Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Moon On Fire ❯ Control ( Chapter 15 )

Chapter 15

Control

 

 

“SAKURA-CHAN!!!”

 

Naruto slid to her side seconds before Kakashi did. He scooped Sakura into his arms and held her hand with his fingers against her wrist.

 

“There's no…I can't feel a pulse! Sakura-chan! No! Please…” Naruto hugged her to him desperately, a few tears falling from his face on her increasingly cold skin. He heard Kakashi come up beside him. He tried to take Sakura but Naruto hesitated, not wanting to let her go. With a sigh that sounded suspiciously like a sob, he let Kakashi have her. Kakashi stood up with her and was looking at her sadly.

 

“I'll get her to one of the anbu team members. Then I'll be back to help you. Don't lose yourself.” Naruto looked to his teacher's sad yet stern eyes and understood.

 

“I'll do my best Kakashi-sensei.” He stood and turned around as Kakashi leapt away with Sakura's body. His tear filled eyes landed on Itachi who was standing just a few feet away looking rather calm despite the fact that his chakra sword had disappeared and his eyes were squinted almost completely shut from overuse of the Tsukuyomi and too much chakra. Naruto's eyes dried at once and took on the cold, frightening quality only seen when one of his friends was threatened. Gaara started to move but a look from Naruto stopped him. He saw the look, one that he was sure he had worn when he had seen Matsuri threatened all those moons ago and backed away. He leapt off instead to find Mizuki. Naruto just glared at Itachi.

 

Itachi's hands began to glow again. “Don't look at me like that.” He crooned. “She was not my target. It is not my fault she stupidly leapt in the way. It was her own fault for wasting her life trying to save you.”

 

“Don't…” Naruto grunted, feeling his grief beginning to melt his control despite Kakashi's warning. “Don't you DARE talk about Sakura-chan like that!” Naruto blinked and immediately knew his eyes had turned that dangerous shade of red. He placed his hands together and yelled “Kage Bunshin No Jutsu!” Two clones appeared instantly; one on either side of him. One focused on spinning the chakra in Naruto's suddenly raised hand. The other added wind energy to the rapidly spinning ball of destruction.

 

Itachi smiled. “Your Fuuton Rasengan Shuriken? Do you really want to risk using that? I hear it's not very good for you.” He said smugly enough but backed away a step just the same.

 

Naruto struggled to keep the red chakra he knew was forming from breaking through his skin. Sakura hadn't been kidding when she said the seal was weakening. He could feel it every day, the monster inside him struggling to break its bonds and be free. And while it was true that Naruto had learned better control over the years, allowing him to continue to fight the impossibly dangerous power inside him; as the incident in the sand village showed, his anger was his weak spot. And now, standing before the man who had killed the only woman he had ever loved, his anger swelled up inside him like never before. Even his shadow clones felt the effects. They continued to form the Rasengan Shuriken diligently but even their eyes had turned the malignant shade of red. Burning red chakra began to seep from the clone's skin even as they disappeared, leaving Naruto with a fully charged Fuuton Rasengan Shuriken. His eyes were starting to burn and he could feel his skin heating up. He had to finish this now before his anger and the Kyuubi's power swallowed him up completely. He yelled out his pain and anger and raced towards Itachi.

 

XXX

 

Mizuki continued to cry long and hard, letting out all the pain, anger and worry she'd been bottling up for days. Sasuke just held her and let her cry. He whispered soothingly to her and just like the night previous, he felt her body start to relax. Little by little, her crying became softer. She softened the death like grip she'd had on the back of Sasuke's shirt as the cries became whimpers. She sniffed a few times and slowly brought her head up from Sasuke's chest.

