It's getting more intense by the chapter as this story rolls on like a pair of dice at a gambling table and the stakes are higher than ever! And if that wasn't enough, this chapter may heat up a bit with a little Naruto on Sasuke action and all its lemony lime goodness. But don't take my word for it, just read, review (no flames please I beg of you) and enjoy! I don't own Naruto or any of its characters and content but everything else is original. You bet I'm creative but my anime drawing skills still suck. Moving on…

"iii" speech

iii thought

iii spirit speech

Chapter 15: Coursing Towards Catastrophe: Divination In Action

It was the first time anyone of their group (other than Naruto) had gone into the strange streets of the abandoned metropolis as snow and ice fell from the sky as the wind howled loud enough to make even the sharpest ears go numb from ringing. Keeping up with the remaining allies in the middle of a snowstorm was difficult since they in turn were chasing something equally as dangerous as they were. Nunzio carrying Finley came slightly into view, having fallen back to notice them, purposely slowing further to be side by side with one or two of the ninja in the lead. Coming to a stop Nunzio had to yell over the pounding wind and walloping waves of snow. "We'll go back and stay with Ms. Loni until things clear up. I'll probably need to borrow some of your people to act as support. Anyone in mind?" he asked Kakashi who was closest in hearing range. Thinking this over Kakashi had to yell back. "Yeah take Iruka and Kurenai's team back with you. The rest of us will help the others in this pursuit."

"Oh no I'm not going back until I know Naruto's okay! You can't just order me off like that Hatake Kakashi!! Kakashi!" but the Jounin wasn't listening. He didn't want to see his koi to get hurt like they'd seen Gayle. If this opponent could do that to one of their allies, then he could only begin to think about to kinds of things they were capable of doing to one of them. "Wonderful! Now we can continue our peril less journey into the UNKNOWN!!" Gai announced as he took on one of his lame poses, making all around him except Lee sweat drop from the man's actions. Making a 'desperate' move, Kakashi whacked the man across the back of the neck and successfully knocked him out. "You can take him too."

"Right. We'll do that. Does he do that all the time?" Nunzio asked as he stared down at the unconscious form of the delusional teacher whose student was overdramatically crying his eyes out over. "You've no idea." Kakashi said as they all sweat dropped further at the scene Lee was making. It took both Neji and Tenten to drag the boy away from their fallen teacher while Nunzio created a clone to carry the man back to the inn. Iruka, angry that Kakashi was ignoring him, dragged the Jounin off to the side by the collar and nearly threw the man to the ground in his frustration. "How can you just order me away like that? Do you have any idea—" he was quickly cut off by a disturbingly hot kiss by a set of lips he knew all too well. He tried to fight the urge to just jump the older man and keep going but Kakashi stopped for him, making him involuntarily moan in disappointment. Kakashi only chuckled. "That got your attention now didn't it?"

"I oughtta slap you for that and telling me to go back. Why? Why tell me to go back when I can help you and Naruto."

"I know but I just don't want to repeat what happened at the gateway is all." His tone was almost reluctant and he proved it by bowing his head and fiddling with his fingers. Iruka blinked as memory tried to serve up to its expectations. Ever since the incident he'd been having a hard time actually recalling the event in its entirety. But now it came back loud and clear. He'd been trapped in his own mind and body struggling to be free of the binds that held him back, watching helplessly as the creature made him attack his friends and do other things he normally wouldn't do in the first place. Unless provoked that is. He tried desperately to regain what he'd lost, cry out for help or get someone to figure out that he wasn't in control anymore. But the creature had been so cruel and sneaky that no one noticed until the thing made its move by pretending to be ill just to grab Temari, revealing itself to the others with his face. Iruka could only stare at he unsure Jounin in front of him. Smiling to himself and ignoring the cold, he lifted the man's chin with one hand and returned the kiss he'd received earlier, making Kakashi respond hungrily but Iruka pulled back, making it his turn to moan disappointment. "I forgave you for your mistake and I'll forgive you now. But when you come back you'd better be in one piece or you'll never really make up for it." He said with a smirk as the Jounin perked up at the suggestion. "You mean--?"

"You bet I do now promise me."

"But I—"

"Promise me or you won't get any when you get back." Horrified by this concept Kakashi quickly said "I promise" as Iruka smiled triumphantly at him and teasingly gave him a peck before turned back to join his group preparing to go back. Nunzio called to Kakashi as he came back dazed, having remembered to put his mask back on, his voice nearly drowned out by the wind. "You'll need to go now. The others are probably halfway gone by now."

"Right let's move out!" Kakashi barked and ran forward again into the snowy abyss that was now the street. They had to struggle against the wind and snow to get anywhere at all. It took several hours to reach where they knew the park was. Their inhuman allies were nowhere to be seen and the snowstorm had passed to a light sprinkle of flakes but it was still freezing cold. Close to two hours later they'd gone past the park and into the oncoming street, a new maze of streets, alleyways and avenues to take on in searching for the Ice Bear's home. Way easier said than done. Another three blocks of walking lead them to where a potted tree sat on a bench, a mask hanging by its leather straps from one of the branches. It was horse mask. The only guess was Kazuo had done something to do with it. "Where do we go now?" Hinata asked but something else answered for them. It came faint then strong enough to not only hear, but to see. A strange mist came and engulfed them as the pillar of mist they knew as Kazuo and the orange annoyance that was Naruto came into their view.

--Flashback/Time Reversal Sequence Thingy—

"Hey Kazuo!"

Yes Naruto? was the oddly weak reply.

"How much longer until we meet this girl?"

Depending on whether or not she's sensed us by now. Mainly you since you're more solid and stronger than me.

"Stronger? What-? Hey, are you okay?"

I'll be fine. He seemed to gasp, coming to a halt and sitting on a bus bench, his breath coming in slight pants. My time here is wearing thin. Hopefully we'll meet her soon before I go.

"Go? Go where? Kazuo what's wrong?" Naruto was trying not to panic. Losing a friend was one thing, but losing the guide to the friend before getting there was a whole different ballpark. Kazuo looked up, gazing into a pair of concerned orbs of sky blue. I won't be here for long kid. My time here in the world of the living is done and over with, I have to go before I fade to nothing. But I can probably lead you a little further before I'm too far gone to be of any help to anybody. He gasped for more air before he continued. Take the street up another block before taking a right on Maple Avenue. Go up that street two blocks and wait at the 'light post that's on during the day'. You can wait for her there.

