Notes: didn't get the chap up when I wanted to due to my vomiting out of both ends for most of last week, and uh sorry about the "style" of this chap, uh power read through it the next chap is going to be better.

Disclaimer: who needs ownership if you get the reviews

Naruto Pov

Are you sure you are ready for this Naruto

'As I'll ever be.'

I just get home from the Academy and go to my bedroom at the end of the hall. I shut the door behind me and move to the opposite wall and form a series of hand seals. A door appears in front of me and I enter closing the door behind me.

Inside is a small, 10' X 10' room all bleach white. 'that took hours to do' The walls, ceiling, and floor have every available space covered in black kanji with equal spacing to an other except the very center of the floor 'that took a year and a few months'. After lighting a candle in each corner I open a small box and take out a brush and ink bottle and the scroll copies.

"Sigh" 'this is going to take some time' You got that right.

After several hours of scrutiny and mental debate I have a fix on one of the seals I think would do best to finish off my technique. I paint with painful slowness an exact replica of the kanji onto the empty space. I put the brush back in the bottle only to take off my shirt to put the rendering seal on my own when I need to. I lower myself to my knees to finish the task. I take a deep breath in an effort to stop the shakes that have taken hold of me.

Never hesitate

'I know'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

General Pov

As it is 10:03:04 by Itachi standard time, one could find the Uchiha walking the streets with a nagging suspicion that something was not right. It was like a splinter in his mind driving him mad. Well that is until he found out what it was, not so pleasantly. For seeing the Kyuubi reappear in Konoha after its near decade of being trapped is never pleasant.

Though even before he registered the fact that he was running, he had cut the distance between himself and the demon in half. He was almost upon the creature, which had not moved since its sighting. Only to find it fall apart as if made of dust and air. All around him the people of Konoha were in chaos. Women screaming, men yelling for the shinobi to hurry, and children running with abandon could be seen at any one point had one been standing inside Konoha's walls.

Itachi wasted no time in trying to find Naruto, though it took only moments to see him half naked running with a heavy stagger away from what looked like every man, woman, and child in Konoha. Anyone in the way was swallowed by the crowd like a monster starved it was almost at Naruto's heels. After the second past to process it all, the Uchiha bolted to get Naruto out of the situation. Though before he could reach the blonde a lone figure appeared just behind the shirtless boy and just in front of the crowd, and unlike the others that were swallowed by the crowd this one held the jaw and head of the beast, if only for a second. But just long enough for Itachi to grab Naruto and start running the miles out of town to safety.

It has been 16.35 minutes since Itachi stopped hearing the people of Konoha screaming for blood, while Naruto fell asleep almost immediately after being snatched from the road. After putting him down Itachi checked the body for any signs of damage and found none. 'what happened Naruto?'

He wasn't given anytime to ponder however for the Hokage appeared with a set of ANBU escorts and looking none too happy. Only seconds after the Sandaime's entrance the blonde who was in what appeared to be a deep slumber sat straight up. The Hokage wasted no time in getting to the bottom of the strange phenomenon that has suddenly plagued his village. "What happened Naruto?" And just as quickly as he rose he fell back without a sound.

Naruto's Pov

'that sucked'

I try to piece the events together after I botched the creation of Maliku's new body. All was a blur of and noise and darkness. I open my eyes and I find myself in a hospital… again.

'Damn it all to hell'

I roll out of the bed I find myself lying in and exit the room. Strange how I find no one outside my door watching me. I walk down the hall and down two sets of stair to the ground level and leave the building. There is no one.

'Maliku where do you think everyone is?'

'Maliku'

'Maliku!! Answer me'

I find myself on my knees without feeling the impact. I feel the tears streaming down my face yet my eyes are screwed shut so tight I see spots. Suddenly I feel the strangest sensation overtake me. I have no control over my body and I can't feel anything. And I watch as I punch the ground until all that is left of my hands are bloody stumps the whole time screaming her name over and over.

"MALIKU!! MALIKU ANSWER ME!! MALIKU!!"

NARUTO WAKE UP

I open my eyes not to the sight of the ground outside but the walls inside the very same room I woke up in when I found out about Maliku. Except one of the walls is now powder and I stand over it instead of in a bed. All around me patients, nurses, and doctors are looking through doorways, in the hallway, or over clipboards straight at me.

Naruto its ok, I am here

Relief floods through me and my whole body sighs with the roll of the waves. Just when I feel ready to get back to bed and rest an ANBU makes his presence known to me. "The Hokage wishes to see you right away Uzumaki-san." I follow without pause or question. We make the trip in silence other then my feet slapping the stone, 'I wonder when I lost those.'

