In case you didn't see my tirade on my homepage: OH TRAGEDY. ONLY ONE GUY LIKED MY SECOND FIC ENOUGH TO REVIEW IT! AND DON'T EVEN THINK TO TELL ME YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT! I TOLD YOU ABOUT IN THE LAST CHAPTER! I EVEN FELT SO BETRAYED THAT I PERMAENENTLY DELETED IT. NOW IT'S GONE FOR GOOD!

Now that that's out of my system, sorry for the delay. I had an uber bad cold and I spent almost a week on the couch doing nothing. But, yay, I missed school. I got back on Valentine's Day. Here's the chapter to say I love you all.

"Speech."

'Thoughts.'

"Animal Thoughts."

'Kyuubi Thoughts.'

"Demon Speech."

"Itachi!" Sasuke was so consumed with rage and hate he was reduced to shouting. "Itachi!" he added again, sounding like a broken record in front of hundreds of thugs and his friends, and not looking like he cared. "My, this is interesting. We only came along to humor this little man before we killed him, and now my brother and my charge are right in front of me. Playing with victims pays off."

Gato stared at the weasel-like man with incredulousness. He actually had the nerve to snort. "Kill me? But I paid you! I OWN YOU!" This time the blue-faced gilled man in a cloak answered. "I don't know which is more pathetic. The fact you think that was pay, or the fact that you think now we're just gonna do whatever you want. I should get you with Sharktooth right now." So saying, Kisame grabbed the hilt of his famous blade.

"Now, now, Kisame. Be patient. Let our friends have the honor. Besides, I think you should save that blade for Naruto here." Kisame looked at Naruto for several minutes, while said boy stood like a statue, recognizing the men and the cloaks they wore. Akatsuki had been a priority for Naruto ever since he had discovered its existence when Jiraiya had popped into town for a book signing. He had told them all he had learned from his spy network. In exchange for Sarutobi giving him protection from the angry mob of woman who had been chasing him at the time.

"Sasuke, be quiet. If we're going to get them, surprise is needed. Kakashi, take Zabuza and Haku and take care of Gato. Sakura, protect Tazuna." Kakashi almost protested, but he stopped himself when he looked at Naruto. He had come to read the expressions hidden in the hood, and what he saw stayed his tongue. This wasn't the sweet, kind Naruto who had shown off his moves to impress everyone. This was the Naruto Danzo wanted. This was a cold, emotionless weapon. Naruto's youth had flown out the proverbial window, just as the two swordsmen miles away at Tazuna's had flown out the literal window thanks to Naruto's clone.

"Yes," was all Kakashi could manage. He walked toward the army, with Zabuza and Haku trailing as Sakura backed away. "Aren't you worried?" Haku was checking his senbon in their holsters. "He'll be fine." Kakashi revealed his eye without missing a beat. Zabuza just loosened his sword. In this way, they walked right up to the thugs. Then all hell broke loose.

Zabuza just started swinging. Go big and scary and they'll be too scared to dodge. He skewered them by the dozens. Haku formed his infamous ice mirrors and picked off the thugs one at a time, while all they could do was staring at either the mirrors orZabuza. Kakashi went covert, just getting all the guys before they saw him. And if anyone did, his Sharingan saw them before they even moved. In short, Gato was left defenseless all in the course of 5 minutes. Kakashi couldn't see Naruto's battle through the mirrors, but he didn't bother.

"Now listen hear! I'm Gato!" Zabuza walked right up to him with a kunai in hand. "Just shut up, you narcissist, greedy, useless man!" With that, Zabuza plunged the kunai right through Gato's head. He too fell to the ground, like his cannon fodder before him. "That was almost too easy." Kakashi laughed at Haku. "Hey, don't get cocky. The real bad guys were never in here.

Naruto stared at the Akatsuki duo. Sasuke had calmed down, but just barely. Naruto released his weights. Silently. No need to show off anymore. "Sasuke, stand back. The power I'm about to unleash could be dangerous up close." Sasuke snapped out of it and stared. But he dutifully complied. In their mind, Kyuubi said 'Kit, are you sure. You've never gone past 2 tails.' 'Yes, I can take it.' Putting his hands in the prayer-like seal, Naruto yelled "Release." With that, the seal holding back the tails loosened enough to let 3 through.

The effect was instantaneous. The very air shimmered with the power emanating off Naruto. Spare bits of plaster on the bridge floor flew past, while those surrounding him almost flew off too. Itachi's eyes widened, Kisame swore, and Sasuke just stared and thought 'He makes the Hokage look like a child. Where does all this come from?' After a few seconds, Naruto reined it in, so that it was all contained in his body, though the air around him still vibrated. Under his cloak, 3 of his tails glowed purple.