 

Mizuki had never felt so exhausted! The dam she'd built around her emotions was thoroughly destroyed. Everything came flooding out and it seemed to her that it took all of her energy with it. She could hear Sasuke whispering to her, though she couldn't understand what he was saying, her hearing was muffled from her crying and his arms around her. Part of her mind wanted to shove him away and run from the horrible images her mind stubbornly continued to show her. But her heart felt so calm while she was in his arms. She felt so safe and for the first time, able to release the lock holding her emotions in. Her life as she had known it lay in ruins before her but at that moment, feeling nothing but warm strength and affection in the arms that held her, she felt perhaps she had a chance for a new life before her. She reluctantly lifted herself away from Sasuke's warm embrace and looked into his eyes. The same looked of concealed affection she had seen in her vision before coming to where Itachi had her stared back at her.

 

“Sasuke…I…” She blinked and at once images of red and burning rain assaulted her senses. She fell backwards and clapped her hands to her face. Sasuke reached for her but she pushed him away and stood up shakily.

 

“Mizuki what's wrong?” He asked quickly.

 

“I…I'm sorry.” She said through renewed tears. “I just…the images won't go away, I just don't know how to make it stop!” She began to cry anew into her hands and Sasuke moved to her again when they both heard a heart shattering yell.

 

“SAKURA-CHAN!”

 

“Naruto?” Sasuke snapped his head in the direction and saw Naruto and Kakashi kneeling before Sakura's prone body.

 

“What the…” Mizuki began but stopped as she saw what had happened. She gasped and took a shaky step forward. “Sakura-san? Oh God no!”

 

Sasuke's inside's were frozen in fear. “He didn't. While I was…he didn't.”

 

“Sakura!” He yelled and he took off towards Kakashi who had picked Sakura up at that point and was heading towards him. Two anbu's leapt to Mizuki's side and two others headed for Kakashi.

 

Sasuke couldn't even gasp as he reached Kakashi and saw Sakura's still form. Her lips were blue and as he grasped her hand, her body was cold but the blood still oozed lazily from her wound. Fighting back panic he placed his fingers against her throat. He didn't even realize he was holding his breath until it came out in a loud whoosh.

 

“She's alive…but barely. We've got to get her to Tsunade now!” He would have taken her straight from Kakashi and taken off at that moment but two anbu appeared beside him.

 

“We will take her to the Godaime. I know some medical jutsu's that can keep her stable in transit.” The anbu closest to Kakashi said and put his arms out for Sakura.

 

Kakashi hesitated for only a moment. “You must keep her alive.” He said, trying to sound stern but his voice cracked, betraying his grief. “Alert Tsunade-sama to what's going on here as well. Have her send every back up she can spare.”

 

The two anbu's nodded and raced off towards the hospital carrying Sakura. Sasuke just looked at Kakashi and saw his own fear staring right back at him.

 

“She'll be fine.” Sasuke said a little too loudly failing to convince himself. Her pulse had been so weak. There was so much blood. If Tsunade had been right there then she would have stood a chance but now they were halfway across the village from the hospital. “She'll be fine.” He said again much quieter to himself.

 

Kakashi stared at Sasuke for a moment before suddenly remembering that Naruto was still fighting Itachi behind them! He whipped around only to see Naruto with two Kage Bunshins making the Fuuton Rasengan Shuriken!

 

“That idiot!” Kakashi thought as he raced back towards the scene. “He knows what that jutsu does to his body. I told him not to lose himself over this. Dammit!”

 

Sasuke saw what Kakashi did just a second after and he yelled out, “You stupid dobe what are you doing? You can't use that jutsu you'll…Naruto no!” He took off after Kakashi but both were knocked back as the kage bunshin's disappeared and Naruto flew at Itachi with the fully charged and deadly Fuuton Rasengan Shuriken. To say it impacted was putting it mildly. The explosion of light and smoke sent back powerful waves of wind chakra that knocked Kakashi and Sasuke right off their feet, sending them back several metres to land painfully on the ground. Sasuke regained his footing quickly just as the smoke cleared. And what he saw made his blood run colder than he thought it ever would. Standing in the middle of the devastation, was Itachi with his chakra sword once again raised and defending against something that was once Naruto but was definitely not anymore.

