Kage POV

The men tossed small, square bales of sweet-smelling hay into the box and loaded it into the car, sliding the door halfway shut and going to another, trying to rush the job of re-loading.

The huge load of coal piled in the cart squirmed and a bubblegum pink mane appeared, shifting the small lumps with long, pale fingers from below. Sakura was practically swimming in the stuff, and I sighed, my sharp eyes picking out many more small depressions where the others would emerge. They were holding thier breath until they couldn't stay under anymore, and didn't know the men had left. But in a few seconds, everyone was breathing air again, trying to see over the steep sides of the wooden and steel train car.

But the torch was coming back, and as they shone the flashlight, I could hear them talking. Everyone vanished under the black again, and soon even I couldn't sense them from where I squatted on the train rooftop, my hair standing up on end and prickling along my neck.

The skinny one said something in English and I could only pick up snatched of his odd lilting voice. He sighed and rubbed his arm that held the torch, it's yellow-white light flickering as he shut it off.

Carefully, I swung down with one hand and tiptoed across the wall of the coal carrier, and slipping into the piles just before he suddenly turned the light back on and swept it to the spot I'd only just vacated. But as I slid silently into the dunes of charoal black, and the light swooped wildly, I could hear the others breathing softly into the stone. I had already noticed what they were beginning to. You could breathe in the deeper parts.

Coal bricks piled up on themselves and airpockets were born, letting us take shallow lungfuls and listen to the men. Of course, once the train moved, they would collapse and be born again in another section, but at the moment one of the men-Skinny-was letting his torchlight roam the stacks and piles of fire-burn coal, searching for me or anything else suspiscious.

The foul but now familiar taste and reek of the fuel made my eyes and nose run slightly, and my tongue was fuzzy from the stifling odor, but I simply waited, listening alertly for noises of boots scraping downward on the ladders. My nails carved pinpricks that instantly healed into my palms, leaving tiny white scars peppering the tanned skin and so suddenly I felt no pain.

But no sound came, sucked in more breath, not daring to move. Finally, he seemed satisfied, and left, calling to his two friends and jumping into the truck they parked before, driving away. I waited until the roar and rumble of the engine had faded from even my sharp hearing, and tunneled back up, clawing quickly onto the car rim and whistling softly.

Fifteen heads appeared, and Sakura whispered, "What can you see?" I didn't answer, eyes scanning the horizon carefully. My ears ticked, and I could feel the wisps of memory tails brushing comfortingly on my legs and arms as I crouched on the rooftop.

Soon we'd hit the shore again and I could vaguely scent salt on the wind. The ocean was close. My nails sunk into the stone and plaster, and I crawled through the hatch and waited, thinking, until the rest of our group climbed into the huge sliding metal door and hauled themselves into the carrier and dusted themselves off, black staining Neji's cream tunic-shirt, the folds wheezing out charcoal flakes and black powder.

Shika shook his hair out impatiently, and Kiba sneezed several times, his nose stopped up from the smell. Gaara was just glaring at us all, his blood hair ashy and almost silver with moonlight. Neji brushed it off and wriggled his fingertips into the pale teen's scalp, massaging it so he'd chill and lean back into his middle.

I turned away, going over to collapse on the cushy hay, where I'd been laying for almost a week now. Some of it had to be flattened, and other parts fluffed, but it was probably the most comfortable spot. Grabbing my bag that Juura had given me, I dug through it and grabbed a pack of crackers, slicing it open with my pinkie and biting it, curled up and looking out the skylight to the stars. The train would move forward soon and we would be only two hours from Allendale. From there, It would be only a little while until we hit the place Kakashi had info from. About six days ago, he'd gotten a call from his subordinate, Yamato, about the information gathered so far.

Immediately, we'd booked passage on an airplane, and hopped into a train car. The airplane exploded in take-off. But so far we'd managed to avoid danger while train-hopping. So it was either that we were outmatching Itachi...or that he was herding us slowly closer.

Naruto POV

I was wrapped in Sasuke's smell, curling into the heat radiating from him as he lay behind me, chest pressed on my back, and arm draped pver my stomach. Our feet were intertwined, and he groaned as the alarm went off, other arm slapping around and killing the noise for a moment. We untangled just in time for the snooze to wear off, and he slammed a palm on it again, yawning.

I could feel my hair sticking straight up, firm from sleep and my eyes were crusty. He leaning over and pecked me cheek, mumbling, "Dobe."

