Disclaimer: Neither I nor my co author own Naruto. There's nothing more to say than that. This story is a collaboration effort between me and Drakuzz. For those of you that have read our first collaboration Twin Troubles, we hope you'll come enjoy this tale. For those of you that haven't, we also hope you enjoy this as well.

Diverging Paths

By David Knight and Drakuzz

Chapter One: The Choice

...so... this is it... Naruto thought as he could already see Sasuke's Chidori was going to get him. Possibly worse than his Rasengan would hurt Sasuke.

He was going to die.

Which also meant the Kyuubi would die with him.

And yet for some reason... He couldn't let that happen. Even if it was a demon… It was still a living being.

Hey. Kyuubi.

What do you want now, brat! Are you so pathetic you can't use that sliver of my power! The Kyuubi asked in its growling and loud voice.

This is your lucky day. I'm going to set you free.

Even Kyuubi wasn't prepared for this, as evidenced by its shocked question. WHAT!

Naruto smiled to himself. So, even the great Youkai can be surprised. He became serious then. Swear for all time never to attack or destroy Konoha or its people and I'll set you free.

Even if the demon was surprised, it still recovered fast and growled back. And leave myself unprotected from them should they attack me! Trade life today for death tomorrow!

I said never to attack or destroy. Self-defense is something I accept but someone as yourself can get away without killing anyone. Naruto stated. That's the deal. Take it, Fox, or we both go.

... What do you mean we both go, brat! The demon fox asked.

Don't you know? Sasuke's about to kill me with the Chidori and I'm not going to be able to do a thing about it.

You fool! Use my power to kill him! The Kyuubi snapped angrily.

No! I won't kill him! I made a promise to bring him back alive! Naruto shouted back intensely. I will not betray my word by bringing him back dead! I'd rather die myself!

And how can you keep your promise if you die! The demon asked back, clearly angry.

Naruto said nothing. ...why do you care? Don't you want to be free Fox?

Are you giving up!

I can't avoid the Chidori. I can't win without killing him, and I won't kill him. I'm finished. The only question left is, do you want to die with me or not?

... How can you break the seal! The Kyuubi asked at long last. It hadn't been able to for more than a decade, yet this boy claimed he could do it...

Naruto gave a smirk. I've known ever since I learned Kage Bushin. I learned how from that forbidden scroll.

The Kyuubi's demonic eyes widened behind the gates that held it prisoner. Could this brat... Learn such a technique in a few scant hours!

"Get ready," Naruto said as he started forcing down his chakra and made seals. Ox. Eagle. Dog. Horse... His hand started to glow black.

What are you doing! The Kyuubi asked, its eyes narrowed as it saw the chakra.

"Yeah. Forgot to mention... It's a forbidden jutsu," Naruto said having finished the seals. "And it's supposed to be used on the outside of the body, but in this case, it'll still work."

The demon remained silent, staring at the brat intently, and Naruto struck the lock on the cage with his chakra-charged hand.

"Lock represents the seal," Naruto said with a grim smile. Suddenly the gates opened... But before he could see anything else, he felt a pain through his chest. "... And with seconds to spare..." He managed to get out in a gasp.

He fell to the ground of his own mind, dying and as he died he had only one remaining thought left.

Sakura-chan... I'm... sorry...

-----

Uchiha Sasuke stared at the sight before him. His arm had gone through Naruto's body. He was dead. Pushing the body off of his arm, he looked at the arm, now drenched in blood, the blood of his...

Suddenly pain racked his body, and he felt it coming from the cursed seal on his neck. His cursed form and the markings retreated into the seal, leaving Sasuke in his normal form. The pain went away after a couple of minutes. Feeling it was alright, he activated his Sharingan, yet found it to be only his normal one. No sign of the advanced bloodline that his bastard brother had.

Why... Why don't I have the Mangekyou! Did I just... He stared back at Naruto looking at him as he stayed still with a hole in his chest. There was no healing taking place. No red chakra mending his body.

Naruto was dead.

He had killed his...His friend for nothing.

Dread washed over Sasuke like a tidal wave, his hands were shaking as he fell to his knees. He felt blood rushing up through his mouth, spewing it on the ground, his chest burned, and now so did his eyes. As he tried to open them, they felt different, as if strained. Like a heightened sense had appeared so suddenly and he wasn't prepared for it.

In a rush, forgetting about Naruto, he went to the river and looked to see his reflection. He saw it. He had the Mangekyou.

Sasuke threw his head back in laughter, relishing this accomplishment. Naruto's death wasn't worthless. He had achieved the ultimate Sharingan.

