Disclaimer: So I ended up in this strange place called 'the land of OZ' and this weird green city where apparently you can ask this guy for like anything. So I asked him for Naruto and he hands me this little stuffed doll! I go to complain and they throw these red shoes at me and kick me out of the city! So I do not own.

A/N- I don't actually mean to take so long updating, I just get easily distracted...so, without further ado, chapter 13!

FLASHBACK

"Come back here!" The yell was met with the sound of footsteps pounding down the hallway- growing louder as they approached the classroom. Iruka looked up in alarm as angry voices grew steadily in sound. The classroom was empty around him, the late afternoon sun filtering in through the window. His students were undoubtedly out there, celebrating the end of the school day- while him, dedicated teacher he was- remained inside and probably would for many hours to come as he attempted to finish marking the tests from that day. The marks were dismal, really, but he wasn't ready to give up just yet.

The voices were loudest now- pausing outside his door, before the panel was slid open and a blur streaked into the room. Iruka blinked in surprise as a large body folded itself down next to him, using him to block the view from the door. Seconds later- a familiar blonde head appeared at the door, face red and sweaty, panting as he quickly searched the room for his target.

"Iruka-sensei." Naruto waved quickly, eyes narrowing when he didn't spot his target. "Where is he?"

"Where is who?" The chunnin replied calmly, feeling something nudge at his ankle lightly. Whoever it was was doing a rather good job of blending in with his floor apparently.

"Kakashi-sensei! That jerk!" Iruka blinked. So it was Kakashi that Naruto was after- somehow he wasn't nearly as surprised as he felt he should have been. "Did you see where he went?"

"I believe…" He began, smiling slightly as something slightly harder hit his ankle. "That he went out through the window a few minutes ago." Naruto scowled, darting over to the window to look around as though he may have been able to spot the missing Jounin. The blonde gave up quickly however, stalking out of the room and muttering loudly about ramen. Iruka wasn't sure he wanted to know the connection. "It's safe to come out now."

Iruka nearly jumped as Kakashi appeared on his desk in a flash of smoke, obviously grinning under his mask- thankfully the chunnin composed himself in time.

"Thanks for the save 'Ruka." Iruka felt himself flush at the odd pet name as the silver haired man leaned forwards slightly. "Naruto's been chasing me around the village." Though it was suspicious that Kakashi hadn't merely ditched the new chunnin a long time ago if he truly had been chasing him around the village, and it wouldn't have been that hard to do- he'd done it before, Iruka chose not to mention it; after all, Kakashi didn't get to visit often and he found he enjoyed the company immensely.

"What did you do to him?" Iruka pulled a few papers out from underneath the other man, stacking them and placing them in a spare folder. "I haven't seen him this riled up in awhile."

"You haven't seen him around Sasuke lately." Kakashi replied cheerfully. True, Iruka had been on the end of many of Naruto's rants about the Uchiha's heir, but they seemed more tuned down and less…angry that normal. "The kids were following me again- trying to see under my mask." Iruka nodded, a small smile lighting his face at the memories of previous attempts on team sevens part to unmask their 'mysterious' teacher. "Naruto tried something and ended up wearing my dinner."

"Which explains the inane muttering about ramen." Kakashi nodded, humming happily.

"Are you almost done here?" He gestured at the papers strewn across the desk. He did have twenty more tests to mark and then one of the older classes essays to grade, but…

"What did you have in mind?" The other man leaned forwards, reaching out a slender finger to trace the scar running across Iruka's nose gently. The chunnin blushed at the attention, but didn't pull away, leaning into the touch.

"I was thinking, since my dinner was destroyed by a rampaging student, that we could go out." Iruka nodded, his smile growing as his cheek was cupped, tugging him closer until they were a breath apart- he didn't know what was growing between him and Kakashi, but he was willing to find out, his heart speeding up and pounding loudly in his ears. "Or we could eat in and I could cook something for you."

"You cook?"

"Oh yes." Kakashi nodded sagely. "The best eggs in Konoha."

Iruka laughed, standing so they were on the same level and shifted his papers together, before stuffing them into his bag. "I'd better help you then. I mean- we can't have you burning down your apartment, now can we?"

