HEY! This story gets depressing and all u Orochimaru fans, congrats! This chapter actually has him in here! (He's been on vacation in Hawaii lol)
Naruto; C'mon! I wanna be human again!!
Emo Pirate: Almost fuzzy!
Sasuke: (sniff) I haven't got any action yet!!
Emo Pirate: BWAHAHAHA!
Itachi struggled through the snow, coughing roughly. "Damn it!" he cursed, flapping his arms as he tried to stay warm. The cold was beginning to have obverse affects on his still young body. He couldn't feel his own body, even inside the warm coat he was wearing. He HAD to find Sasuke. Who knows what the monster could have done to him already!!
But Itachi's world began to spin ominously. He staggered before finally falling into the soft snow.
"Oni-chan! Oni-chan!" he heard a panicked voice crying, as if from far off.
"S-Sasuke…" he muttered, before sinking into oblivion.
XxX
When Itachi came to, he was lying in his warm bed with a warm cloth over his brow. A relieved, black haired face was over his, the eyes identical to his glimmering happily. "Itachi! You're awake!" Sasuke cried, hugging his elder brother.
"S-Sasuke… how'd you escape from that place?!" Itachi suddenly asked, bolting upright. Well, as upright as he could before dizziness made him lie back down.
"Escape? I…. I didn't escape. He let me go Itachi. Naruto let me go." Sasuke explained, clutching the mirror to his chest.
"Naruto? Who's Naruto?"
Sasuke laughed. "The beast. Only… he's not a beast anymore." Sasuke murmured, smiling.
"Oomph!" came a tiny voice suddenly from Sasuke's pack, still flung over the chair in the corner.
Sasuke frowned and picked up the satchel, dumping the meager contents onto the foot of the bed.
Out rolled a small teacup, two red marks on either side.
"Kiba?" Sasuke gasped, picking up the cup.
"Sasuke! Did you really want to leave us?!" sniffed Kiba, pouting.
"No Kiba. Of course I didn't want to leave. But I had to. I had to take care of my brother." Sasuke indicated his brother, who was staring bemused at the tiny teacup.
"Say!" Kiba cried, hopping off of Sasuke's hand. "Do you remember me?" he asked shyly.
"Why yes… I remember you." Itachi smiled at the tiny cup on his lap.
Thump thump thump. Sasuke looked up as someone knocked on the front door.
"At this time of night?" Sasuke grumbled, getting to his feet. "Can I help you?" He asked the man at the door. He was ugly and elderly, with stringy white hair.
"I've come to collect your father." He growled, pointing to a wagon behind him, the words "Insane Asylum" painted in yellow across the side.
"The Asylum?" Sasuke asked in anger. "My father is not crazy!" he snarled, looking at the crowd that had gathered.
"Of course not Sasuke." Said a smooth voice. Out of the crowd stepped one of the last people Sasuke wanted to see.
Pale skin and deep yellow eyes blazing, Orochimaru grinned as he climbed the steps to where Sasuke stood. "But everyone else thinks he is. I could… arrange for all of this to be a little misunderstanding if…" Orochimaru trailed off and licked his upper lip hungrily.
"If what?" Sasuke asked suspiciously.
"If you marry me."
Sasuke's jaw dropped. Orochimaru took that opportunity and lunged in for a hard kiss, forcing his long tongue into the Uchiha's unwilling mouth.
"MMRRGH!!!" cried Sasuke, pushing against the taller man. He finally bit down on the tongue that didn't belong to him.
Orochimaru yelped and sprang back, wiping a hand across his mouth, the corners dripping blood from his tongue.
"The beast is real! I can show you him!" Sasuke held up the magic mirror. "Show me the beast!"
The beast's shaggy blonde head filled the mirror, his head thrown back in a roar, fangs bared.
Screams echoed in the crowd.
"Monster!" cried several people.
"No! No! He's not a monster. He's kind and gentle." Sasuke proclaimed, cradling the mirror in his slender arms.
"If I didn't know better you bastard, I'd think you were falling for this monster." Orochimaru hissed, grabbing the mirror from Sasuke's hands.
"He's not the monster here, you are Orochimaru!" Sasuke snapped, his eyebrows drawn together and his eyes flashing with hatred.