But when he looked back into the lake he saw not his own reflection, but instead that of Itachi. He turned around but saw no one behind him. Looking back in the river all he saw was his accursed brother. "No... Why am I seeing him! I am not like him! I am not Itachi! I didn't kill..." He denied until the word kill came from his mouth and he turned to see Naruto's body again. Unmoving, inert… Dead. "... I... I killed my... I killed Naruto..."

Staring back at the lake he still saw Itachi's reflection instead of his own, smugly smiling at him. It was as if the Mangekyou was telling him something now. It was only when he deactivated it did he see himself as he was, but it only confirmed the truth. A truth he was ashamed of. To acquire this power, he had become that which he despised most.

He had become Itachi. Another betrayer.

Sasuke put a hand to his neck, right where he new the cursed seal was. Orochimaru would give him power and skill. But what further cost would he pay? He had already become like this brother. Would he become even worse than Itachi in order to kill him?

The answer was simple.

Removing his headband from his head, he placed it into Naruto's right hand, having the blonde ninja's hand hold it tight. A message of sorts. He stared at Naruto's glazed and unmoving eyes before closing them with his hand and saying something he never thought he would say to anyone and truly mean it. "... I'm sorry... My friend..." Turning around, Uchiha Sasuke walked away, heading away from Fire Country as the first drops of water of what would be a terrible storm started to fall, which suited his current mood just fine.

As he walked through the forest, Sasuke understood now that for revenge, he could no longer go any lower, otherwise he would shame his clan, which he wanted to rebuild. I will kill Itachi without you, Orochimaru. I swear, I will not become worse than my brother. That, I promise.

What he didn't get to see, for he was already walking away, was the red chakra slowly seeping through Naruto's skin.

-----

Naruto started to open his eyes and felt it very bright yet his body was still wracked with pain. "Aren't you supposed not to feel any pain if you are dead?" He asked no one in particular with a wince.

As an answer he heard a female snort of derision. "You're lucky, brat. Damn lucky," a rich woman's voice was heard.

"...huh?" Naruto blinked, unfamiliar with that voice. "Who's there?"

"Get up, you idiot! You're not hurt anymore," the woman snapped.

Naruto ended up jumping up to his feet, finding he had some aches but no where near the pain he should have had if he was still alive. "Guess I really am dead."

He received a bop to the head for his comment. "Would it hurt if you were dead? Idiot!"

"OUCH!" Naruto exclaimed. He got angry at once, not liking this woman at all, whoever she was. He felt soaked a bit now that he thought about it, soaked to the bone. It was raining, and hard at that. ... Okay maybe I am NOT dead, but still... He turned his attention to the woman at once. "Now look! Just who do you think you..." He let his jaw drop when he turned around and saw her.

It was a rather young woman, maybe around her early twenties. Other than that she looked perfectly normal, except for her orange hair and red eyes. Eyes Naruto instantly recognized, for they were eyes that he'd never be able to forget.

"K-k-k-KYUUBI!" Naruto exclaimed falling backwards and trying to move away. This was something he didn't expect at all and he was the one that freed the demon!

The woman grinned at him, showing elongated canines. Even in her relaxed position, sitting against a boulder, she looked menacing. "Brat..."

"But, if you're here, then I am not dead... But Sasuke... The Chidori.." Tearing off his shirt, he found what barely counted for a scratch near where his heart was. Where Sasuke had pierced through his body with the Chidori. The loudmouth ninja was at a loss for words.

"You're as slow as usual. It figures coming from such an idiot," Kyuubi said as she stood up, showing that she wasn't very tall either.

"Hey! If it wasn't for me you'd be dead!" Naruto snapped. "How come I'm not dead?"

"If it wasn't for me we'd both be dead, would've been dead long ago," Kyuubi corrected and sighed. "I can't believe that man sealed me inside such a stupid brat."

"... You brought me back?" Naruto blinked in disbelief when he realized it.

The woman's eyes narrowed slightly. "Don't go getting ideas into that hard head of yours. I didn't do it for you."

"Yeah. That would be weird, you acting human by bringing me back," Naruto replied, scratching the back of his head. "So, why did you bring me back?"

"I have my reasons, which are my own," she said imperiously.

Naruto shrugged, not really caring that much. He was alive and Kyuubi had to honor his...Her word. Suddenly he realized he was holding something in his left hand. Looking down, he opened it and saw a Leaf forehead protector. He felt his head and found his own was missing. He saw it not that far away to his left.

Then... This is Sasuke's, Naruto realized.

The woman didn't seem to notice his plight. Instead she turned her head to the side when she felt someone approaching.

