"Is this how you dreams it would be all those years ago?" Konohamaru decided to take a seat next to Naruto overlooking the large village. Both his grandfather and Naruto enjoyed standing on the Hokaage heads watching their people. Taking a bite out of his Kabob he found watching the city was something he wasn't meant for. He figured to himself, he hadn't grown old enough to be interested in just watching things just yet.
"I never imagined what it would be like without Sakura, or Ero-sennin, or even obai…" willing himself to flinch at remembering how Tsunade used to hit him for saying that. "Its not what I imagined, but I still love it." Whenever Naruto had a spare moment, he was training in one way or another. Even at the memorial he was meditating and learning to communicate with the Kyuubi. He found that overlooking the town he could pull in the most amount of Chakra, and often mixed his energy with the energy from the town and let himself flow through it.
"I suppose so.." Konohamaru chuckled, "well I guess that means you imagined it without Orochimaru then." Finishing his first kabob he pulled another one out of his knapsack and continued munching. "But then again, I think everyone thought that way."
"Not Kimimaro." Naruto thought about the bone manipulator. Gaara had told him that the man died out of love for Orochimaru. "Then again, he is not the first to die for the wrong reasons."
"Who was that?"
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Gaara's dusty red hair remained unchanged through the seasons. His compassion had kept growing and the Sand Village prospered from their relations with Konoha. With two powerhouse villages holding strong allegiance it seemed very unlikely for the world to be tossed back into the chaos from before the Third's succession. Gaara had somehow retained his sand controlling ability and it had left many puzzled. He was the next big lead in unveiling what bloodline limits actually were, but he refused to let Konoha send scientist to do tests with him. He figured in the next few years, he would allow them, but he did not want them to somehow drain his ability to control sand even if it was just his Paranoia.
He was in a hurry to get to Konoha. There were private matters to discuss with his friend. There had been reports that Black fire was in the hillsides. At first he had sent just some Chounin scouts to see what had happened. They had came back and claimed the fire would not go out. When Gaara used sand to smother the fire it didn't work, not until he compressed it with enough pressure to equal that of diamond. Tsunade had given his village many books on Jutsu and Black fire wasn't one that was listed anywhere. He had heard rumors that certain Akatsuki had controlled black fire, but he distinctly remembered that Naruto told him that they were all dead.
If even one of them escaped, it was feared that the entire group would be reborn and their plans for domination would be revived. Gaara had only a few encounters with the likes of Akatsuki. They had taken Shukaku out of him and he still felt the emptiness from it. He hoped the blackfire was something different, but he saw no other way. He had to personally deliver this message instead of letting Temari take care of things. Riding on a cloud of sand to the East towards Konoha he thought more about the black fire and the possible existence of Akatsuki.
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"Team Kakashi, I have a special mission for you." Naruto grinned through the Hokage hat that he had on at all times. "Word is in that a mysterious Black Fire appeared in hills just north of the Sand Village's Main Complex." Naruto tapped his fingers on the desk. Though Kakashi was still the sixth Hokage, he willingly took on missions simply because sitting around doing nothing wasn't for him. "I am aware of what this 'Blackfire' could mean, but I am certain the fears of Magenkyo can be put to rest."
Gaara tapped Narutos shoulder and whispered something in his ear. "Furthermore, you have experience in dealing with abnormalities such as Black fire. And you should know that it took over one thousand pounds per square inch to smother the fire." Naruto told the team in front of him. "I would hate to risk a team of Genin so Gaara has decided to temporarily join your team in hopes to solve this mystery." Naruto pulled out a stamp and struck the paper in front of him. "Kakashi, if you will…"
Kakashi stepped towards the table and leaned over it. He whispered well enough for just the Seventh and Gaara to hear. "Only Sharingan users can create that fire, seeing as how you saw the death of the last three, the only person who can be responsible for this Black Fire is me. Are you two not suspicious?" Leaning on the table he tried to read either Gaara or Naruto. "I am sure Gaara will tell me your plan when we travel to his village."
Kakashi took the stamp and smashed it against the paper. "Mission accepted."
