I do not own Naruto or the song Metal Heart.

Hmm, in the time span of 20 days this fic has gotten more hits than any of my others (including the one with 60+ reviews). WTF? I doubt I just have a trillion lurkers XD…………right?

Wow, I feel silly. Only last chapter I was saying probably no pairings, and here's one already. ZOMG, a Biju threesome. Watch out. XD

NOTE: I tweaked the last chapter's flashback scene, with some details that weren't there before.

METAL HEART
chapter three

Losing the star without a sky. Losing the reasons why. You're losing the calling that you've been faking, and I'm not kidding. It's damned if you don't and it's damned if you do. Be true 'cause they'll lock you up in a sad sad zoo. Oh hidy hidy hidy whatcha tryin' to prove? By hidy hidy hiding, you're not worth a thing.
Sew your fortunes on a string and hold them up to light. Blue smoke will take a very violent flight, and you will be changed and everything, and you will be in a very sad sad zoo.
I once was lost but now I'm found; was blind but now I see you. How selfish of you to believe in the meaning of all the bad dreaming. Metal heart, you're not hiding. Metal heart, you're not worth a thing.
-cat power

Nataaria hisses quietly as she slinks past the two shinobi, her movements smooth and liquid.

The Hachibi sighs, and settles comfortably inside Nataaria's mind, fully trusting the girl to know what should be done.

While the Jinchuuriki is not as concentrated as she normally would be, the ones she is following do not take notice of her. She allows herself to sink into a puddle of self pity and loss, thinking of the dead corpse of Ruukasu, the image now imprinted permanitely onto the back of her eyelids. They'd just left him there whenhis usefulness had expired. It made the bile come up in her throat, but she tried to control her anger.

'Naruto, stop,' the Kyuubi's voice whispers in my head, accompanied by the sight of red fur flashing.

"Huh? Why?" I answer aloud. He tells me.

I stop walking sharply, my mouth falling open as the Kyuubi talks. No, it can't be.

Not again.

"Sakura! Run, just run!" I'm off, pushing at her back, trying to get her to run away. She's frowning, trying to get away from my grip, and screaming at me to calm down and explain what the hell I think I'm doing. There's no time for this, though. Soon they will be here, and I don't know if I can even protect myself, much less my pink-haired kunoichi companion.

Too late.

"Kyuubi," whispers a soft, drawling voice in my ear, and I see the image of a long-faced woman reflected in Sakura's wide green eyes. "Have you missed me?"

Before I can hold him back, the Kyuubi is getting the upper hand, and my hands let go of Sakura of their own accord. Then, to my shock, I'm holding the woman's face in my hand, now, and pulling her lips to mine. We kiss with an odd kind of frenzied abandon, like we'll never see each other again.

All I can do is gape from inside my own head.

Her hands wrap around my waist, a few fingers slipping lower to caress my ass. My own fingers are wrapping themselves up in her hair, greasy, but and surprisingly soft. I can't help but find those hissing purrs she's making very . . . enduring, though.

Eventually, the Kyuubi pulls apart from this stranger, and I let out a sharp string of strong language, none of which anyone but Kyuubi can hear, though.

'Can't you feel her, Jinchuuriki? Underneath this human's skin lies a Hachimata.'

There's a long silence before I answer. 'What the hell is a Hachimata?'

One would think that the Kyuubi would be used to think kind of thing. I mean, it's not like I'm going to spend my time reading up on demons and such. I don't study well, okay?

'I'll call it a snake demon, for your simple little ears. In other words she's a—'

'A Biju. And this woman is a Jinchuuriki, I know, you told me. Can we leave now?' I know I sound like a child, but I always sound like a child, so what's the problem?

'First, I want to hear what has caused her to search me out. Though I am fairly displeased that she has to see me imprisioned like a mere Nekomata, this is more important.' He quickly stops talking to me, which makes me fairly displeased, too. And pouty.

"Hachibi, so you've been imprisioned. I don't know what to say." I feel a cruel smirk curl up on my face, but the dark-haired woman doesn't return the smile, but grunts in annoyance instead.

"You, too, Kyuubi-sama, have been imprisioned, so I wouldn't gloat if I were you." Although these quips are said teasing tones, Naruto feels the two of them stiffen.

"Rokubi is dead. I think Ichiban might be as well, if the rumors are true." The woman's yellow eyes immediately begin overflow with tears, as if she's been holding them back, and can'tany longer. Her hands dig into the hem of her skirt, as if trying to stop herself from completely losing control.

I can feel Kyuubi's confusion. He hadn't expected her to respond so strongly. My body pulls the woman into my arms, her head laid against my chest, and her tears being soaked up bymy shirt. "You never particularly enjoyed Rokubi's company in the first place, and you barely knew Ichiban, so why do you shed tears for their corpses?"

Muffled though it is, the two of us, Biju and Jinchuuriki, hear her next words well enough. "Sanbi is dead, too."

I feel rather than hear the howl the Kyuubi lets out at this news. I never really thought my Biju could have feelings as strong—or perhaps stronger—for his kind as we have for ours. Whoever this Sanbi is, their death is a sharp blow to both the Kyuubi and this Hachibi.