"Bitch." Orochimaru spat, striking Sasuke across the face, leaving a bruise along his tapering jaw.
"This beast will eat your children, come and prey upon you in the night! We won't be free till we have the monster's head!" roared Orochimaru to the crowd. He was greeted by the shouts and roars of approval of the men present. "We will have his head tonight!"
Sasuke tried to reach Orochimaru but he felt hands grab him and he was thrown into the cellar with his brother.
XxX
"Stop! We have to stop them!" Sasuke cried, banging against the reinforced windows as he watched the hunting party run into the dark woods with knives, torches and pitchforks raised high over their heads.
"How? There's no way out." Groaned Itachi, sitting on the floor.
"GOD DAMN IT!" cursed Sasuke, banding his fist hard against the door.
There was a sudden rumble from somewhere in the house and suddenly a small explosion went off.
When the dust cleared, there was a sizeable hole in the door. Kiba bounced happily out of the hole, covered in soot.
"I blew up the stove!" he cried, grinning.
"HA! I KNEW those explosive logs would come in handy!" sang Itachi, grinning from ear to ear.
"There's no time to loose. I have to warn Naruto!" Sasuke growled over the jubilation.
He flung himself out of the hole and grabbed a cloak as he tore from the house and into the stables.
"GO!" he urged the horse he leapt onto.
XxX
"Splendid! Absolutely spiffing! We were THAT close to being human again!" whined Choji, pacing in front of the window high above the great entrance hall to the dark castle.
"Stop complaining. It was hard for all of us." Sighed Temari, turning away from the window.
WHAM! WHAM! The various housekeepers ran to the door.
"Is it he?" asked Temari excitedly.
"No! Invaders!" yelped Shikemaru, pressing up against the glass.
"Look!" squealed a feather duster. "He's got the mirror!"
Orochimaru was in the front of the group, mirror held high in his pale hands.
Temari hopped up the stairs and into the west wing, where Naruto sat brooding miserably.
"What should be do master? The castle is under attack!"
Naruto whined in the back of his throat like a dog. "Nothing… let them come." He growled, looking mournfully out of the window into the rainy sky.
Temari growled in frustration and hopped back down the stairs to where the rest of the house servants waited for the teakettle to return.
"He has no will to fight anymore. We have to defend the castle ourselves." Temari explained, a grim look on her face.
"Right…" Choji looked around at the gloomy bunch of cursed people that stood solemnly. "We're doomed."
"GEE! THAT'S SUPORTIVE!!" cried a feather duster, frowning at the clock.
"What can we do?" sighed Choji, looking defeated.
"We can fight against them!" Shikemaru said forcefully, smiling roguishly.
XxX
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! The giant tree the hunting party had cut down smashed into the heavy door of the castle again, causing the wood door to groan.
"ONCE MORE!" shouted Orochimaru over the storm.
With a final thud from the ram, the door slammed open, bits of wood flying everywhere to skitter out of sight into the blackness of the entrance hall. It was silent, cold and completely empty, but for a burning candle stand and several items normally found in an entrance room.
When the door shut behind them, and the entire party was inside, Orochimaru smiled. "This is easy. Kill anyone you find but remember: the beast is mine!"
Orochimaru crept up the stairs, separating himself from the hunting party, leaving them to keep guard in the entrance hall.
Shikemaru cracked one eye open and smiled.
"NOW!"
The entire room came alive, plates rolling to knock men off their feet, rugs yanking from under many feet, and Shikemaru, limbs blazing, burning men as he carved a path through the mob of men.
Several escaped to the kitchen, but they were met by the terrifying scene of Guy, stove blazing menacingly and hundreds of razor sharp knives glinting in the red light. Guy laughed raucously, snarling at the fleeing men.
The house servants watched in glee as the hunting party fled into the downpour.
XxX
Orochimaru silently stalked down the halls, and up a shallow staircase. A shabbier part of the corridor caught the attention of his keen yellow eyes. He smiled cunningly and with silent feet crept down the corridor. He came to a dark wood door and unceremoniously knocked it apart with a crash. He held his crossbow at attention, ready to fire at the beast.
