A/N– So… I am skipping class to write this chapter! WOOOOT I feel like a rebel or something… the class it called Science in Scifi and its about what the name says. The "science" in scifi… its cool.

Once again I know I have errors, they will always be there until I get the time after I finish to edit it all together. I DO NOT need to be told about it in the reviews, though I do thank those who did it politely. If you have a serious problem with the errors please don't read this story until its done and edited.

Summary- Naruto is not like everyone thinks he is, he hides his true self from everybody. The few who know about the other him know very little. When various events force Naruto to spend time with his team mates in situations outside of the norm he finds it hard to keep up the act.

Parings-SasuNaru, some KakaIru others not decided.

Rating- very much an R rated fic… or M… guess that's what it is now… -- bah

Warning- sexual situations, foul language, self mutilation, attempted suicide, a very OOC Sasuke. And bitchy Sakura! –– well she had gotten better in resent chapters.

Spoilers- for anyone who is not up to date on the manga –– that's sorta true now.

Disclaimer– you all are going to hate me so much….

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Red Walkways

Chapter Fifteen

The Most Painful Sound

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"This is so not good…"

Kyuubi jumped from Sasuke's stiff shoulders to Narutos side.

'You can says that again'

'This is so not good…'

Neither Naruto nor Kyuubi found any humor in their short banter, they did it almost out of instinct. They needed to do something normal because everything might change before night fall.

Naruto watched Sasuke as he watched the horizon for his brother.

"It like he's just remembered its judgment day."

Naruto took his eyes off Sasuke and turned to Sakura. Her barely audible whisper echoed in every ones heads. His blue eyes and her green met for a moment. They both understood that if things got to bad for Sasuke they would step in no matter what his wishes may be. He was worth more than his pride or his revenge.

Naruto spun around to look in the distance, Sasuke's breath had changed, and as Naruto expected there was a dark figure on the horizon coming at them fast. It will only be a few minutes now.

Those minutes felt like seconds, Itachi's form almost seemed to materialize from the twilight. His pale skin glowed, everything else melted into the back ground. Then he opened his eyes and red was everything that made up his presence. Everyone looked away from his gaze but Sasuke who merely activated his own sharingan for the first time that anyone could remember since his returned to Konoha.

Naruto glance behind him and felt a shiver go down his spine. Evelyn's sea green eyes had lost their pupils, Naruto had never seen an eye jutsu that looked anything like that. There were no veins and no new marks. Her pupils were just gone, and her iris filled her eyes. There was no white left, only a expanse of foam green where her eyes once were…

Naruto almost felt sick looking at her, he felt like she wasn't just seeing everything around her physically. It felt like she could see in their minds and hearts. She turned her beautiful face towards him. Naruto felt like she was groping around in his most secret places. She was Strolling down his Red Walkway.

When she turned away Naruto was shacking, she turned her gaze to Itachi, unafraid of his eyes.

Naruto shook his head clear. What felt like minutes only took seconds. He inhaled deeply and glance down at Kyuubi and had a quick interaction.

'Did you feel that too?'

Kyuubi nodded.

'Let me have your eyes, I can use your chakura in my eyes like a partner is used to break genjutsu. I can inject your and my chakura interchangeably so I break the jutsus as so as they get me.

'Ok, just… be carful kit.'

Naruto smiled softly and nodded, then he slowly drew red chakura to his eyes and felt them change to the red cat like eyes Kyuubi also had. He turned back to the face off that was about to start.

Itachi smirked at the number of people that were looking him in the eyes. Only Sakura was looking away. Deep in his mind he felt uneasy with no many eyes looking into his. All of them not the eyes he would of seen had they been friends. Battle eyes, angry and transformed to protect.

He looked back to his brother after scanning the group

Sasuke slid into a fighting stance.

Itachi narrowed his eyes, he understood the silent challenge, his smirk widened.

"Little brother, do you really think you can win?"

