TimeShifter: I have no idea where you got Star Wars, honestly... Anyway, I answer many questions this chapter and create many more in their place. As for Naruto going Kyuubi, there's a very good reason. Not explained this chapter...or next...or very soon really, but it will be explained. I have very important explanations for everything. Unfortunately, this update nearly got delayed as much as the last one...for very different reasons.

Chapter 27:
Perfect People

Madara smirked under his mask. "Oh, I didn't think he'd do that." He felt team Hawk's heated glares, but he paid them little mind. He was more interested in the outcome of the battle between Pein and Kyuubi no Kitsune. "He must have grown frustrated." He turned to face Sasuke. "Well, it doesn't look like Naruto'll be reviving a fresh Uchiha clan."

"I-I still feel his chakra!" Karin practically yelled.

The Uchiha elder regarded her for a moment before answering. "Yes, but he's trapped in a prison he can never escape." He paused for a moment before disappearing. Before anybody realized what was happening, Sasuke was hit with…himself. Madara clicked his tongue disappointedly. "Tisk, tisk, Sasuke-kun."

As the standing figure of Sasuke faded, the real Sasuke stood and wiped blood from the corner of his mouth. For having attacks pass right through him, he had to admit his elder had a mean right hook. He elected to remain silent and give the immortal an angry glower.

"Oh, don't be like that Sasuke-kun. We had a bargain, and you lost." He returned to his previous spot just as suddenly as he had moved from it previously. Facing the direction of his subordinate's battle, he suppressed a chuckle. At least Sasuke and his team were interesting. "The boy can't escape his fate. He's merely a small cog in my master plan."

Tendou impassively stared at the small 'moon' he had created. At full power, a large satellite was but a mere thought. As much as he hated to admit it, the boy had given him a challenge. His chakra was nearly depleted, and he still had two bijuu to collect. Closing his eyes, he refocused his remaining energy. There was a good chance they were waiting for him back in Konoha, and they knew what he was after.

He forced chakra into his feet and ran at full speed. He was a mere blur as he leapt through the trees. He kept his eyes on the goal. As much as he hated it, the child had to be sacrificed for the greater good of the world. Her sacrifice would ensure the ninja world crumbled. Her sacrifice would ensure a new world order, an eternal era of peace.

As the village gates came into view, he inspected the damage. The village was in ruins. It would take years to recover from the fell blow he delivered to them. However, they no longer had the manpower to pose a threat. It was doubtful they could even hold a candle to one of the weaker ninja villages, let alone Akatsuki…let alone Madara. It had taken a lot out of him, but he still somehow failed to eliminate the prideful Hyuuga clan.

As he landed in the ruined square he had fought Naruto, he put aside any thoughts of eliminating the cornerstone of Konoha's morale. Not far away, two medics sobbed over the corpse of the heiress. The clan wasn't destroyed, but he damaged their pride. As he took a step, the pink haired medic glared at him with kunai in her eyes. She was no threat, nearly drained of chakra. The blond medic next to her was in even worse condition.

He took another step forward, and his progress was halted as a recently unmasked ANBU grasped his ankle. Her face was badly scarred from burns and blades. The Byakugan of her left eye was permanently active as evidenced by her right being inactive. The same hand that grasped his ankle held a chakra seal; he presumed it was to keep her left eye from killing her.

Unceremoniously, he slammed his free leg into her side. He didn't even need Shinra Tensei to shake her off. She cried out in pain as she was forced away from him. She held her bleeding side, and he imagined she was suffering from cracked and/or broken ribs. She tried to force her body up, but muscle spasms, dissected tendons, and pain kept her down.

As he turned, he was surprised to see Kanaeru standing there…smirking at him. He pointed a hand at the small red-haired child and pulled her to him. With her in arm, he was certain nobody would attack. He was uncertain he could handle too many fights if he wanted to move at full speed to retrieve the boy and return to headquarters.

As he turned to leave, Kanaeru finally spoke up. Tendou stopped and looked over his shoulder to listen. "It's a simple trial." She groaned in pain and held her stomach. "Don't get too full of yourself. You haven't won yet."

"He is trapped within my new moon of peace. Once he is at our main base, we'll extract the war beast contained within him. Sad as it is, the boy and this child will die." He paused. "No, they must die. They will be sacrificed to the moon of peace, and war will forever cease."

Without further word, he leapt away. Kanaeru stumbled before falling flat on her butt. Her smirk actually grew before she fell back to lie on her back. She released a heavy sigh, and then she angled her head enough to look at the medics kneeling over Hinata's corpse. "You really shouldn't have done that, Pein."

She remembered what happened just moments before he arrived.

Sakura and Ino rushed over to the sight of the fresh battlefield. Gayt simply indicated Kanaeru and the ANBU with a nod of his head. He was fine, and Star was recovering as a globe of light. The medics hesitated for a moment as they looked at Momiji. A girl her age…should never have witnessed such a sight. Unfortunately, she wasn't their biggest concern.