"That would be a tragedy; I'd have to stay at your apartment until I got a new one, 'Ruka."

"I'll definitely have to help you with this dinner, then."

END FLASHBACK

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Kakashi pushed himself further, harder, faster- the enemies were trying to keep them from reaching the room at the end of the hall. They had to know they'd get through eventually; they were trying to stall them long enough, but long enough for what? On his left Shikamaru turned the enemy against one another. He was a good ally to have in battle; sharp, clever, aware of his surroundings- you could trust him to watch your back.

Ino was further in front of him, concentrated fury on her face as she struck out. He had seen the two waning earlier, but something had come over the two of them, revitalizing them. Whatever it had been, had worked. She moved gracefully, each move as deadly as the next. Instinct was only half of the way she fought- she had a talent, skill.

Kakashi was driven, pushing himself faster against his opponents, by a horrible, twisting feeling growing in his stomach. Something horrible was happening- or going to happen and he needed to be there to stop it. They were like insects, where one fell another popped up and he wondered briefly if Shino had already used that analogy, before pushing the thought aside and forcing himself back to the present.

They drew closer to the end of the hall where large oak doors stood, opened slightly so more enemy nin could slip in and out. Through it he could hear yelling and the sound of battle. He just couldn't tell who was winning.

The sound raised in volume, panic standing out in amongst the noise. The twisting feeling in his stomach changed suddenly into the sharp edge of a knife, warning him, urging him to get through those doors as something terrible had happened. They needed him, against an enemy like Moon. The others- many of them still fresh from lower ranks where killing was not a necessity, he'd seen death, and he'd been the cause of it many, many times. They needed him now.

His fist connected with a wind pipe, the sound echoing with a slight crunch as it collapsed and the ninja fell backwards- through the door, the life already draining from his eyes. Shikamaru and Ino joined him, both with their own wounds, all minor, weapons in hand and dangerous glint in their eyes.

Everything was in a panic and in the middle of it all stood familiar faces, set in their determination as they created a circle protecting…

"Ruka?" He could feel his blood run cold, the sounds of the battle fading away until all they were, were white noise in his ears. He couldn't sense Ino and Shikamaru's presence next to him, nor that of the enemy nin just waiting for him to let his guard down. All he could focus on was the crumpled figure that Naruto clutched. Even from there he knew exactly who it was, the chunnin vest stained red, and the other man motionless. "Ruka!"

The sound came back with a sickening crunch as he reacted on pure instinct- arm flung out to connect with one mans nose- the force enough to send the enemy to the floor, dead.

Kakashi moved, body on fire with a pure, horrible emotion that had even some of the enemy keeping their distance. Crunch- another one fell. With a slash of his arm, one was bent over trying to keep their organs inside their body. He paid them no attention- a single minded focus that concentrated his rage and worry and fear all into a series of deadly movements.

Ino was in front of him suddenly; clearing a path, he realized. Shikamaru was behind him, making sure that no one tried anything from behind.

He wanted whoever did this to pay; pay with their life. Because no one was more alive than his 'Ruka and this person would not take it away from him.

Kakashi knew without a shadow of a doubt who it had been. The only person standing calmly among the battle. She stood, off to the side, the smirk on her face evident even from where he was and becoming clearer the closer he got. He was going to kill her.

He found himself through the circle at Iruka's side though.

Moon could wait; he had to know- needed to see…

"Naruto." Kakashi dropped into a crouch, only noticing out of the corner of his eye as Sasuke and Sakura left the circle and joined Ino and Shikamaru; they were headed through the thinning crowd of enemy nin- headed to bring down Moon. The circle tightened up, where they had left spaces.

Naruto did not glance up, did not move from his position, half curled over the chunnins prone form, did not even show any sign that he had heard Kakashi. The blonde was pale, eyes hidden by his bangs and making him appear as some sort of evil spirit instead.

Kakashi reached out, to see what would happen if he tried to pull Iruka away, but the blonde flinched tightening his hold. Instead his fingers reached out, searching for a pulse on the chunnins neck. Thready and weak, but there. He released the breath he hadn't known he had been holding, smoothing stray strands of hair back from Iruka's forehead. He needed Naruto to let go. He knew a healing jutsu, but there wasn't much time.