"Okay. One more block, right turn, two more blocks and light post. Gotcha. Will you be okay where you are? I could wait until you're better you know." Naruto gazed at the ghostly form on the bench as it began to fade. Kazuo wasn't going to get better. No. You keep going… I'll just sit here. And wait… see you later… Naruto… his voice became nothing but a whisper in the wind as the misty pillar of color that was Kazuo disappeared into the air. Naruto was about to leave when he heard a thunk on the bench behind him. Turning he stared astonished to see a potted ash sapling sat on the plastic surface, its leaves shaking in the wind as though trying to dance to an unheard rhythm. A horse mask with blackish brown markings on it hung by its straps from one of the main branches, making a small clunking noise upon gently hitting the wooden surface it depended on for support. "Kazuo?" Nothing. No response came to comfort Naruto as he stood in the icy street all by himself. A 17 year old teenager shouldn't feel afraid for no apparent reason, unless there were nasty people snatching corpse things roaming around waiting in the shadows with greedy hands. Not a good feeling. Shaking his head, Naruto tried to get his brain into gear and focus on his mission.

--End Flashback/Time Reversal Sequence Thingy—

Naruto had looked unsure but had gone on anyway regardless of the odd departure of the guide responsible for his well-being. Something told Kakashi that Iruka was really going to kill this guy for kicking off so soon and on his favorite student. Oh he's gonna put hell on me too. Why'd I get up this morning? He thought to himself as his brain memorized the instructions and locked away the questions of what'd just happened to be inquired later. It wasn't everyday that a scene from the past made itself visible to all in range. Sakura on the other hand, made her opinion known. "Light post that's on during the day? What the hell kind of name is that?" she practically screeched, making those who don't deal with her everyday flinch from the volume of it. Kakashi didn't seem at all disturbed by her outburst but said this instead. "I guess we'll know when we get there now won't we?"

Sakura just opened her mouth to shut it again, silencing herself and not bothering to reply at all. Going down the extra block they came to the street corner where Naruto also got confused on what street was which. The extra snowfall had obscured the lettering on the signs into further anonymity than before to anyone trying to read the damn things. And to make things a whole lot worse, no one could tell where Naruto went to the light post at all since former evidence had long since been covered up by snowfall and time itself. But Shukaku was the one to answer this problem by squinting down the street to their right, staring curiously at something in the distance. "What is it Shukaku?" Gaara asked when he noticed his new partner's behavior. I think I see something. It is obscure but it is indeed there. I can barely make it out through all that snow that's falling over there.

Truth be told the snow leading down that street was excessively stronger than it was on their end. What that had to do with the storm that'd passed over them not long before was strangely of no connection to this new onslaught of wintry pummeling at only one end of the street. "Is it a lamppost or something like that?" Asuma grumbled, obviously skeptical to the strange thing they'd witnessed before hand. Actually, yes I think it is. Shouldn't we go check it out? He asked almost innocently, completely deadpanning the smoking Jounin's thoughts on the matter. When he got no response Shukaku just sighed and started to walk forward. "Hey where do you think you're going? You don't expect to go alone do you?" Temari nearly roared at the sand spirit, making the creature blink at her but then shook his head, looking a little confused. Since no one else would go and I'm obligated to ensure my partner's safety, I merely saw it as my duty to go first to check for any possible opponents or other that may hinder our passage to the meeting point as it were. Why? Did I do something wrong?

"No you didn't tell us what you were doing."

Ah I see. I'll keep that in mind. Shall we go?

"Yeah but not by yourself you're not!" her voice was unusually harsh making the mighty creature flinch from her tone, looking uneasy and shifting his gaze to Gaara. He only nodded at the spirit who nodded in turn, both moving to walk down the street where the flurrying snow advanced to engulf them in a foggy sea of clean white crystals of water. The two disappeared amidst the icy torrent, becoming shadowy blotches of grey in the abyss of white. Then a loud howling rose to a screeching volume, the snow, ice and wind picking up to dangerous speeds as it came speeding at the remainder of the group as Shukaku and Gaara came flying back, the sand spirit struggling to dig his claws into the ground well enough to act as a shield against the elemental onslaught. As soon as it cleared what was seen would be etched into their minds for the rest of time. A little over ten cloaked and stinking creatures, hissing and growling, snickering whilst having surrounded the person they'd hoped to meet: the Ice Bear. By the looks of things, she wasn't exactly the happiest of campers. She seemed to glare at her opponents as they circled and taunted her from afar. Pissed beyond all comparison she struck quick and hard.

Expertly moving her limbs, almost as if dancing, the girl moved as if she were the wind itself. Snow and ice reacted to her movements, engulfing the unfortunate in its path, even turning to water to become a thin weapon of razor sharp precision that cut easily every time it made contact with a target, slicing and dicing one or more of the nasty things to pieces. One of them tried to take her down with some blue fire but she only spun and seemed to hold the ball in her hands before sending it back like asteroids, setting her targets aflame and screaming. The few that remained tried to run but they didn't last, only two or three steps into their retreat and then literally freezing in their tracks, becoming statues of ice standing as though about to take action but unable too due to their condition. She kept her back to them for a few moments before slowly turning to face them. Her eyes had become grim and sad, tired as well as distant, almost as though she'd gone blind somehow. It's up to you now. Kill the snake and you save more than a fallen clan. Were her last words before the wind picked up again to make the snow swirl in midair, rendering the group incapable of seeing her. When it cleared she was gone, her opponents left to rot while there was no sign of her ever being there. The lamppost however had dimmed and had lost its unnatural glow, becoming nothing more than a broken lamppost in the middle of a deserted city block. The light bulb inside sparked and flickered in the hopes of lighting up the night street only to die with a fatal crack of the glass and snap of the wire inside. Not even bothering to think about what'd just happened Kakashi simply started to sprint through the streets, acknowledging the sound of the others following as fast as they could. Something had gone wrong and the Ice Bear was part of it. They could only hope they would show up in time.

--Hours Earlier—

She'd known that 'cloak of clouds' would return and that time had arrived. Having been deprived of sleep for the night, and the past several years, the girl was ready to face off against this awesome opponent that'd caused harm to one she'd come to see as a friend. Or maybe some lost family she never knew she had. She knew by the sound of the two beating hearts and gasping lungs that the other two were still asleep, Naruto recovering from his attack and Sasuke from the mental stress of almost once again losing his best friend and rival. Cream was still somewhere in the apartment sleeping as well most likely. She thought back to the black book in the living room somewhere, those boys would find the damned thing sooner or later along with what's actually in the other rooms that they've not seen in the duration of their stay. She could only sigh with the thought of letting it pass. No one would miss her anyway. Not wanting to deny the inevitable, the girl grabbed her jacket and her mask and moving like the ghost she seemed to be, left without even trying to cook a meal for the boys for whenever the hell it was they woke up. Going through the door, walking calmly down the stairs and onto the streets, she disappeared with the possibility of never coming back. The only thing left other than the contents of the house itself was a folded piece of paper on the coffee table next to the sleeping boys. On the main fold was only one word: Goodbye.