 

Naruto's body was covered with seething, blazing red chakra. His eyes were a shade of red usually reserved for the deepest pits of an active volcano and his pupils were mere slits. Two large tails formed completely of the horrible chakra had sprouted behind him and were swaying dangerously like two poisonous serpents egging Itachi on to attack him. As Sasuke raced towards his friend he watched horrified as another tail formed between the other two and grew all too fast. As he got closer he could see Naruto's skin peeling away from his body and just as quickly being healed over and then peeling again. But Sasuke knew that with every tail that grew, the healing would be slower until…

 

“I've got to stop him!” Sasuke thought desperately. “But Yamato's not here! What do I do?”

 

If Mizuki had begun to feel better after her crying jag in Sasuke's arms it was short lived as she saw the wound Sakura had. Sasuke had leapt off without giving her a second look to his injured friend. Mizuki had wanted to run to them as well but again, images of their evil, laughing faces penetrated her mind and she could not bring herself to go to them.

 

“And to think I was so intent on getting my memories back.” She thought sadly. The two anbu were still on either side of her but she could see Itachi was far too busy with Naruto to worry about harming her. She watched him create the two kage bunshin's and begin forming the strange jutsu she did not know. Not understanding she could only watch amazed and a little frightened of the power she could feel coming off him. She was so mesmerized that when Gaara came up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder she nearly screamed.

 

“For the love of…Gaara!” She yelled out as she spun around. She immediately launched herself into his arms and he squeezed her back just as hard.

 

“Are you alright?” He asked calmly through his bone-crunching hug.

 

“Yes I am thanks to you.” Mizuki said with a small smile as she pulled away from him. “What are you doing here?”

 

“I can explain later. For now we should get you out of here to somewhere safer while Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi deal with Itachi.” He took her arm to lead her away. She would have resisted but just then an explosion of wind chakra and blowing sand threw itself at them, sending them and the two anbu flying. Gaara raised his hands and the sand immediately became a wall that shielded them from the worst of the onslaught. When the wind had died down, he lowered the wall and cursed loudly. Mizuki looked to where the explosion had emanated from and felt her breath catch in her throat.

 

“What is that?” squeaked from her mouth before she realized it.

 

“Naruto.” Gaara said darkly. “The Kyuubi is escaping its bonds again.”

 

“The what?” Mizuki wanted to look at Gaara but she could not tear her gaze away from the blonde ninja now several yards away from her, glowing in the burning red chakra. She watched as the third tail formed and grew to rival its earlier siblings. Naruto/Kyuubi roared a sound more fierce than any Mizuki had heard before at Itachi who still stood with his sword the only thing between him and Naruto/Kyuubi's claws. Mizuki could see he was squinting even more at that point and was dangerously close to losing control over his only source of defense. Naruto/Kyuubi seemed to sense this and pushed its advantage even harder, forcing Itachi back several steps.

 

Itachi snarled in pain and frustration. “This is why Akatsuki could never have hoped to get the Kyuubi from you Naruto. This power was too much for even a group such as ours to handle.” Naruto/Kyuubi growled and lunged at Itachi who just barely managed to dodge a great, blood-covered claw. “Far too many surprises for my taste today. I guess we'll have to finish this some other time. Give Sakura my regards won't you?” Itachi suddenly released the chakra sword but just as Naruto/Kyuubi took what would have been a fatal swing, he was too late. Itachi was gone. Naruto/Kyuubi's roar could be heard halfway across the village. And Tsunade wasn't even that far away.

 

She had been running towards the scene of the melee with a team of twenty anbu when they saw the explosion of wind chakra that, even thought they were still a fair distance away, knocked them off their feet just a little.

 

“That idiot! I told him never to use that jutsu again! He's going to do more damage to himself than to Itachi. Hurry!” She snapped at the team following her. “We have to get Mizuki and team 7 away from the danger area as soon as possible!”

