Black flames… impaled hearts

(Hinata)

I darted to Naruto and struggled to cure him with my medicine again. This time he scratched me even harder and blood dribbled down faster. For the third time I hit the wall. I didn't care. I have to treat him no matter what! I kept running to him he kept pushing me away. I felt as if I wasn't wanted by the friendliest person I know. I wiped my tears away with my arm and trudged to save Naruto. I wasn't going to be pushed around by some old Kyuubi! I stomped to him as the third tail bubbled out and formed. Naruto was still sitting against the wall, his head down. The demon lifted Naruto's arm up. He swung it at me but I wouldn't take another scratch from him. I stopped the demons arm. My strength was already no match to the demons but I had to try. I forced myself to pin his arm against the wall. I took out a different medicine and dipped my hand other into it. I smeared it all over him yet again. I stared deep into Naruto's eyes.

"I see someone. I see someone in there reaching out to me. Somewhere in the demon's sinister, evil scarlet eyes… I see you, fighting to get out of this orange asylum. The kind of asylum that wouldn't let you out… wouldn't dare break down its walls. It trapped you inside its prison. Burning… and suffocating you… but I know you can escape, you're more powerful than this… please… please Naruto get out of there!"

(Naruto)

The Kyuubi let me listen and see what was going on again. I leaned against the clear prison wall. I could hear Hinata talking to me… every one of her words described exactly how felt. I couldn't believe it when I saw the scars and cuts on her neck and cheeks. Why did it have to be Hinata… the world's sweetest girl? Why…? She kept giving me medicine even though my body rejected and pushed her away. She kept running back to me… she never gave up. I can't give up either. I can't take this anymore… everyone always… always ends up getting hurt! I had to do something to breathe life into my body, make it mine again. I had to shatter the boundary that kept me from continuing my journey. My journey to become Hokage and finally… finally sparkle with the light I had in me. The light that protected the ones whom I love and filled their hearts with happiness. I had to make my dream come true to bring ecstasy back where it belonged. In the hearts of the true shinobi who I call my friends…

"You're gonna listen to me… like it or not!" I stood up strong to the half uncaged Kyuubi and looked at it firmly in its eyes. That wall is going down. NOW!

I raised an arm and closed my eyes. I remembered the true shinobi and punched the clear glass wall with all the power I had left. My eyes opened and it miraculously cracked and fell to the ground. The shattered pieces lay there before my feet looking like nothing. Nothing kept me from going on…

"What! No... how could you!" the demon was in a state of shock. The cage that was half open… now it closed back holding the demon back. I was back in my body.

(Hinata)

What's happening…? The orange fizzing chakra is decreasing and the tails were gone…

"Naruto you did it!" I hugged Naruto tightly, he just fell into my hug. He was still with no sign of movement. I was so grateful that my eyes flooded with tears. When I was done hugging him I lay him down on the cemented floor and rubbed medicine over his body.

I thought I saw his eyes twitch…

"H-Hinata…" He slowly sat up with two hands on the floor supporting his weight.

"Naruto! Do you feel any better?" I exclaimed.

"Yeah… Thanks Hinata… thanks for being here with me... and forcing power… into my mind… to break the walls of that asylum." I could tell he was weak.

"I'll always be there for you" I smiled.

"Hinata… I wanted to ask you something… "

"O-okay…" What in the world could that be?... and at this time.

"There's a place for me in this world… right? There's a reason for everyone to live… right? ... I wanted to live… to become stronger… to help people… to become Hokage… for the ones by my side and for those beyond my reach… but now… now I feel that I've lost the ability to become strong for everyone… I can't seem to… to… believe in myself anymore…"

"Naruto you haven't lost that element of belief in you… because I still believe in you… Everyone still believes in you… You can't just let that part of you're life go… even if you feel like you've lost all… You haven't and I have proof… It's all there in everyone's heart."

"… I can't let go of my friends or my superiors… I can't dishearten anyone… I have to believe in myself… I think… I found that element in me now." Naruto has finally gained hope and gave a weak smile-(his best smile in this condition) I never knew that such small things can make one so happy… till now.

"Hinata… you're scars?" I turned bright red and touched my face with my hands to hide the deep wounds.

"No really I'm okay…" Oh no now he's going to feel bad… naturally but it's not his fault.