--With Sasuke—

Dreams of past horrors had not reared their ugly heads this time around for either boy, minds clear and fuzzy with lack of thought or a care in the world, happy with the knowledge that the other wasn't going to be going anywhere anytime soon. Sasuke was the first to awaken, eyes still aching from tears of sorrow, back aching from lacking a proper sleeping position. The house was deadly quiet except for Naruto's familiar somewhat quiet snores. Looking around he expected the girl to be cooking again, the sweet aroma of food sizzling in a pan filling the air. Oddly enough there was no such scent to fill his nostrils with to ease the new oncoming tension that filled every fiber of his being. Hadn't the girl done her annual cooking before leaving them alone for the umpteenth time? Using the coffee table for support Sasuke tried to muffle a tired and pained groan as he picked himself off the floor to stumble into the kitchen to find no sign of any action taken to prepare a meal, the table bare, the sink empty and the room in itself unusually chilly. The cat was under a chair snoozing while the end of its tale twitched. No bowl sat anywhere giving detail to the cat being fed let alone acknowledged in the normal mutual manner that routine and unwritten tradition demanded. Something was up and the girl knew something they didn't. But why would she hide things from us if she's been so honest ever since we showed up? What's going on that she knows and we don't? Does it have something to do with the attack on Naruto? He thought in horror, turning around wide-eyed to stare almost fearfully at his sleeping friend. Why were people hiding things from him? Was he so unworthy of trust?

But you wouldn't trust Naruto with yesterday's incident. Is that what you call trust? A voice nagged matter-of-factually at him, making him hang his head, his chin resting on his chest as he stared at the floor in regret. Since when had his emotions come to be so annoyingly truthful and out of control, out of whack with his intentions? He mentally slapped himself for letting his worry and sorrow get the best of him the night before, trying not to blush from the hug he'd given the other boy. Maybe the need to apologize to Naruto had something to do with it. Yeah that has to be it. What else could it be? Sasuke declared to himself, lifting his head to stare at the blonde lying comatose on the couch. Maybe I should cook something for once. His eyebrow twitched at the thought of actually cooking after doing nothing more than sit around, sleeping for long hours and doing nothing all day. Moving back into the kitchen Sasuke began his search for cooking supplies and utensils to start the frustrating day he knew it would be.

--With Naruto—

His vision was blurry at first before the ceiling came back into view, the warmth and scent of Sasuke having disappeared from his immediate range, the sound and smell of something being cooked reaching him as he tried to sit up, the blanket slipping off to reveal his chest bare and bandaged. He extended his thoughts to Kyuubi to find the fox trying hard to relieve them both of the pain and possibilities of new scars. Doing okay there Kyuubi?

You could say that. Then again that fight yesterday really wiped us both out. All that sleep really did something good for us. Go and eat. We need more nutrients to fuel all this healing anyway.

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle at the fox's words. Demanding and grumpy as ever I see! Okay I'll do as you say. I haven't eaten in hours anyway.

That's why I'm telling you to you knit wit! Now go and get some food in our belly and deal with that damn crush of yours before you drive us both insane!!

The blush came to his face and spread like fire in a dry field. He's not my--! Oh never mind. I'm going. He responded with a sigh, cutting Kyuubi off for the moment to try and get to his feet. At first it didn't work too well. Needless to say he flopped with a loud thud onto the floor like a flapjack that'd peeled itself off the ceiling. Naruto barely heard the pair of shoed feet rushing from the kitchen to his side as he struggled to lift himself off the floor. A slight scraping sound of the table being moved was barely comprehended as a pair of hands tried to get a grip on his left arm making him jump out of reflex, making his other arm give way as he flipped onto his back in surprise, barely hearing the yelp of surprise as the person trying to assist him fell on top of Naruto but only to be cut off by an unexpected occurrence between the two persons, something that would be etched into their minds for the rest of their lives.

--With Sasuke—

After nearly a few minutes searching Sasuke had found the skillet and was attempting to make some scrambled eggs even though the windows told of nighttime having conquered the skies to make the preparation of a breakfast dish almost preposterous. But his aching stomach begged for something to digest and eggs was the only thing he could think of that would cook quick and easy. It'd been nearly fifteen minutes since he'd started and he'd just got done putting everything away, their separate shares on different plates. He was about to sit down and eat his own when he heard a thud in the next room, making him jump out of his chair and run back into the living room to find Naruto trying to pick himself painfully off the floor. Out of reflex and concern the brunette couldn't help but move the coffee table aside and grab his teammate's left arm but Naruto's reflex's kicked in, the right arm yielding to his body weight causing him to flip over and become a body pillow for the person above him. Unfortunately Sasuke once again forgot to let go of his friend as he moved, pulled to fall for the third time on top of his teammate and onto the boy's chest, making him gasp and lift his head as Sasuke's came down.

--Both—

Neither one could tell if it was a dream they were sharing nor just on having the dream itself and the other just so happened to be in it. They both couldn't help but close their eyes as the feeling spread through them both, locked lips sending shocks down their spines. A moan was heard but by whom it was uttered they knew not, only that the feeling just wouldn't leave. But was interrupted by the pain of Naruto's injuries arising to destroy the moment. Pulling back and crying out in pain Naruto wriggled to get off his back, successfully snapping Sasuke out of his daze to help the blonde sit up from the cold floor. Sasuke almost ran from the room to leave the other behind but was halted by a strong hand once again grabbing his wrist, making him stop in his tracks. Naruto's voice came from behind him, making him shiver from the sound. "Sasuke…. Did… did you… did you do that on purpose?"

Sasuke tried to calm his heart; its beat having intensified as he felt his cheeks started to burn with embarrassment and what he thought was shame. His mind was completely muddled from what had just occurred, all sense and logic absolutely lost in the chaos of what Naruto had just asked him. What could he say? What should he say? It hardly made any sense at all anymore. But then something in the back of his mind came flooding into view, a memory that turned everything around.

--Flashback—

After being asleep for some three hours, Sasuke managed to turn over and slowly sit up, oblivious to how spiky his hair had become from his constant movement. He stared at the opposite wall, wondering what Naruto was doing just then. Much to his surprise and annoyance, a silvery blotch came to be on the door as the girl came through, seeming to act as though it wasn't even there. "Must you really do that every time you walk into a room?" he growled, his emotionless features marred by a sneer. She blinked at him, tilting her head to the right. That's close to what Naruto said, and his door was locked. Of course that was after I went through a wall.

"You go through walls?" his amazement was clear, his eyes widening as he stared at her. She shifted nervously. I don't see how this is surprising. I just use doors out of habit. That and it makes me feel… civilized. But that's—

No, no! It was later than that!! Let's try again shall we?

"Say what? 'I'm sorry that I acted like I usually did and you totally overreacted to the way I acted which is how I am everyday'? No. Not buyin' it. He probably wants nothing to do with me anyway."

Isn't that how you are with everyone?

