The Great Elder's Prophecy
Shikamaru rose from his sheltered place among the trees shaking. He was flanked by two ANBU agents, who helped him until he was steady on his feet. His hazel eyes were glued to the white-haired young man known as Suigetsu Hozuki, a rogue nin from the Rain Country. Shikamaru cursed under his breath. The rogue nin's face was hardly recognizable from the picture in the Bingo book; it was too swollen, too painted in blood, hiding his features. Shikamaru winced at the pins and needles sensation in his legs. He had been at it too long. Not only did his legs hurt, his mind was weary and exhausted. He half hobbled over to Neji, his face dark and angry. Reaching out, he clasped Neji on shoulder, turning the Hyuuga around none too gently.
"Too long," Shikamaru growled. "That went on for too long. If he couldn't be reasoned with, send him to Ibiki, don't administer torture yourself. He's hardly recognizable!" He jabbed a finger at Suigetsu, who was being wrapped in a blanket then hoisted onto a ninja's back.
Neji flushed, pale cheeks dusted with pink. "If he could have been coerced-"
"No," Shikamaru snapped. "We do not torture or maim the enemy on our own account. If it's not our order, it's not or our duty. We're not Interrogation."
Neji's lavender eyes flashed. He was annoyed. "He isn't maimed. His fingers can easily be set back into place. Sasuke was here, it's no secret. Hozuki is hiding something. It wouldn't have gone on for so long if Ren had kept control of his temper." As soon as he said it, the Hyuuga had the decency to look ashamed.
"You could have told him to stop." Shikamaru muttered. "I should have stopped it myself and lifted my jutsu. Made you run after him."
Neji looked away, scowling. "We're so close to Sasuke, Shikamaru! He's here, somewhere, I know it. We'll do what we must to protect our village and Naruto. You and I both know the world is better off without the Uchiha in this war. A few dislodged fingers and a broken nose are nothing compared to what Sasuke did to our village or will try to do."
Shikamaru nodded curtly. So the Hyuuga had allowed his emotions to get the better of him for once. It was a little surprising; Shikamaru had had no idea Neji had harbored such a grudge against Sasuke. Tuning in to his ear-piece, Shikamaru contacted Tsunade and informed her of their prisoners.
"We're heading back. Bringing Two. The raven's flown," he said, remembering the code names he was supposed to use on the radio. There was a heavy sigh on the other end.
"Very well..." Her voice trailed and she hesitated.
"My Lady?" Shikamaru asked, knowing there was more. Something bad, if she didn't want to say it. He fidgeted. How troublesome.
"Any sign of the fox?" Silence on his end. A new fear gripped Shikamaru, icy cold. Lady Tsunade was asking him if he'd seen Naruto. Something had to have gone horribly awry.
"No," he said hoarsely, "There was no sign." He ended their conversation and looked to Neji, who seemed to notice something wasn't quite right. He narrowed his eyes, silently urging Shikamaru to speak.
"It's Naruto." Shikamaru sighed. Neji pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, as if trying to ward off a migraine.
"Shit," Neji muttered.
With a started yelp, Naruto landed on his back on a hard wooden floor. He groaned again as Sasuke appeared, dropping from above him and landing heavily on his side, still holding onto his wrist. Naruto blinked, standing and looking around. He realized he was in the cozy cottage that belonged to Fukasaku and Shima, the bickering old toad couple. His unease lifted, and he laughed a little. Sasuke gripped his wrist harder as they stood, looking puzzled and wary.
"Where the hell-?" Sasuke started to ay, but suddenly Sasuke released his hold on Naruto and ducked right at the precise moment a shrill shriek pierced the silence that had greeted them. A double edged knife flew past, missing Sasuke's cheek by a hair's breadth. It embedded itself into the toad's mating ceremony portrait. Naruto yelled and had instinctively moved out of the way, stumbling over a plush violet colored couch.
Shima was still hollering, her green skin a comical pale shade of green at the sight of Sasuke Uchiha in her house. She began to throw pottery, too distraught and not yet provoked enough to try her hand at senjutsu. Vases smashed against walls and Sasuke expertly dodged them while Naruto yelled at her to get a grip.