 

“Tsunade-sama!” She heard a voice call out from in front of her and she stopped dead as two anbu emerged from behind a house carrying…

 

“Sakura!” Tsunade yelled and immediately ran to her apprentice. “Oh Sakura! What happened?” She snapped at the two anbu.

 

“Uchiha Itachi ran her thought with a sword comprised completely of chakra.” The anbu carrying her said, “She has lost a lot of blood but we have been applying emergency measures while coming to you and her pulse has improved somewhat.” He laid Sakura on the ground in front of Tsunade who immediately set to work determining how serious the injuries were. Her eyes widened in sadness as she focused on the sword wound.

 

“This is serious. There is no time to get her to a hospital. I have to stabilize her here and now before we go any further. The rest of you!” She turned to her team. “Move forward and carry out my instructions. Bring everyone back here where it's safer and take Uchiha Itachi out by whatever means necessary!” Tsunade yelled even as she started the healing jutsu to bring Sakura's condition under control. Her hands glowed a soft white as she focused her chakra into Sakura, urging her damaged tissue to reorganize and heal itself. “Just hang in there Sakura.” Tsunade urged, blinking back the tears she would not let fall for her injured apprentice. “It wouldn't be very grateful of you to break Naruto's heart like this.”

 

Gaara stood in front of Mizuki protectively as he saw Itachi disappear. “He may appear anywhere we must be on our guard.” The other two anbu had taken positions around Mizuki as well so they formed a barrier of sorts. But Mizuki could hardly pay attention. She could only stare, horrified, at the blood red creature that had once been her friend. Naruto/Kyuubi, now without a focus for its intense rage turned around to find new prey. Its eyes fell on Sasuke and Kakashi. It roared loud enough to make Mizuki clap her hands to her ears. She watched as Sasuke took a few steps toward Naruto/Kyuubi! She wanted to yell out to him to run but her voice failed her. Her legs tried to carry her to Sasuke but Gaara held her back.

 

She looked at him frantically. “We've got to help them!” She yelled as Naruto/Kyuubi let out another roar.

 

“This is not the first time Naruto has lost control like this. They know what they are doing.” He tried to sound comforting but could not hide the intense worry in his voice. He had never seen Naruto transform like this. Remembering what it was like to transform even partially into Shukaku made his blood curdle. He could only imagine the pain his friend was in. “They will save him.” He said to himself more than anything.

 

But for all Gaara's hope, Sasuke and Kakashi had no idea what to do to calm Naruto. Yamato had been out on a mission for days and his Mokuton Jutsu was the only thing that could stop the Kyuubi's transformation when it was at this level. Sasuke took a few steps towards his best friend. “Naruto it's me.” He said slowly. “Tell me you can still hear me.” He got nothing but a growl and a nearly missed swipe as his response. He landed beside Kakashi whose mask could not cover the fear and worry written on his suddenly older looking face.

 

“We must find a way to contain him before he takes out the entire village!” He said desperately.

 

“How?” Sasuke yelled back. “Neither of us can reverse the Kyuubi's transformation!”

 

“We will do it however we can. The safety of the village comes first.” Kakashi spat out the words Tsunade had spoken to him so many times. He had never really believed it would ever come down to this but if it meant saving the village, he would have to kill Naruto.

 

Sasuke read the determination in Kakashi's eyes and gritted his teeth. “Last resort Kakashi. I won't let you unless it's a last resort.”

 

“If you've got any ideas Sasuke I'm listening.” Kakashi said quietly, his eyes never leaving Naruto/Kyuubi.

 

“Perhaps I can help.” Gaara came up beside them. He had wanted to stay with Mizuki but she yelled again for him to go help. Her eyes practically begged him and he relented, leaving the anbu left beside her with potent images of what he would do to them if they allowed her to be hurt. “My sand may be enough to restrain him for now.” Before Sasuke or Kakashi could say another word, Gaara raised his hands up above his head and all the sand that had rained down on that part of the village rose up and raced towards Naruto/Kyuubi. The murderous creature fought as the sand formed a wall around it, effectively closing it off from the village. The silence that followed was deafening. Gaara lowered his hands but the look of intense concentration never left his face. “He is…too strong. I don't think I can hold him very long.”