This question stopped him from answering as he blinked and stared dumbly at her. True he could be a little annoyed at so many people not getting it through their skulls that he wanted to be left alone, but Naruto was different. No matter what he said to the blockhead of a blonde, he kept coming back, even if he was frowning or had that goofy grin of his on his face. It was almost as though he was immune to Sasuke's cruel words but he reacted semi-violently anyway. "But I--."

But nothing. He's your friend and he wants to help up but he can't talk to you the way you are and it makes it difficult for him to figure out what's wrong. I've seen this before and last time it went down in flames.

"What happened? Who were you trying to help?" now this was strange. He was talking to a telepathic girl who could walk through solid objects and he was having reflection with her. That's just odd. I think it was a man and a woman who were together yet not. I tried to assist but it didn't go as planned. They split out of anger and misunderstanding. The man was a happy person, optimistic but the woman had seen it all before and was not as trusting. They tried to connect but… all did not go well. That's what's happening between you two only on a different scale… I think.

"You mean he might actually…. Like me? No impossible. It won't work—"

That's because you are reluctant! You hide like a child under a blanket, wanting past monsters to go back into the closet when the one thing you can do with your despicable self is wish them away and move on! You think you can survive anything that comes your way if you act like it doesn't affect you but it does Sasuke. It does and you're too scared to show it! You will talk to him and you will sort this out or heavens above help me I'll give you a real reason to hide for your miserable life! She roared at him, her voice pounding at his brain as she stormed his mind in her anger. Calming herself down as he stared at her with an unusually pale face, having sat up and backed away as quickly as possible, not caring that he'd fallen onto the floor in the process. It seems I too am in need of being left alone. I will go now. I expect you both to actually show up for dinner or you can both go hungry. Got it?

He only nodded as she turned to leave, going the one way she knew how. Once she was gone Sasuke let out a sigh of relief. He'd never seen her that angry before and didn't really want to experience it again. Maybe I should talk to the dobe. I just hope he can explain what's been going on lately, and what she meant in what she said. I need another nap. He thought to himself, already feeling a little woozy from all the movement he'd made not minutes before. Getting up on legs partly made of jelly he sluggishly walked back to the bed where he collapsed for the second time that day. He shut his eyes and let sleep take over once again.

--End Flashback—

Sasuke blinked as he stared at the opposite wall, Naruto's strong hand still keeping him from retreating from the scene. Was this what she meant? That Naruto had been trying to show him he cared but was too shy and uncertain to do it? Was he like the woman she spoke of? Reluctant to open up and trust another with his thoughts and feelings? Or is this whole thing just totally cliché? The next few seconds depended on his response to the inevitable question: had he done it on purpose? "I…" he couldn't help but pause, swallowing out of nervousness. "I don't really know." His voice was also a whisper, keeping his eyes trained on the wall. Naruto thought his heart would stop, a stabbing pain in his chest and tears of sorrow falling onto his bandaged chest. He let go of Sasuke's arm and turned to face the wall as well; oblivious to Sasuke slowly turning to look at his friend sitting on the floor who'd turned his back on him. Had he expected a different answer? What did he think I'd say? That I liked it? What could he say? Not wanting to think about it anymore, his guilt kicked in to make him do something he wouldn't do without truly intending to.

Naruto let hot tears fall as he stared with pained eyes at the wall, trying to ignore the fact that Sasuke was still in the room doing whatever he had on his mind. Yeah probably disgust and hatred. Typical old Sasuke. He thought only for such thinking to be cut off by a pair of pale skinny, all too familiar arms gently wrapping themselves around his neck and a chin coming to rest on the crook of his neck. Eyes wide from surprise Naruto sat shocked as Sasuke's almost velvety voice broke the silence, the other boy's cheek cooling the tears still that had yet to fall. "That's because I've never really felt like this before and I'm sorry. I just… don't know how to well… react to what just happened."

Naruto was speechless. Uchiha Sasuke was apologizing to him about something that'd happened on accident. Turning his head to look at the brunette to respond only to be stopped by what he saw. Dark black eyes were scrunched slightly in confusion, the deep optics swirling with uncertainty, the pale face that he'd come to enjoy staring at so much marred with mystification, his mouth a thin frown. Uncertain himself but not wanting to see that expression anymore, he said one more thing before making his move. "I think I have a solution to that." Tone almost sly and seductive as he smiled, Sasuke turning to look at the blonde only to be caught off guard by sweet lips snatching his into a spine-tingling kiss as a mischievous hand came up and around to hold his head in place as a tongue swiped his lips, begging for entrance.

Sasuke's mind totally fogged as the kiss continued, going up a scale as he opened his mouth slightly, the invading tongue taking advantage to explore every corner it could get to. Sasuke thought he would faint if Naruto continued what he was doing, and he almost did as Naruto attacked hungrily, though a bit desperately at Sasuke's mouth, making the stoic boy moan from the intense feeling he was getting throughout his entire being. Naruto turned around fully, careful not to break the kiss as he got Sasuke to ease onto the floor on his back, both of them ignoring the chilled wood underneath them. A thing as trivial as that didn't really matter right now. Naruto shifted again, 'accidentally' to create another feeling entirely as he purposely grinded against the other boy, making him shiver and groan, deciding then it was time he made some moves of his own. He did so by tightening his loose hug so that Naruto was closer and he could kiss back as hungrily as Naruto had. Hands explored the muscular tanned back to come to rest on an interesting spot. Naruto gasped and shifted again, making them both moan from the feeling of their hips meeting, groins rubbing and their pants getting a little too tight for comfort. Backing off a bit Naruto raised an eyebrow as he stared down at a flushed and smirking Sasuke. "Moving a bit fast aren't we?"

The stoic boy could only chuckle at this question. "Me? Look who's talkin'?"

"You're the one who responded to it all. Care to deny that?" Naruto's voice was smooth and undeterred, making the brunette shiver from the tone but covered with a smart-ass smirk. "Bite me."

The fox boy only grinned before Sasuke could realize his mistake. "As you command." He whispered furtively before coming back down and sank his canines into pale flesh, making the boy cry out then groaned as Naruto playfully bit, licked and kissed his collarbone. Sasuke weakly struggled against Naruto's newfound power over him, eyes blissfully shut as his breathing came in gasps, sweat started to appear on his brow. He was never given the chance to do anything in return as Naruto's mouth came back to cover his, amazingly warm hands moving up and down his chest and back regardless of being covered by a shirt or not. But the whole thing was ruined when both boys forgot that one was injured as Sasuke moved to copy the hand motions, accidentally touching one of Naruto's wounds with one of his hands. Naruto gasped and cried out in pain, involuntarily rolling over onto his own back off of Sasuke who sat up abruptly, worry once again in his dark eyes as the blonde held his side in pain. Picking himself off the floor Sasuke bolted to the kitchen and threw the freezer door open, successfully awakening the cat. Snatching a towel from the counter and wrapping a plastic bag full of ice in his hands he rushed back to where Naruto was trying not to let tears fall from the pain. Guilt ran free through him again as he set the ice down on the other boy in the hopes of getting rid of his mistake.

