracked his head in two.

BRAT. YOU ALRIGHT?

Ugh. What do you think?

Naruto shook his head gently as he staggered to his feet. A shot of pain stabbed his legs, but the blond ignored it, gritting his teeth as he shoved his trembling body towards the bathroom.

Stumbling into the bathroom, he leaned against the wall under the showerhead before twisting the tap.

Waves of cold, icy water splashed down onto him. Flakes of dried blood dissolved in the flowing liquid, running down in little red rivulets, into the drain.

Sliding down against the wall, Naruto sat under the shower, pulling up his sleeves to see the faint scars and marks. Pain brushed him when his fingers touched the cuts, causing Naruto to flinch slightly. He hissed.

Why did it. . .?

DO YOU EVEN HAVE TO ASK, WHEN YOU KNOW THE ANSWER?

Damn fox! Can't you let someone think in peace!

HN. KID, YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I DO THAT THE REASON FOR THE CHAKRA TO REACTED SO EXPLOSIVELY IS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET OVER YOUR STUPID TRAUMA! Kyuubi snarled.

Fuck off, fox, what the hell do you know! Naruto snapped back, an low growl emanating from his mouth.

STUPID HUMAN! HOW MANY MORE TIMES MUST I HEAL YOU FROM NEAR-DEATH BEFORE YOU FUCKING SEE IT!

Then don't heal me, damnit! the blond scowled, his anger getting hold of him for a second. I don't need your fucking hel-

SILENCE! the fox roared. LISTEN UP, BRAT. ON THAT NIGHT, WHEN YOU HEARD THE SNAPPING OF MIZUKA'S BONES, YOU REMEMBERED THE TIME WHEN YOUR OWN LEGS WERE BROKEN. WHEN YOU SAW THE BLOOD ON IRUKA, YOU NEARLY PASSED OUT, DUE TO YOUR FUCKING HEMOPHOBIA. DO I HAVE TO CONTINUE?

 the blond scowled, his anger getting hold of him for a second. the fox roared.

Naruto shut his eyes, futilely trying to block Kyuubi's angry louds out.

GROW UP KID. YOU CAN'T HIDE FOREVER. YOU CAN'T DELAY THE INEVITABLE. DO YOU NOT REMEMBER IIKAGEN'S WORDS? DO YOU NOT SEE HIM AS YOUR BROTHER? HE WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED IN YOU, HUMAN.

Tears streamed down Naruto's cheeks, washed together with the flowing water of the shower.

FACE YOUR FEARS AND BEAT THEM, NARUTO. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. MY FAITH IN YOU, VESSEL, IS STRONG. DO NOT LET ME DOWN. YOU ARE THE MORTAL-BROTHER OF IIKAGEN. LIVE UP TO THAT TITLE.

Kyuubi. . .

. . .thank you.

-

Haku giggled at her pink-haired friend's loud shouts about her unpunctual and perverted sensei.

"-COME COME PARADISE! WHAT KIND OF TEACHER READS THAT IN FRONT OF STUDENTS! NOT ONLY THAT, HE CAME SO LATE FOR OUR FIRST MEETING! WHAT KIND OF FIRST IMPRESSION IS THAT! AND-"

Haku could not contain her laughter anymore, as she broke out in a loud fit of hilarity, giggling madly.

Sakura paused mid-rant, turning to face her chuckling friend. "Oi!"

Haku just stuck her tongue out at her. Sakura looked annoyed, but her mouth was soon tugged into a small smile.

"How about your team-mates? How are they?" asked Haku curiously, wondering about Narashi.

"Well, Sasuke-kun is cooler than I thought! Well, at least now I have more time with him!" Sakura said, her eyes suddenly becoming distant and dazed.

Haku rolled her eyes.

"As for Narashi. . .well, I don't know. He is a good strategist, since he made that plan for taking down Kakashi-sensei almost by himself. Still, it was kinda weird of how he just disappeared right after the training," continued Sakura. "Hey, you know Narashi, right?"

"Well, I guess so. He doesn't know I'm in the village, right?"

"I don't think so. He didn't mention it to me or anything," Sakura replied. "Why, you wanna meet him or something?" she said coyly.

"No!" Haku hissed.

Sakura merely grinned.

"Hmm. . .hey, why not I bring Naruto to training tomorrow? Then you can catch up with him and stuff."

Haku raised an eyebrow in surprise, before giving a small smile. "That'd be nice."

"Hah! I knew you liked him!"

-