He got up and made coffee, and I snuggled back into the nest we'd made, soaking up the heat for a few more moments before he could properly wake up. Then he came over and tugged me out of bed for the morning shower,

Suddenly, my memory fizzed to a halt and I was crouched on a mountain side, my glittering fangs poised in the heat of the day, panting. I was overly bored for someone so powerful. But the day was bright and everything was alive. Human sets were just down the valley, up on one side and the tiny, loud kits were running and playing while the pairs and teams hurried along. I felt my stomach growl and pulled my lips back in a grin. Time to eat.

Now I am eating a muffin at the cafeteria, Kiba playing with Akamaru under the table, the huge white hound licking up bits of crumbs and slices of pork that the group slipped to him. Neji smirks at Gaara and whispers something meant only for him, and soon his hair is almost paled next to his face. He scowls and hides his face in his hands, muttering something back derisively

"Love you," Sasuke whispers, and tightens his arms around my waist, sighing into my hair.

Kyuubi whispers to me, his voice thinly sliding over the rubble of our combined minds, "We must wake up soon, kit. Our kages are fading with each passing day."

Ignoring him, I smile and lean back into the heat, my heart aching that I will have to miss this once I wake up again. But for now I can enjoy the safety and love pulsing from my teme.

A rush of excitement courses through me and I see flashes of a huge city in my mind. Feeling through it, I can also feel tension and apprehension at the job that has to be done soon.

Finally, I sigh into the raven's chest and let go, drifting back into the rubble and ruin.

The great stone walls that once held together my mind are crumbled and broken, leaning against each other like jagged pieces of glass. Water is spouting from crevices and memories are flowing around me into the once again ankle-deep water, churning in a mass of color and shapes. A low hum is the sound of many voices and feeling and thoughts colliding.

Kyuubi is staring down at a fountain pouring from his cage, and his tails are rigid, tips flicking. I splash over to him and lean on his soft fur, burying my fingers in it's depth. He grumbles about familiarity, his fur bristling and lips lifting to reveal four-foot long canines, but I hold harder and whisper, "I'm ready now."

And with that, he turns, swiping the water as he passes and distorting the images swirling in it so I can't see them.

I grab a column and push it upright, sealing off the sprinkle of green-grey water leaking from the middle and watch as the stone fills itself in, spreading out to stop the flow. In his own section, Kyu is pressing on a huge slab of wall, nudging it back into place, red-orange chaotic energy messily healing the fissure on it's surface and rebuilding the attaching wall shards.

Soon we have three columns and the two back walls of the giant room complete.

Another rush of emotion spreads through me, and I shudder with unease, pressing blue oozing wisps into the water and forcing the memories into a herd before pressing the wad back into a wall and sealing it off. Now sections of water are clear and not humming, the pressure building back up into the stone and holding my thoughts even as I make them.

The cage is in tatters, but I shove a slab of ceiling off a humongous steel pole, standing both upright and gluing them in place.

We're fixing our mind and healing the shattered pieces, flashes of scenery and buildings swooping by, feeling from our Kages as we rebuild. It will take some time, but I can feel Kage fading, and I realize how much time I've already wasted trying to lose myself in the memories surrounding me.

We have to hurry.

We're almost there.

Juura POV

Letting the engine cut loose, I sped along the dark rode, the duffels in the bag clanking together. But I wasn't worried. All the guns had double safety clicks installed, and Stone had one hand on the mound to steady it. He was half leaning out the open back, and half in the front seat, legs dangling.

Kage was crouched on the back floorboard and we were soaring down the highway towards the bridge. Buildings and neon lights swam by in a dizzying stream of color glowing obscenely in the night, and my horn blared at a car that suddenly shot out in front of me. Kam flipped me off and Kao laughed, swerving in front of my jeep. I grinned and dipped dangerously to the left, snatching a tunnel into the front.

He honked back and I could hear Shikamaru complaining from his seat, Kiba howling and glad to be in the fresh city air again. Even if the people and customs were strange, the smell of grease and oil and too-sweet perfume mixed with sirens sounding in the distance was pure home for us. The lights everywhere, billboards bright and showy with ads and quotes called to us comfortingly. Bad manners and road rage with headlights and tires screeching.

I ducked and weaved down the almost empty road. A third and fourth car joined us, the black-haired woman in the fourth silent and steady, driving quicker and quieter than the rest of us.

Stone said nothing, watching her. A few years ago, Stone had come out for a meeting with some of his bosses at this high-end job he used to run, and met-according to him-the woman of his dreams. Noir.

But she'd never committed, only apologized and said she loved him. He came back heartbroken, and I don't think he ever got over her. He'd gotten so deep in depression that year his boss fired him and he'd stayed with me ever since. Almost 17 months ago though, he'd suddenly cheered up for no apparent reason, and never explained or mentioned Noir's name again.

No. I know he never got over her. That's why I was a bitch for asking this of him.