"Naruto- I need you to release Iruka so I can heal him." Naruto didn't move. "There's not much time, Naruto." He crouched lower, tilting his head to try to see the blonde's face and sat back, startled at what he did see there.

Fine, dark whiskers had formed on Narutos' cheeks; and his eyes- blood red and changing, like an animal.

Kakashi backed away slightly, finally noticing what he had missed before. The air around Naruto was hazy like an intense heat was gathered there and tinged red and orange. It engulfed the pair, barely visible to the naked eye. As he watched, scratches and cuts disappeared from the blonde and then, his eyes widened in disbelief; a long scratch down Iruka's face slowly started to shrink, turning pink under dried blood.

He moved forwards, reaching out a hand in shock and feeling the smooth, unblemished skin where the mark on his cheek used to be. All that remained of its presence was the dried blood. It was impossible. Naruto could only heal himself. Not others.

His hands moved, pushing pieces of Iruka's clothing aside in a search for more evidence of his theory. The large cuts and wounds were shrinking, slowly, agonizingly slowly, but still shrinking nonetheless. There was still blood- so much blood, but Naruto was healing Iruka.

Kakashi reached out, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder and this time the blonde looked up. Then Kakashi realized what Naruto was doing- as wild, harsh eyes stared back at him.

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A feral grin lit her face as the blonde girl's left hand released a sickening crunch in her grasp. There would be no chance of her performing the jutsu that she had been using on Moon's ninja. She met the pained blue eyes, head on, tightening her grip further just to watch the paling of her complexion and the whimpers she refused to release. This one would be fun to break.

As it was, she nearly missed the next attack; nearly. The brown haired man, Shikamaru. His shadow stretched out and tried to trap her, but she was ready. They had been fools- had revealed all of their attacks already and left nothing to surprise her with. It would be their undoing.

Sasuke and the healer nin- Sakura. One came at her from the left, the other from the right and she was forced to drop the blonde. She would have to deal with the others first.

Moon's fist sank into Sakura's stomach, but did not knock her back. Instead she found herself stumbling backwards as the pink haired woman's fist hit her jaw. There was fury in the green eyes as Moon straightened, a grin making its way across her face as she rubbed the tender spot. Ah good, it had been getting boring- perhaps now it would be fun.

She grabbed Sakura by the hair and Ino as she attempted to sneak up on her and brought their heads together with a crack that echoed around the room, even over the noise; then flung them away like rag dolls. She was done toying around with those two- she wanted Sasuke and she wanted him to hurt.

And while she turned to face the two men, feeling their anger radiating off them in waves- she could feel something else. Something growing stronger and stronger but she couldn't place what it was or where it was coming from. There was something inhuman about it, something that made her pause, cocking her head as though she could hear its whispers. But whatever it was, it wasn't speaking to her and she had other toys to play with.

AaAaAaAaAaAaAaAaA

Temari's fan took care of the first wave of nin that rushed through the door- determined to keep them from their destination. She couldn't figure out where they were all coming from- this endless amount of people, all willing to give their lives for some bitch that didn't care if they lived or died. It made no sense. Yet, there were hundreds of them, always there to replace a fallen ninja. It made her furious.

The resulting wind storm from her attack left the hall open a little longer this time as she pushed on, Kankuro and Gai covering the rear. She lashed out again as the hall once again filled- she could see the doors. Just make out the inside of the room as more ninja began spilling out. Spilling out, away from the main battle- if she hadn't known they were so willing to give their lives- she would have wondered if they were running away.

But she didn't. She knew what they were doing. She had seen such devotion before and while in the past it may have made her proud- now it just made her sick. And mad.

They reached the door with another burst from her fan, the doors thrown off their hinges with the force. For a second everything seemed to settle, seemed to stand still as they took in the scene. She could see Shikamaru fighting the woman, see Kakashi with Naruto and someone else in a circle of people, see Sakura and Ino pulling themselves to their feet, both looking battered and broken and her brother, still standing.

Then they joined the fray.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"I could kill you now. Just for asking this."