"SHUT UP!!" Sasuke's yell over lapped Itachi's taunt and shocked everyone. Sasuke hasn't acted like this since before he ran away from Konoha.

Naruto could feel the anger seeping from Sasuke, he felt like the old Sasuke. With his new demon senses he could almost feel something also demonic coming from the boy.

'Something is not right, I always thought I could feel something demonic coming from a sharingan but its stronger now from Sasuke than its ever been.'

'Yeah something is off, I haven't felt anything like this from Sasuke since before he ran away.'

Suddenly Sasuke lunged at his brother. Itachi was out of the line of fire before Sasuke's feet touched the ground again. He spun around faster than anyone watching could see and was on his brothers other side sending out a back hand that landed directly on Sasuke left cheek. The younger brother was knocked off his feet and landed a fair few feet away.

Sasuke came to a stop with a crashing skid on his side. He was back on his feet in only moments surprised he was not having to defend himself from another. He turned to face his enemy and was socked to the spot he stood.

Itachi was approaching Naruto slowly and Naruto was looking him strait in the eyes. Sasuke wanted to yell and scream for Naruto to run for his life but something inside him kept him quiet. Something he didn't like… something that once made him almost kill Naruto.

"Naruto-kun, how I love it when our paths cross. I get to feel the delicious power that comes from your demon. Soon though I will have that power for me and the Akatsuki. I'm sure you also heard the rumors? Well I did while following you in Youkai no Yobi. We will soon have the Kyuubi's heart in out hand and he will do anything we want, and we will have yet another weapon on out side along with another little investment"

Sasuke was confused by this point, he could feel rage. like nothing he had felt since he last used his sharingan. well up inside on him. He pushed it back down the best he could.

Naruto felt like his world was falling out from under him. They knew about Karasu, the Akatsuki knew about him and were probably on their way to capture him.

"That's not true…" the soft musical voice seemed to be the only sound in existence. Like a black hole it drew everything to it. Even Itachi's eyes were fixed in Evelyn's direction.

The red magenkyo met the sea green nameless eyes. For the first time Sasuke saw some fear on this brothers face.

Some other primal consciousness in Itachi knew what those eyes were and what they could do to him.

"I can see you…"

Naruto felt cold.

Itachi became completely white.

"Hiding inside him…"

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Itachi wasn't sure what was going on. He was feeling things ha hadn't felt since before he killed his family. He could feel his fingers again, he could take long deep breaths and feel the air rush in and out of him. Everything was different, he was himself. He had been himself all long, or he thought that was the case but now he wasn't so sure.

Then there was something else…

Something slow and deadly crawling up his spine, into his stomach and chest, constricting him and bringing him to his knees.

A burning he was not familiar with came to his eyes, and with it came panic.

What had be done…?

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Sasuke deactivated his sharingan as he did all his anger slipped away like cool water. It might have been a mistake to let his guard down but something in the air changed when Itachi dropped to his knees next to Naruto.

Sasuke couldn't see his brothers face, something told him he need to see that face again… and maybe this time he would see the one he longed for as a child.

Again he did something that may have been the stupidest thing he would ever do, and the last thing. He slowly made his way to Narutos side to get a clear view of Itachi's face.

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Sakura watched everything from the corner of here eye. Even with everything shifting the way it was she was still to afraid to look directly at Itachi without some special eyes like everyone else seemed to have. So she looked at Evelyn, the girls strange eyes gave Sakura the willies, but it seemed to give Itachi much more then that. From what she could see the older Uchiha was actually scared of this little girl.

Sakura looked to Kakashi hoping he might understand what was going on but their leader seemed as confused as she was. He was trying to stand as still as possible to not disrupt the events taking place. She looked over at Naruto who also looked confused but on guard, which would make sense considering how close Itachi was to him.

Maybe she was in a Genjutsu and did realize it… she couldn't remember looking into Itachi's eyes…

What was going on?