Naruto noticed Kyuubi's mood. "Something wrong... Foxgirl?" He couldn't help himself from making that crack now knowing the demon's true gender.

"We're not alone," the woman answered, ignoring his nickname of her for now and narrowing her eyes as a shadow moved through the foliage of the trees. It was hard to tell with the heavy downpour of rain.

Naruto's right hand went to his kunai holster while the other hand put Sasuke's forehead protector into a pocket for safekeeping. The fact that the Uchiha left the protector in his hands meant something, but that was something to consider for later. Now what? Another Sound-nin?

It soon became obvious that wasn't the case, as Kakashi walked into view. "Yo," he greeted as casually as he usually did.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto exclaimed, the Jounin was actually the last person he expected to see here.

"Oi, Naruto," Kakashi said as he approached, eyeing the woman standing next to the blond warily. She was standing with a very practiced and relaxed stance, not to mention in a place he didn't expect to find anything but Sound-nins. Taking in the sight of his haggard student, however, told him everything he needed to know about what happened. "Did Sasuke...?"

Naruto looked down while he pulled out Sasuke's forehead protector from his pocket. "... I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei. By the time I ... Woke up, he was already gone. I found this in my hand when I woke up."

Kakashi sighed before looking at Naruto seriously. "You did your best, Naruto. I'm sorry I didn't arrive earlier."

"Do you think, there's any chance to hope he didn't go running to Orochimaru?" Naruto asked in all honesty. Sasuke was his friend, but he knew how much Sasuke wanted Itachi dead.

"Most likely he went to him," Kakashi said and turned to regard the forest.

A small dog wearing a leaf protector walked next to the Jounin and shook its head. "I won't be able to trace him in this weather."

Naruto just looked back at the leaf protector, still undamaged. "Then why... Why did he place it in my hand, whole and intact."

"Who knows what goes through the minds of imbeciles?" The woman asked rhetorically with a nasty smirk.

"Some help you are," Naruto said to her as he pocketed Sasuke's forehead protector. There WAS a reason behind it. He just had to figure out why... Of course thinking things out logically wasn't his strong point.

"Who ever said I wanted to help?" The woman asked and turned to look at Kakashi. "I just happened by this idiot brat and waited till he woke up."

Kakashi nodded, not convinced at all about this woman's words. Why be here of all places now?

You better remember your promise, fox. Naruto stared at Kyuubi before looking back to Kakashi. "What do we do now, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi looked at Naruto for a moment. "We should return to Konoha and report to the Hokage."

Naruto wanted to protest, that they should continue to go after Sasuke, but as they said, there wasn't anything to be done now. "Alright. I want to find out how Shikamaru, Kiba and the others are. Do you know anything, sensei?"

"They were all injured in their fights," Kakashi said gravely. "Yet all of them are alive."

Naruto sunk his head. And I died... But can't exactly say that without giving away foxgirl and I can't do that. And Naruto knew. Giving away Kyuubi's identity was inviting for trouble right now. He didn't know how Kakashi would react. The Jounin was always calm and laid back, yet this was the demon that almost destroyed Konoha all those years ago.

"Well, let's go," Kakashi said and turned to walk away.

As the Jounin started on his way Kyuubi turned down to look at Naruto. "You're not getting rid of me that easily, brat."

"Eh?" Naruto blinked. "What do you mean? I...Helped you, remember? You helped me. What's left now?" He asked carefully, making sure Kakashi didn't hear anything that would have given away the fox's identity.

The woman crossed her arms over her breasts and gave him a critical look. "I'm sticking around you for now. I did promise not to attack Konoha, but I made a promise before that."

"Eh? What promise is that?" Naruto asked in disbelief. "I don't remember hearing you make a promise before that."

"I didn't make it to you," Kyuubi said and let her arms drop to her sides with a sigh. "Look, just get used to the idea. You're stuck with me for now."

Naruto blinked for a bit before sighing. "Well, let's get going then, before Kakashi-sensei wonders what's up." He looked back at her. "By the way, what do you want me to call you when there are other people present. Eventually someone will want to know your name and you can't just say... You know. That name."

The woman smirked. "What's wrong with my name, anyway?"

"Um, we can't exactly say Kyuubi around people without them getting ideas now can we? Plus weren't you the one that told me you didn't want them after you enmass as soon as I freed you?"

Kyuubi inwardly smirked at the image of her defending herself against the villagers of Konoha, but outwardly she sighed and nodded. "How about you name me? I care not for human names."

"Really?" Naruto blinked not expecting it. He started to think about it seriously when he remembered a certain story. "Kaguya. How do you like that one?"