 

“You can let him go Gaara. I've got him for now.” They turned to see Shikamaru standing several feet away to their right, his hands in a familiar sign. He saw the looks on their faces and sighed. “Already forgot I was here huh? Bah this is why jumping in to save the day is such a bother.”

 

Sasuke sighed internally with relief. He knew how strong Shikamaru's Kagemane No Jutsu had become over the last few years. He had just bought them precious time to try and save Naruto.

 

Gaara hesitated for only a moment but nodded and released the sand prison. The sand fell away from Naruto/Kyuubi's body and Sasuke's relief disappeared in an instant as he saw just how bad things had gotten.

 

Naruto/Kyuubi had sprouted a fourth tail and he was covered in blood as the healing ability slowed with each tail that emerged. His skin looked burned away in some spots and though Shikamaru's Kagemane No Jutsu was effective at keeping Naruto/Kyuubi still, the creature continued to roar menacingly and fight against its bonds.

 

“Sasuke what's happening to him?” A small voice suddenly spoke from Sasuke's left. He turned to see Mizuki standing beside him. She wore a look of horror with tears running down her face. “What's wrong with Naruto?”

 

“You shouldn't be here!” He yelled. “Itachi could appear again at any minute. You should stay with the anbu where it's safe.”

 

“That doesn't matter!” She yelled back. “What's happening to Naruto-san is more important right now and besides,” Her voice grew quieter as her face turned red. “I…I don't feel safe with the anbu. I feel safer here with…”

 

“It's alright. I understand.” Sasuke's expression softened. “But it's not like Naruto is any safer than Itachi right now. In fact this is more of a problem than Itachi ever could be.”

 

“What are you going to do?” Mizuki asked.

 

“I wish I knew.” Sasuke said despairingly. He really had no clue how to help Naruto and even though only a few minutes had passed, he knew his best friend didn't have much time left.

 

“Sasuke-kun.” A voice sounded so weak behind him he almost didn't hear it. Mizuki did and he saw her turn around, her eyes going wide. He followed her gaze and his own eyes could have filled with tears at the sight. Sakura was alive and standing before them!

 

“Sakura!” Sasuke yelled and immediately ran to her, sweeping her from where she was being supported by Tsunade into as gentle a hug as his fierce emotions would allow. “You're alright! Thank goodness!”

 

“Sasuke-kun. Help me get to Naruto.” She said staring at the creature in front of her. It was then that Sasuke noticed she was holding her stomach carefully and her face was extremely pale.

 

“Sakura you…”

 

“Not now Sasuke-kun. Naruto first.” Sasuke looked at Tsunade who only nodded grimly. He saw the determination in Sakura's face and reluctantly helped her limp to where Naruto/Kyuubi was still trapped in Shikamaru's Kagemane No Jutsu. But for how long remained the question. It was obvious by the sweat that had appeared on Shikamaru's brow that he was nearing his limit.

 

Sakura reached within a few feet of Naruto/Kyuubi and let go of Sasuke. She swayed dangerously but steadied herself. “Naruto.” Was all she said softly but it caught Naruto/Kyuubi's attention. The creature stopped its growling and fighting and stared at Sakura. Its eyes looked at her as though she was new, weak prey but at the sight of her a fierce battle had begun in its mind.

 

“That's…that's Sakura-chan! She's alive!” Naruto yelled from behind the bars where he and the Kyuubi had exchanged places when its power had sprung from him. His anger had damaged the cage that held the Kyuubi captive and allowed more of it to escape than ever. Now he found himself in its place and though he could have easily escaped at first, when he had thought Sakura dead, he hadn't wanted to.