We make it to the Hokage's office without incident thought with many stares and wide eyes. After ushering me inside the ANBU leaves and closes the door leaving me alone with the Sandaime. The old man is currently staring off through a window with his back turned to me giving me some time to have my eyes wonder around the room. Something like 5 minutes pass and he at long last breaks the silence with his strong voice, "were you responsible for what occurred last night?" "Yes" Finally turning around the face me I notice how grim and old he appears. He takes a hit from his pipe and taking it out continues speaking, "I know you have led a hard life Naruto-san, but something such as what you did is not to be taken lightly, do I have your word that you will never do such a thing again." I think of how to word my response for only a few seconds, "You have my word that I will not do anything that will hurt the people of Konoha in any way, Hokage-sama" Giving me a nod of approval he dismisses me and turns back around still sucking on his pipe.

'At least the Hokage likes me enough not to have slapped the cuffs on me.'

You got off extremely light you know that right, he is going to have to answer to all the complaints and requests for your death or exile from citizens and the village council.

Before I get out of the door the jiji sounds out again, "You might want to visit your friend in the hospital, he wasn't as fortunate as yourself last night." By the time the door is shut I am already out of the building and on my way back to the hospital.

Your life never gets boring

'quiet'

I reach the front desk and ask the receptionist were I could find Shikamaru. It took some doing but she gave me his room number and I was out of her hair. Making through the halls at a fast jog I reach his room in little under a minute. I walk inside slowly suddenly finding it hard to look at the bandaged form in front of me.

"Took you long enough Naruto."

I couldn't help but smile knowing he was still in good humor. Though it didn't last long once I remembered what the cause of his infirm condition was. The Nara is lying in bed with all of his chest and most of his head bandaged and his left arm in a cast. I bow my head, noticing my hands are clenched knuckle white, "I am sorry Shikamaru, I didn't mean for this to happen."

No noise is heard other then the light breeze blowing through the open window to the left of the bed. Shika has a strange look on his face before speaking again, "well for starters you could tell me what happened and what 'should' have happened" I mull over the situation before pulling over a chair for the long and carefully worded conversation of my intentions with the release of Maliku.

The talk of my predicament as a host lasted 2 visits. The end of the second session was the time that Shika thought it appropriate to announce that he deemed himself unable to live under the conditions provided by the hospital and required my assistance in leaving the building. I was unimaginably happy to oblige his request and we finished off the day with a much need afternoon of cloud watching.

Knowing that his mother was going to kill me as it is I helped my spiky haired friend home as quickly (and safely) as possible. We walked the last quarter mile in as much shadow and cover as I could utilize as to not be noticed by the dreaded female Nara that was sure to be waiting with not to pleasant thoughts running though that demented mind of hers.

At the moment we reached the door the last bits of twilight showed an indistinct form of the grounds, not a soul was seen or heard. After speaking a soft good bye I am only able to begin the mental process of fleeing before Shinobu can vindicate me for Shikamaru's ailments, and before I am able to turn I discovery that I am being held up be my shirt by a yellow gloved hand and threatened with a sponge in the other as I hear things that make me blush so hard I thought I was going to have an aneurysm. I am not even clear of my blinding blood rush before I am being hugged along with Shikamaru with mumbled commands of never worrying her again, which we answered appropriately without hesitation.

There is something special about this human I can't quite place.

After having the emotional explosion of a greeting, we are ushered inside and told that food will be ready in about a half hour. Shikmaru and I are left just inside the front entrance in such a dazed and confused state, due to the rapidity of the mood swings, that we are unable come up with coherent thought for nearly 30 seconds. (and that is saying a lot for Shika) Shaking off the after affects we make our way up stairs for a quick game of Shogi before the meal. Half way through the game Shikamaru broaches the question of my living quarters now that my building was destroyed. (not wise to create mountain sized beings inside.) and before I have the chance of answering we here his mom yell from the kitchen, "You can stay as long as you need Naruto!"

Something…

'I hate being babied'

Its what moms do, get over it

Shika sees the small, embarrassed smile on my face and laughs hard enough to clutch his sides in pain though from the laughter or his cracked ribs I couldn't tell. I lie back and stare up at the ceiling and sigh.

'My days are just so troublesome'

Stop your complaining and enjoy it, its night by the way

'damned fox…'

Get downstairs food's ready

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

4 years later

I stand in the clearing I found so long ago after my first failure in creating my jutsu to free Iziri (I finally have come to respect her true name after childishly changing it at my fancy for the 5th time). I take my time to check the seals painted on the slab of stone I stand on for the 7th time. I can feel Iziri's anxiety in the back of my mind. I didn't even realize how nervous I was until then, remembering the last attempt had me in the hospital for 10 days fighting for every breath. I take a deep breath before I kneel in the center of the slab which was the only space larger then my hand that wasn't covered in black kanji.

Breathing slowly to calm my racing heart I have every thought run from my like the dust in a strong wind until all is clear. I set my palm on the ground flat before pushing the chakra from my body to envelope every square meter of the stone. I wait a full ten seconds before uttering the activation word. Immediately I have both hands down on either side of where my hand was previously to surround a small pebble. With each passing second the chakra rushes faster into the pebble having it grow at an exponential rate. Sweat is pouring off of my person as I barely keep all the energy in check My body is shaking as the stone finishes shaping itself into a human female form and starts pigmenting.

