Okay, bear with me here, this is my first fanfiction, so I'm not sure how exactly to do this.

First off, this is my response to TenshiSaWaDa's challenge the second. In it, Naruto is banished from Konoha and goes off collecting the other Jinchuuriki. The group together is enough to fend off Akatsuki, and traverse the Elemental Nations for several years. If you'd like to hear more (as I'm not all that prone to just giving out spoilers- they gotta be earned people!) then simply visit Chapter 14 of Golden Eyes by TenshiSaWaDa.

Second, there are spoilers up to the current chapters coming out, so this is your only warning.

Anyway, like I said, this is my first fanfiction. Reviews are nice (encouraged, even!) and all ye flamers, know this: I take your flames, make s'mores, and then flame back.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer (only doing the once, though expect the odd quotes, advice and thoughts in place afterwards): Isn't it obvious? This is FANfiction, after all.

Lucidity

Chapter 1

It Begins

There was a sort of pall in the air, Kakashi idly mused as he approached the Valley of the End, where his two students- promising young Shinobi both- were fighting. He felt disgusted in Sasuke's behavior, as he had disobeyed the very advice that Kakashi had given barely twenty-four hours earlier.

And loathe as he is to admit it, Sasuke will have to pay for his actions, last of his clan or no.

The sky darkened as he approached the cliff face that separated the land of fire from the land of sound, and the pall in the air thickened, making it rather trying in terms of breathing normally. For civilians, it might seem as though the air was too thick to breathe, but for as seasoned a Jonin as him, it was hardly noticeable.

The scene he came upon, however, could not be so lightly ignored.

Rasengan.

Chidori.

Both are powerful jutsu in their own rights, even working to counterbalance each other in terms of chakra usage.

Rasengan, the ultimate form of shape transformation. So powerfully condensed that, in the right hands, it could rend even the most powerful of barriers to dust

Chidori, the ultimate form of nature transformation. What it lacks in destructive power it more than makes up for in its ability to pierce almost anything that it comes across.

Kakashi had only once wondered what would happen if the two were to clash and that had been three days ago, not even. He had come to the conclusion that the outcome of such a thing would kill both users.

Apparently, he hadn't taken into account two things:

1. The practically inhuman regenerative power that the Kyuubi gave Naruto

2. The Curse Seal, level 2

Granted, Kakashi only knew about one of those two, and had only the barest of information on the other, but he had thought that he knew exactly what would happen should the two jutsu go against each other.

But because of the two things he hadn't taken into account, he was wrong.

And all the proof was in front of him.

Sasuke watched on as Naruto lay where he'd been launched. He knew, he knew, that had either of their aim been off by even the slightest of millimeters, then both of their jutsu would have been exponentially more powerful from drawing on the other, killing both users.

Luck, Sasuke thought, was the only thing that kept them alive. Was the only thing keeping Naruto alive.

But not anymore. Sasuke thought, standing over his ex-teammate. Your luck has run out, Naruto.

He pulled out a Kunai, his chakra reserves too diminished to do another jutsu, and moved to strike.

The next thing he saw was the angry red of Naruto's eyes before being launched back. How could he still have power? Sasuke calculated his chances of winning the fight as is, then made a wise decision: leave Naruto alive and kill him another day.

And it was the last that anyone of Konoha would see of Uchiha Sasuke for years to come.

Kakashi snapped himself out of his stupor, what was he doing, standing there gaping like an academy student in the presence of the Hokage? He rushed forth to catch the fleeing Sasuke, but was stopped by a swipe from Naruto.

"Naruto, what-" was all Kakashi let out before he met the red eyes of his student, and realized the truth.

That wasn't Naruto he was fighting, it was Kyuubi.

"So Kakashi-Sensei, you're my next opponent, are you?" Naruto's voice cut through the air like glass. Kakashi was floored. Naruto was in control? And he was still attacking his teacher like they were enemies.

Kakashi dodged another swipe, then a kick, before retaliating with one of his own. He reached into his pouch, pulling out something he never thought he'd have to utilize.

Back when Kakashi had made the passing of Team 7 official, the Sandaime had given him a small bundle of chakra-suppressing seals, as it was entirely possible that Naruto would have to draw upon Kyuubi's chakra, and they had no basis for how much control he would have.

The Sandaime had shared the whole truth to Naruto, that the Shodai's wife had been the first Jinchuuriki for Kyuubi, and Naruto's mother the second, with Naruto being the third. He also said that Mito had never had need to call upon Kyuubi's chakra, and that Kushina's chakra was somehow particularly effective in controlling Kyuubi's chakra. As such, there was no idea how it would affect Naruto, as he would have need to use the demonic chakra, and it was quite obvious that Naruto didn't have the same chakra anomaly that his mother had.

At the time, such a thing had seemed quite idiotic. After all, how could Naruto, naïve, cheerful Naruto, lose himself in a bloody rage?

Kakashi had just found out how wrong they'd been.

He moved in close, slapping one of the seals upon Naruto, before suitably restraining him and heading back to Konoha. Kakashi could feel it in his heart: he'd lost the last remaining family of his friend, and shortly after, may have lost the only remaining tie to his Sensei.

He was too late.

Always too late.

The return had been unnaturally somber. Sakura stood vigil at the gate, having seen the team of medics come and pass, waiting for her Sensei to return with her teammates in tow. She had become even more distraught at the sight of the injured members of the team that had returned thus far, and was afraid of how horribly injured Sasuke and Naruto- no, not Naruto. He'd had a bad habit of bouncing back from injury almost immediately, he'd just have a few scrapes, probably a broken arm to complain about. Yeah, Naruto will be alright. Sakura affirmed, calmer than before.

Which was why she was stunned to see that, when the final group of Med-nins returned with Kakashi (not even five minutes had passed since the group escorting Lee and, Sakura shivered, Gaara, had returned) carrying a bound Naruto.

"Sensei, what happened? Why's Naruto tied up? Where's Sasuke?" She looked up to her teacher in the hope that he would give her words of comfort.

All she got in return was that the mission was a failure and to head home and await further orders.

And suddenly it all made sense.

Mission failure.

Mission… failure.

Failure.

Sasuke wasn't coming back, and something had happened to Naruto- maybe he'd just been too stubborn and Kakashi had had to restrain and knock him out. Sakura nodded to herself, once more comforted by her own conclusions.

After all, for what reason would Kakashi have to restrain Naruto outside of his stubbornness?

Annnd, done! Wow, Got that done in…. about 10 hours from beginning to end. Guess I'll have to plan it out further than I had before (After all, I'd only planned about three or four chapters ahead, and it's rather unbecoming of a writer to not have their work planned out). To answer any questions before they begin, I've not planned out any pairings, but I'll let you know when I've thought of one. Don't know when the next chapter will come out, but I will appreciate any and all reviews. Also, it is your job as the reader to let me know about any goofs and/or plot holes I might have missed, so I'd much appreciate any and all reviewers doing that.