The woman shrugged her shoulders, not really liking or disliking it. "Why?"

"Well… I kinda remember two different stories about myths with a Kaguya. One was of her being this princess who was born of heaven and earth and ended up becoming a higher being. Other one had her as powerful demon until the time of her death." Naruto explained. "And, you kind of look like a Kaguya."

"Fine... Now let's go," Kyuubi said as she started walking.

Naruto shook his head. "This is sure going to be interesting."

-----

It wasn't until a good deal of time had passed before a figure come up out of the ground from the mountain that was above them. "... Well... To say that was interesting would be an understatement, if anything." He could only imagine how the others would react to the news. He had been sent to make sure Sasuke had not killed the fox brat. Unfortunately he failed that... But this... "Even Itachi would have to be surprised."

He was about to leave when he realized one thing. He remembered the direction Sasuke had been taking and it was leading towards Orochimaru's land. Looks like he will go to the snake after all.

Zetsu had to leave now and let the others know. The rest of the Akatsuki would be VERY interested to learn of this turn of events.

-----

Sasuke lay against the wall of the mountain, breathing deeply. He had been running full out just to make sure he got as far way from the Leaf as possible. It was a bitch he lost his pack during the fight but he had no time to worry about it.

Consider your options. You're a missing nin, you got a Sannin that is going to want you for your eyes and a former home that is going to want you for that and for murder. Staying in either country is going to get me killed. Sasuke reasoned. He had to get through to another country. The closest ones were Stone, Waterfall, Grass and Thunder.

Unfortunately, there was a major problem. Stone, Waterfall, and Grass were all behind him. To get to them he'd have to turn around, stay within Fire Country for days and make his way to the Fire Gate checkpoints in order to cross into either of the countries, which would most certainly get him captured by ANBU. By the time he reached there, the ANBU guards would have been most certainly made aware of his status by messenger bird.

That left Sasuke with only one option. Going to Thunder Country… Through Sound territory. At the moment, Sound nin would probably be helping him if he actually ran into them, thinking that he was joining their side. Still there was risk involved. In his present state he wouldn't last long without rest and food and if he was captured and brought before Orochimaru, it would be doubtful that he would be able to escape from the Sannin.

The odds of his escape into Thunder however were much less if he stayed in Fire Country and tried to escape through the border where the ANBU would be waiting for him.

Thunder through Sound it is. Sasuke decided as he continued on his way, hoping for the best.

-----

The guards at the gates of Konoha weren't surprised to see Kakashi walking down the path towards them. They had received the Genin hours before, all of them wounded, together with the Genin from Sand.

They were surprised, however, to see Naruto walking next to the Jounin... With no Uchiha Sasuke in sight.

"..." Naruto had nothing to say right now and already knew what they thought of him. They probably even thought less of him now, coming back without Sasuke and without a single scratch on him. Curse of healing.

"Yo," Kakashi greeted the guards as he walked ahead and started to talk to them.

Through all of this Kyuubi remained silent, standing next to Naruto as she studied the walls surrounding the Hidden Leaf Village. "Hasn't changed much," she commented, a hard glint in her red eyes. Eyes that even in her human guise were demonic to anyone that took the time to look into them.

"What? Didn't you see anything at all from me?" Naruto asked.

The woman regarded the short ninja sideways. "How? From my majestic view behind those bars?"

Naruto gave an embarrassed laugh. "Ahah. Right. Sorry."

"Idiot," Kyuubi snorted and turned to regard Kakashi, who was walking towards them.

"Everyone has arrived and they are all in the hospital. You should go get yourself checked up, Naruto. I'm going to report to the Hokage," the Jounin said in his casual manner.

"Ah, I'm fine Sensei. I do want to see the others, though." Naruto said.

Kakashi nodded. "Go right ahead."

----

The general feeling in the hospital was tense, the staff working as hard as it could on the injured Genin. Few words were exchanged, with Shikamaru sitting worriedly and fumbling his fingers.

A blonde girl sitting across from him talked some sense into his hard head, or so she thought.

In another room of the hospital several medical nins worked on Hyuga Neji, prodigy of the powerful clan, as his wounds were threatening his life with every breath he took.

In yet another room the Hokage read texts in an attempt to find a cure for yet another Genin, who was almost dead due to a clan power pill.

Even as the outside doors opened barely anyone took notice of the new arrivals.

"Never really liked hospitals," Naurto said to Kyuubi.

"Get used to them," Kyuubi said as she walked next to him. "The way you always get hurt you'll spend a lot of time in them."