Naruto's vision was now blurry with tears of pain as the sound of footsteps pounded his head like a sledgehammer as something cool and wet was placed on his torso, relieving some if not all the pain. He slumped as sweat and tears streamed off his face, barely aware of the cool hand wiping it all away with gentle fingers. Carefully slipping his fingers between Naruto's back and the hard wood surface Sasuke got the blonde to sit up, groaning as pain shot through him again, numbing his mind almost into oblivion. Dazedly opening one eye Naruto saw Sasuke's face full of worry again, a sight he'd hoped he'd never see at all. "You okay?" the boy asked, his voice resounding his reluctance and guilt for what he'd done. Naruto gave his usual carefree smile. "I'll be okay. Don't worry, it just stings that's all." As soon as he said that another wave of pain shot through him making him hiss and grind his teeth from letting the pain get to him. He felt like he was on fire, burning at the core up and out. Sasuke didn't hesitate to help the boy back onto the couch to lie back down, pulling the blanket to cover the blonde, running to the closet to grab some cloths and back into the kitchen for a bowl to fill with cold water. Noticing the forgotten meals he placed the dishes in the fridge to be cooked again later and ignoring the cat's plea for its own meal to be served.

Returning to the living room Sasuke noticed that Naruto was fidgeting, twisting and turning as sweat came in bucket loads, tears threatening to fall as he was coming close to screaming in agony. Sasuke had to set the bowl and cloths down in order to grab the blonde's arms in the hopes of keeping the boy from hurting himself, the ice pack close to falling off the boy's chest as he struggled. As he struggled to hold the boy down Sasuke felt something strange happening with his hands. Confused he let go of the now docile Naruto, panting and sweating as his once sun yellow hair clung to his brow. A pair of light blue handprints faded from the tanned skin, making him look at his palms. They were glowing with an almost eerie light, blue like chakra fully charged and ready to fly. I don't remember making a Chidori (1)… did I? What's happening to me? Setting that thought aside Sasuke dipped the cloth into the bowl of water and dabbed Naruto's brow free of sweat and his face of tears. He could wonder about strange occurrences later, he had a friend, teammate, and now possible boyfriend to look after. But something else nagged at the back of his brain. Something was missing, a presence he was so used to sensing some time before the person even showed up. Where's the girl? He almost said aloud to himself, turning around on the spot where he sat to stare curiously at the door at the end of the hall, distant and mysterious. Oddly enough it was slightly ajar, its contents being given minimum exposure to the rest of the world that was within reach. True he was curious but leaving Naruto by himself would be irresponsible and he might start thrashing again. But wonder conquered over significant care taking, the Uchiha not helping but wanting to know what it was that made her who and what she was.

The cat surprised him by jumping onto the back of his shirt and gently clawing its way up to his shoulder to look him in the eye, seating itself proudly to let its tail swing like a tiger's at the boy's back. He raised a delicate eyebrow at it but decided not to argue with the creature, if it wanted to come with him then… whatever. Knowing that he, the cat and Naruto were the only living things in the house and his guess was that the girl wasn't home, it was probably safe to just charge up and slam the door open the remaining inches. But for all he knew the girl could've forgotten to close it and she was dressing or something and he definitely didn't want to walk in on that kind of scene. He personally had never seen a female naked, though he'd seen Sakura in some swimsuit or other when they went swimming in the river on a slow hot day but that was way different. Hell for all he knew she could be sleeping! Nonetheless he edged toward the door cautiously, making sure his shoes hardly made a sound on the hardwood floors as he approached the doorway of the unknown. Looking back he saw Naruto resting on the couch, peacefully napping, his chest rising and falling to ensure continuous life. The only noises were that of the cat breathing, his heartbeat ringing in his ears and the pings and pangs of the water works running their courses through the pipes in the walls to ever so slightly break the silence. Turning back to the mystery door Sasuke slowly reached forward, hesitantly placing a hand on the wooden surface and gently pushing the door open. It didn't squeak or protest, the hinges perfectly clean and rust free, almost as though barely used at all. Not thinking about that much he got bolder and pushed harder, the door swinging with a small whoosh as more air flowed into the room. The mere state of the room astonished him: a futon sat in a corner showing signs of scarcely having been slept in, nothing on the walls or the floor but organized stacks of books on various subjects all with bookmarks or dog-eared pages, on stack used as a would-be table as a stool sat with a well-used leather seat, a canvas sitting on an easel as others blank or not leaned patiently against the wall.

The corner itself was riddled with all sorts of paints in organized groups sitting on old blankets completely scattered with blotches of paint off of brushes, strokes of color on the nearest walls to test brushes and paints themselves, even signs of pencil and pens, different color inks and such to test intensity or sharpness of color with another to bring out the best quality of each one. Oddly enough the canvas on the easel was covered with a spare blanket also peppered with multicolored dots varying in size and shade. He reached forward to pull it off only for the cat to suddenly take action in chomping down on his arm, making him pull back and try to shake the critter off of him. Jumping down to the floor the cat padded out of the room, Sasuke following, his mind totally forgetting the unseen art piece under the tarp. The reason for its actions was to alert Sasuke of Naruto reclaiming consciousness and he was then thankful his friend wasn't dying on him. Guilt came flooding back as he wiped away more sweat and moved to flip the ice pack over as Naruto's heavenly blue eyes focused on the ceiling again. Turning his head to face the other boy Naruto blushed a little and averted his gaze, feeling a little guilty himself for taking advantage of his crush. A stinging pain rippled through him again, making him whimper from the smarting it gave him, scrunching up his face and nearly biting his tongue to fight back a scream. "Where's She-san?" he gasped as Sasuke washed all the burning heat away.

"I don't know. I haven't seen her and she wasn't in her room. And I'm guessing she didn't bother to feed the cat either." He grumbled, his tone of guilt and confusion showing in his voice, making Naruto sit up a little and lift an eyebrow. "She's not here? Then where is she? It's not like her to not feed Cream before leaving. And you went into her room? Sasuke you peeping tom! Naughty, naughty." Naruto chuckled mockingly as Sasuke flicked his nose but Naruto was too busy laughing to care. Thankfully he stopped after a few moments, staring with uncertainty at the opposite wall. "I'm sorry."

Surprised and more confused than before Sasuke raised an eyebrow of his own. "For what?"

"Well… for taking advantage. I shouldn't have done that. You're probably not ready for that yet, I'm still injured that and your clan…"

"Whoa hold up. I could give a damn about my clan and who said I wasn't ready huh? And when it comes to you being injured, you still have yet to explain what happened to you out there, let alone what you were doing out there in the first place!" Sasuke scolded, growing angry with Naruto, and himself. In a way he felt responsible for what had happened and something inside wouldn't let him get over it. Naruto hung his head. He knew that question would pop sooner or later. Seeing no other option but to spill, Naruto sat up some more and swung his legs over the side of the couch to face Sasuke who was now watching him with confusion. "It was… it wasn't one of the creatures…"

"Not one of them? Like the one that took me? How can that be?" Sasuke knew something wasn't right. Naruto looked reluctant. Unsure. Had the attack affected him that much? "Who was it Naruto?"