When Team Kakashi left the building Shikamaru immediately faced Naruto. "Ino went into your mind, she saw all three of the Sharingan users dying. Who could create this black fire?" Sitting back, going through his own thoughts and speculations. "I think Ino should have another look."
Naruto frowned and looked towards Ino. "I hope your peeking in my mind has no effect on either of us." Naruto gestured for Ino to come closer. She stood up and walked down the length of the room over to Naruto. "I think you can do this one more time right?"
"I'm not sure…" Ino placed her hands on Narutos forehead. Giving him a few moments to reason it out with the Kyuubi, she held back her Jutsu. The first time she tried to read his mind, it had failed because the Kyuubi wouldn't let another personality intervene, it took Naruto a full week to convince the Kyuubi.
"I'm sorry." Naruto said as he held his hands together, "It is safe now."
A slight focus was seen on Ino, and Naruto gained a dazed appearance. He was next to the Kyuubi, holding one hand on the Fox's nuzzle. Ino always had to walk through the Kyuubi's corridor before seeing Naruto's memories. She had only done it once, and the overwhelming evil had almost made her release the Jutsu. It created a heavy atmosphere that made everything unbearably close. This time, she noticed, that the evil was toned down, Naruto had probably noticed her stress inside the corridor and is using his Aura to counter the Kyuubi's.
"Boy, this is virtually rape." The Kyuubi boomed inside both Naruto's and Ino's minds. Naruto just chuckled as Ino flinched. "I haven't seen day light in too long." The Kyuubi frowned and got itself prepared to venture back in the Memories again. "I can almost remember the power!"
Ino first had to start with the beginning of Naruto's memory. She didn't bother to look at what she wasn't supposed to. She figured the Kyuubi would stop her if she didn't do what she was meant to do. She did catch glimpses of memories, but just as single images contributed with one feeling or another. When she came across what she was looking for, she muttered, "Uchiha One."
Naruto felt these experience's strange. He imagined Ino was walking through time in his head. When she said things to tell where she was at, he only heard an echo of what she said. "go on Ino." He imagined himself whispering. He hated reliving these memories, especially since he knew what type of Pain Ino was about to feel.
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"kukuku Naruto, I have saved you to see this." Orochimaru chuckled. Sasuke stood next to Orochimaru and smirked towards his childhood companions. "I wonder if Sakura would love me if I were Sasuke." Orochimaru pondered aloud.
Naruto had barely woken from a daze and had no idea Sakura was next time him, also chained down. His first reaction was to forced his way out of the chains. Each time he moved, he could hear Sakura whine in pain. They were somehow linked, but he wasn't quite sure how Orochimaru had done it. He then got ready to release Chakra and over power the chains completely, but it was being absorbed.
"You have failed Naruto, you couldn't bring me back." He imagined Sasuke saying. "Now look at where I am next to this fool, who will take my body and then kill Itachi, and you and Sakura." He imagined a younger Sasuke crying.
"Please don't." Naruto muttered as Orochimaru prepared his body for the shift. Sasuke glanced over and smirked. Again all Naruto could do was beg. I have grown stronger then him. Sasuke laughed and prepared himself to be entered.
Orochimaru unleashed a fury of hand seals, which Sasuke duplicated. Orochimaru wanted to make sure his synchronization with his container would be perfect. For a moment everything stood still and then Orochimaru fell over. At first Sasuke gripped his fists, but they still felt the same. Everything seemed the same. Orochimaru said that it would feel weird, but he felt exactly the same. He looked down at Orochimaru and saw inside that Orochimaru was dying. "…wh…whats happening…" Sasuke looked over towards his two prisoners. He blinked his eyes and looked at the world through Sharingan. He couldn't describe what he saw inside of Orochimaru at that point. The energy inside Orochimaru wasn't being drained. It was being eaten by something. He watched in horror as the past 5 years of his life amounted to nothing. His master was dead and all he could do was stare.