Blood Fire appeared, while Sasuke was still gawking. "Sasuke, I'm going to link us. You'll share my power. Be careful with it and use it to keep Itachi busy." So saying, Naruto drew a seal on Sasuke's forehead with his own blood, in a way that didn't allow Sasuke to see his hand. Sasuke instantly felt the enormous energy slam into him. After a while it dulled, but now everything seemed slower, more defined. He could see movements before they were made.

"Guess that should be expected. The Sharingan is a demonic Byakugan, and that was demon chakra. Just use it to distract Itachi more." Sasuke couldn't believe his ears. He checked his reflection in a puddle, and saw he now had Sharingan eyes instead of normal ones. And the Sharingan were purple. "I'll ask what the hell all this is about after I kill Itachi." Naruto just nodded.

They turned to face their opponents. "Well, this is unexpected. But this is still good. Kisame, capture Naruto, don't let him intimidate you. I'll make sure my brother serves his purpose." Kisame just shrugged and turned to face Naruto. Naruto held Blood Fire in preparation. Over the last week, he had completely incorporated Blood Fire into his style. He had no doubt that Kisame would be no match for his new Kitsune Blade style. He just hoped Sasuke could hold off his brother until Naruto could start helping.

Naruto and Sasuke both took off, while Naruto was more careful with his speed. At 3 tail speeds, you had to be careful. Nanoseconds were you're usual time frame, and if you weren't cautious, you could end up as so much bloody stains on the ground.

Sasuke could literally feel the wind on his face. He was going so fast that the air seemed to be a physical barrier. Before he knew it, he was in front of Itachi. Sasuke watched with his amazing eyes as Itachi's eyes widened. Very slowly. Snail's pace slowly. Sasuke punched him through the chest. Itachi puffed into smoke. Again, as slow as a snail. 'This Sharingan is phenomenal.'

While Sasuke was doing all this, Naruto had time to deliver 1000 slashes to Kisame, decapitate him, throw Sharktooth into the ocean, and finally burn the body before so much as one drop of blood hit the ground.

"Sometimes I hate this speed. Your enemy's dead before he has a chance to fight. But I guess that's the point." Naruto was slowly returning, seeing how easy Kisame was. "You okay, Sasuke-kun?" Sasuke stared at Naruto, his whole body trembling. "Now I'm mad." Sasuke spun around to see Itachi with his Mangekyou. "I hadn't planned to steal your eyes until you had Mangekyou too, but now I won't take chances."

Sasuke stared, fear settling into his stomach despite all the power that was already taking up the space. "Oh that's right. You don't know. Our clan's history is bloody and evil at its best. Our two patriarchs were branch family Hyuuga who made a deal with the Kyuubi for power. The result was the Sharingan. As you know, you have to kill your best friend to achieve Mangekyou, the highest level of Sharingan. But using it drains you sight. Eventually, you'll go blind. So Madara Uchiha, the elder brother, stole his brother's eyes, to make his own eternal. He killed his own brother just so he would still be able to use the Sharingan! It was Madara who summoned the Kyuubi to Konoha, it was Madara who used that distraction to implant a mind-control seal inside my mind, and it is Madara who is now seeking out Akatsuki so he can take control!"

Sasuke stared at his brother, seeing the madness there. But deep down in him he knew it was true. He knew because the darkness inside him was stoked at these very words. All of Naruto's words now made sense. Itachi rushed forward, reaching for Sasuke's eyes, but Naruto grabbed him in the air. "There is no way you're getting your hands on him!" Sasuke was touched by Naruto's care for him. Well, he would have if this exchange had been happening at speeds that allowed feelings to outrun exhilaration

Itachi stared at Naruto. "Feel the wrath of the Tsukuyomi!" The world inverted, and a black moon appeared in a red sky. Itachi stared at his 'captive' and looked shocked. "What are you doing? How are you doing this? I feel like I'm the victim!" Naruto chuckled. "That's because you are. If Kyuubi made this kekkai genkai, then don't you think I would have total control? You have just been trapped in your own jutsu." As he spoke, a giant claw grabbed hold of Itachi. The claw was attached to an arm, which was attached to the body of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. 'I gave you your eyes. Now I take them back.' In the inescapable Genjutsu, Itachi screamed.

Sasuke stared. One moment Itachi was being held back from his lunge by Naruto, the next Itachi was lying on the ground, clutching his eyes. Sasuke saw that they were lavender, as pale as Hinata's. "Do it." Sasuke turned to see Naruto staring at him. Sasuke nodded, gathered all his hate and anger into one point, and let it all out by stabbing Itachi through the heart with a kunai. Instantly, Sasuke felt lighter. His ambition was complete. Well, half complete.