Sakura rushed for Hinata while Ino headed for Kanaeru. Tsubaki was sitting on her own power, and she was watching them intently. Strangely, a paper seal was over her left eye. They paid the minor detail little mind as they worked furiously on their patients. They might have time to think about things later. As it stood, they had a friend and an ally to save.

Ino was relieved to find that Kanaeru's wound was bad but easily treatable. Stomach wounds were notorious for how slowly and painfully they killed. She could use a small amount of chakra to repair her internal organs and not bother sealing the wound. A little pressure would keep her from bleeding out, and she could help Sakura with their fallen friend.

Sakura, however, was almost in tears the instant she saw Hinata's wound. It didn't look so bad because it wasn't bleeding much. The life, however, had already drained from the young, shy heiress' eyes. She gently placed her hands over the opening in her throat and pumped chakra into them. As she shaped healing energy, tears fell and she couldn't stop herself from sobbing.

There was nothing she could do; her friend was already gone. Naruto would be heartbroken. No, he may well become a berserker.

She looked up when Ino placed a hand on her shoulder. Her junior kneeled beside her and resisted a gag reflex. It was new to see somebody so near and dear lying lifeless. Before long, the futility set in, and they broke into helpless sobs. Kanaeru looked on sadly, but she sent a hard glare to Gayt.

It was then Pein showed himself, and his disgusting chakra almost made her gag. She noticed Tsubaki angrily tear the paper seal from her eye and reach out for their common tormentor's ankle. Things broke down quickly from there…

"Nagato, you have to conserve your chakra." Konan was worried about the man she loved. He was so obsessed with his own vision of peace that she worried he lost sight of something as simple as his own health. Worse, he had used his deadliest technique twice. She looked at him sadly.

Nagato always looked sickly. At least his body had appeared malnourished and pale since he finished perfecting his Pein Rikudou techniques. He was panting from exhaustion, all because he focused his energy into the strange machine he summoned after losing Yahiko. He said it gave him power, and she had certainly believed that when he used it to kill Hanzou.

She seriously doubted her earlier convictions.

"Where is the Konoha search party?" He purposely ignored her question. He knew how worried she got, and he was fully aware of how she felt for him. He felt the same way, had for much longer. There was something he had to accomplish, however. His best friend and first rival had left his dream on his shoulders, and he was going to make sure Yahiko's dream lived on.

Konan closed her eyes. He was ignoring her concern again. She turned away from him and reported as plainly as she could despite the pain in her heart and apparent on her face. "They'd destroyed another decoy. They obviously know what they're looking for, but they can't sense our chakra through my defenses."

Nagato nodded, pleased. "Good, our plans are moving more quickly than I had dreamed. Tendou is on his way back with both Hachibi no Ushi and Kyuubi no Kitsune." He saw her body stiffen in surprise. "Yes, Konoha was also hiding the true Hachibi no Ushi." He paused for a moment. "She's too young to witness war, yet she will help bring about its eternal end."

Konan sensed the sadness in his voice. Perhaps emotions they long thought dead were being awakened. She idly wondered if the girl reminded him of his own youth. They were fighting, after all, to ensure that no child ever lost his or her parents to future wars. Regardless, they had to stomp on any such thoughts and become deities to the new world.

Tendou's 'moon' hung ominously off the ground. It floated impossibly, resisting the pull of gravity. Every once in a while, it shuddered from the power contained within. A reddish glow peeked out from the cracks, but they were short lived with every quake. Though Tendou left it alone, it easily continued to contain the great bijuu loosed from rage.

Within the impossible sphere, Naruto was protected from the crushing pressure by dense red chakra. Though it protected and healed him, the rage continued to poison him. With terribly slow speed, his own power was painfully bringing him closer to death. His body thrashed, and the sphere shuddered with another quake.

His jaw slacked impossibly as he yowled in rage filled hatred. His body mindlessly twisted and flexed to fight the crushing pressure. The sphere didn't budge in the slightest. His body fought and squirmed. His eyes, clouded with blood, appeared as useless as they were. He could no longer perceive the outside world.

Within his mindscape, Kyuubi bellowed indignant rage. "It's not enough, kit!" He seethed as he watched Naruto. He was awash in a red sea of chakra. He stared listlessly at the ceiling. His negative emotions had burned him out, and he no longer felt anything. "Feed me more rage!"

Kyuubi's face contorted with anger, rage, hate, and peerless bloodlust. "Hate!" He yelled loud enough to send ripples across the red chakra sea. "He killed a precious person! He slaughtered people without remorse! He spat on their corpses! Burn! Burn him! Let me rend the flesh from his body! Let me drink the marrow from his bones!"

A resounding crack drew his attention. "You can't take much more, kit!" A whirlpool erupted nearby, and he snarled at it. "Your body is breaking, but your mind will be gone before you can die! You need to feed me more! Don't you want him dead?! Don't you want to exact revenge on everybody who made you feel like this?!" He paused to gauge Naruto's reaction.

Kyuubi's chakra reddened in frustration. "She said she loved you!" He lowered his head as a guttural growl rippled the red chakra sea. "You can't even hear me anymore; can you kit?" He looked up only to notice the mindscape was much larger around him. "Huh?"

