Chapter 16

Have I said how much I love shadow clones? Those things are stupid strong. I mean, sure, they have a lot of chakra needed, but get past that and you have something more broken than even the Sharingan, and that's saying something!

I mean, come on. You can compact years of training into a month with enough of the things, or at least cut the training time in half with just one. Not to mention the countless possibilities involved in battle with them.

Now, what happens if you have hundreds of these things, or maybe the sharingan in each of them? Answer, you get things DONE.

I'm talking about literally a year's worth of training in a few days. I feel kind of bad for Sakura now. She's going to be left in the dust at this rate.

I can't complain much though. Me and Naruto were getting stronger, and FAST. But… maybe I should recap everything and explain. It'll be easier to understand.

-Flashback-

I sigh as Naruto runs over to me in a panic. I should've expected this with my jutsu. Indra's Arrow isn't exactly 'subtle', in any sense of the word.

Naruto appears in front of me and instantly screams "Sasuke! I saw that big explosion of lightning, and it was all cool, and I thought maybe I could do it, but then I remembered you were over here so I came to check out WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!"

At this point, Naruto was staring at the smoldering circle of scorched earth from where my attack hit. It was roughly twenty feet in diameter, and there was nothing but black, burnt ground in the circle.

I sigh again and say "It was my jutsu I am working on. Hopefully I'll have it refined by the time Zabuza reappears."

Naruto looks at me, then says "How… how are you so strong?! WHY are you so strong?"

I raise an eyebrow and say "What do you mean?"

Naruto throws his arms in the air and says "I mean this! This power… it came out of nowhere! Sure, you were strong, but this is crazy! How are you doing this?!"

My body froze as I hear Naruto's declaration. I mentally curse as I realize that Naruto was demanding answers for the sudden changes. I can't tell him of the future, he isn't mature enough to handle it. I need an excuse… like the Akatsuki. Itachi was in the Akatsuki, and the Akatsuki were hunting jinchuriki. I am a jinchuriki now, and so is Naruto, so… I know what to say.

I sit down wearily, looking down at the ground. Naruto raises an eyebrow, then sits next to me. I look up at him, and his eyes widen. My eyes were ones of exhaustion, haunted by a past no one my age should have. Naruto had the same look in his eyes.

After I process this, I finally say "I am training harder than ever before Naruto. I need to… if I want to survive the upcoming storm."

Naruto raises an eyebrow and says "Storm? What storm?"

I look at the ground, then say "There is a group coming after our kind Naruto. There is a group hunting jinchuriki and the bijuu."

Naruto's eyes widen immensely at this bold statement. People hunting the BIJUU?! Those beasts were forces of nature, so much more powerful than anything else! How could a group HUNT them?!

The disbelief in Naruto's expression was all I needed to continue explaining. "I can see your disbelief. Yes, fighting the bijuu is a suicide mission, but not for these guys."

My expression grows solemn as I remember my time in Akatsuki, and I learned of their members. "This group, all their members, they are insanely strong. Each of them are S-ranked missing nin, and a few of them can face even the Kage and win. But their abilities, their goals, they are too horrible to be considered even human anymore."

I breathe out in absolute exhaustion and weakness. This is new, showing off my problems to others. It felt… relieving though, just like when I told Naruto and Sakura of the Uchiha Clan massacre. "I'm training to fight monsters. All of them, monsters. And you know what? Even my brother is part of it."

I look at Naruto as he stares at me in shock. "You remember my dream Naruto, my goal? I told you I needed to kill someone, right?"

Naruto nods, and I continue with a hard gaze. "That someone is part of this group. The man who ruined my life from the very beginning."

My fists clench as I remember his face. Madara Uchiha, the man who corrupted Obito into the monster he is now. A fellow Uchiha driven so far into insanity he was willing to cast a world wide genjutsu to have an illusion of peace.

I growl slightly, eyes flashing red. "He took everything from me, and I am going to make him pay. But… the man is so strong… so incredibly strong that I can't even hold a candle to him where I am now. I need to train, get stronger, and face him before he can fuck everything else up too."

Naruto looks at me for a long while, then begins slowly. "So… there is a group of S-ranked missing nin hunting you and me and whoever else is a jinchuriki, and are so strong that you need to be at least kage level to beat them? And your brother, who murdered your whole clan, is part of the group?"