Just as the body ceases all change I take the brush and ink, which was beside me the whole time, and paint the seal of rendering onto my belly to break the jutsu that has kept the Kyuubi held fast in its fleshy prison for the last 14 and a quarter years. Following the seals breaking I feel like my entire being is rushing through my belly button like an animal on the hunt and into the form before me. I feel an emptiness that can never be transcended fill my core and I have to fight not to scream in despair, but to finish the task at hand. Once I am sure I draw the seal of mending over its reciprocal stopping anything but Iziri's quintessence from leaving my body just as it finishes entering her new body.

Double time I paint a dozen seals onto the creation to hold in my previous tenant's soul to the body it will now inhabit. Even before I am finished I feel myself losing the battle of consciousness. As I complete the last seal the brush slides from my hand, I fall to the side. My body feels like it gained the weight of a mountain. I see Iziri lying beside me sleeping and I never even saw her fall. I fight sleep with everything I have and stand grabbing the sheet I brought with me I cover her and scoop her up and hold her bridal fashion as I walk half stumbling back to town.

Every time I blink the scenery changes. I must be blacking out, though I know I am still moving and getting closer to Konoha. I don't feel anything but the thud of my feet like I'm walking with blocks attached to my legs. All I hear is silence as I walk through the south gates, finally taking notice that it is dark as pitch save the street lamps.

I stop and I don't know why for all I keep thinking is to stay moving, though I start to fall. I know I can't stop it but I try, and strangely I stop half bent to find my leg planted in front of me never remembering using it.

Everything becomes clear when I see Shika next to me, straightening with me and walking with me in perfect sync. My eyes shut and all I know is that we move forward; all I feel is the soft tread of my feet for an endless amount of time. I remember falling and then nothing

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I wake up in the Nara house in my room over my covers like I always sleep. Sitting up I wipe away the sleep from my eyes and go downstairs to scare me up some breakfast. As I walk I can't help but feel a like I something is wrong but I brush it off. Once in the kitchen I make myself some cereal and step outside to enjoy the morning rise with the rest of the world. Once I get outside I look up from my bowl and stare around me.

My bowl falls to the earth and the contents spill forth as I have both hands to my head trying to comprehend what it is I see. The entire village that is around the Nara residence is gone. There is nothing but the forest as it once was before Konoha. Far in the distance a lone figure approaches me. My heart fills to bursting as I run to Iziri laughing all the while.

Then it is the Fourth walking toward me with steady steps, looking straight into my soul with a calm and serene face that is without judgment. I see no fire but I can feel the heat all around me and hear it roar like I stand at its core yet there is nothing but a soft breeze and the Fourth advancing on me without taking his gaze away from mine. Only when it is again Iziri 10 feet from me do I notice that she has on her a very small strained smile and tears streaming from her eyes unchecked. She stops moving mere inches from touching my face with hers. I take notice of the smell of a just struck match coming off of her form.

I stand eye level with her and stock still waiting, for what I don't know. Though I didn't expect her to hug me. It feels strange considering I was never hugged in life, but the strangeness flew from me as I hugged her back not really understanding but knowing that it was right. It is however the Fourth who pulls away and holds me at arms length. He takes one hand away and wipes me eyes, I never even knew I was crying. With an earnest smile that matches my very own foxy grin he says in a deep and strong voice, "You make me so proud Naruto" I don't remember ever feeling so happy in my life; I open my mouth to voice my appreciation of his praise. Though before I could speak a sword erupts from his belly. Not a sound was made as it slid back out and the Kyuubi falls to her knees and leans against my legs.

Everything fades from view but killer's face. The killer was me standing holding a blood covered katana. Cold black eyes stare back at mine without feeling. I feel my whole body chill as I too fall facing my dead father, and a scream rushes from my frosted lips filling the heavens with the cold beating wings of my sorrow and pierce hell below with the red blade of my rage.

I am still screaming when I open my eyes to darkness. I slowly bring my scream to shuddering raged breaths finally being able to determine what was around me. The searched stopped short when I found myself lying in a bed with Iziri behind me silently crying into my back holding me almost too tight to breath. My sob comes to a stop as I take in deep draws of air, thinking of how to abate her sadness. I can't help but cringe knowing she is blaming herself for me. She stops crying almost instantly when I start to laugh like a man possessed. I hear her speaking half words run together and I stop her, "You have no idea how scared I was that it wasn't going to work." I laugh for a short while after and finish with chuckles that started from deep in my belly. She stops crying and I sense more then feel her smile into me sighing with relief.

After all this transpires I take care to see that through the only window that it is raining in the night. I listen and become drowsy by the soft pitter patter on the glass. Just before I nod off I make my voice clear and sincere, "I love you Iziri"

A moment later I feel her breath on my back and I smile as my mind runs the words in a never ending circle each time spoken I feel warmer.

"I love you too Naruto"

Review please