"Shima!" He ducked as a china bowl flew over his head.
"Fukasaku!" Shima cried shrilly. "Fukasaku, we have been infiltrated!"
"Shima, no, stop!" Naruto yelled furiously, attempting to walk towards her without being impaled by a frying pan. Sasuke had taken cover behind a large bookcase, seeming oddly amused at Shima's reaction.
"Woman! Quit that hollering, what the hell's going on in here? Has Naruto arrived?" Fukasaku was gasping, clutching as his chest, obviously having ran to his cottage in distress over his wife's screams. He stopped short at what he saw. Shima hollering, throwing pots and pans, Naruto attempting to get close to her and covering his head, yelling and dodging whatever she threw. And crouching behind the bookcase, amazingly, was Sasuke Uchiha, who was smirking like it was all terribly funny.
Sasuke Uchiha! Behind his bookcase!
"It took him a moment to find his words. "ENOUGH!" Fukasaku bellowed, lashing out with his tongue and catching a pot before it bowled into the shrine he had created for his father. The chaos ceased, and everyone froze.
"What in the hell is going on?" He cried desperately.
Shima's eyes were wide. She was breathing too hard and only managed to sputter out a single word: "Infiltrated-!"
"The toad lands aren't being infiltrated by the Akatsuki, that's not why Sasuke is here!" Naruto cut her off hotly. "If you would just listen to me-!"
"Enough!" Fukasaku repeated. He looked sternly to Naruto, who realized then how angry the little sage was. Naruto shut his mouth and Fukasaku hopped over.
"Why didn't we receive word from you? We've been waiting with our hearts in our throats! When we didn't receive a signal, I sent for you myself with a reverse summoning. I went to send a messenger to Tsunade to inform her of our actions."
"I didn't think-" Naruto floundered.
"No, you didn't think at all, boy!" Fukasaku raged. "The Akatsuki destroyed that village hunting for you, and you bring one of them into my house!"
Sasuke stepped into view, his features set in a poker face. "I am no one's man but my own."
Fukasaku was still on the defensive, careful not to look Sasuke directly in the eyes. "You're not welcome here," the toad said uneasily. He looked back to Naruto and shook his head in disbelief.
"How the hell is he here?" he asked, waving to the Uchiha. Shima had gravitated to her husband's side, casting a poisonous glare towards Sasuke. She sniffed.
"He was holding onto Naruto when they arrived. He must have had a good grip on him the moment you summoned Naruto." Shima guessed. Fukasaku grunted. It made sense.
"Naruto," he shouted. The blond didn't move, and looked to Sasuke, who stood still, as if evaluating what he should do next.
"Step away from him, Naruto," Shima tried more gently. Naruto didn't move. He opened his mouth to explain, but he didn't get a chance. Fukasaku's tongue lashed out, quick as lightning, coiling around Naruto's waist in order to jerk him forward, (much to Naruto's surprise, who let out a startled "Hey, hold on a minute! What-!") but Sasuke moved just as quickly. His blade gleamed as it sliced through the toad's pink tongue. Shima cried out in outrage and horror while her husband screamed and lapped up his bleeding tongue, fingers clutching at his mouth in agony. Naruto was shouting, stunned at the treatment Fukasaku had received.
The whole scene was too chaotic. Naruto couldn't even hear himself think above all the yelling.
"Sasuke! You freakin' moron, they're on our side!" he cried, but suddenly Sasuke grabbed him and vaulted out the window, the exact moment Shima shot a lethal water jet at Sasuke's back. They tumbled from the window in a shower of glittering glass, the water jet completely destroying the wall behind them and washing them over with needle-like spray. Sasuke and Naruto rolled out of the way, wincing and wiping water from their eyes. Naruto spat out a mouthful of grass and dirt as he scrambled to his feet, pissed off. Shima came hopping after them, yelling Naruto's name desperately, her beastly tongue snapping sharp teeth as it sought out Sasuke.