Naruto was looking directly at Sasuke and Sakura was looking for a way to escape. "IT WAS YOU TWO!" Sasuke screamed at them. "Fucking die." Sasuke's aura changed as his eyes altered and seemed to no longer be a Sharingan eye. It wasn't a Magenkyo eye either. It was a different type of eye. Sasuke walked over to Sakura and kneeled down in front of her. "Naruto, don't worry you will see her shortly." Sakura looked at Naruto through the corner of her eyes with a pleading look as Sasuke raised her chin with his hand. When she looked straight the Uchiha orbs met her gaze. With in a second, Sakura fell limp. Naruto just stared. He wasn't sure what happened. Did he kill her? No… Sakura. Pain went through Naruto and Ino. A sadness Ino never quite knew and Naruto barely experienced. It felt like their lungs were empty and that their hearts had just stopped. Then a weird voice whispered inside their ears. Its time, show this bastard what we can do. The voice was soothing in its sole intent to end the person who caused the pain. Let's kill him… watch you can feel it.
Sasuke glanced over at Naruto. "I can't kill Itachi…. This is your fault. I cannot avenge what I was supposed to. I will enjo…"
"enjoy murdering you." Naruto's confusion became a grin. "I will show you real fear." Naruto's eyes first became red and shortly after Sasuke saw the chakra flowing from him. It was all being taken in by the chain. Naruto just kept glaring with insanity at Sasuke. Letting chakra fill the chains capacity. "it will reach a limit sometime." Sasuke scooted nearer to Naruto and laughed.
"These eyes can see everything, Naruto." He grinned and rummaged through Naruto's corridor to be encountered with a Kyuubi about to bite his head off inside. He quickly disappeared outside of it and watched Naruto. "so I rattled your cage?" Sasuke chuckled pulling out a kunai. "Don't worry Naruto, as I said you will see her soon, I will not curse you to live a second longer." Quickly going through hand seals, Sasuke built Chidori at the tip of the Kunai. An instant later, it was inside Narutos stomach. The chakra tore through his organs.
Ino had remembered this part from last time, it was numbing. There was no sense of anything. The pain had left and it felt like she was dead. It scared her the first time, she thought she had messed up and was somehow dead. Any moment. She started feeling again. Her eyesight regained and was staring at Uchiha Eyes. A growl uttered from the deep of her throat.
The chains were gone, and her nerves told her she was alive. Then another feeling came. Her nerves were melting. There was pain through out her entire body, but each time the pain came in a wave it was also replaced by a cool feeling of regeneration. For what seemed like an enternity, the Kyuubi released chakra into Naruto. Letting his energy course through the boy. The pain and regeneration came from the skin melting and regenerating through her body. The heat from the Kyuubi's chakra was enough to make Sasuke jump away. "again, relying on that Demon inside you. No wonder the villagers never liked you. You used the demon they hated."
Then suddenly, the pain stopped. She was no longer the one feeling the pain. Naruto wasn't feeling it either, but they were experiencing it. They were now inside watching what the Kyuubi was doing. Sasuke was scared for a moment, by the five tailed Kyuubi, but he saw his new eyes were stronger then his old eyes. Maybe I can kill Itachi. He dodged away from the Kyuubi's flaring attacks. When the Kyuubi charged again, Sasuke just stop and let the Chidori flow through his body. The Kyuubi smashed straight into the current and it let out a roar. Its five tails flailed as it walked around Sasuke. Ino heard Naruto telling the Kyuubi to let more go. Shortly after, the Kyuubi had grown six tails. That's when Sasuke realized he couldn't win. When the Sixth tail came out, Naruto tripled in size and his chakra was no longer human chakra. It created gravity that doused Sasuke's chakra. The Kyuubi dissolved Sasuke's current inside his own and just stared at the Uchiha. Before he could even make a response, the Kyuubi had his Chakra spinning around Sasuke leaving him trapped. He was inside of a high intensity Rasengan, imprisoned.
Ino forced herself to skip the next three hours of memories. She had watched through them before. The Kyuubi had just tortured Sasuke. The only way Naruto would gain his body back from the Six-tails was letting Kyuubi release its bloodlust. At the end, Sasuke was no longer one being. There was nothing of Sasuke left. The Kyuubi had thoroughly crumbled the boy leaving nothing.
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