He looked around and twisted frantically before looking at his paw… He blinked in confusion. He was looking at human hands. He opened his mouth to speak, but he heard a female voice from behind him. "I can't let you do this to kit." He lurched in pain as a hand protruded from his chest coated in red chakra. He dully noted the chakra was shaped as claws around the human hand.

He stumbled forward and fell to his knees when the hand was extracted. Before he could turn around to face his attacker, he felt a powerful impact to the side. He flew into the far wall, and his breath evacuated his lungs in a cough. Dazed, he tried to look up but saw in triplicate.

"Idiot!" The female voice was calmer, but it was certainly angry. The red chakra sea sloshed as she walked closer. "Idiot, idiot, idiot!" She berated in righteous indignation. "You've brought kit to the brink of destruction, but for what?!" Before he could make out her features, she spun and sent a roundhouse kick to his jaw, and he went flying again.

Sprawled out face down in the red chakra sea, he fought to regain his composure. The gaping hole in his chest wasn't helping. Before he could push himself out of the churning red chakra sea, he was picked up by the seal collar. He finally came face to face with his attacker, and his eyes went wide. "Ku-Kushina?!"

She gave him a hard look. "You know very well she's dead!" She pushed him against the wall, hard. She ignored his pained look and sickening crack that was likely a rib. "You also know very well just who I am!" She leaned in. Their noses were almost touching, and then he saw it.

It was only for a moment, but her eyes narrowed and looked distinctly fox-like. "You… You're…" He quickly broke into incomprehensible babble as he tried to wrap his mind around it. He almost missed her roll her eyes before she slammed him into the ground obscured by the red chakra sea.

"That's right; you idiot! You risked kit's life because you didn't want to believe the truth right in front of your eyes!" She shook her head angrily, and her hair fluttered in the air long enough to reveal her neck. The same seal collar he wore tightly wrapped around her neck. It smoked as if on fire, and the fair skin around the collar was inflamed with pain. "I'm your tane, idiot!"

She finally dropped him as his rage subsided, if slightly. She pulled at the seal collar uncomfortably, but it was smoking less. She looked angrily at him as he desperately fought to just sit. The water sloshed around his violent actions until he finally settled down enough to look up at her. He panted as he studied her features.

"You know perfectly well why I look like this and why I'm showing up now." He nodded understanding her words. She growled before looking over her shoulder to Naruto. "If I let you go any further, kit would die before we could rescue the others." She looked at him sadly. "Your mind is filled with so many negative memories and emotions…"

"It's Minato's fault!" He barked at her. "If that…man…" He hesitated in angry hatred. "…had done everything he could to protect Kushina, we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place! He trusted that snake, and he brought the Uchiha brat to us!" His rage redoubled, but a stern look from the Kushina lookalike reminded him of his position.

"I was hoping to absorb my rightful powers more slowly, but things have accelerated unexpectedly." She ignored any protests he might have made and walked to Naruto's side. She gingerly took his face in her hands. "I can't believe how blind you were…" She sighed. "No, I suppose I should say how blind I was."

She tilted Naruto's face, so he could look at it. "He looks exactly like Minato, but he resembles Kushina so much." She shook her head as his jaw hung slack and realization lit his eyes. "Kanaeru gave me the chance to set things right." She stood between him and Naruto defensively. "Now, disappear before you do any more harm!"

"Are you joking?!" His voice resounded through the mindscape like a yowl. To her credit, she didn't cringe under his powerful voice. "Pein's still alive! He's the one that caused kit pain! If I don't kill him now, things'll only get worse!" He tried to stand, but he slid before he could even put weight on his arms.

She shook her head in disappointment. "We're one and the same. You weren't supposed to exist like this. I want the same thing you do, but I have the yin and yang in our powers and memories that you lacked." She paused to stare pleadingly into his eyes. "Don't you see? Kanaeru fixed what Minato didn't know he broke."

He bellowed in pain and anger. Surrounded by powerful red chakra, he managed to stand. The hole in his chest had expanded, but it wasn't bleeding. Unnoticed a red chakra string connected him to his female counterpart. He rushed forward, ready to drive his claws into her.

She sighed despairingly before disappearing from his vision. Before he could hear the sloshing accompanying her footsteps, she drove a claw through his stomach. He fell face forward into the red chakra sea. It was oddly calm he noted idly. As he floated face first, he caught her foot in the corner of his eye before it slammed into his face.

"I guess I have to take what's rightfully mine the hard way." She sighed. "We've never had a situation like this, so I wasn't expecting anything like having to deal with this." She knelt down beside him. "You're too weak to fight back, and I've already taken most of your chakra." She shook her head. "I guess I should correct myself." She paused. "I've already taken most of my chakra."

He panted as he tried pushing himself into a seated position. She was right. She was already a lot stronger than him, and she was acting on more than pure instinct. Closing his eyes, he tried to take advantage of what control he had left in Naruto. He felt the boy's body clearly through the connection. After only a moment, he opened his eyes in astonishment.