"Yo." Sasuke turned his now deactivated eyes to see Kakashi, Zabuza, Haku, Tazuna, and Sakura watching him. "I guess we can cross these guys out of the Bingo book. Nice work Sasuke." Sasuke grinned as the implications of what he had done hit him. He had killed Itachi. His revenge was complete. He quite literally jumped for joy. "Well, as fun as this all was, let's get out of here. This has to be cleaned up before Tazuna can finish." Everyone was snapped out of their staring at Sasuke and stared at Naruto. This was the nice, innocent Naruto again.

"Oh, yeah. What were you thinking! When I tell Hinata about this, you know she will explode! Much as I am now! How could you even think of putting yourself in danger? That's mine and Hinata's job!" Despite all the yelling, Sakura was smiling. At the end of her tirade, Sakura kissed Naruto. Everyone stared at them as if they had gone crazy. Naruto laughed. "That's right. A guy is only supposed to get in trouble because of his girlfriends!"

It was one week later, and the bridge was finally complete. During that time, everyone had come to accept that with Naruto, you just couldn't have a normal existence. Tazuna gave him a strong hug; silently thanking him for all that he had helped into being. "Goodbye!" The party left the assembled village making their goodbyes. Inari was even letting a few tears slide. "You know," Tazuna told the village. "In honor of all he has done and will do, I hereby name this the Great Naruto Bridge." Everyone nodded. It was the perfect name.

A few miles away from Konoha, Zabuza decided to break the silence that had held over the group. "Well, if you don't win over the council, they still have to let me and Haku in. We're bringing the heads of 2 S-class criminals!" Zabuza laughed at his own bloody humor. Everyone else just rolled their eyes.

An hour later, Naruto was giving his proposal in front of the whole council. Sakura had been forced to leave, but she knew Naruto would tell her what happened. In the meantime, she would find Hinata and give her the news of how Naruto had gone up against 2 S-class criminals without asking Sakura for permission.

"So, you see, Zabuza and Haku have completely reformed. They should be allowed to join our ranks." For once in history, Danzo agreed without hesitation. But then again, Zabuza was one more weapon to brainwash. Haku was already. The council murmured in their annoying way. Naruto flashed a look of sympathy at Sarutobi. He would never know how he put up with this madness everyday.

Finally, Sarutobi called for order. In his official robes, he looked intimidating. "All those in favor of letting Zabuza Momochi and his apprentice Haku living in Konoha and them joining our ninja ranks, say 'aye'." The room was a chorus of 'ayes'. "It's unanimous. Case closed. Now Naruto, inform us about the Akatsuki you and Sasuke killed." Sarutobi nodded at Sasuke, who had had a smile on his face the whole meeting. It disappeared as he remembered the seal Itachi had talked about.

For half an hour, Naruto explained what had happened to Itachi and what he had said. He was only interrupted when one member insisted that Sasuke show his Sharingan. The request was granted, and Sasuke amazed them all with their color. "So, you see, Madara was responsible for everything: the attack, the massacre, and what I am now. We must find him and kill him before Akatsuki fall to him as well." The entire council nodded. It didn't bother them that they were talking to a child. He was a child they saw as their greatest weapon.

If Naruto hadn't revealed everything to Sasuke before the meeting, he would have looked confused. But he just nodded. The secret didn't bother him unduly. There had always been something… beast-like about Naruto. Maybe it was his eating habits.

Finally, they were all allowed to leave. Sasuke and Naruto went to Ichiraku's and ate to their hearts content. Naruto made plans with Sasuke to train, and then started looking for Hinata. She reacted much like Sakura. A lot of yelling, and then a kiss. Naruto laughed, and then went to bed to recuperate from the long day. Tomorrow he had to help Zabuza with house-hunting.'

It had been a few weeks since the mission, and things were going well. Naruto's relationship was better than ever, Sasuke and he had been training to the point Sasuke could dodge a whole hail of shurikan with his eyes closed. Haku and Zabuza had gotten themselves a decent apartment and were shaping into the greatest ninja tag-team in Konoha history. They perfectly complemented each other's talents.

"Hey, Naruto-neechan!" Naruto, who was hanging out with Sakura and Hinata, turned to see Konohamaru approaching with his friends. Or, more accurately, Konohamaru lunging for Naruto's hood with his friends Moegi and Udon behind him. Naruto dodged them all Matrix-style.

"Ouch, you avoided me again. Just what I'd expect from my greatest rival." Konohamaru was rubbing his head. "Konohamaru-kun, what are you and your friends doing on this fine day?" Said friends looked up, and Konohamaru ignored the question. "Hey, are these your girlfriends you keep on sleep-talking about?" If Naruto hadn't had the millennia of experience afforded to him by Kyuubi, he would have blushed. "Yes, it just so happens they are. Now answer my question."

Sakura and Hinata, who didn't have the benefit of Kyuubi, were red as fire when Konohamaru answered. "That's easy. We're playing ninja. And guess what!" Konohamaru rushed forward and tagged Naruto. "You're it!" With that, Konohamaru and company left in a flurry of legs and laughter. Naruto, Sakura and Hinata could have caught them easy, but they slowed down so Konohamaru could have his fun.