"What the fuck did you do that for?" Naruto seethed, grabbing for Sasuke, but the other boy was too hyped up on the excitement of the little fight that had been staged, and was upright in an instant and dragging Naruto along, who was trying to pull Sasuke back.
It might have looked comical to anyone else. Two boys yanking on each other, trying to go in different directions and yelling, two angry toads hopping after them, waving green fists and screaming throatily. But, really, it wasn't very funny. Not at all.
"No one is going to keep you from me," Sasuke said, obviously not trusting the toad sages. "What do you think's going to happen if we go with him? I can promise you probably not what you're thinking. No, we don't readily trust anyone but ourselves!" He turned his head to Naruto, crimson eyes spinning as Naruto sputtered angrily.
"Don't you get it?" Sasuke hissed as they ran for a lush, muddy meadow, heading for a thickly forested area in the distance. "No one is going to side with us. Not now. We're on our own, got it? Once they know the truth, they're not going to be as peaceful, not with the…" Sasuke hesitated, almost saying thing inside you, so he only grunted, Naruto getting what he meant. He let go of Naruto and suddenly and turned to face Shima and Fukasaku in battle, bounding away. Naruto charged after him, slipping a little in the mud and cursing to high heaven.
"Stop!" Naruto screamed, but the fight had already begun. Shima and Fukasaku avoided Sasuke's gaze as best they could, sending water jets and fearsome jabs from their tongues. Sasuke dodged effectively, sword in hand and body crackling with electricity. He blocked a water jet with his electrified sword, sending bolts of electricity towards Shima, who hollered and stopped the jet just in time.
Naruto thought quickly, forming clones as he ran toward the scene, and sent an angry rasengan flying at the group the moment they were about to clash again. The rasengan hit the boggy ground between them, and the meadow exploded in mud, grass, and cries of outrage as the foes were blown backwards by the blast, away from each other. Sasuke skidded down the meadow on his back, covered in mud and cursing. By that moment, others had arrived. Gamakichi and Gamabunta brandished gleaming blades and eyed Sasuke murderously. Naruto ran towards Sasuke, waving his arms.
"Stop!" he cried hoarsely. "There's no reason to fight! STOP!" Sasuke leaped to his feet, getting in front of Naruto and cursing him at the same time ("Dobe, what'd you do that for?!). The monstrous-sized toads before them eyed Sasuke warily.
"Release Naruto, and we won't kill you," Gamakichi said solemnly.
Sasuke laughed. "Don't touch Naruto, and I won't have to kill you," he hissed in response. Naruto glared at them both, pushing Sasuke aside.
"He isn't with the Akatsuki!" he tried to explain desperately, but Shima and Fukasaku were shaking their heads, Fukasaku letting his maimed tongue loll from his mouth, horrifying Gamabunta and Gamakichi.
"He's a threat. Can't you see he's trying to keep you from us? Trying to keep you from a safe haven? He's using you!" Fukasaku spat. Sasuke's crimson eyes whirled in anger at this, and he pushed a struggling Naruto behind him.
"He stays with me. No one touches him but me. Not while this threat-"
Shima laughed harshly. "Take a look in the mirror, boy, and tell me who the real threat to Naruto is!"
Naruto grabbed Sasuke's arm tightly, growling in his ear,"Don't make this worse. I promise you, they're on our side." He gripped Sasuke's arm more tightly. Sasuke grimaced, seething.
"Come quietly, don't make this worse," Gamakichi urged quietly.
"I swear, if you can trust anyone, you can trust them," Naruto promised. Sasuke did not seem convinced.
"They will take you away," Sasuke muttered. "They will, if they have not already learned of the demon child inside you they soon will and then how do you know they won't react badly to it? Our wars are not their affairs, but demons appeal to every side of the world, both human and beast alike."
In the end, Sasuke was led away at sword point (not what Naruto had been hoping for, and he argued with Fukasaku), outnumbered and seething, confined to a cell in a small brick building that seemed to sag in the autumn heat. Sasuke had surrendered mostly for his sake, Naruto guessed, but also it had seemed the better choice since the toads weren't threatening to immediately execute him at least, and the toads' power was great. Even for Sasuke it would have been something to take them all on. Sasuke glared at Naruto through iron bars, but he allowed himself to be locked away without a fight. Naruto gripped a bar, leaning against it.