"Yeah," Naruto then blinked. "Hey. How fast do I heal now that you aren't inside me?"

The woman shrugged her shoulders. "Your chakra pathways should be different from a normal human's, but now that I'm unable to help in your healing... We'll just have to find out the next time you get in over your head."

Naruto just nodded as he turned over to seeing Shikamaru. "Yo, Shika."

Shikamaru looked away from his father, who had just given him a lecture, and his eyes widened slightly. "Naruto..." The blonde didn't seem to be hurt, but the many tears and the hole in his outfit spoke of something else.

"You okay?" Naruto asked, noticing the guy wasn't that well off.

The Chunin looked at his friend and turned away. "Chouji is in there right now..."

"...That bad, huh?" Naruto said hanging his head. He then felt someone touching his back. "Eh?" He turned around to find Gaara's sister behind him. "Something you want?"

"No. Just curious," Temari said simply. But in her mind was another story. Like how you have identical holes on both the front and back of your outfit. As if something pierced your body and yet you don't even have a scratch on you.

Shikamaru sighed and looked at the blond genin. "What happened to Sasuke?"

Naruto sighed. "He beat me. When I woke up, he was gone and I found he left his forehead protector in my hand."

Shikamaru looked at the blond, recognizing the guilt in his blue eyes, and smirked. "You're so troublesome. Don't think about blaming yourself." While he wasn't feeling particularly cheerful or confident, he seriously doubted he wanted to continue being a ninja after what happened to the Genin under his command, he didn't want Naruto to place the blame on himself.

Naruto didn't have anything to say there at all.

Just at that moment the door to the room Chouji was in opened, revealing the smiling form of the Fifth Hokage.

"It's alright now," Tsunade said looking at Shikamaru. "The continuous cell destruction effect of the pills were stopped by an antidote I put together. He'll live... This time." She was about to say more when she spotted the blonde ninja. "Naruto?"

"Hi, Baa-chan," Naruto smirked, unable to help himself in calling her that.

Shikamaru winced as he saw Tsunade's eyebrow twitch at the nickname. He so didn't want to be between these two when they got started with the insults.

Kyuubi, on the other hand, was studying everyone in the room carefully. The one that really caught her attention was the Hokage, though. So this is today's Hokage, she thought as she assessed the woman and found herself impressed. For a human she was very strong. Not as strong as the Fourth, but then again she had yet to see someone in his league.

Tsunade hated being called that name, however her eyes went over to that woman behind Naruto. She hadn't seen her before in the village. And those eyes... ... Oh.my.god. The Fifth did her best not to show any emotion other than her apparent anger at being called a granny by Naruto. In fact to cover up her discovery she played up on that. "Brat! One of these days you'll say that for the last time."

"Maybe," Naruto smirked. Never.

"Tsunade-sama!" Everyone turned to see Shizune coming to them. "Hyuuga Neji's condition has been stabilized. And we just heard that Naruto-kun and Kakashi..."

"Hi Shizune-nee-chan," Naruto said from behind the medic nin, surprising her.

Tsunade rolled her eyes at the prankster's antics.

"Tch... Troublesome," Shikamaru said with a bored expression on his face, though he was inwardly relieved about the news that everyone survived.

Kyuubi smirked as she stared at Tsunade. So the Hokage could tell what her true nature was? Impressive.

Tsunade looked back at Naruto before asking. "Your mission." A pause and Tsunade knew. "I see. Then this mission was a failure." Before anyone said anything she continued, "But everyone's alive, and that's more important than anything."

Shikamaru nodded slowly, unconvinced but happy that everyone was indeed alive. He turned to Naruto, expecting the Genin to start acting like his usual self and promise to get Sasuke back anyway.

Before he could though, Tsunade spoke to him. "Naruto. Meet me in my office in an hour." Without another world the Fifth walked away, surprising the others, with Shizune rushing after her.

Shikamaru was quick to notice something amiss, yet he couldn't see what right now.

Temari also felt very intrigued by this right now and she wasn't even part of this village. It really wasn't her place, yet this ninja had done much for Gaara. That meant a lot to her. So it becomes something I want to figure out.

In the meantime, Kyuubi looked at Naruto and smirked. "You're in trouble, brat."

"Eh? Why?" Naruto blinked before his eyes widened at her.

"Even an idiot like you should be able to figure it out," the woman said.

Oh hell. was Naruto's predominate thought.

-----

"Tsunade-sama! What is going on?" Shizune asked once more, they were a good deal away from the hospital now. "Why did you leave the hospital like that? You..." Suddenly she found her self against a wall with the Fifth's hand over her mouth.