But the room seemed empty. Orochimaru tracked his way though the chaotic mess of the room, knocking aside furniture that was in his path.
He stopped at a ripped portrait of a young man with white blonde hair and haughty blue eyes. Three black lines traced down either side of his face.
"Cute." Orochimaru muttered, grinning again.
Orochimaru forged his way to the balcony, where a faint pinkish light was glowing softly.
Orochimaru rounded around a knocked over dresser and saw the beast.
The beast was lithe and slender and covered in whitish blonde fur. His clawed hands were on the floor as he sat like a large dog, head down at the end of a muscular neck with a crest of black tipped fur running the length. His nine slender tails were curled around his hind paws.
The beast looked up slowly, blue eyes dim when he heard Orochimaru step forward closer.
Orochimaru froze and raised his crossbow, looking down its lethal shaft.
The beast groaned and looked away again.
"What? You don't want to fight?!" snarled Orochimaru cocking the crossbow. Orochimaru swung the crossbow at the beast, the end colliding with the beast's shoulder, throwing him out onto the wet balcony, the rain staining the beast's fur darker blonde.
"What?!" Orochimaru laughed, stepping out into the train and slinging his dark hair out of his cruel eyes. "To kind and gentle to fight back?" Orochimaru laughed mockingly, and let an arrow loose.
It hit the beast in the shoulder. The beast roared in pain, lips drawing back over long fangs.
"NARUTO!!!" both of the creatures heard the masculine scream from far below.
Naruto looked down, ears perked behind the small curving horns. There was Sasuke, astride a bay horse, rain drenched and eyes wide.
"Sasuke." Naruto sighed, happiness flooding his empty soul.
Orochimaru turned from the boy far below and advanced on the beast again, but this time he was met with opposition at last.
Naruto grabbed Orochimaru by the throat, roaring in his face, teeth bared and electric blue eyes fierce.
Orochimaru gasped, clutching at the strong hand around his throat, blocking him from breathing.
"Please! Please!" he begged, his feet dangling over the deep precipice where Naruto was dangling him. "I'll do anything! ANYTHING!"
Long ago Naruto would have dropped the man without a thought. But now… Naruto's angry eyes softened and he slowly moved Orochimaru so that he was dangling over solid rooftop.
He dropped the man and growled gruffly at him. " Get out."
Sasuke suddenly burst through the broken doorway, dripping wet. His hair was plastered to his scared pale face.
"Sasuke!" Naruto sighed, opening his arms as the small boy ran into the wet, furry embrace.
"Naruto. Thank God you're safe." Sasuke murmured, breathing in the musky scent of Naruto's wet fur.
"Sasuke… I lo-" but Naruto's words were cut off by a pain filled roar that ripped from his own throat.
Orochimaru grinned triumphantly, yanking the small blade that he had stabbed deep into Naruto's back from the blonde fur, rapidly being dyed red from the blood gushing from the wound.
Naruto reeled backwards, running into Orochimaru and catching him off balance. With a shriek, Orochimaru disappeared, falling to the crags of sharp rocks at the bottom of the precipice.
Sasuke grabbed hold of Naruto before he too fell and gently laid him down on the rain slickened roof.
Naruto was gasping for air, eyes faint.
"Naruto." Sasuke sobbed, running a slender hand through the thick fur on Naruto's face.
"You… you came back." Naruto murmured, chest heaving.
Sasuke nodded. His voice failed him.
"At least…. I get to see you… one last time." Naruto's words were faint.
"No! Don't talk like that! You'll get better!" Sasuke sobbed, his voice returning. He clasped Naruto's lupine hand, pressing it to his wet face.
But Naruto's eyelids fell slowly. He let out a great sigh and Sasuke felt the hand go limp against his cold face.
"No… NO!" Sasuke sobbed, shoulders shaking uncontrollably. He threw himself over the beast's limp body, tears coursing down his face. "I love you." His voice was barely a whisper.
Shikemaru watched as the last petal of the wilted flower fell slowly to the floor, the pinkish light fading slowly.
"Its too late." He sighed, head drooping and the fire on his head slowly flickering to a stop.
XxX
Sasuke sobbed heavily. Suddenly, he heard something… like a zing or something similar to it.