"There are so few of us left, now, Kyuubi! They're hunting us down like animals!" The Biju-controlled woman is quickly drying her eyes on my shirt, but the look in her eyes when glances up at the me is more than enough to stop anyone from complaining. "Have you heard anything about Yonbi, Gobi or Shichibi?"

"No. Rokubi and Ichiban was the only one I'd seen in nearly a century." A dark, heavy silence falls upon the two Biju. Finally, Kyuubi breaks the silence.

"How did Sanbi die?"

She swallows slowly, and begins. "Just as Nibi was killed. Those humans tore her from her Jinchuuriki, but I think they failed. I couldb't catch her scent, no matter how much I searched."

"So it's not certain she's dead?" Instantly, Kyuubi's hopes are raised, and I feel myself feeling a little better, too. "I have learnt through experience that it is not prudent to trust your nose." He's trying to lighten the mood, but not even an shadow of a smile comes onto Hachibi's face.

"She's dead, Kyuubi. I would feel her if she weren't, just as I feel you. You haven't seen her in quite a while, but try. Try to find her essence." In response, I feel Kyuubi kind of slip away, and I find myself in control of my body once more.

I quickly push Hachibi away from me, frowning. Immediately, I turn to look at Sakara, who's looking on with an expression akin to fear on her face. I wish she would have heeded my warning and run. "Sakura, keep back," I call out, still backing away from the woman.

"Who are you?" I ask her loudly, but she completely disregards me, instead looking up at the darkening sky. She looks so sad, and almost tired. Like she's been through too much, and now the only thing she wants is rest.

Much too quickly, the Kyuubi replaces me, and looks at Hachibi sharply. "I . . . I cannot sense her."

'Who is this Biju, Kyuubi? Answer me!' I cry out, desperatingly searching for any kind of answer.

'She is one of my lovers, and my equal,' he growls angry, his red chakra flickering at my unsubstantial heels. 'If you wish for me to allow you access to your own body, I suggest you respect her.' I don't particular like that threat, especially since he's showing that he definately can back it up.

Both our attention is drawn back to Hachibi when she touches my arm softly. "Kyuubi, I only came to tell you this, so I think we should part now. Before I leave, though, I have some advice for you. I can see that . . . that you're having a power struggle with your Jinchuuriki. I suggest that you get on better terms with him. Nataaria and I both accept and care for one another—"

"Get on better terms with him?" Kyuubi and I find each other thinking simultaneously. He's evil; he's killed and killed and killed. I don't want to be friends with him.

"Males," Hachibi scoffs, shaking her head. I watch helplessly as she seems to notice Sakura for the first time. "You, human girl. What are you doing with the Kyuubi, anyway?"

Kyuubi turns my head to look at the kunoichi as well. She seems to waver suddenly under these suspicious looks, but manages to get something out. "I . . . I am . . .N-Naruto is—"

Kyuubi interrupts her quickly. "My Jinchuuriki is traveling with her. They're . . . friends."

The two of them seem lost in thought for a little bit. "Kyuubi, remember that time—"

"—in the canyon, with those human girls?" He laughs gleefully."I was thinking of that time, too."

A small smile finally flickers onto her face. "It was the best sex of my life. Nataaria, though, is getting offended. She thinks we shouldn't have killed them."

The two of them share cruel, happy laughter, like that of two lovers, trying desperately to forget a fatal wound.

"I'll be going, then, Kyuubi." It's obvious she's leaving only reluctantly, but nonetheless, she is backing off.

"Hachibi, why should you? How long has it been, and you're willing to stay for so short a time?" My body begins inching forward, tensing as if ready to jump out and grab her if she tries to run away.

"You've always been so possessive, Kyuubi. Sanbi and I rarely had any time to ourselves, with pawing at us insatiably at all hours. Well, I mean, before you—" Despite her easy tone, I can feel her body curling, readying itself as well.

Then she sets off at a sprint. "Catch me if you can, you stupid Kyuubi!"

This is the Biju info I'm using, correct or not.

Format: Name– (English translation of name) simple explanation of demon type. Jinchuuriki (if known).

Ichibi (no Shukaku) – (One Tailed Shukaku) a raccoon dog. Gaara's Biju.
Nibi (no Nekomata)– (Two Tailed Nekomata) a cat.
Sanbi (no Isonade) – (Three Tailed Isonade) a shark. Ruukasu's Biju.
Yonbi (no Soukou) – (Four Tailed Soukou) a orange half snake, half rooster.
Gobi (no Houkou)– (Five Tailed Houkou) a dog.
Rokubi (no Raiju)– (Six Tailed Raiju) a cat made of lightning. Risu's Biju.
Shichibi (no Kaku)– (Seven Tailed Kaku) ?
Hachibi (no Hachimata)– (Eight Tailed Hachimata) a eight-headed serpent/dragon. Nataaria's Biju.
Kyuubi (no Youko) – (Nine Tailed Kitsune) a fox. Naruto's Biju.