"Go and gather the ANBU and have them on standby," Tsunade said steely, making Shizune become very nervous. The Fifth's stare did not waver. Rather it intensified. "Now, Shizune! Have them ready to storm my tower at the first sign of trouble."

"Ha-hai!" she said before leaving the Fifth.

Tsunade stood there for a bit before speaking. "Drop the cloak Jiraiya. I know you are there. In fact, I'm glad you are here. I need you."

A white-haired man with red lines painted from his eyes to his jaw stepped around a corner. "Why call the ANBU, Tsunade?"

"The ANBU won't do any good against it if its intentions are evil. You and I are the only ones that have a chance in hell of killing it if it comes to that," Tsunade said without facing the Sannin. "Funny, I would have thought it would have just slaughtered us all."

Jiraiya blinked in confusion at that. "Killing what?"

Tsunade turned around and looked Jiraiya dead in the eyes, saying only one word. "Kyuubi."

The man's eyes widened at that. "Are you sure!" He was certain the seal was perfectly fine when he checked it. There was no way it could've been broken.

"I saw it, in the form of a human woman, standing right next to Naruto." Tsunade said, her tone deadly serious.

"Are you sure it was it?" Jiraiya asked quietly.

"Do you think I would even suggest this unless I was absolutely certain?"

"Hmm..." The legendary frog sannin crossed his arms over his chest. "Was Naruto well?" He highly doubted the Kyuubi would let Naruto live if it ever got out of that seal.

Tsunade blinked, thinking over the same thing as Jiraiya now. "Actually, yes..." Her eyes widened as she realized something. "Except for a hole in the front and back of his jacket, as if something went through his body, yet he didn't have a scratch on him." The demon was behind that. She was certain of it.

"Perhaps we should learn more before coming to conclusions, Tsunade," Jiraiya suggested. "While inside of him the Kyuubi had to keep Naruto alive. Why keep him alive now?"

"I don't know. But I intend to find out when I have the demon in my office." Tsunade said.

The man nodded, thinking that he should definitely be there. The Kyuubi had destroyed many lives, including his student's, years ago. It wouldn't do to have it attack once again.

-----

Naruto was with Kyuubi when he went into the Hokage's tower. He had a sense of dread yet the damned fox couldn't help her smirking. "How can you be enjoying this, foxgirl?"

The Kyuubi continued to smirk as she walked past the ANBU guards and into the tower. "How could I not enjoy it, brat? I'm rid of you and now everyone will find out."

"And how is THAT a good thing?" Naruto asked.

The woman didn't answer, instead walking silently the rest of the way as she followed Naruto, which annoyed the blond ninja tremendously.

When they got to the Hokage's room and entered, Naruto saw Tsunade standing… But Jiraiya was there as well, to Naruto's surprise.

"Shut the door." the Fifth said, looking at Naruto with a stare before the boy felt the need to do that at once. Once it was closed, she asked the question. "How?"

"Um... How what, baa-chan? I don't know..." Naruto started to say, he saw the look in her eyes.

"Naruto. Tell me," Tsunade demanded. "Tell me how the hell that demon escaped."

"... I let her out." Naruto admitted. He couldn't lie. Not to her.

Jiraiya's eyes widened at that. "You let it out! But how!"

"Found the jutsu in the same scroll I got Kage Bushin from," Naruto stated simply. He looked back at Tsunade, who still looked the same as before. That worried him, because he didn't know WHAT she was thinking.

Jiraiya crossed his arms over his chest, a pensive look on his face. He shouldn't really be surprised. Naruto learned fast and, while he wasn't an Uchiha, adapted techniques for his own use with ridiculous ease. He turned his gaze to regard the woman standing next to him, the demon, and wondered why it simply stood there with an amused look on her face. She was dangerous, that much he could feel, but she was not the bloodthirsty and mindless monster the villagers made it out to be. That was for sure.

Naruto looked on at Tsunade, who hadn't said or done anything since the beginning. And then her lips came into a half smile. "Baa-chan?" He asked, wincing for calling her that at the moment.

Tsunade didn't notice. Her focus was on the demon. "He got you to give your word, didn't he?"

That erased Kyuubi's smirk instantly, the demon glaring at the Hokage. "How do you know about that, human!" She demanded, for the first time emanating a small part of her aura.

The chakra was so violent and filled with bloodlust that Jiraiya reflexively tensed. The Kyuubi might not have been violent, but that didn't diminish its power in the slightest.

Naruto even moved back, feeling weird now that the shoe was on the other foot as it were.