He looked to the Kushina lookalike. She wore a miserable expression. She looked ready to cry. "Do you see what you've been doing to him, now?" She threw an arm to her side in rage, and he instinctively flinched. "His muscles are sore and nearly broken down! His bones are brittle and ready to break!" She snarled; her upper lip twitched in anger. "Now, back down." Her words were punctuated for emphasis.

Breathing ragged, he panted and leaned his head back. He looked to the mindscape's ceiling only to see the damage he'd done. It looked like a broken mirror, reflecting a dark abyss. He was too tired and deranged to tell if he was looking at lighting or mental synapses flickering across the void. "He-He really is Kushina's kit… Isn't he?"

Before she could respond, his body broke down and the last of his essence flowed into her. "Idiot, that's what I've been saying all along." As she turned around, her body took on more fox-like attributes. Two ears protruded from her red mane. Nine red tails swooshed behind her. She sighed as she walked to Naruto one more time.

"Hello Uzumaki Naruto. I'm the bijuu called Kyuubi no Kitsune, and you're my jinchuuriki." She looked at his listless figure remorsefully. "You've lost something valuable and irreplaceable, but not everything's so bad." She smiled sadly. "She said she loved you." She shook her head. "She's always shown she loves you, but she finally gathered the courage to speak her mind."

"You're parents are dead and gone… Don't let your precious people down. Don't let them die… Don't you dare die on them!" She cupped his face with her hands. "Show Kanae-chan her gift wasn't wasted. Show the village that they need you. Show everybody that the trust they placed in you wasn't mislaid. You are their hope now. You want to be Hokage, right?"

"What's the point?" Naruto finally responded. His eyes were lifeless, and his body remained listless. He continued to stare at the ceiling, and it was to tell if he had actually spoken. "She's dead…" He turned hate filled and hurting eyes to her. "Hinata-chan's dead and there was nothing I could do for her!" The red chakra sea surrounding them churned and boiled once again.

A resounding clap rang through his mindscape, and the red chakra sea was instantly calm again. He held a hand to his face in surprise. His cheek throbbed in pain from the stern slap she delivered to him. He didn't know what to say, and his real body ceased squirming and fighting the sphere's pressure.

"If she's dead, don't let her death be in vain! Show her you value the life she put before her own!" She shook her head. Before he could reply, a strangely creepy smile took over her features. "Besides, do you really know she's dead?"

"Huh...?" He responded dumbly and watched her.

She rolled her eyes and pouted. "You are helpless…" Her smirk returned. "I guess you just remind me of your parents, then." She put a finger to his lips before he could reply. "Before you ask any questions, just reach out your feelings. You didn't really think about it before because it was amplified by senjutsu, but you easily read others' chakra."

He blinked in confusion, but he still couldn't reply. She stood erect and sighed in irritation. "You have a legacy to uphold, kit." He blinked in confusion, but anger soon contorted his face as he placed 'kit' with the collar around her neck. "Oh, come off it. I'm trying to help. Now, just imagine Hinata's chakra and reach out with your feelings."

He looked at her suspiciously, but, in the end, he complied. He closed his eyes and imagined Hinata's distinct chakra. He remembered it because he always associated it with the dark, creepy girl on his list of precious people. When she tried to help him during the first part of the chunin exams, he noted it. When Neji unjustly beat her to within an inch of her life, he vowed upon it as much as upon her blood. When she encouraged him before his match with the smug prodigy, he fully memorized it.

His eyes opened in amazement. He still felt it… "I can feel it…" It was strange. He saw the katana erupt from her throat and heard the finality of her heart stop. Pein even seemed satisfied that he'd killed her. There was no way he'd mistake her chakra disappearing… He blinked in confusion.

She spoke his thoughts aloud. "You're thinking, 'Wait, did I feel her chakra fade away, or was I just engulfed by Kyuubi's rage filled chakra?'" She walked closer, and he tried to back away. He didn't notice he was still held aloft by red chakra. Though it was subsiding, he hadn't let go of his negative emotions yet.

"Don't run away from it, kit. Embrace it. Let it wrap around you and fill you with warmth." She wagged a finger at him. "It's time you learned to fight with something more than rage and hate." She took a breath, and he felt somehow lightheaded and calmer than he ever had before. She wrapped her arms around herself like a warm embrace. "She said she loved you, and she romantically fought to keep you alive."

She opened her eyes and warmly looked at him. He felt heat rise to his cheeks. "Kanae-chan shouted bravely in defiance to protect you. Your friends stood fervently behind you. Jiraiya taught you everything he knows. Kakashi proudly took you under his wing to protect you and let you grow. You have friends and loved ones, and you call them all your precious people."

The cracks in his mindscape slowly, so painfully slowly, closed. The room gained some much needed light. He took in the new woman's features for the first time. She kind of reminded him of Kanaeru, but she was more conservatively dressed. Her hair was longer, and she vaguely reminded him of someone… He couldn't place his fingers on it, but she was very familiar.