"But you won't." Naruto could feel the change taking over him even as he asked. He could still feel the limp body of the man he considered to be his family clutched in his arms, but he felt more detached now- like it was someone else, not him. "You can't."

"And how would you know?"

"You'd die too. And you don't want me to die. I can tell." Glowing, crimson eyes glared down at him but there was acknowledgement there.

"What you're asking is dangerous. For both of us."

"You've healed me. So take over- heal him. Please." It was a desperate plan at best, one that he didn't truly think would work, but he had to try. There were no other options.

"If I take over you'll die."

"Didn't know you cared." The sarcasm was evident in his voice, but he was the end of his rope. "You've taken over before."

"No- not fully."

"Then it doesn't need to be fully- just do whatever the hell it is you do and heal him!"

"You want to kill her."

"Yes."

"You want to kill her not out of need, but revenge."

"Does it matter?" It certainly didn't for him. She had caused enough pain, enough suffering. He had to end this. Kyuubi didn't reply. "Just…lend me your strength."

"I've healed the man. Not fully. He has a chance now."

"Thank you." At what cost though? They had never healed another person before. But it didn't matter; he knew that when he asked. "Lend me your strength." He repeated, firmer this time. It didn't matter what happened to him- not with his friends suffering and fighting all around him.

"Be careful. You won't be able to fully control it. And I do not know how we will recover from this."

"It doesn't matter." It didn't matter.

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There was another force growing in the room with them, something that seemed familiar but he couldn't place and he didn't have time to try and remember, not with the attacks being forced at him. He jumped back as the ground shook underneath him, but did not lose his balance. Instead he used the momentum to push back.

Ino and Sakura were still recovering from their fight, Shikamaru still fought, kept attempting to use a jutsu but every time she found some way to distract him, to stop him from proceeding. He couldn't spare the others a glance, even though it was eating away at him to find out how they were- to see if Iruka-sensei was alright, to see Naruto.

Shikamaru disappeared in a casing of earth suddenly, the ground breaking around the chunnin to rush up and cover him. They were losing. It was hard to believe, after all they had been through they may actually lose to her; but he was finding it easier and easier to believe so and he did not like it one bit. He needed to turn the tide.

His chakra built inside of him, flowing through him, the electricity in the air growing, crackling as he took it all in. Sasuke could feel it focusing in his right hand, the familiar numbing feeling as it finally took form and sparks of electricity seemed to pour from his hand.

He ran, focusing his chakra into the attack, the pure chakra tearing away at the floor as Moon finally looked up, startled. Sasuke swung his arm, ready to end the fight; to win- Moon met him half way. Her fist, enclosed in solid rock caught his, as his chidori hit her barrier. The sound intensified until it was a high pitched whining noise. She swung a kunai around, aiming for his chest and he couldn't move, still attached at the hand.

Sasuke twisted, feeling the sharp side slide through his shirt and cut into his skin, sending burning pain up and down his arm. The kunai was pulled back and then brought down again, this time its aim true. He wouldn't be able to dodge this one. Desperate he poured more of his chakra into his hand still connected to Moons' and to lift his injured arm, but it wasn't working. Time seemed to slow as his mind fought for some way out.

A great force knocked into him, wrenching his hand from the rock casing and separating Moon and himself. No, he realized with a start, someone had hit Moon. She lay nearby, looking dazed but quickly morphing into anger. There- there was the cause of the attack.

Sasuke felt the relief rush through him, a dizzying effect with the adrenaline of the battle. Naruto crouched a few feet away on all fours, head tilted and blonde hair casting shadows on his face, but very much alright. Still, something seemed off.

"Naruto." He called out, keeping a careful eye on Moon. He took a step forwards, then another, worry growing in him when the blonde man failed to reply. "Naruto?" He tried again, reaching out to touch the ninja. This time there was movement. Naruto jerked away, still on all fours and Sasuke froze, confusion melting away into alarm when he noticed the longer fingernails and the whiskers noticeable on his face.

"What…?" He began, but wild, animal like eyes locked on his, the blue hidden by angry dark red and with no trace of Naruto in them. What have you done?

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