Tsunade smirked, holding her ground. "You'd be surprised about what I know about demons and demon lords. For instance, demons such as yourselves are bound to honor any promise that you make. Once you give your word, you cannot take it away. Given what you did the last time you were here, the only reason why we aren't fighting and dying is because the brat made you promise before releasing you." She flashed a look to Naruto, dropping the smirk. "Which we'll talk about later."

Naruto nodded, actually glad that they wouldn't be talking about that yet.

The younger-looking woman, for she was by far older than any being in all of Konoha, glared daggers at Tsunade with a killer intent that would unnerve anyone. "Words have a way to be twisted, and promises made in the past take precedence to new ones. Remember that, old woman."

"I'll keep that in mind," Tsunade said, staring down the woman even though she was a bit unnerved because of that killer intent. She's not a demon for nothing. She said to herself.

Kyuubi reigned in her aura of terror, which had a diminished effect on the three present. Jiraiya and Tsunade were strong shinobi, even if affected they didn't react as badly as a normal ninja. Naruto, on the other hand, had the demon inside of him since he was a baby. It did affect him strongly, but he didn't wet his pants as the other villagers would and had done.

"So now that you are free, why are you here if you can't get your revenge?" Tsunade asked of Kyuubi

"My reasons are my own," the woman answered tightly. "I may not like this idiotic brat, but I'm staying with him for the time being."

"Don't worry baa-chan, if she wanted me dead, she wouldn't have brought me back from the dead..." Naruto stopped the moment he saw Tsunade's face at the words, her mask broken... And instantly realized he said the wrong thing.

Jiraiya wasn't taken aback by Naruto's slip of the tongue, he had come to know the blond kid pretty well, and waved it off in an attempt to try and cheer his old friend up. "The important thing is that you are here, Naruto."

Naruto looked down for a moment before hearing Tsunade's voice.

"Sasuke... Killed you?"

The tone she gave in that was deadly cold. Naruto looked up and nodded.

"Then he's left us with no choice," Tsunade said in the same cold tone. "I'm now authorizing the hunter-nin to kill him if they cannot capture him."

"...WHAT!" Naruto exclaimed, not believing what he was hearing.

Jiraiya sighed and shook his head. "The council will not go for that, Tsunade. Even after what he did, he's still the last Uchiha." Not that he wanted Sasuke to come back after trying to kill his student, but he had to be realistic.

"He's not the last Uchiha, remember?" Tsunade said narrowing her eyes. "Sasuke could have beaten Naruto without killing him. There's only one reason why he killed him."

Naruto blinked, not understanding why Tsunade thought Sasuke had a reason for killing him.

"So you're the one that instills those idiotic ideas about not killing into this brat's head?" Kyuubi asked derisively. "If it wasn't for me this brat would've died years ago."

"You don't have any place in this," Tsunade said angrily.

Kyuubi just smirked back, obviously provoking the fast-tempered woman. Jiraiya noticed this and turned to regard the Hokage for her reaction. He'd have to intervene if things got out of hand.

"Naruto. Do you remember Uchiha Itachi?" Tsunade asked, trying to ignore the Kyuubi for the time being.

Naruto shivered. "How could I forget? He and shark-face wanted to take me for the foxgirl..." He looked over to Kyuubi and then looked nervous. "... They are still going to be after me."

"Do you know how Itachi gained his power?" Naruto shook his head. "By murdering his best friend."

Naruto stood there for a few moment, until he finally got it. He didn't know whether to feel surprised that Sasuke thought of him as his best friend or pissed off that he killed him on purpose, especially since in the Uchiha's mind they were best friends.

"That would mean, however, that Sasuke has gained the Mangekyou," Jiraiya said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"With him under Orochimaru's command without the Mangekyou was bad, with it is much worse," Tsunade said seriously. "Now imagine if that bastard takes Sasuke's body."

"He won't be able to take Sasuke's body for three years, at least," Jiraiya said. "It takes him at least that long to prepare for the technique and I know he had to transfer less than a week ago."

"All the more reason we need to resolve this, one way or another, before that time," Tsunade stated. "If he cannot be captured..."

"I'll bring him back."

Tsunade turned to Naruto who had a look in his eyes. "Naruto. He killed..."

"I WILL BRING SASUKE BACK DAMN IT!" The blonde Genin shouted at the Hokage. "I SWORE I WOULD BRING HIM BACK AND AS THE FUTURE HOKAGE, I WILL BRING HIM BACK!"

"And a fine job you did of it, brat," Kyuubi sarcastically said from the side.

"SHUT UP FOX!" Naruto snapped, not even caring about how the demon retaliated. This was one subject he wouldn't back away from.