The blonde turned away, eyes closed almost in shame, not knowing how else to break the news to the avenger. "It was Itachi. Itachi attacked me. And he wasn't in control. Someone or something else was." Naruto opened his eyes slightly, turning only just to see how the Uchiha was taking it. Sasuke just stood there shocked, his pale face so white that veins could be seen and his dark eyes were just black dots on his face. Naruto hoped that the boy wouldn't go insane or anything that was beyond his control. Seeing Sasuke like this hurt him, unnatural and out of faze. But instead of reacting, the Uchiha just stood there and stared frozen on the spot, his brain still trying to get around the fact that something other than his brother was responsible for the death of his clan. Face blank and eyes impassively staring at nothing, the brunette finally moved: down. His knees gave, body loose and totally slumped as he fell to the floor. Panicking at this oddity Naruto nearly leaped to grab the dazed dark-haired boy before he unintentionally hurt himself.

Sasuke barely noticed the save Naruto made on his behalf, his mind reliving that horrifying day of being the only witness to his family's murder. His mother, his father, uncles, aunts, and others sprawled on the ground lying in their own blood as their terrified faces stared blankly at nothing. Red covered everything. Unbeknownst to him he'd started to shake, grabbing at the warm thing next to him for comfort. A warm hand rubbed his back, calming him as a soothing hum broke through all the blood and gore his brother left behind. Eyes slipping closed Sasuke felt himself falling asleep again, only this time, purposely in the arms of a loved one.

Naruto stared on in worry as the unresponsive boy began to shake almost violently, whimpering and whispering pleas of mercy under his breath as his dark eyes began to tear up as he held the stoic brunette in his arms. Almost instantly pale arms wrapped themselves around the blonde as the boy's breathing became shaky and choked with sobs. Naruto could only bring the broken teenager closer, rubbing a hand reassuringly on the boy's back and humming a melody he'd heard so many mothers sing or hum to their own children. These actions seemed to sooth the brunette, the crushing hold loosening to a light grip as the brunette fell victim to the oblivion of slumber. Not really wanting to awaken the boy he managed to grab the blankets from the couch to lean back on the thing's side and dozed off. Neither felt safer in their lives.

All the walking had relieved the girl's bones of past fatigue, loving the effect the cold crisp air had on her nerves, the wind acting almost as white noise while she calmly strolled toward where all had come to meet her upon reaching her territory: the light post that was on no matter what time of day, night or year it was. Those people that came with that blonde idiot in search of the other boy are coming… and fast. I wonder what's happened to get them moving so quickly? She never got to finish the thought as she felt two things: a large group of creatures headed her way and 'cloak of clouds' approaching her apartment building. This just couldn't get any more aggravating. Coming to the corner as snow fell softly to cover the bench as a storm boiled not a few feet away, blocking the path of any unwanted invader. She knew that some percentage of the group had gathered on the storm's edge, wary of its ferocity and on how odd it was on staying in one spot. One or two tried to approach only for one of the others to wisely stop them in their tracks, hesitating as the storm moved to greet them as two moved forward again. That was when the mass of creatures decided to attack. She reacted. Eyes glowing white the snow up and around her was thrown higher and faster through the air to hold the things back as the girl moved to a different position. The snow cleared to reveal ten or more of them while Kakashi and some remainders of the gang watched on with fascination. Needless to say she was tired of so many wanting in on her terrain, to come in and never leave. They taunted and cackled, thinking they were superior, stronger, and smarter. This wouldn't do at all. She glared despite her normal icy cold emotionless demeanor, the want to kill getting stronger by the second. Letting the anger become power, she unleashed hell on their decaying asses.

Expertly moving her limbs, almost as if dancing, the girl moved as if she were the wind itself. Snow and ice reacted to her movements, engulfing the unfortunate in its path, even turning to water to become a thin weapon of razor sharp precision that cut easily every time it made contact with a target, slicing and dicing one or more of the nasty things to pieces. One of them tried to take her down with some blue fire but she only spun and seemed to hold the ball in her hands before sending it back like asteroids, setting her targets aflame and screaming. The few that remained tried to run but they didn't last, only two or three steps into their retreat and then literally freezing in their tracks, becoming statues of ice standing as though about to take action but unable too due to their condition. She kept her back to them for a few moments before slowly turning to face them. Her eyes had become grim and sad, tired as well as distant, almost as though she'd gone blind somehow. It's up to you now. Kill the snake and you save more than a fallen clan. Were her last words before the wind picked up again to make the snow swirl in midair, rendering the group incapable of seeing her. When it cleared she was gone, her opponents left to rot while there was no sign of her ever being there. The lamppost however had dimmed and had lost its unnatural glow, becoming nothing more than a broken lamppost in the middle of a deserted city block. The light bulb inside sparked and flickered in the hopes of lighting up the night street only to die with a fatal crack of the glass and snap of the wire inside. She had a feeling that it would serve her no use from there on out.

The girl knew that they were rushing to find the building where the two were rooming in, the one where she'd lived for almost five years. Five years. I've evaded my fate long enough. Perhaps its time to try and help 'cloak of clouds' myself. She thought as she flowed over her part of the city, moving with and as the wind itself as she did. She landed half a block from her shield's border, wanting to take another calming walk before wreaking more havoc on her opponent. Ironically 'Itachi' paced and growled, purple veins threatening to pop from anger as his Sharingan eyes flooded his eyes full spin, turning to face his new adversary with anger pulsing on every level. "Let me through! I will have the Kyuubi and the Wolf. Give me passage Bear and you will live to see tomorrow!"

Why should I? So you can kill them? Control them like you have with this one? What do you hope to gain in causing pain and destruction wherever you pass? Does he even know what you've made him do on your behalf? The Wolf will kill your host before falling victim to your 'charms'.

"Who said I would let him do that?" it grinned as monstrous teeth made their presence known. "They both will fall no matter what they try to do. Now allow me into your territory to dispose of them."

That I cannot allow. She said as she went into a fighting stance. Fate has much planned for them and that of your unwilling host. Your death will free all three of them of your grasp to do what they will for the rest of their days. What you did to the Snake man I care not for his destiny ended upon the moment he met you but this ends now.

"Or really? And who's going to stop me?" he grinned evilly. But her response surprised and angered him. If not them, then I can at least try.