I nod solemnly. Putting it like that made it sound impossible. I chuckle grimly and say "At least we have three years to prepare. Other than that, I don't know much." It wasn't that big a lie. I was secluded and half-insane when I actually paid attention to the Akatsuki. Anything about the members I learned, other than Deidara, were from reports and stories.

Naruto frowns again, then says "Sasuke?" I turn to him with a raised eyebrow. He turns to me with a grin and says "If that's our goal, then I'll train with you! We'll keep things from becoming more fucked up."

My mouth twitches, then grins at what Naruto said. "Only you can make something sound so sentimental yet so stupid."

Naruto's grin drops instantly and is replaced with rage. "HEY! I am trying to help here! Don't insult me teme!"

I just laugh loudly, making Naruto confused. I wave him off, then get to begin training some more. He follows, rapidly deducing what i was doing. It felt nice to know that I had help. Not so overwhelming. Maybe… we really can pull off the impossible.

Things went pretty smoothly from then on out. I explained the situation to Sakura too, knowing she was the only one who didn't know. She was really freaked out about it, but seeing mine and Naruto's resolve seemed to strengthen her own. She threw herself into training with a fierce determination. Seemed like she was going to become as strong as us if she continued like this.

Naruto and I kept on training, abusing the ever living hell out of shadow clones. I didn't have much to give Naruto, so we went to Kakashi for help. He seemed to expect this as he handed Naruto a scroll full of wind jutsu. Naruto seemed to take a liking to one called Millennia Turmoil. I have no clue what it does, but it sounds strong.

I on the other hand used my new training method to regain some of the muscle memory I lost. My sharingan and the seal kept most of it, but my body was still adjusting to a small form. It was quick progress so far.

I also begin playing around with my lightning element. Beyond refining Indra's Arrow to the point of making three small arrows, or one massively powerful arrow that's explosion area was comparable to Naruto's Rasenshuriken in power, I just played around with the element. I was adverse in fire, but lightning always interested me more. It was volatile, wild, and extremely strong. It could be shaped more than flames, and it could DO so much more too. Stimulate nerves, numb the senses, cover a wide area, penetrate a single target with ease, the options are endless.

So, as the messed up person I am who loves all things flashy, I played with it. While my clones busied themselves with re-learning the chidori and its variants, I messed with my lightning. I shaped it, made it go between point A and point B, tried doing different things. It yielded interesting results for jutsu I might make. And then there was that one time… I could've sworn the leaf shined like metal. Eh, whatever.

So, all together, we've gotten pretty good. My fighting style came back with a vengeance, and my speed is quickly increasing. I even tried using lightning chakra in it and got interesting results. I relearned the Chidori and Chidori Spear, along with refining Indra's Arrow to usable levels. I didn't really need training with the Sharingan, but I kept it on anyways.

Naruto was becoming a behemoth of a ninjutsu user. Along with Gale Palm jutsu, he now stated he knew this Millennia Turmoil jutsu. Still no fucking clue what it does, but it sounds strong. He also learned the Gale Force jutsu, but really it was just a powered down version of Great Breakthrough. Naruto said he was in the process of that jutsu though...

We also tried a couple collaboration techniques. Our Wind Style: Demon Wind Shuriken jutsu was fun, but we needed more. So, we mixed the few jutsu we had and tried to make something. Beyond the numerous times we were nearly knocked unconscious from them backfiring, there was one that worked. It was rough and needed to be refined, more refined than the time we had in Wave, to be usable, but it would be powerful once completed.

Sakura… that girl was born to be a medic. She focused mainly on her medical jutsu, and the kid is a prodigy. She managed to get it to the point that she could heal mine and Naruto's third degree burns with ease, WHILE chewing us out for being so reckless. We made pretty good test dummies.

Oh! Kakashi also recovered in just a couple days too. He began watching Tazuna so we can all three train. Then there was the one day we didn't have to guard Tazuna, mainly because he didn't go to work that day. That was an interesting day for multiple reasons…

-Flashback Numero Dos-

It had been just two days since the battle with Zabuza. Already Kakashi was able to move around freely. He would still need a couple days before he could go all out in battle again. He opted to begin guarding Tazuna so we could all train.

Now, we were all coming together for a big meal. It still wasn't much, but for what the family had, it was a feast. We all chatted, clearly cheerful. If only it stayed that way.

All throughout the meal, Inari was just sitting there, glaring. He never spoke, but he had an aura saying he wanted otherwise. I found my eyes constantly drifting to him warily.

"So, Kakashi, how is your team doing on that training of yours?" I turn to Tazuna, realizing the bridge builder was talking about us.