Tsunade took the blonde's words in and thought things over a bit. I already have problems with Fire Council as it is. Giving a death warrant for Sasuke now without 'enough evidence' will not be good for me. She looked back to Naruto. How can they favor the Uchiha even after what he did She asked herself before she gave her decision. "... Alright. The order regarding Sasuke remains as it was. Captured alive."

"Yes!" Naruto exclaimed.

Jiraiya wasn't entirely happy with the decision, but he nodded in acceptance knowing it was for the best.

Kyuubi, on the other hand, snorted. "You people are too soft."

Tsunade stopped from saying something as she then turned her head and looked out the window. She caught sight of a small brown bird.

"Baa-chan?" Naruto blinked, not sure why she was paying attention to a bird. Even now she opened up the window and looked at the bird firmly. In an instant, it flew off.

"And just now you notice? Pathetic," the Kyuubi said derisively, causing Jiraiya to frown. The demon was downright trying to provoke them.

"Huh? Huh? Nani? What's going on?" Naruto asked, confused.

"We were watched by a summon," Tsunade sighed. "A very small one and almost indistinguishable... Except for the fact that that type of bird doesn't live in this area."

"Whatever..." Kyuubi said in exasperation and turned around. Jiraiya's eyes widened slightly as she did so as he noticed something. "Brat, let's get out of here. Now!"

"Huh? What now?" Naruto asked.

"I'm bored of these decrepit old humans. Show me where we're staying," the woman said

"Fine, though hope you can enjoy cramped quarters," Naruto said with a small grin as he really didn't have a large room.

After the door closed, Tsunade fell into her chair, exhausted. "A part of me still can't believe I am alive, even knowing what I know."

Once the demon and the young ninja left Jiraiya turned to regard the sitting Hokage. "Tsunade, I'm surprised you had nothing to say to the Kyuubi staying with Naruto. That and..." He trailed off, turning to regard the door they walked through just moments ago. "Did you notice?"

Truth be told, Tsunade knew the fox demon was staying with Naruto for some reason but it wasn't ill intent, and that was the only thing she knew at the moment. For now, she'd simply have to watch and be very careful. Provoking her could cause her to 'bend' her promise, in which case, Konoha might suffer. She then picked up on what Jiriaya said. "Notice what?"

Jiraiya frowned. "The Kyuubi isn't making any attempts to hide its identity. The ferocity of her features. Her fangs, her eyes. Even the way she tied back her hair. She has it tied back in nine braids."

Tsunade groaned. "It's as if it expects people to recognize what it is, just so they will be stupid enough to attack her and then she can murder them." She put a hand to her forehead. "As if a grudge against this village for sealing her would be enough to..." Her words trailed off as something hit her.

Jiraiya blinked. "Tsunade?"

"... We did something," Tsunade said in disgust, standing up. "We brought this upon ourselves. Or rather, they did."

"What are you talking about?" Jiraiya asked.

"I'm going to the Council's private records and I'm going to 'nicely' ask them to give me all of the sealed records from the time of the first Hokage to after the Kyuubi's attack." Tsunade said to Jiraiya. "Demon Lords like the Kyuubi do not tend to involve themselves in human affairs. They think of us as insignificant and lowly and destroy villages for fun, but the attack on Konoha was too focused. The only time they do get as involved, is if a human is stupid enough to piss them off."

"You do have a point there. Kyuubi was known to attack villages before. But why the interest in Konoha now that it's free again?" The old hermit asked. "I'll see what I can dig out about it, too."

"Good, and when you are done with that you better get to training Naruto," Tsunade said to Jiriaya. He's going to need it.

----

The bird that Tsunade had showed a way was finished telling its story to its master, or rather mistress.

"You can go home now," Temari said softly as her summon left her in a puff of smoke. Summoning was a Jounin technique, and even though she could summon, it wasn't she could summon something like that giant frog that Naruto could. She only had a contract with a desert sparrow, a ferret and Kamatari. The first two she used for gathering information, and they were useful. Kamatari, the sickle weasel, she summoned for her most devastating move to date, which she used against that female Sound-nin.

And what she had been told, well that just blew her mind. Yet it also made sense, a lot of sense, as to why Gaara had changed ever since he was defeated by the Konoha Genin.

Who would have ever thought he'd be like my brother? Temari mused.

For now though, she decided to keep this information to herself, less Gaara decided he wanted to hunt down Sasuke himself.

Though if we ever find you, Uchiha, I can't say we'll be as merciful as your ex-Leaf-nin comrades. Temari promised. The Uchiha had killed someone that had helped her poor brother.

She would NOT forget that.

To Be Continued...