"I'm sorry…I'm really sorry" He looked really sad and his eyes covered with shield of water.
"It's okay. You tried you're best. I made this medicine for you that will reseal the Kyuubi back inside you… we found out the seal was weakening…"

"Really you can do that… without… without you know dying?!"

"Yeah, Tsunade-sama, Sakura and I made it when you were in the hospital"

"… you guys are the best… oh no… what about Tsunade and Jiraya!!!" he still hesitated in his speech because of all that damage.

"I completely forgot! Let's go!" I picked Naruto up with his arm around my neck. I jumped off the sides of the wall to the top of the tower, in a zigzag from left to right. We made it to the broken skylight and quietly escaped. Tsunade and Jiraya were still asleep and not aware of their surroundings… yet.

(Sasuke)

"So Kabuto… The Akatsuki have gone to the Hidden rock"

I hid behind the wall to hear their interesting discussion.

"Yes Orochimaru-sama. They're finally after Naruto-san."

"Hmm… they'll never catch Naruto… even I know he's too strong for them."

"You're right. But I fear that Madara Uchiha in their group. He is strong… very strong."

Madara Uchiha… Naruto's kyuubi mentioned his name before… This Madara 'Uchiha' must be really strong that he might have fought the demon… or something must have happened that Naruto's kyuubi remembers him… I need to get to Madara Uchiha and see his power for myself. I need to get to the Hidden rock as fast as I can. Our hide out is not far from the Hidden rock. Maybe I'll get to meet Kakashi after all… 'I'll just head out for some training' will be my valid excuse for the day to get to my supposedly long lost relative. I took a few steps back and then entered the room.

"Sasuke…" Orochimaru didn't expect me to be here… at all.

"I'm going to head out for some training" I snapped.

"I thought you were going to train with me today?" he enquired.

"I'll train with you tomorrow… I need to focus on my chidori… alone… I'll be back in a couple of hours." I walked out of the room. My walking turned to running. I ran out of the hide out and headed towards the Hidden rock…

I left the hide out and rapidly sprung off the tree branches. I kept thinking about him the whole time I traveled to the hidden rock.

I took everything I needed with me and longed to meet the man who claims to be an Uchiha… If Itachi is a member of the Akatsuki… then Madara… is… They're in the same organization! Itachi must know of Madara Uchiha but why the hell didn't he tell me about Madara?

I was almost there…

Ah! What the fuck? A sudden pain crept in my eyes. I had to stop in the middle of my journey. They burned and I kept them closed. I couldn't see with my hands covering them. I felt blood flooding out of my eyes. Why are my eyes bleeding!

(Kakashi)

"Katon-" I was about to attack him but something interrupted my jutsu.

"AH!" Obito yelped in pain. Tiny black flames curled on the sides of his exposed face. I assumed the flames must have formed all over his body because of his hands moving quickly up and down against his arms and legs.

(Sasuke)

I just stood still and decided to tolerate the pain till it fades away. The pain consecutively increased but a while later it died down. I shook my head and sprung out the dizziness. I continued my journey to meet Madara…Uchiha…

(Obito)

What the hell is this! The flames were crawling up my body and burned like a black sun… Who could have done this! I don't think its any of the people here… or Kakashi. The flames were reaching to my eyes and swarmed all over me. I let out a yelp and sank down to my knees. My hands covered my eyes. What am I seeing! Although my eyes were closed I could see… Sasuke…! How the hell could he be that strong! Maybe he wasn't… someone else could be strong… to protect him from me…

Finally the fire died down but my body ached and burned. I couldn't stand up… I didn't want to fight them anyway… My identity is already revealed… but not all of it. What Kakashi doesn't know won't hurt him… unless he finds out… Like what happened today. He found his friend but alive not dead. I wasn't that fragile… I lived. Kakashi only knows half of who I am and that will remain a secret. I didn't want Kakashi to see me like this but I have no choice. I had to join the Akatsuki… I just had to. I need that Kyuubi…. Kakashi's student… or not. I felt horrible about it but I couldn't help it. Not one bit. I could now stand up after clearing my head of all thoughts… except that one… Kakashi and I were friends, now were enemies. To me we're still friends. I'd never kill him even if I was forced to… He may kill me. I deserve to die but I have too much to live for. Maybe I should go back… Deidara-kun is… is dead? I looked over to the other side. His body was a sickening sight. It didn't even look like a body. Just a sand covered bloody pile of… Deidara. I didn't even notice. So many Akatsuki members die every time Konoha comes along… What will become of me?