"This won't last," he promised, feeling wretched and still trying to persuade the toads that Sasuke didn't need to be jailed. Sasuke turned his Sharingan eyes on him.
"Yes, it will," Sasuke said, his voice so calm that Naruto winced, sensing the anger beneath. "I will lie here and rot, just to prove it to you, until you come to your senses. If they don't keep me here, they will hand me over to Konoha to be executed."
"If you just explain-" Naruto began, a little desperately, but Sasuke cut him off.
"Get out of here, Naruto. Go see to your toads." Sasuke said quietly, and turned his back to Naruto, shedding his mud soaked shirt, revealing his pale muscled back, and running a hand through his black hair to weed out clots of mud. Head hung in defeat, and feeling mostly angry and embarrassed about the situation, Naruto left without a word. He walked down the small hall, and turning into a larger greeting room, where Fukasaku and Shima waited. Upon seeing them, his gut twisted in guilt. Fukasaku shook his head in disappointment at him, and began to walk out of the building, beckoning him to follow.
Fukasaku's tongue had been healed somewhat, enough for him to speak properly without too much pain, but it still stung, the toad sage insisted. Since the cottage had a gaping hole in it, Naruto followed them into a spare bungalow they kept, sparsely furnished save for the necessities and a few belongings Shima had brought over from the cottage. Naruto felt a cold animosity between him and the toads. Finally, he was spoken to.
"You would have betrayed us…for him?" Fukasaku asked, disbelieving.
Shima looked on the verge of tears. "We would never do you harm, Naruto. Obviously you didn't raise arms against us, but you still allowed him to pull you away. Why would you do that? He's a criminal. We are going to notify Tsunade of his capture so that he might be retrieved."
Naruto's stomach clenched, and he felt like vomiting. He squeezed his eyes shut. "No, please. Just listen to me. He covering his face with his hands, thinking of Sasuke's words. Fukasaku came to his side, placing a gentle hand on his arm.
"Sometimes, Naruto, we want so desperately to have faith in a friend we love, that we become blind to who they really are, and in turn, we unwittingly place ourselves and others we cherish in danger-"
"He isn't with the Akatsuki. He doesn't mean to kill me," Naruto said miserably. "No one is listening to me-"
"He's wanted world-wide, Naruto. He's a criminal!" Shima sniffed. "Look at what he did to my husband! It could have been the head off his shoulders he cut, and then what would you have done? Pleaded for his innocence? He has killed in cold blood. He has deserted you, taken up arms against you, and now he's back? For what purpose? For a childhood bond? How are you so sure he is not using you? Making you believe he is something he isn't? How are you so sure that when he finally gains your trust, he won't lead you to Madara or stab you in your sleep?"
"He tried to destroy Konoha, Naruto-" Fukasaku said gently.
Naruto objected heatedly, "That wasn't him! He was under the influence of Susano'o-".
"And what did he do when you lifted him of the curse?" Fukasaku demanded.
Naruto puffed up, very much like an angry toad. "He isn't Madara's man!" He was losing his temper.
"He returned to Madara!"
"NO! He…" Naruto faltered. He what? He did it for me? He was brimming with anger, hands balled into fists at his side.
"You don't understand. He didn't return for the reasons you think." he said quietly, and the toad sages shook their heads at him like disappointed grandparents.
"Use your head, not your heart." Fukasaku reprimanded sharply.
Naruto shook his head, hand fluttering to his heart. "If I close my heart, I close my eyes," he said.
Fukasaku glared. "I could hit you," the old toad muttered, aggravated.
Naruto huffed. "You wouldn't." Fukasaku whacked him upside the head with his staff. Naruto yowled.
"The hell-?!" he whined. Fukasaku swung again and Naruto ducked.