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Naruto felt Sasuke slowly slid to his side. He wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not for the other boy to be seeing what he was. But in the end he guessed it was something that was going to happen despite what he wanted.

Sasuke couldn't breath, he couldn't think or move or conceive reality at the very moment he looked into his brothers eyes. The first time he has done that without his sharingan activated for since he was a boy.

What looked back at him wasn't a murderer or a mad man, it was his bother…

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Naruto was less interested in the expression on Itachi's face and more interested in his eyes, and again it was not the emotion in them that made him feel like everything that he has known about the world wasn't quite right.

Where their should be a angry, blood red in the magenkyo, there was the purest pearl white Naruto had ever seen. For one crazy moment he considered how much whiter those eyes were then Gai-Sensei's teeth when he does his nice guy pose…

'I must be going nuts…'

'Well then its me and you both Kit, I was just thinking the same thing.'

'Can you tell me what in all the gods I have ever known is going on!?'

'Your guess is as good a…'

Kyuubi's response was interrupted by a voice they had never heard before, and it came from Itachi's mouth.

XxXxXx

Itachi's couldn't handle it.

He… he didn't do anything, but he did. Where was this other him coming from?!

He couldn't contain all the guilt that was coming up on him like a monsoon…

He.. He needed…help…

"H..el..p m..e" he pushed out through only half responsive lips.

Sasuke felt his chest tighten. There were tears on his brothers face. His brother, his brothers tears… no killer, there was no killer anywhere…

Sasuke felt the impulse to reach out, his arm had only just begun its movement when Itachi doubled over.

There was a scream that bordered on inhuman ripping from Itachi's throat without his permission. As the scream wore on he felt his perception of reality change…

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When Itachi looked up his eyes were once again red, but looked more confused then anything else. He pushed himself back to his feet. Everyone slid some distance further from him than before.

No one felt like they needed to be on guard for attack, which might have been their third and last mistake, but once more they seemed to skid the line between to much and to little.

Itachi without a word turned and began to leave. The killing intent in the air still gone but the feeling that impressed upon them that the man walking away from them had no good in him was back, so no one called out to him before he descended the horizon and was out of sight.

Despite Sasuke's silence Naruto knew he wanted nothing more then to call out to Itachi, the only thing stopping him was the feeling in the air that had returned. It told him that if his brother turned around at his call it would not be his brother at all.

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Naruto Broke from his distraction, everything had happened so fast that he had almost forgotten Karasu. They knew where he was, the evil bastards were probably already on their way to get the raven! Naruto felt his knees wanting to give and let them. There was a soft lifting of dirt as he landed.

"Everything is not lost Naruto." Evelyn's voice was hope.

The blond looked up, every fiber of his being behind his eyes, wanting her words to be true.

"Itachi only heard that Kyuubi's heart was where he left it, only you any the Fox himself know where that place is. If you move now you can get there first."

Naruto felt a light inside him, small and fragile. The light that was going to lead him to the dark demon he sought.

Kyuubi was confused to say the least. His heart? His mind kept going back to the feeling that Naruto was keeping something from him..

Sakura and Kakashi had been watching and slowly trying to put the pieces together without any luck, but both of them could feel the weight of the situation. Sakura felt her heart move when she saw Narutos eyes as he fell to his knees hopeless and then when he had some hope returned to him. This was a matter of love and life. She turned to Kakashi and spoke softly.

"Let him go save Kyuubi's heart, I don't know what it that means but its something he needs… I can feel it."

She may have spoken softly enough for Sasuke, who was still staring after his brother, not to hear, but Naruto's keen hearing didn't fail him. He immediately looked up at his team leader with a plea in his eyes for a chance, for life, for love, for everything that's right.

Kakashi took a moment, the moment drawn out by the tension to an unbearable extent, then he nodded.

"We will meet you in Sand in three days, that gives you one more day to travel then us."