"Naruto, you can fight with senjutsu. However, you realize that's not enough. Pein is no ordinary enemy, and you still haven't actually located Nagato." She paused when he lowered his gaze. "You don't need to feel ashamed. He's very good at hiding his location, but Pein will lead you to him." She closed her eyes and nodded. "You know how, right?"

He looked up; a foxy grin adorned his face. She smirked. "My, my, already have a plan kit?" His only response was a nod, and she quickly continued. "There's another problem." He looked at her with concern. "He's probably after the other bijuu and jinchuuriki in the village."

He blinked in astonishment. "Who?! Did baa-chan find the Hachibi's jinchuuriki and bring him to Konoha?" He felt oddly excited. The only other bijuu and jinchuuriki he knew was Ichibi and Gaara. It was hard to befriend the current Kazekage, but he was certain he could make a repeat performance and save Hachibi's jinchuuriki from a self-destructive path. Well, that would depend on if he was on one anyway…

She shook her head. "I don't know. All I know is that I sensed Hachibi no Ushi while we were running on a rampage. I'm not sure if Hachibi sensed me or not, but it's a safe bet that Pein noticed the bijuu's chakra." She gave him a determined look. "You have to get free from Pein's 'new moon of peace' and save the jinchuuriki."

Naruto nodded. He felt strangely pumped up. Then again, he wasn't just fighting for himself. He was fighting for his village. He was fighting for his precious people. He was fighting for the jinchuuriki like him. If Pein's speech was any indication, he was fighting for the sake of the entire world. As he stood, he noticed the water looked normal and had receded. His mindscape was back to normal. Well, it was as normal as prison or sewers normal anyway.

He pumped his fist in the air. "All right, I'm ready!" He looked to the woman, standing oddly serenely nearby. "Don't think you fool me looking like that, Kyuubi." He gave her an icy gaze. "I still don't trust you. I don't know what you're up to, but I suppose I do owe you thanks." He gave her a v-sign. "Thanks for telling me Hinata-chan's waiting for me!"

With those parting words, he disappeared from his mindscape. Kyuubi looked down in disappointment. "Well, I suppose a few minutes talking isn't enough to forgive years of torture." She looked to the final resting spot of her predecessor. "I really was a fool, unable to tell who he was. Now I can only fight for the future."

When Naruto opened his eyes, he was surrounded by darkness. He felt more than saw the rocks trying to crush him. They were held off by his chakra. He closed his eyes and concentrated. No, he realized his chakra was aided by Kyuubi's chakra. However, it felt different. He couldn't put it into words, but he felt a warmth from the chakra he hadn't felt before.

He heard voices outside and stretched his senses. He heard a girl sobbing lightly, and her cries brought his resolution. He gathered the natural energy around him and took on the look of the sage. His control of senjutsu was perfect, so he shaped his chakra into his favorite technique. He felt his opponent tense as the Rasengan spun and whirred to life.

He drove the Fourth's technique into the nearest surface of the sphere. It burrowed through the rock like a hot kunai through butter. When he emerged on the other side, he was already prepared for Tendou's counterattack. A hidden Kage Bushin pushed him out of the way before being dispelled by a swift punch to the jaw.

As Naruto landed, five more Kage Bushin emerged from the hole to challenge Tendou. The last of the Pein Rikudou tried to fight them off, but he couldn't use Shinra Tensei with a hostage against so many opponents. He was driven back, and one Kage Bushin managed to liberate the red-haired girl.

Frustrated, Tendou turned on the remaining Kage Bushin and destroyed them by sending them into the sphere's wall with a push from Shinra Tensei. He turned to face the remaining clone with Hachibi no Ushi's jinchuuriki only to be confronted with Naruto and a fully formed Rasengan.

He flew into the giant sphere he created, and it crumbled into rubble from the force of the impact. It fell the ground along with him as it finally succumbed to the pull of gravity. As he stood, he brushed the dust from his robes and locked a scrutinizing gaze on the young shinobi.

He took careful note of how different he was from before. He was much more composed, and not an ounce of the Kyuubi's chakra seeped out. His unfamiliar chakra felt like it was pushing down on him, yet he didn't feel any killing intent. Unlike their previous altercation, Naruto was confident and felt wholly in control of the situation. In the back o his mind, Tendou realized this confrontation was going to turn out much differently than the previous two.

Kanaeru belted out raucous laughter. She received exactly what she was expecting. Sakura, Ino, and Tsubaki stared at her incredulously. Through tears, they were ready to kill her for mocking the death of a dear friend. "He's finally ready to fight it out for real!" She practically sang, and the incredulous stares became laced with confusion.

"You can drop the act now, Gayt." They looked from Kanaeru to her armored guardian. He nodded and released a heavy breath. "Pein didn't realize it, but Gayt and Star are quite skilled in duplicity. They prefer a straight forward fight, but they know when and how to use sleight of hand."

To their astonishment, Kanaeru's words revealed what was hidden from their eyes. Gayt lowered his sword and released his grip on it. As it faded into the ether, they heard moaning from the crater Pein created with Shinra Tensei and Hinata's body. The ledge Hinata first landed on was whole. They stared at the impossible sight as her head shifted with another moan.