"There!" Fukasaku boomed triumphantly as Naruto avoided another hit. "You didn't think I would actually try to hit you, but I did. Keep thinking that Sasuke can't hurt you, and next time it won't be a whack to the head you'll get, it'll be death, and there won't be a next time in order for you to duck."
Angrily, Naruto rubbed his head. "You're wrong!"
Fukasaku eyed him sadly."If only I were." Naruto felt bile rising in his throat. In sudden agony over Sasuke, and unable to control his rising nausea, he turned and vomited into Shima's favorite vase. She shrieked, of course, but the toads came to his side looking to comfort him.
"I'm sorry," He said weakly, not even realizing that with the strength of his heaves tears had streaked down his face. Shima looked at him, concerned.
"Are you ill, dear?"
He looked at her, surprised. "You…you don't know?" he asked, wary. Fukasaku blinked.
"Tsunade told us you would explain upon your arrival, but that it concerns the Nine Tails. This secret must be heavily guarded for Tsunade to not trust sending a message explaining, for fear it might be intercepted. Your sickness has something to do with this secret?"
"Sasuke has something to do with my secret." he said quietly. The toads looked at each other in alarm. Hesitantly, he began his tale. The toads listened in disbelief, eyes bulging. Fukasaku was at a loss.
"The Great Elder, in his prophecy, never mentioned this," he said finally, scratching at his green head.
"I didn't allow him to get that far, remember? I cut him off, thinking I already knew what he'd been about to say. He took my word for it, and stopped talking about it."
"Naruto, Sasuke is too dangerous to be trusted. Even as the father of this child, he could still be affiliated with the Akatsuki!" Shima was adamant.
"He isn't! He's saved me…more than once. He got rid of Kisame and Black Zetsu from the Akatsuki. Why would he do that if he hadn't already severed his ties with them? Please, don't hand him over. If he's going to return to Konoha, it better be at my side, not bound as a prisoner."
The toads looked dubious. "We would be doing Konoha a kindness." Fukasaku said carefully.
Naruto reigned his anger. " Fukasaku, please! Trust me." he begged. "He was only trying to protect-"
"Protect you, is that you're going to say?" Fukasaku cut him off. "Is that why he cut off the tip of my tongue and tried running away with you? All for the sake of protection? We are the protection!" he spluttered.
"He doesn't trust anyone. He thinks knowledge of the child will turn friends into enemies."
Shima sighed, and Fukasaku grunted. "I'll grant your Sasuke this: I wouldn't be surprised if that happened, and it's a good idea to be wary. Such a child is truly the rarest of gems, especially in the minds of those who seek ultimate forms of power. The world will be a dangerous place for you and this child, Naruto. He is correct in thinking that there will be few you can truly trust. Although, I still begrudge him for his actions. He resorted to a protective, childish way of thinking." Fukasaku sniffed. Shima agreed. Naruto nodded in agreement, groaning a little and feeling made out of lead. His stomach ached. His legs burned from the running. He hadn't eaten, and he was beginning to feel the onset of hunger pains. He politely refused the steaming bowl of caterpillar stew thrust in his face, fighting the urge not to vomit in Shima's vase once more. Shima thought highly of her cooking skills, though she never said so out loud, so she seemed offended by the refusal.
"It would be best to seek the wisdom of the Great Elder." Fukasaku decided, also waving away a bowl, much to Shima's irritation
Naruto groaned again. "He can't even remember what he ate for breakfast! Let alone my name. How can he make a rational decision?"
"Curb your tongue, boy!" Fukasaku growled. "The Great Elder's wisdom is invaluable. He will see the truth of things, and know what to do. With Sasuke, and the child."
Naruto kneeled on the smooth stone floor of the temple alongside Fukasaku and Shima. The floor was slightly damp, and the air always smelled heavily of rain and pond water, due to the many elaborate koi ponds that decorated the interior. Lush, crystal, green, koi sparkling like gems. The Great Elder sat in his cushioned chair, blinking large rheumy eyes.
"Who?" he asked in a quavering voice, seeming confused and disoriented.