Infuriated the purple veins pulsed dangerously as 'Itachi' charged at her, going for the kill. He never got the chance to strike as snow and ice came to pummel him as she made an open palm pushing gesture, eyes and hand glowing ominously with a strange white light. Getting out of the barrage of snow 'Itachi' dodged several more attacks to finally lay a bone crushing blow on the girl, sending her flying back to crash into a building, stone, glass and pieces of wood raining down as she fell to the ground. 'Itachi' chuckled in his triumph, calmly strolling to where the girl was struggling to stand. "Face it Bear, you're no match for my powers. Now be a good little half-breed and get rid of that troublesome shield of yours. Delaying the inevitable is most unwise."

Your brother will free you of this monster, as will his friend. As they prepare to do so, I will try and do the same. As she said this her eyes started to glow again, hands blazing with white fire as she threw him more than a block away just as Kakashi and his group came into range to witness the battle. It's not too late Itachi. Fight away the imposter and free your name.

"No need to keep rambling Bear. He's lost all hearing of the outside. I made sure of that." The nasty voice chuckled evilly as it rose, frostbitten and bleeding. The purple veins were pulsing like would be tattoos on his pale skin, showing all that something was definitely wrong. "For you see, I had to give my new toy a little test run and his own family was close to the best of any examples. Though I do regret having missed one. Annoying little thing that boy has turned out to be. Oh well. Once I kill him and gain the Kyuubi's awesome power, it'll take more than the likes of you to stop me!"

Is that all you think about? Power? Control? Do you really think that once those two gain their true abilities you'll be able to do whatever you want? That is one thing I cannot allow. Kakashi!

"Hmm? You called?" the Jounin said lazily even though he was keeping a wary eye on the Itachi imposter who was getting to his feet, inhuman teeth on display in an insane smile. Go forward and get the boys. I will deal with this poor excuse of a warrior myself.

"What? You can't—"

I can and I will now go before I make you.

"He'll kill you!" Kakashi protested. He didn't like where this was going at all. How could she just accept this course of action?

I don't expect to survive for I will fight for my allies even if it is to the death. Those two have proven to be worthy of my confidence. All they need to do now is become confident in one another. Go while you can. This fight is mine.

"No wait!" he never got the chance to say more. Itachi was on the move and the girl prepared to defend herself. Punches, kicks, swipes and slashes made up the fight, blocks, parries and the occasional hit that got through, snow and ice flying through the air, moving to strike the ninja before he countered with a jutsu he'd picked along the way. But no matter what he threw at her she sent it back with more than half the power it had before, hitting hard enough to break bones and crush flesh. Only Itachi kept getting back up for more. "You pathetic excuse of a Guardian. I never thought you'd last this long but once I kill you I'll enjoy showing to your comrades in arms just how weak and worthless you are."

You think your words faze me? Make me want to back down? In fact they only give me more reason to beat the pulp out of you until you show your face like the honorable warrior you should be. Why not stop the charade and show those of us here who you really are. Her words were almost sly and taunting despite the fact she was gasping for air, blood coming under her mask, probably staining it on both sides. She delivered another wave of snow to send the man flying back once again to give the ninja group time to run down the street before moving to follow, picking up the pace to lead the way. Come on. We only have so much time before the shield breaks.

"Shield? What shield?" Sakura called as they ran through unbroken snow. A special way of keeping unwanted guests away from where I live as a means to protect those I let in and out from any potential threat to those seeking my assistance. But it can only last so long and if we don't get there soon we'll be seeing more of him in next to no time at all.

"Can't you just reinforce it or something? Surely you know how—"

There's only so much that even a Guardian can do but holding him off long enough for your friends to unleash their hidden powers is all we need. They must defeat Itachi's inner monster before it's too late to bring back the original.

"So you mean if Naruto and Sasuke don't get rid of that thing inside Itachi he'll be like that forever?"

Or at least until that form can no longer serve his purposes and must be disposed of in order for him or her to find another suitable to its needs. Your two friends must learn to find their own inner spirit and combine it in order to save Sasuke's brother and their clan.

"Their clan? What's the Uchiha clan got to do with it?" Kakashi called, sounding all around suspicious.

No time to explain. We must hurry! The barrier only has a few more minutes. Was all she could say, as she seemed to speed away, leaving them partly in the dust. Not even bothering to use the door the girl simply run up the wall of the building next door, followed the scaffold before leaping across the long distance into the kitchen through the window. The cat sat up immediately as she landed on the floor, sliding to a slamming halt against the opposite wall. Scuffling sounded off in the living room as the two ran to a stop in the doorway to stare at her beaten and bloody form pick itself up off the floor to face them. Naruto still didn't have a shirt on and Sasuke still looked a little shaken from the news Naruto had given him not nearly an hour before hand. I trust he's told you. She said, sounding calm and grim even though she was out of breath. Sasuke could only nod, still unable to trust his voice. He comes this way. We must act quickly. She said as she moved to leave the room in the hopes of going down the hall. But somebody else had other plans.

"You knew that Itachi attacked me? Why didn't you tell him yourself?" Naruto demanded as he blocked her path out of the kitchen, looking furious. It wasn't my place to tell him but yours and yours alone. She said trying to remain calm. This was taking too long to do. But that's not the issue here. Sasuke's powers are awakening and he needs his spirit before his would-be brother arrives to kill you both. Now put a shirt on and stand aside unless you want his brother to be forever controlled by a bloodthirsty spirit.

"My what?" Sasuke asked, looking and sounding deeply confused. This just isn't my day. The girl thought as she gently pushed Naruto aside and marched down the hall as the two followed, stopping only once to throw a shirt at Naruto and both their gear at Sasuke who caught them with ease. She continued down the hall not bothering to know why her door was open all the way but instead went straight into the hardly even filled closet to grab a medium sized jar from the shelf to turn around and with ground eating strides back into the living room where the letter sat unnoticed on the coffee table. Making sure they didn't see it just yet she moved it to a different side table where a large black leather-bound book sat gathering dust to fill the cracks that came from constant use. They followed confused, Naruto cladding his upper self, Sasuke trying to fight back a wave of red on his face, taking the time to put their pouches onto their hips and weapons strapped back on their legs. Sit down here. She said to Sasuke, pointing to the couch. Still confused he complied and watching nervously as she opened the vial. It's contents were a mix of blues, purples, blacks and some signs of red or white. The lid finally came off with a small pop as the misty contents receded away from the opening, almost cautious. Setting it on the table and backing away the girl spoke. Come along now. It's time you came out now. Don't you want to meet him?

Several seconds passed before a shaky reply came. Y-yes. But I—

But nothing. You've been waiting a long time haven't you? Surely you want to see if this one is it don't you?

Another few seconds passed before the misty thing moved, carefully and self aware of its audience. Upon exceeding the bottle's opening it moved to land on the floor in front of the Uchiha to become more solid, taking shape, form and color. A wolf stood nervously but proudly on the wooden floor, black raven wings glossy and clean folded against it's back. Its eyes were a grayish silver and curious, looking around before landing on the frozen brunette in front of it. It seemed to smile at him, wagging its tail almost happily. Hello, my name is Candra (2). What's yours?