"What about the little girl, Momiji?!" Sakura couldn't help but scream out. The poor girl was probably traumatized for life. As concerned as she was for her friend, she could tell from where they were that she was alive and well. Ino looked at her worriedly.

Kanaeru shook her head with a sigh. "You honestly think I'm going to let those Akatsuki scum get their hands on another jinchuuriki?" Except for Kanaeru, they looked up when they heard shuffling behind her. They saw Shion holding unconscious Momiji, and her face was alight with confusion.

"You probably didn't notice, but Momiji is the jinchuuriki of the Hachibi no Ushi." She turned and struggled to her feet. "More importantly, she's a very important family member." She took two staggering steps towards Shion, who in turn took two fearful steps back. "Gayt knew I wouldn't stand for her to come to any harm, so he wrapped her in his genjutsu as well."

"It is not a traditional genjutsu, Kanaeru-sama." Gayt reminded the sumitsuki as he approached. "It uses mana instead of chakra." He stood beside her and looked at everybody present. Sakura and Ino were already tending to the injured Hinata. He suspected they would.

Kanaeru chuckled. "Of course Gayt, how could I forget?" When he didn't respond, she continued. "I'd like to learn more about that child, Demons-sama. Last I checked, you had no heir." She smiled pleasantly, hoping to disarm the daimyo priestess. She didn't want to frighten them, after all.

Karin blinked in astonishment, and everybody took notice. Madara narrowed his eyes feeling frustration creeping up on him for the first time in decades. Before he could say anything, she spoke up excitedly. "Sasuke-kun, the fight's not over yet! I can feel it! Naruto's chakra's returned to normal."

Sasuke turned to his elder. "It seems the game's not over just yet. It seems I can still use him to bring about a new Uchiha clan." He was less certain than before that the class clown could finish the fight favorably, but he knew to never put the impossible past him. He had a way of bringing about the unexpected.

Madara almost shrugged. In truth, small delays in his plans were unimportant. He could let Naruto live a bit longer. A new Uchiha clan, devoid of the taint of treachery, also didn't sound too bad to him. Still, the Kyuubi no Kitsune's jinchuuriki hadn't proved himself yet. He already lost to Pein once before. It wasn't a sure bet he could turn the tables.

"Oh yes, there are plenty of positives to consider either way. It's a win-win situation for me, so I don't really care." Once he finished contemplating, he answered. "No, I suppose not Sasuke-kun." He turned his revealed eye to watch his decedent's reaction. "Whatever happens, this battle will end very soon." He chuckled at the angry glower he received. "Yes, very soon indeed…"

As Tendou rose from the rubble, Naruto spoke. "You're wrong, Nagato." He blinked when the blond called his true name. Just as quickly as his surprise was there, it was gone. "Ero-sennin told me about you. He regretted leaving you all those years ago, not knowing if you were alive or not." He shook his head, a pained expression in his eyes. "You've tainted his memory."

Tendou shook his head. "Not at all, he deserted us. If he felt regret, he could have taken us with him to ensure our safety. Instead, he left us to fend for ourselves in Rain…under Hanzou." He paused to appraise the young man standing against him. "I know what you're thinking. If you can distract me long enough, you can use that Rasenshuriken of yours. It won't work."

Naruto raised his hands into a familiar hand seal. To either side, Kage Bushin came into existence. "Well, we won't know unless I try, but that's not what I was thinking." He glared heatedly at the bringer of pain. "You inspired his first book, and he dedicated it to your desire to overcome the impossible."

He held his hand behind him, and his Kage Bushin worked furiously to shape and manipulate chakra. The cyclonic energy raged to life just above the palm of his hand. "Well, I've dedicated myself to overcoming the impossible! I was told I could never become a ninja! I was told I could never learn the Fourth's jutsu! I was told I could never complete the Fourth's jutsu, and I was told I could never use it once I actually did!"

Tendou's eyes went wide as he looked at the powerful Rasenshuriken in a new light. The legend of Konoha's Fourth was known far and wide. Singlehandedly, he wiped out entire battalions of Iwa ninja. Perhaps he could see what Jiraiya saw in the young shinobi. He was still considered a genin, but his skills obviously exceeded most jonin.

He barely noticed the Rasenshuriken launched in time to avoid it. He used Shinra Tensei to jump as high as he could. As his feet left the ground, he felt hands grip his ankles. He looked down to see Kage Bushin latch onto him and drag him back down. His eyes narrowed. It was too soon to use his technique again.

Instead, he turned their momentum to his advantage. He ducked low and managed to get under the powerful S-rank kinjutsu. When he rose to his feet, he saw rocks drop their guise. He was surrounded by hundreds of Kage Bushin. He nearly stumbled backwards as he lost his footing. A blow to the back forced him into the coming horde.