"Naruto, Great Elder. You made a prophecy concerning him," Fukasaku repeated calmly and loudly, as if fearing the Great Elder had gone deaf as well as senile. The Great Elder reclined in his seat and thought a moment.
"Ah yes," he rumbled, fixing his nearly blind eyes upon Naruto as if he could see him clear as day. "You said you knew what would come to pass," he chided gently. Naruto shoved down his embarrassment.
"I thought I knew."
The Great Elder nodded his enormous head in agreement. "I said you would fight a man whose power lies in his eyes. Yes, and that came to pass. In my dream, you fought him, then you pulled out a black heart and kissed it until it shone like gold, then you put it back in his chest."
"I freed him from an evil chakra. A curse of the Mangekyo." Naruto clarified, remembering Itachi's words. Look into his heart.
Fukasaku nodded, leaning toward Naruto to whisper in his ear and quickly interpret."Yes, yes. The shadows must have been Susano'o, and the gold heart signifies you, Naruto. You must play a great hand in his future!" he whispered.
"Yes, yes. That came to pass…" The Great Elder was saying, before he he lost his train of thought once more and squinted at Naruto. "Who is he again? What was I talking about?"
Fukasaku rolled his eyes and spoke in a strained voice. "Naruto, Great Elder. This is Naruto. You were telling him of your dream. How he pulled the Uchiha's black heart from his chest and kissed it until it shone like gold."
The Great Elder nodded sagely. "Yes, yes. And so that came to pass. In my dream, there was also a terrible choice to be made. If wrongly chosen, it will cost the young man the golden heart you have given him. You must prevent him from making the wrong decision, lest the world collapse into chaos. You have a great power within you, and are harboring another." The Great Elder pointed a long finger at Naruto, and the blond knew then that his child was no secret for the Great Elder.
"I told Jiraiya that he would have a student he must sway in the right direction. Nagato had a power great and formidable. Yes, it was true. Naruto, you have a power even more terrifying: the power of a demon who rages more horribly than anyone could dream. A terrible choice will be made, a most dire situation. A red moon will rise on the night it begins. The right path must be taken! Should you stray from the path Jiraiya fought so hard to show you, you will wrong the world you are sworn to protect, and the Uchiha will forever fall into darkness. A terrible new age will take hold. Your love will come to a tragic and bitter end, and you will be consumed with fire and rage such as the world has never seen." He finished in a thin voice, sighing heavily.
Naruto stilled as he heard these words, ice creeping up his spine at the hellish prophecy."I…I can prevent it though, right?" he asked. The Great Elder blinked.
"Prevent what?"
"The tragic and bitter end," Naruto supplied, eager to know the answer.
The Great Elder squinted at him."Who are you again?"
"Great Elder-" Fukasaku began again, voice edged with irritation.
Naruto cut in, "Naruto, Great Elder. You said my love would come to a tragic and bitter end. That I must not choose wrong. That means I can prevent the worst from happening, right?"
The Elder muttered to himself. "Yes, yes, there are always two paths. The problem being that the path most choose is not the right one. Jiraiya tried his hardest, yet Nagato chose wrong. He tried hard with you…I guess we'll see what you choose. Should the right path be chosen, a new age will still rise. And with it, a new hope for the people. But you must take care to travel down the right path. You must take care to treat great power with caution, and teach others so." Naruto looked down at the floor, slowly wrapping his arms around his middle.
"Great Elder," Fukasaku continued. "The Uchiha is in our grasp. If he is evil-"
"There is a fine line between what is good and what is evil, Fukasaku. True evil at its darkest would not sit confined in our musty little cells and pout. You are desperate to see evil in a young man who is barely a man, though he's been forced to grow old in a short amount of years."
"He is a criminal!" Fukasaku cried, aghast.
"In his darkest hour, yes. When you stain your hands with blood, whether honorable or not, it leaves a stain upon one's soul that will never wash away. However, his heart has been revived and it is still impressionable. Young and green, barely beginning to ripen. There is still time to paint his canvas any color, lest he be lost and a true hindrance to this world. Even the most terrible of vendettas can be understood at their roots. It is the person's ability to have heart that makes the outcome less or more terrible than it needs to be," he finished.