(Kakashi)

What just happened? The flames died down. Obito was slowly getting up. He swung from left to right and trembled a bit but came back to a solid position.

"You can fight me but I won't fight you."

"Why!?" I asked him.

"I-I just can't fight my friend!" he blurted out.

The word he said... friend ... didn't feel like it should have been said. "But you can kill other people and suck the living daylights out of those Jinchuriki! If you were my friend… You wouldn't have joined the Akatsuki… Well you may have certain reasons for joining the fucking club"… I realized I had lost my cool and become haughtier than ever. Was it because I saw Obito… again? I decide it probably was. I don't remember being so angry.

Obito stood there and sighed at the words that slapped his face. That's it I'm going to fight him… I just can't really… I just can't believe he's alive… I mean he should have come back to Konoha!

"Raikiri!" I dashed toward Obito not realizing he was once my best friend… I had lost control of my emotions. I could swear this had never happened to me…

. Somehow I didn't want to fight him but I had to release my anger out on something… but that's not the right thing to do… This is so confusing! I can't differentiate between right and wrong… I wonder if this is how Naruto feels every time that damned Kyuubi tries to take control.

Again my attack hit him right through his chest but he didn't move. He let out a helpless cry and flew back hitting the tree. He merely stood up again and put his hand on his chest to hold back the bleeding a little bit. Maybe I should… just let him go… this isn't right but he's an Akatsuki! What am I supposed to freaking do! Am I being unreasonable? He was my best friend but he's not who he used to be… wait… He's not fighting me so how can he have changed… He doesn't want to fight me yet I race to him with every strong attack I have in mind. God is certainly testing me… I don't know how to pass that test…

(Sasuke)

Is that them? Kakashi… and an Akatsuki member… That must be him… Madara Uchiha. My body was hidden behind a clump of trees as I watched the intense match between the two… friends and foes… All of them were there. Gaara, Temari, Shino and Kurenai had already disposed of their Akatsuki member. Shikamaru, Sakura, Ino and Chouji were still behind Kakashi for the longest time. They hadn't made a move as far as I had seen. It was just between Kakashi and Madara… Was Kakashi really Madara's friend? It just seems so awkward that the two were comrades and now enemies: although, it's the same scenario with me and Naruto but I couldn't care less. I just need to kill that lunatic brother of mine and I'll be satisfied. Konoha has the same aim as I do kill the Akatsuki… meaning kill Itachi. I should kill Itachi myself though…

Madara, if that was him, looked pretty weak… Kakashi must have done a lot of damage to him. I think It's time to greet them…

(Shikamaru)

Sasuke... He really grew up. Three years and Sasuke looks more like that horrid Orochimaru now. His eyes gleamed with evil and hatred. I could already tell I was no match for him. Just then I thought of Naruto. If he were here he's strike belief into our hearts. He'd say something like I'm going to bring you back to konoha no matter what. We'd be determined to do the same. I must say after a very long time... not having Naruto here is such a... drag. Why am I getting this strange nostalgic image of when those two were friends...

(Obito)

"Just what I need another Uchiha!" Kakashi yelled.

The man stood proudly before my single eye with one hand on his hip. His eyes as sinister as mine were, stared down hard at the hole in my mask. Does he already know and is that why he's here? Was he going to say something I didn't want him to? I needed to move… fast!

"Madara-" In a matter of seconds I flashed by my true best friend to Sasuke. My hand covered his mouth. I stopped him from saying what I didn't want him to say. His confused eyes met mine. He grabbed my hand and tried to throw me over to the other side. He pulled at my hand and mumbled. It was no use. I whispered in his ear

"You let out one word related to me and you'll regret it you're whole life!"

I jumped back. His face was impaled with confusion. Treason impaled Kakashi's heart. I could already tell that he didn't want to come near me. Despite what it seemed he went ahead and created a chidori to zap me with. I punched his stomach and blood dripped down his mouth. His Chidori had stopped sparking. There was no chidori left...

My body recognized that same burning. The black flames crawled back up… once more.