Naruto nodded frantically as Kakashi spoke then was on his feet running in the direction of Heiya no He, Kyuubi on his shoulder, the fox was still very confused.

Sasuke finally snapped out of his trance when the wind of Naruto rushing by him with Kyuubi brushed his face. He spun around to Kakashi.

"Whats going on?"

Kakashi shrugged, "Naruto had something important to do, he will meet us in Sand, something about Kyuubi's heart…"

Sasuke didn't know what was going on, but unlike the others he knew about Kyuubi so he knew how big this could be. He turned and ran after Naruto yelling behind him to the others.

"I'm not going to let the dobe run off on his own, I will meet you at Sand."

It only took a few minutes to get the blond in his view, Sasuke yelled out to him.

"Hey! Naruto wait up."

Said boy skidded to a halt and whipped around. He was so set on where he was going he didn't even notice Sasuke coming up on him.

"What are you doing Sasuke?"

Sasuke came to a stop only a few feet from Naruto.

"Coming with you, I thought that was obvious. What are you in such a hurry about anyway?"

Naruto was happy Sasuke was back to normal, he seemed more relaxed and open then before the encounter with Itachi…

The blond put him self back on track, he had important things to do, to show Sasuke that, he put his serious face on.

"We need to get farther away from the rest of the team."

Sasuke only had a moment to comprehend what Naruto said before the other boy was off at a insane pace. Sasuke took off after him coming up on his right side.

"Why are you running so fast? Not even you can keep this up for long."

Naruto nodded " I know but we don't have to keep it up the whole way, just a few more minutes."

Sasuke desperately wanted to ask what was going on, but kept silent for the few minutes they were running. The look on Narutos's face told him he wasn't going to get any answers until they stopped. Kyuubi seemed to understand this as well since he didn't seem to be communication with Naruto from what he could see.

The few minutes of running came to an end, Naruto sighed.

"That should be enough space, Kyuubi could you take over from here it will be faster, I will explain on the way."

K-chan nodded and jumped from Naruto's shoulder. In a burst of flame and heat he was twice the size of a horse before he hit the ground. His four tails waving behind him.

Sasuke still had trouble getting used to the big Kyuubi, he still had isssues comprehending that this was still very small compared to the demons true form. He hesitated for only a moment before climbing on to the large red furry back behind Naruto. He had to put his arms around Naruto's waist to keep from falling when they took off. Not that either of them minded at all.

Kyuubi ran through the air at top speed in the direction Naruto had been running before.

'Ok now tell me what the hell is going on, what is all this about my heart?'

"You have to promise not to get mad at me."

Sasuke was confused "why would I be mad?"

Naruto's turn to be confused… oh wait Sasuke couldn't hear Kyuubi in this form.

"I was talking to Kyuubi he was asking what we are doing, I'm sure your wondering as well."

Naruto heard Sasuke's hum of agreement as well as felt his nodded against his back, Naruto realized with a blush how close he was to the boy behind him. They were moving so fast that Sasuke had to pull close or fall off. The only thing breaking the wind and making possible to hear was Kyuubi's head in front of them.

Still blushing Naruto started his explanation.

"Well… when we, me and Kyuubi, went to Youkai no Yobi I heard a roomer that Karasu was still alive, but I thought it was just a roomer at first and didn't want to get your hopes up Kyuubi, so I didn't tell you. Then I heard another roomer, so I thought that when we were getting near Heiya no Hi I would look into it… then Itachi confirmed that Karasu was still alive and said that Akatsuki was after him… he's your heart. They probably want him so you will do what they want to save him…"

There was silence. It was the thickest silence Naruto had experienced since he bonded with Kyuubi. Absolutely no sounds or feelings were coming through their link…

…

…

…

…

"Who's Karasu?"

Naruto jumped a bit at the sudden question. Sasuke's voice was next to his right ear, the warm breath almost had him forgetting everything… answering a question, that's what he was supposed to be doing.