Fukasaku was stunned. "Great Elder, he attacked us-"
"For fear of his mate and offspring being left in the care of creatures he did not know or trust. Perhaps he should not have been provoked or misjudged. Had you changed tactics, you probably would still have the tip of your tongue, foolish child." The Great Elder seemed weary now, as if he'd been chastising a child.
"That is no excuse-" Fukasaku spluttered, incredulous.
"Fukasaku!" The Great Elder rumbled. "I have seen this in my dreams! Do you deny my wisdom?"
Fukasaku cringed, and bowed his head in respect. "Never, Great Elder!" he denied, humbled. The Great Elder grunted, on a roll apparently, because he hadn't yet forgotten who he was speaking to or why.
"Do not allow the worst path to be taken. Allow the boy to see Naruto,, and allow them to be at each other's side. It will help in what is to come. They must resolve their differences, so that they might be in tune with one another. This is needed when the time of the decision comes. Should they be without this understanding of one another, all will be lost," he finished gravely.
"But-The Leaf-!" Fukasaku tried to say.
"Give him to the Leaf and we are lost. His death will only make matters worse. He is darkness. Our boy is light." The Great Elder said cryptically. Fukasaku blinked, casting a glance towards Naruto and Shima.
"And the child?" Fukasaku asked, a little sharply.
The Great Elder frowned. "Ah, yes, this child. Fukasaku, I believe you would know what to do in a time of crisis concerning the child. It must never come in contact with Madara. Chaos and fire will reign. The moon will still shine red."
Naruto frowned, uneasy.
"Understood, Great Elder." Fukasaku replied solemnly, keeping his head bowed.
"What's understood?" And the feeling of being in the presence of unparalleled wisdom vanished, replaced with the usual feeling of irritation and worry over the state of the Great Elder's mind. As they walked from the temple, Fukasaku grumbled, obviously displeased.
"For the fate of the world, apparently, we cannot separate you," he grumbled sarcastically. Shima smacked him upside the head.
"Ow! Woman!" he howled.
She glowered at her husband. "Did you not listen to his prophecy? Separate light from darkness and what happens? Chaos reigns, unable to be curbed by the natural good in the world. Let the Uchiha fall deeper and something terrible will happen! He must be swayed in the right direction, and that can only happen if Naruto is there to guide him!" She sighed, almost dreamily. "It is terribly romantic. Lovers chosen by fate."
Naruto blushed and vehemently denied this.
"Don't turn this into a freakin' soap opera!"
"Shut up, brat. It's romantic, get over it!" Shima growled, then returned to her musings of romance. Irritated, but hiding a smile, Naruto said nothing.
In the evening, after he had eaten a light supper, he walked over to the small building where Sasuke was being kept. It was no more than a five mile hike from the bungalow. Despite the notice of his release, and the hesitant invitation to sleep at the old toad couple's, Sasuke had coldly refused. It was his own way of punishing Naruto, the blond knew. He insisted he would spend the night in the cell, away from him.
Pouting indeed, Naruto thought with a snort as he entered.
A single torch lit the small hallway, and a moth fluttered desperately about the glass casing. The meager light was just enough to make out Sasuke's silhouette, still shirtless, perched on a stone ledge topped with a flat gray mattress, peering intently out of the small barred window. He didn't look up. Naruto tried not to notice or care. So he's mad at me. So what, he needs to get over it! Not that I care anyway! Stupid Sasuke.
"What?" Sasuke asked, breaking the silence. Naruto hesitated, then opened the iron barred door, stepping inside.
"Quit the fucking act, you're starting to piss me off!" he complained, plopping down on the flat mattress next to Sasuke. Sasuke's lip curled, but whether it was a grimace or the hesitant beginnings of a satisfied smirk, Naruto couldn't say. It was hard to tell with Sasuke; the guy was practically inept when it came to displays of emotion. When Sasuke said nothing, Naruto leaned against the stone wall behind him, hands behind his head. He watched the Uchiha out of the corner of his eye.