Kakashi eye smiles and says "It's going quite smoothly. In fact, my little genin are turning into quite the powerful bunch. I bet Sasuke could even hold his own against Zabuza."

Those present at the battle could safely agree. Shadow clones did wonders for training, and Sasuke was a prodigy. I totally didn't drown in the praise. Totally didn't.

Anyways, Tazuna looks at me with a skeptical eye and says "Really now? That's quite impressive from what I saw of that man."

I nod in agreement, and I am about to speak, when a loud bang is heard. Everyone turns to Inari, startled, as the small boy just glares at me and Naruto. "All of this training, it's useless! It doesn't mean anything! Gato's just going to kill you."

It took me a second to realize the kid was crying. Naruto looks at the kid once, then lays his head on the table. "Speak for yourself kid. It won't be like that for me or my team." I took note that he said just 'me' last time, so this was an improvement.

Inari's ire seems to grow at that as he screams "Why don't you just be quiet! You don't know anything about this country or its people! You all are just butting in!"

He growls and leers at Naruto. "Just looking at you makes me sick. Always smiling and laughing! And you!" He stares at me directly this time. "You are always joking around with him! You both are clueless! You don't know what it's like to suffer and be treated like dirt!"

The air around the table grew heavy. Naruto's eyes shadowed, and Sakura was barely controlling herself. I frown deeply, my eyes only short of a glare. Naruto, his eyes hidden by his bangs, says "Look at you, crying like some little victim. Whine all you want, I don't care. But, you are nothing but a coward!"

Naruto's eyes flash blue from the shadows, making Inari to stop glaring at step back in shock. Naruto just gets up and leaves without another word. Sakura looks at Inari disapprovingly, then walks off to find Naruto.

I glare at Inari, sharingan flashing menacingly. "You said the worst possible thing to us brat. I just hope you learn better." With that, I turn and leave.

Tazuna and Tsunami turn to Inari, who was now sniffling a lot. The kid then turns and runs upstairs to his room without a word. Tsunami's eyes widen and she yells "Inari! Wait!" But… she gets no response.

She puts her hand down slowly, then sighs in sadness. She turns to Kakashi with a critical eye and says "I hope you have an explanation of why your team acted as they did."

Kakashi looks at her with a similar glare, Inari's statement bringing up unwanted memories. "I have the perfect reason."

Kakashi looks between them, casting a subtle genjutsu to actually show them images while explaining. "My team has gone through some very trying times. More so than most in the world."

The first image conjured showed a lonely Sasuke, augmented with the whiskers marks and slit pupils. "Sasuke's whole family was killed by his brother at just eight years old. Not only that, but he was constantly seen as 'the Last Uchiha' and not Sasuke. It made him irritable and depressed. He only just recently began recovering."

Next showed a pre-academy Sakura in a park, curled into a ball and crying. "While not nearly as bad as her teammates, Sakura had a rough early life. Before she went to the academy, she was bullied constantly, almost to the point of her running away. She was lucky to have met her friend Ino before then, or else things would've gotten bad."

Finally, the last picture showed Naruto on the street, eyes shadowed and mouth quivering. The villagers glaring at the young boy was not lost on Tazuna or Tsunami. "And Naruto arguably has it the worst. He is an orphan, having no family within the village. Not only that, but he was shunned for something beyond his control, treated as if he never existed."

The genjutsu fades, and the two hosts are left speechless. Tazuna is the first to recover as he says "Damn, those kids had it harder than even we do."

Tsunami just looks at Kakashi with a pitiful look. "How can children so young be forced to experience such horrible things?"

Kakashi closes his lone eye and says "It's the world of ninja. We always have high dangers and mentally traumatic experiences. There is little we can do to prevent it, but we persevere. It is something we do all the time."

Kakashi then turns around and says "I just hope that Inari's rant didn't affect them too much."

None of us got out of that rant unscathed, well, except for maybe Sakura. Still, she seemed irked at what the kid had said, if only because she knew of mine and Naruto's past now.

We all instinctively went to the forest, the one place we've been together the most other than the house. But with Inari there, no one wanted to stay.

Naruto was mumbling the whole way, saying things like "Stupid brat. Don't know what it's like to suffer. Doesn't know my life."

Sakura was walking with Naruto, trying to comfort him the whole time. I was silent, my body tense and eyes shadowed.

"Why nii-san?! Why?!"

I grit my teeth. That rant brought up unwanted memories.