He looked up, wiping his eyes. Flashes of colored light were falling with the rain. He felt the beast's body rise. He looked back, thinking the beast was waking up… he had been kidding.
But the body was indeed floating upwards to hover in midair.
The light began to intensify and Sasuke watched in amazement as the beast began to change.
Jets of light ignited from Naruto's large toes and they shrunk back, the fur receding up his leg muscled leg. The light ignited every one of Naruto's slender, fur colored fingers and they shrunk back, turning into a slender human hand. The fur around Naruto's head was blown as if in a high wind and his face changed into the blonde haired man Sasuke had seen in the painting in the West Wing.
Naruto, now a man, floated gently down and lay on the sunlit balcony, not far from where Sasuke stood in shock.
The man stirred and then stood awkwardly to his feet, his torn clothes many times to big for him. His was to back to Sasuke. He examined his human hands and reached up to touch his face.
"N-Naruto?" Sasuke whispered.
The man turned and Sasuke was met in the gaze of fierce electric blue eyes framed by thick white blonde bangs. His dark eyebrows raised in joy.
"Sasuke. It's me… its Naruto." Naruto said happily.
Sasuke gently approached, staring into those familiar blue eyes. He twisted a blonde lock of hair around his finger.
"It is you!" he smiled and threw his arms around Naruto's neck, feeling the muscles under his hands.
He heard Naruto laugh. He was pushed to arm's length. Confused, Sasuke looked at Naruto, but found the gorgeous face less than an inch from his.
And then they were kissing. Naruto's warm lips against Sasuke's shocked mouth. Then, Sasuke kissed back, his mind going blissfully blank.
Their mouths opened and teeth clashed gently and Naruto's tongue was exploring Sasuke's mouth.
They didn't even notice the brilliant transformation of the castle and the rest of the inhabitants.
Sasuke saw a man with spiky black hair in a thick ponytail and sharp black eyes running towards them, followed by a round man with circles on each cheek and a woman with blonde hair tied in pigtails on either side of her head.
"Shikemaru!" Naruto cried, hugging the black haired man. "Choji! Temari!" Naruto grabbed each in turn in a tight hug.
"Temari! Temari!" cried slightly scratchy voice. From the repaired door raced a boy with ruffled brunette hair and two red triangles on each cheek.
Naruto caught the teenage boy in a tight hug. "Kiba!" he growled playfully, ruffling the boy's hair further.
"It's a miracle!" laughed Shikemaru, folding his arms over his chest, smiling hugely.
XxX
Naruto and Sasuke spun gracefully on the dance floor, Naruto in a black embroidered suit and Sasuke in white. They were surrounded by friends, mostly the inhabitants of the castle, and villagers, the men looking apologetic.
"What'd I tell you?!" Shikemaru grinned as he slung an arm over the shorter Choji.
"Yes, yes friend. But I think it was I who told you." Choji said, smiling up at the taller man.
"Eh? It was me you overgrown pocket watch!" Shikemaru frowned.
Sasuke smiled up at the gorgeous man who was now all his… forever. They had gotten married earlier that day.
Suddenly, Naruto pulled him off the dance floor.
"It's time to throw your bouquet, Mr. Uzumaki." He informed the blushing raven, handing him a bouquet of delicate red roses.
Sasuke smiled and stood in front of quite a crowd of girls, including Temari, and several boys even, Kiba and Itachi among them.
Sasuke turned his back to the crowd and then threw the flowers over his shoulder, spinning around to see who caught it.
The sight that greeted his eyes made his laugh. Itachi, eyes wide, was being kissed deeply on the mouth by Kiba, whose eyes were closed. The bouquet was in Itachi's limp hand.
Sasuke jumped as two black clad arms wound their way around his waist. He smiled and looked up into the tan face.
"I love you." He said, blushing despite himself and placing a kiss on the curved lips.
"Love you too." Naruto replied and he deepened the quiet kiss.
Despite all that they had been through, love had grown between the two beings... both Handsome and the Beast.
XxX
(Sniffs) thank you, thank you! Thanks 4 sticking with me through all this! There will be a bonus chapter up in a bit. (Warning: next chap will be a lemon!) REVIEW plz!!
-Emo Pirates