"He was Kyuubi's lover before Konoha was attacked… he was thought to have been killed by Gobi no bi…"

"Oh…" Sasuke rested his head on Narutos back, the blonds blush deepened…

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Kyuubi was angry, but being an ancient being he was more logical then a mortal and knew blowing up at Naruto would do no good… he knew Naruto hid the truth to protect him. Plus he would be a huge hypocrite if he got mad at his bond mate for keeping something from him, he has been keeping a secret about when he attacked Konoha for the same reason Naruto hid this information… to protect someone you care about. The only times Kyuubi seemed to completely loose his cool was when his Kit got hurt, and when Karasu used to get hurt… he just needed a little time so cool down.

"What if Karasu is still alive? What if he doesn't love me? What if he hates me fore losing him… losing hope…?"

Kyuubi felt a hand carding through his fur in a comforting manner. He must of let his guard down while in though and the blond felt his panic. His Kit was just protecting him…

'Thanks…'

'No problem'

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Tsunade couldn't push any further, in four weeks she would be going to Cloud to sign a treaty to… to… she couldn't even say it. She wanted her village to have nothing to do with those foul things. they were going to be the end of everything that made ninja proud of their heritage, skill would decline and death rates would go up… the world would go up in flames…

"I have to do something about this… shit"

Nothing came to mind, she had no idea how to stop the terrible things that are coming. Once the Leaf was on board for this monstrosity all the other villages will fall in behind…

Tsunade put her face in her hands with her elbows on her desk, a burning came to her eyes. Damn you Jiraiya, why do you have to turn on me when I need you most?

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Heiya no Hi was coming into sight over the horizon. Kyuubi began to descend so fast it felt almost like free falling.

'Where were you supposed to meet Karasu exactly?'

'Right where we are landing, did you think I would go anyplace else but directly there.?'

'Right, stupid question'

The landing was anything but smooth but Kyuubi was in to much of a rush to care about the comfort of his mortal passengers. The moment the boys were off his back the fox started sniffing the air with his eyes closed.

'I don't smell or feel him at all…'

"Keep trying"

Kyuubi did just that, he moved slowly in a circle outward. Twenty minutes later Naruto and Sasuke were starting to lose hope but didn't let Kyuubi know. Just as it seemed the demon himself was about to give up he froze stock still. Every muscle and tendon in his body seemed to be as tight as possible.

'I can feel him… it very faint…'

Naruto turned to Sasuke and relayed the message. They followed Kyuubi as he approached a small cave. Kyuubi reverted to his three tail form to fit through the entrance, the boys could hardly fit in. once inside Naruto pulled a flare from his pack and lit it.

There in the middle of the very small cave was a single raven. Large in scale compared to normal ravens but small compared to a demon of the caliber Karasu was said to be. All three closed in around the bird. Its chest seemed to be still, but every once in a while it moved. The red light of the flair moving over his feathers was the only thing that made the movement apparent.

Kyuubi changed into his human form, crouching because of the low ceiling. He picked the bird up and cradled it in his arms as if it were all living things and he was to protect it.

"Karasu…"

His whisper was strangled.

Naruto had never heard Kyuubi cry before.

"He's dying…"

This whisper was nothing but air forming words there was no voice to be heard. For a moment the only sound was the fox's tears hitting the stone floor as they slipped off the once glossy black and red feathers. The tears pooled like blood in the flare light. Pain was bleeding out of the fox.

Naruto snapped to reality first and reached back to his pack to get a first aid kit.

"Don't…"

This was a firm voice full of command, Naruto was shocked still.

"There is nothing we can do… he had hours, maybe… if he's lucky."

This time his voice was a dam before his emotions, and when the words stopped and the silence fell, so did the dam.

Karasu was held close to Kyuubi's chest, the small sobs echoed in the cave as they gave way to screams of sorrow.

It was the most painful sound Naruto had ever heard.

A/N– god you must hate me.