Without time to think, he twisted in midair and aimed his open palms straight up. He shot out another Shinra Tensei. Though he barely had enough time to recharge, it was plenty to send the Naruto army into the sky. They crashed into each other and popped out of existence. He quickly regained his feet.

As he turned back to face his quarry, he found a Rasengan too close for comfort. "If you hadn't given up, you could have achieved the impossible!" Naruto slammed the perfect sphere of chakra into the last of the Pein Rikudou. He heard and felt bones snap under the pressure of the powerful sphere of chakra.

Pulling back, Naruto looked at the broken and battered body that he knew had been long dead. "So, this is what Jiraiya was talking about? I had to make a choice, and Yahiko's body is lifeless once again." He bowed his head in recognition of the fallen foe. It was a hard fought battle, and it took all his wits to outmaneuver the overwhelmingly powerful entity.

He blinked in realization as his last Kage Bushin popped out of existence. He looked around to find the little red-haired girl, but she was nowhere in sight. He scratched his head in confusion. "Huh, I could have sworn Pein was holding a little girl hostage."

"Not quite, kit, but good guess." Naruto jumped in surprise as Kyuubi spoke through a mental connection he was sure they didn't have. She explained before he could voice his question. "Consider it a gift from Kanae-chan." He folded his arms and pouted. She giggled. "Anyway, I think we can thank that armored figure. He has a lot of strange abilities, and it seems he replaced the jinchuuriki girl with a genjutsu of some sort."

Naruto was no stranger to being fooled by illusions, but he was certain Pein had avoided Fukusaku and Shima's technique earlier. He was about to voice his concern when another question popped into his head. "Hey, you mean that little girl was Hachibi's jinchuuriki?" He was immediately saddened for her fate, but he was hopeful that she wasn't too forgone with abuse to save easily.

"Cute, isn't she? Anyway, don't forget that you have to find Nagato now." She paused as just a little bit of anger crept into her voice. "He can't be too far away. Judging by Pein's little show of power here, there's no way he could pull that off over a chakra connection unless he was close to the source."

Naruto nodded. He hated to admit it, but he agreed. Unfortunately, he felt multiple sources. Knowing it was impossible; he knelt down and took a single rod from the fallen Yahiko. He only had one choice. When the rods were driven through his body earlier, he managed to sense clearly what direction Nagato was in. He still needed clearer instructions.

Taking a deep breath, he stabbed the rod into his hand. The flash of pain was quick as the Kyuubi's chakra quickly healed and dulled the pain. Once he was certain where he could find Nagato, he extracted the rod. He watched his wound close for a moment. "You know; I'm always amazed watching that."

Kyuubi chuckled. "Well, I can't exactly let my jinchuuriki die." He was silent for a moment before he decided to take off. Before he could send chakra to his legs, she interrupted him. "Wait, there's something I have to tell you." Out of curiosity, he stopped. He wasn't sure what to expect, so he decided to let the new Kyuubi lead.

"You may have already figured this out, but I knew your parents." He crossed his arms and nodded. He wore a frown as he wondered where she was going. "Well, Akatsuki also knew your parents…" She paused as if remembering a bad memory. "It's why the…other Kyuubi no Kitsune you knew acted the way he did. You see, above anything else, he…I cherish family."

Naruto nodded. He could understand where she was coming form. He never experienced what having a family was like, but he knew how important it was. It turned Sasuke into the dark, brooding ninja he was. It eventually led him towards a path of destruction with Orochimaru.

He was also very aware of Hinata and Neji's family. They were cousins, but the latter hated the former for nearly a decade. Hinata deeply loved him, her father, and sister. She desperately sought and fought for their approval. They were so important to her that she was driven into the depression he saw in her all those years ago at the chunin exams.

"Good, you understand kit. Before you face Nagato, there's something I have to tell you about your parents and how much they cherished and loved you. The reason they died was to try to give you a future. Without their sacrifices however, the very village you live in wouldn't exist. Let me tell you about their last, precious moments together."

Instantly, Naruto knew that 'tell' was completely inaccurate. Before him, he saw an image of two people madly in love. Her head was in the crook of his neck, and he leaned on her head as he rubbed her swollen belly lovingly. He quickly realized he was in her swollen belly. He also noticed two important details.

The woman looked exactly like Kyuubi's current form, and the man sharply resembled Konoha's Fourth Hokage. He stared disbelievingly as the last scene of their life together played out.

A beautiful, red-haired kunoichi laughed as she walked arm-in-arm with the love of her life. The blond man smiled into her eyes. He rubbed the back of his head as he wondered how he managed to catch such a beautiful woman's attention. They both knew the truth. They needed each other on such a deep, spiritual level that they were truly inseparable.

They were walking through a forest in mid fall. The sunlight danced in the autumn colored leaves as it made its slow decent to dusk. The blond man suddenly broke form the red-haired woman's side and parted vines cascading like curtains. She gasped in astonishment at the picnic laid out before them. He wore a huge grin as she waddled up to warmly embrace him.