"um… I'm Sasuke." He answered tense at the thought of what he'd just seen. Was this a demon? Or just some spirit that looked innocent but was really malevolent? And what did the girl mean by 'his spirit'? But she answered that for him. Is he the one Candra? Is he your match?

I think so. I feel… alive. More than I have in months. He just might be it.

"Sorry you lost me here. How am I 'it'?" Sasuke queried, looking nervously between the girl and the winged wolf wagging its tail at him, growing more excited by the minute. You'll know in a minute and if this makes you easier she isn't a demon of any kind. Just your spirit partner, that's all.

"Spirit partner?"

Kind of how that Kiba kid has that dog of his only on a more spiritual rather that physical scale. Get it now?

"How do you know it's a girl anyway?"

That's the gender I chose when I was born! Don't worry Sasuke. We'll get along just fine. I just know it! You ready?

"Ready? For what?"

Our merging. She said almost too happily, cantering nonchalantly to sit right in front of him. You must join hands… or paws…. The girl said as she positioned herself to act as the referee of sorts. Naruto watched from where he stood at the wall, half understanding what was going on as he recalled the deal he made with Kyuubi when he first truly met the 'demon'. Sasuke held out a hand for an oddly warm paw to plop into his palm, trying to get the nervous shakes out of his limbs but before he could pull back the girl placed her hand on top of the joined appendages, firmly holding them in place.

Do you Candra take this human of flesh and blood as your friend, vessel, and battle partner in both war and life for the best and worst of times regardless of time, day, year and weather that hinder all that may deny you your goal? Will you allow him to be who he is yet guiding him when things are not right?

I accept as the plants do the sun.

Hmm. I see. Do you Uchiha Sasuke take this spirit as your friend and confidante to guide you when others cannot be it in life or battle? To help free you of pain, injury, and foul thoughts when they come to mind?

He could only nod, gulping back tension but had to ask. "Will it hurt?"

No it shouldn't. I'm sure she'll make it as easy as possible for you. Are we agreed to these terms of bondage in this point and time, better or worse, happiness or great sadness, to allow free mind and spirit only in times of crisis or such separate actions are needed to enable various courses or a single chain of action at any time where such tactics are demanded?

I accept.

"I will."

Then I, the Ice Bear present Candra the Moon Wolf to follow Uchiha Sasuke as friend and partner to follow or lead down paths of knowledge, wisdom or adventure, both with the possible right of place in the Guardian Army should this be your choice as a whole. May this bond hold until either the end of the worlds or your imminent deaths where you may join again in this testimony or to another entirely. A blinding light flashed making Naruto cover his eyes as the three near and on the couch were consumed by its radiance. It faded to reveal a blinking and dazed Sasuke and a calm but brooding girl waiting patiently for the effects to wear off. "Where'd she go?" Sasuke said, sounding a little stupid as he tried to clear his vision. I'm here. Candra called happily only to make him more confused and disoriented than before. He looked around but found nothing. "Where…? How…?"

Only you can hear her unless you or she or possibly both wish it so. She is inside now. Like Kyuubi only she's free to come and go as she pleases. Time is short and your brother's imposter approaches. You will have to learn from one another in battle. Come. She said as she went to the nearest window. It was now Naruto's turn to look confused as Sasuke got to his feet to follow, waving the blonde over to them. As soon as both got into grabbing reach, she took hold of them by the back of their shirts and leaped at the wall. The two couldn't help but yell in surprise, attempting to claw themselves out of her grasp. They were met by cold air and soft falling snow, the ninja crowd below them staring up in awe as they came falling to the ground. Not pausing at all as they landed softly on the ground aided by the white speckled wings out of the girl's back she let the two boys go to jet away, a sleek katana somehow coming to hand just in time for 'Itachi' to come into range, purple veins and crazy eyes along with monstrous teeth on display for all to see.

Itachi deflected the attack only to be struck again and sent into a building, causing the wall to crumble and fall on top of him. But the battle was far from over. Rising again, the rock and concrete moved aside almost like Styrofoam Itachi got to his feet, his voice sounding out of place. Like it didn't belong to him at all. "I see you still have some ardor left to defend these useless creatures. Oh well. I'll enjoy tearing you to pieces just to sharpen my aim for when I get to them." Malice rang in his voice as he smiled at the girl, but when he noticed Naruto and Sasuke, it only widened in glee. "So the pair of the hour has finally arrived. Once I've killed my host's annoying little brother and have gained the Fire Fox no one in any world will be able to stand in my way!" he roared maniacally as he charged in their direction but a blur came and blocked his path, snow and ice engulfing Sasuke's would be older brother. Angry now Itachi rose once again this time charging to where the girl stood bracing for impact, prepared for the worst.

One could swear time froze. Sasuke was frozen with realization that what Naruto had said was true. His brother wasn't himself and probably had never been since before the death of their clan. The urge to kill whatever was inside his elder sibling boiled over as hot tears threatened to pour out of his normally emotionless eyes. Naruto couldn't move as the two went to meet in the middle, their own weapons raised to strike. All held their breath as the two got closer and closer and…

Cliffhanger! Ugh it just had to end somewhere and I chose here since I don't really feel like goin' on for another page. Nineteen pages. Now that's a stretch. Even I was getting confused with certain stuff in this one people. Yeah sad isn't it? I blame you not if you agree with me. But anywho I just wanted to start another chapter that would probably decide the end of this whole damn thing but might start another issue entirely! Man this gets real weird sometimes but that's the price you pay for going out of your way to entertain others. Oh well. Good news! There are actually notes to speak of! And here they are:

1) Chidori: my guess is that it's the other name for Kakashi's Lightening Blade attack he uses. Other than that I have no fucking idea what it could be. Why? Cause I'm a loser and I'm completely clueless on what happens further than Book 9. Talk about lame right?

2) Candra: I wanted something different for Sasuke but still had that mysterious, kick-ass feel to it. Candra is an especially special character that may bring Sasuke to get bolder in addressing his feelings for Naruto as Kyuubi has attempted with our favorite blonde dunce. Candra is Hindi for 'moon', a name that fits both perfectly on nearly every scale. Or at least I think so….

Next chapter: Chapter 16: Death of the Ice Bear?: The Big Finish

It looks like our mysterious friend and Itachi are about to get a little out of hand in their battle to the finish. But will it be the end for the girl, or Itachi? Or will the girl's attempts to free the elder Uchiha of what ails him be accomplished by Naruto and Sasuke's spiritual teamwork? And what of Orochimaru? Is he still alive causing trouble or will the gang find something far worse to deal with? Find out when I update the epic story Aurora Borealis in:

Chapter 16: Death of the Ice Bear?: The Big Finish!