Noir had gotten us rides when we arrived in town, and now we were following her to her penthouse flat on the other side of town. She ran a car market mixed with information and weaponry, so her pay was almost astronomically good. That business, combined with her regular day job was holding up a 50,000 suite at this really fancy apartment complex right beside the city's giant bridge.

Kakashi and Iruka had taken the other adults ahead and checked into the place a block down from us, since Noir didn't have the space for all of us. They were coming over later when we got there, since we went to eat first.

Now as we pulled into the high rise parking lot, Noir signaled for us to park separately. I hurried into a corner, apart from any other vehicles. Neji parked about ten spaces away, Gaara leisurely getting out and stretching, sighed as his back popped. Kage unfurled and leaped into the branches of this huge tree that towered over my jeep, and I watched him climb higher. His back disappeared and Noir whistled, looking after him. Stone got out and I felt the tension tighten around my throat.

"Let's go. Tch. It's so troublesome waiting out here in the cold," Shikamaru muttered, and Kiba laughed, nudging him good-naturedly until he gave in and smiled a little, letting his lover get the best of him. The smaller brunette grinned happily and took his own bag and duffel from the jeep, thanking me for taking it. I waved it away and called up to Kage, "Come on! Time to go in."

Silence reigned for a moment and suddenly a shape hurtled down, landing lightly, without a sound beside me, picking a few leaves out of his hair.

We stared for a moment, before turning to follow Noir. Kam and Kao quickly got out and followed, making sure to lock up and remind me to. Hinata climbed out last-minute and jumped to come after, and just as we reached the steps, Sakura roared into the quiet lot, her borrowed motorcycle screeching to a stop an inch from my foot.

"Hey," I called over the noise, and she flipped the motor off, shucking the helmet into the jeep and racing to go after the main group which had already gone half-way up. Smirking, I went too, and followed them into a big, gaping room that smelled like pine and linen.

I could see a balcony and as everyone talked about how spacious everything was, I went over and stepped out, looking over the vast city before me, lights illuminating the giant bridge beside the complex. We'd finally come to the place we were going to find Sasuke. After weeks of travel and train-hopping, we'd finally gotten here. To look out on the famous Golden Gate Bridge. The neon lights and bright sounds rising up from San Fransisco somehow filled me with new hope.

We could do this. After all, it was our only chance.

Kage POV (2nd to last. say goodbye)

Now that I open my eyes, I can smell leather and curl into the couch more, relieved the comfort wasn't a dream looking up, I find the heat next to me huge and orange. Jolting out of my sleep, I squeeze my fingers, nails entering the smooth leather loveseat. Kyuubi is watching me, the silky water smilding over my hands and wetting my shirt and pants. Even though I can sense I'm still in the apartment, I understand that my time outside is ending. Looking around, I see how much they've repaired already. Clangs are coming from a collapsed hallway. My double comes out and smiles sadly.

"I'm sorry you can't stay longer, Kage. I know you like it; being alive."

But I say nothing, only watching him press his mind into molding together one of the last pieces of mortar, a stream ceasing to spurt from the top of it.

"Tomorrow," Kyuubi growls, his giant tails whooshing faintly high over my head, black fur bristled and great red, slitted eye gazing at me from his height so far above.

I nod, and feel Kage no Kitsune growl in agreement. He knows better than I that he must relinquish hold on this body very soon. Personally, I will miss the wind in my hair, massaging my scalp with the rain and feeling my toes curl in the fresh grass, invisible tails sweeping out behind me for balance. But we both know we cannot stop it even if we had the choice.

Naruto keeps healing his mind and I let the vision fade, relaxing into the cushion for a moment before rising.

I know what the original wants me to do, and I follow is directions, silently padding out onto the patio and reaching to the ceiling. Sinking my claws in, I suddenly feel eyes watching me. Turning, I see Shikamaru and Neji watching me. Gaara steps out and keeps a steady eye on me too. Sakura is leaning on the counter inside, but none of them say anything, only watching me flip myself onto the roof of the apartment and disappear into the City by the Bay.

I can feel the tug on my gut leading me to the gigantic form of the lit-up bridge, and leap from the roof, my nails sinking perfectly into trees as I go by, at last doing what I came here to do.

A tiny thread of guilt burns at me, and I shrug it away. I don't have time to feel this way. I have orders, and not only do I have to follow them, but every molecule of me aches for Sasuke just as much as Naruto's own does. In that much at least, we are exactly the same.

UWWWAAAAHHH! So? Do you like my choice? I hope you do! I spent eternity on freaking Google earth and researched city nicknames. Now I expect to look up locations that really exist ! sigh. i hope you ppl appreciate me:D lol. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!