 

“I thought you were dead Sakura-chan.” He spoke from the depths of his enslaved mind though no one could hear him. “I thought I'd lost you forever. I wanted to make Itachi pay. I wanted to destroy him!” He said fiercely even as his tears of relief ran down his face. He grabbed the bars holding him in and fought against them ferociously. “Let me out you stupid fox! You've had your fun now it's time to go back where you belong!” He concentrated and could feel the Kyuubi's power slowly receding back into the cage with him and he could feel the bars slowly bending to his will.

 

“What are you doing?” The Kyuubi's monstrous voice suddenly boomed at him. “You let me out to destroy! What does it matter who I hurt?”

 

“That's when I thought Sakura-chan was dead! She's okay now! And I won't let you hurt her!”

 

“Why not?”

 

Naruto's head snapped up in surprise. “What did you say?”

 

“I said why not?” Kyuubi's voice said again with amusement. “Uchiha Itachi may be gone and the woman you love may be alive but doesn't that only make it worse? Did you forget so quickly what you saw?” And Naruto watched as an image of Sasuke and Sakura in an embrace suddenly materialized in front of him. Naruto saw again the image that had broken his heart and all at once the bars grew more solid again and the Kyuubi's chakra began to leak out from the cage.

 

Sakura looked calmly at Naruto and smiled through her pain as she lied through her teeth. “It's alright Naruto. I'm fine now. Itachi is gone and you don't have to do this anymore. Please.” She took another step forward. “Put the Kyuubi back where it belongs.”

 

Mizuki stared at Sakura. “Can she do it? I mean, can she save him?”

 

“I don't know.” Sasuke said from where he had joined her side. “She's right, the only reason Naruto lost control so badly is because he thought she was dead. But it's been a long time since he's been this far gone. I'm not sure even Sakura's voice can reach him now.”

 

Sakura's voice was reaching him. But thanks to the Kyuubi's interference, it was falling on hurt and jealous ears.

 

“Sakura kissed Sasuke. I never thought it would hurt so much to see. She really doesn't care for me. It's always been about Sasuke.” Naruto had never felt inferior to Sasuke in anything other than who had more of Sakura's heart. For a while, it had seemed Naruto had the upper hand but after what he'd seen...Anger started to well up again.

 

“After everything we've been through together! I've never loved anyone like her.” The Kyuubi laughed as Naruto yelled, “She hurt me! She betrayed me!”

 

Naruto/Kyuubi began to fight Shikamaru's hold on it again. Shikamaru fought as hard as he could but knew his hold was slipping.

 

“Whatever you're going to do Sakura you'd better do it quickly. I don't know how much longer I can hold him.” He grunted as he struggled to keep it still.

 

Sakura's eyes went wide as she saw Naruto/Kyuubi start to struggle again. “I thought I'd reached him. I really thought he heard me. Why isn't he fighting?” Her heart broke to see the pain he was in. She took another step closer.

 

“Naruto please. You don't have to let it out anymore. Don't you remember what I said back in the sand village? I don't want to be responsible for you getting hurt! And you said you would control it for me! Don't you remember?” She took another step. Sasuke yelled out a warning that she was too close but she ignored it. “I know I never said anything but I was so happy to hear that.” She smiled through the tears that coursed down her face. “All the times you would say things like that and I stopped you. I never should have. You've always cared about me Naruto and believe me, I felt the same way, even if I never said it!” She started yelling.

 

“She…feels the same way?” Naruto said shocked.

 

“Lies! She's just trying to make you surrender!” Kyuubi snarled.

 

“Lies? Sakura-chan? She's never lied to me before.”

 

“It took losing you to another woman to make me realize it and I know it's too late now but if you still care for me at all Naruto, keep your promise! Fight the Kyuubi, come back to me!” She yelled through her tears even as she collapsed to her knees, clutching her stomach as it started to bleed again.

 

“Sakura-chan.” Naruto said in shock. He didn't even think about it this time the bars in front him immediately bent outward, allowing him through. He walked out of the cage, ignoring the Kyuubi's screams and threats as it was drawn back in. He walked away from the cage and into the front of his mind where he took control once more.