"You didn't have to cut his freakin' tongue," he grumbled finally, meaning Fukasaku.
Sasuke snorted."He shouldn't have tried taking you by force and made himself look like a threat. I didn't know him, why should I trust him?" Sasuke reasoned. Naruto frowned.
"Well, being in this cell is your fault, not mine." Naruto said stubbornly.
Sasuke chuckled. "Usuratonkachi. I'm here because I chose to be."
"Yeah, well, you weren't happy about it earlier. You were blaming me with your eyes!"
"Because you were being an idiot!" Sasuke snapped. Naruto's eyes widened comically and he jabbed a finger at Sasuke.
"Hey! I'm not the one who's freakin' paranoid, with the sappy 'it's me against the world' attitude!" Naruto yelped as Sasuke suddenly grabbed him from behind the neck and pinned him on the mattress.
He whispered in his ear, "It's us against the world, dobe." A feral grin lit his features. Naruto felt his Adam's apple bob, but he chuckled. At least in the darkness, Sasuke couldn't see him blush. Naruto grinned, gripping Sasuke's shoulders.
"You have some sort of alpha male complex?" he asked, pitting his strength against Sasuke's and flipping him. The look in Sasuke's eyes bordered on annoyance, but Naruto didn't miss the look of excitement.
"You don't need to flip me on my back every time," he huffed. Sasuke smirked, laughing a little, leaning down for a kiss.
"Hmph, horny bastard." Naruto muttered into the kiss. Sasuke slowly pulled away after a moment, and Naruto propped himself up on his elbows to peer him. Sasuke watched him through glittering eyes, still lying on his back, hands behind his head as he stretched.
"Ahem." A cough interrupted their peaceful silence, and Naruto sat up competely. Sasuke's eyes narrowed.
" I told you, I'm fine in this cell," Sasuke said immediately.
Fukasaku grimaced. He was dressed in a dark midnight blue cloak, gripping a gnarled walking stick. "I need to speak with you, Uchiha."
Sasuke sneered. Naruto's eyes flicked between the two.
"Naruto, go back to Shima. She's prepared a nice broth for you," Fukasaku ordered.
"Fukasaku-" Naruto began, the minute Sasuke bit out "He stays." Naruto quieted, surprised.
"The broth will help with your nausea. Now go, Naruto, it is late. The Uchiha will still be here in the morning." Fukasaku urged. Sasuke glared at the toad. Naruto hesitated, noticing the animosity between the two warily.
"Get on, Naruto," Sasuke said suddenly. Naruto glared at him. Sometimes, the bastard really irked him. As if Sasuke could order Naruto around? Please. This wasn't going down without some fierce objections.
"Hold on a second-" Naruto began, feeling as though he was about to miss an important conversation here, but Fukasaku cut him off sternly.
"Naruto!" the toad snapped. Naruto stopped talking, crossing his arms.
"It is late," Fukasaku repeated.
Naruto looked mutinous. "If there's something I should hear about-"
"There isn't. This is between me and the toad., not you." Sasuke interjected.
"Teme," Naruto cursed, but he seemed doubtful now. Sighing, he rose. He paused as Sasuke grabbed his wrist. Naruto waited, wondering what more Sasuke had to say.
"What?"he asked. Slowly, Sasuke brought Naruto's hand to his lips, flipping Naruto's hand palm up, and placing the lightest of kisses on the inside of his wrist. Naruto fidgeted, and cast a quick glance at Fukasaku, not sure whether to be embarrassed or secretly pleased. The look in Sasuke's eyes said what he didn't: You better still be around tonight when the old toad is gone. Naruto took his hand away.
"Don't toy with me," he grumbled, but he grinned when he turned away. He left quickly, hands stuffed in his pockets. As he exited the small prison, he took a little detour through a nearby swamp, his mind buzzing with questions. Was it possible that Sasuke would confide in him later? What was with this sudden secrecy? He shivered with the sudden late night chill of the bog, picking up a stone and skipping it across a murky pond.
He would just to have to wait to find out, he guessed.