"Hate me, and grow stronger. Hate me, and fight me when you have the same eyes I do."

My fists clench. We are almost to the forest.

"This is the end Itachi! I will strike you down!"

Tears begin to fall.

"Remember. No matter what happens, I will always love you, Sasuke-kun."

We were in the forest. Naruto was training now, venting his frustration with an all out brawl.

"Become Hokage Naruto. Do what I failed to follow all those years ago."

It was reaching a climax. Please don't.

"Naruto! Sasuke! Sakura! Run, get out of here! I'll hold her off!"

"SENSEI!"

Something was building up. Chakra?

"I-I'll always love you S-Sasuke-kun. I-I forgive y-you."

"Sakura… why…"

Red. Rage. Anger. Grief. Pain.

"Don't forget me teme. Save the world for us."

That was the final straw.

A presence falls upon the forest, and the entirety of the island, those who felt it shivered in fear. This was not normal, and yet, it was. Those who felt it only knew one thing.

Pain. Grief. Anger. An ancient power driven to rage by pure anguish. The sky erupts in flames as lightning arcs across it. The beast roars from the heavens, showering the world in its pain. It wanted only one thing. Vengeance.

Zabuza looks to the sky and shivers instinctively in fear. Under this power, he was nothing but prey, a simple animal to a greater power. He frowns and says "What is this?"

Tazuna grips his chest in fear as the unnatural feeling washes over him. Tsunami gasps in fear and nearly drops her plate in the process, barely keeping herself up right. Inari turns away from the ocean with tears, gaping in the direction of the source of this overwhelming sensation. Somehow, he knew he was responsible for this.

Kakashi turns to the forest with a hard gaze. Wasting no time, he runs out of the house. "This feels like the Kyuubi, but it isn't the same. Never have I felt such a power feel sadness."

Haku freezes from picking herbs. She turns to a random direction in the forest. "That is… troubling."

Somehow she knew this was the boy from before. What is she and her master getting into?

Naruto and Sakura freeze in absolute fear. Sasuke had disappeared into the forest shortly after arriving, and they let him go. He needed to vent as well. Then… then came the anguish. A feeling of overwhelming suffering that they could never comprehend.

And somehow, they knew it was Sasuke. They quickly began running to his location. It showed how much they bonded with the boy that they could push past his overwhelming killing intent.

The two enter a small clearing, then nearly fall unconscious instantly. Instead, they get major headaches and stumble a bit.

In the center of the clearing, Sasuke was gripping his head in pain. He was crying, but his tears were evaporating almost as soon as they left his eyes. His teeth were gritted, but no one missed the most disturbing changes.

His fingernails were sharpened like claws, and his teeth were now fangs. His whisker marks were thickened, and his slit eyes burned red with pure anger. And all around his body was a bubbling cloak of volatile red chakra, a single tail extending behind Sasuke from the cloak.

Naruto and Sakura stared with wide eyes. Sakura was terrified of this creature in front of her. And yet, she wished to comfort it. She was connected to it. She could calm the beast.

Naruto was more affected than Sakura. He knew that this was the Kyuubi. The beast was raging, and yet it felt sad. He knew he could do something about it. He was one with the beast.

The two moved cautiously forward. Sasuke paid them no mind, simply screaming in pain and rage as memories flooded his mind. His teammates reach his body. They were uncertain what to do. Then… they knew.

Sakura wraps her arms around Sasuke. The boy tenses dangerously, but Sakura doesn't react. She just holds him in a calm embrace.

Naruto places a hand on Sasuke's back. Sasuke could feel the connection, and eases somewhat.

They were in this position for who knows how long, surrounded by this horrifying presence. Then, it finally begins to die down. Eventually, Sasuke falls unconscious, overwhelmed by the Kyuubi's chakra and the memories he was forced to recall.

Naruto and Sakura embrace their teammate, their friend, their brother. Without another word, they all asleep, if only to keep Sasuke protected from his nightmares.

Kakashi lands in the clearing and instantly finds his team their, fast asleep. The oppressive feeling was gone know, he knew things were better. The scorch marks on Sasuke's skin told him what happened.

He sighs, then walks forwards. If anything, he can be here with them. He sits down, then quickly falls asleep.

The guardian of the red eye watches his kin, protecting them from harm. None shall harm them under his guidance and gaze.

And the Ice Queen knew this well.

-Author Notes-

PTSD is a horrible thing. I think it's safe to say Sasuke has it hard after all he's gone through.