Konohamaru turned a corner and bumped into something. That something was a boy dressed all in black with a bundle on his back and make-up on his face in a strange pattern. That boy turned around and grabbed Konohamaru by the scruff of the neck and yelled "What's the big idea, you little twerp?" Before this black-clad boy got an answer, two arms broke free of his bundle and put him in a full-Nelson.

'What the hell? What's Crow doing? Wait a minute, he's a puppet! Who's controlling him?' All this was interrupted by a voice that sounded like it held the echo of a growl. "Konohamaru, run along home." After this was spoken, Crow let go of Kankurou, for that was who he was. Kankurou looked up to see Naruto before him, in all his cloaked glory. Behind him, Hinata and Sakura were itching to go into their respective stances. "Who are you, that brat's keeper?"

Naruto gave a chuckle. That chuckle sent a shiver down Kankurou's spine unlike any he had ever felt. "No, I'm Konohamaru's protective adoptive brother." Before this little repartee could continue, a voice called out from behind Kankurou. "What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into now, Kankurou?" The puppet-master turned to see Temari walking up the lane in all her 4-bun, lavender clothed beauty.

"This twerp bumped me, but before I could punish him, this guy shows up and uses Crow to make me let him go." Temari looked intrigued. "Are you another puppet-master?" Naruto shook his hidden head. "I just happen to know how to use the jutsu." "What's going on here?" This was spoken by a voice that made the two sand ninja, as Naruto saw from their headbands, cringe. Naruto saw a pale-faced boy with pale-green eyes and a gourd strapped to his back approach. His blood-red hair matched the shade of the kanji on his forehead for "love." His voice seemed to come from the Abyss itself. It was as cold as ice.

"I was just saying hello to you fine Sand Shinobi. In for the Chuunin exams I take it?" Sakura and Hinata, who were used to their boyfriend's deductive skill, were not surprised by this assumption. The two however, looked confused and just a little scared. The newcomer didn't even flinch. "That is correct. Now, what is your name?" Sasuke left his hiding place in the trees to join the conversation. "It's polite to give your name first before asking for someone else's." The boy's eyes were as emotionless as ever. "I'm Gaara no Subaku. Now, who are you and your friends?" The boy spoke the word with just the teeny, tiniest bit of disgust. Naruto heard it loud and clear.

Sasuke smirked. Despite having killed his brother, he still had some of his old arrogance. "I'm Sasuke Uchiha." Naruto continued the introductions. "I'm Naruto no Kitsune." Gaara turned his attention to Naruto. They appraised each other for several minutes. Every one else held their breath. "I'll kill you." Gaara turned to leave after this morbid statement, but was stopped by a shimmer in the air. He turned around to find the alley deserted except for Naruto. "What is this?"

Naruto spoke calmly, as if he were talking to a spooked animal. "I know of the burden you bear. I know because I bear it too." So saying, he removed his hood. Gaara's eyes widened and in a voice not his own yelled "Kyuubi!" Kyuubi took over the job of speaking. "Shukaku no Ichbi. What are you doing to your host? He looks like he hasn't slept once in his life." Gaara had regained control enough to ask "What is this?"

Naruto spoke this time. "When I was very small, the entire village hated me. I knew they wanted me dead. I never knew why. Then, on my fourth birthday, they almost succeeded. That was when I met Kyuubi for the first time. He gave me a choice. Merge together and live or die and let me always be remembered as simply the demon-child." Gaara was clutching his head at this point.

"I know you have gone through those harsh looks, those mutterings, that undeniable feeling in your gut that you don't have a reason for living. At that time, I was more than willing to just die, to hell with what they thought of me. And then I realized something." Naruto slowly walked forward and put his hand on Gaara's shoulder. He looked up with tears in his eyes.

"If I protected them, if I nurtured them, if I loved them, then I would have a reason for living beyond any other. To care for others before myself would give me that feeling I hoped for, that feeling of being, of belonging. I know you crave for that feeling too. And I know that you have strived for it through killing." Naruto tapped his nose. "Your sand stinks of blood."

"Gaara, try to love instead of hate. Try to heal instead of maim. Do this, and you will find your reason for existing." Gaara nodded, only thinking of how this boy who now resembled a fox had changed his life. There was another shimmer, and Gaara found himself being picked up by Kankurou and Temari. They quickly let go. "No, wait." They paused, and then were shocked beyond comprehension when Gaara hugged them both.

Down the alley, Naruto turned to leave. He really should make a business out of changing people's lives.

So, hey, what you think? I know it's a bit of an anticlimax, but I wanted to get the whole meeting Gaara thing out of the way. Enjoy and savor, and review quickly so I don't delete this story too. Ah, I'm just kidding. Or am I? Got you! Review!