He returned her affectionate hug and led her to a comfortable spot to sit. She was more than happy to comply and took weight off her tired and aching feet. If there was one thing she wouldn't miss from her pregnancy, it was the extra weight doing all sorts of nasty things to her body. Still, she was ecstatic to be having the child in a couple, short weeks.

Her blond lover was also the pinnacle men should strive for. She was certain little Naruto was his first experience with pregnancy, but he handled it with stride and composure. He wasn't jittery or…as ill composed as frightful old wives' tales had warned. Practical jokes notwithstanding, he calmly took her mood swings and satisfied her every strange craving.

Even she was confused by chocolate covered pickles or peanut butter and pickle ramen. Their child sure was energetic!

Speaking of pickles, the blond handed the red-head a jar of them. She practically squealed as she hugged the jar. She opened it and happily munched on one as he busied himself putting out their dinner set. She watched him adoringly as he set the straightened the edges of the blanket out and placed the basket in the center. As he set out the finest paper plates and plastic cups, she smelled the fancy feast.

Of course, he included their favorite ramen dish. The scent was heavenly to her, but there was more to the picnic dinner than that small morsel. He extracted dish after dish, many her favorites and a few her most common pregnancy cravings. She loved that he thought of everything. He was always prepared, but not crazily so.

"'nato-kun, how long are you going to make me wait? I'm getting hun~gry!" Her lovely voice almost sang as she watched him diligently and carefully prepare their romantic dinner. It was nearing sunset, so she was sure he wanted to watch the painted sky as they enjoyed their meal together.

He seemed to read her mind as he answered. "It'll only be a few more moments, 'shina-chan." He smiled brightly at her. Even married to him, her heart still managed to flutter at the emotion he displayed. "I want our sunset together to be perfect. After all, how many more can we enjoy together once we have our bouncing baby boy?"

She wagged her finger at him. "I know we decided on the name Naruto, but you shouldn't get your hopes up. We might have a beautiful baby girl, still." Though she chided him, there was a playful tone to her voice.

He laughed. "Oh, I won't mind either way!" She really believed him. He was honest and lived life at full throttle. "I'm sure, boy or girl, our child will be a heartbreaker!" She sighed, and he laughed heartily.

A few moments later, the sun was starting to dip below the horizon. The blond brought a tray of food to the red-head and gently placed it on her lap and kissed her forehead. She kissed her chin and put the jar of pickles down. He sat next to her on the ground and rested his head against her thigh.

As he bit into a chicken leg, he gently rubbed her swollen belly. "Oh, he's energetic tonight." He smiled when she sighed in exasperation. He was just happy to feel their child kick and squirm. As he took another bite, he felt her tense. "What is it, 'shina-chan?"

He felt her force her chakra down as she growled. "I thought Sarutobi ran him out of the village…" She barely managed to keep her hot temper out of her voice. He looked at her in confusion. He knew her chakra sense was better, but he hadn't felt anything. "It's that snake, 'nato-kun."

Orochimaru entered the small clearing with that sick laugh of his. "Oh, I thought I hid myself better, Uzumaki-dono. I must really learn to avoid that…" He licked his lips with his grossly long tongue. "…ability of yours." He stared heatedly at the blond as he stood and placed himself defensively between his wife and the snake.

"Oh, no need to be so cruel, Hokage-sama. I only came to talk." He raised his arms harmlessly to either side and looked around as if indicating the tranquil scene around them. "It's such a lovely evening; isn't it?" His sickly eyes rested on them as his cruel smirk twisted mercilessly. He was overjoyed at their unease.

"Orochimaru, you are under arrest. Surrender peacefully, or I'll be forced to execute you." Though confident in his abilities, the blond was worried about his wife. He wasn't sure he could fight all out with her nearby, and the snake's sickening laughter unnerved even the most seasoned warriors.

"Do try to catch me if you can, Hokage-sama." With a wicked smirk, he turned and ran the other way. The snake was no coward, so it was safest to assume he had some sort of plan. His laughter echoed through the night air and grew distant with every passing moment.

The red-head saw once again why the blond was given the position of Hokage. Constantly prepared, he pulled a familiar, tri-pronged kunai and handed it to her. She took it and held it tight to her chest. He was going to fight perhaps the greatest evil to arise from their village, and there was nothing she could do to help him. Pregnant as she was, her body shut down a majority of her chakra reserves to protect the child.

He leapt into the darkness to follow the snake, and she heaved a breath. She was worried, but the snake's oppressive aura no longer pressed down on her. She spun around, however, when she heard clapping behind her. She looked at the strangely dressed man in confusion.

He wore black robes decorated with red clouds. He wore a black mask with an orange swirl and single hole revealing his eye. She couldn't make out any details in the dark, but he was definitely staring at her.

Thank you for your patience. I hope to repay it in spades. Also, please don't forget that I have a new poll up, and my forum is open.

The last scene is how I decided Kyuubi would reveal the truth of Naruto's heritage.

As always, reviews are appreciated, and flames outright ignored.

Story Word Count: 8,132
Story Page Count: 17

Terms and Jutsu:

tane - seed: No, I do not forget details. This is from way back in Chapter 1: Future March.