Love Me Until You Die

Tsunade need not be informed of their arrival, she was in the forest entry awaiting the Suna arrival’s before any of the patrolling Jonin or ANBU members. Kankuro eased in her path first, instinctively placing himself in front of Gaara, even amongst allies one could not let their guard down. Temari stayed behind him, ever watching the forest at their back for any telltale signs. Gaara himself appreciated his sibling’s actions, but he had matters of great importance to attend to. Appraising Tsunade’s strange outfit with the slightest hint of confusion, he asked very quietly,

 “What the hell are you wearing?”

 She would have laughed it weren’t for the serious situation that deemed such strange apparel necessary, “You’ll be laughing at yourself soon, Kazekage. We can’t let you in Konoha without the proper protection.” Gaara shifted in question, “Hokage?”

 Tsunade briefly explained both Iruka and Kakashi were on their way with the uniforms for the fifteen sand shinobi. She paused afterwards, trying to find the words to best describe what exactly had befallen Konoha.

 “There was a group of strange ninja in Konoha about one month ago, they were only in the city briefly and left before anyone spoke to them. It was assumed the group was simply traveling and lost their way.” Gaara nodded, when a ninja wanted to cause trouble they usually did so openly, certainly a shinobi would not turn tail and run.

 The fifth Hokage continued, “Not long after we began to notice the ninja that train regularly in Konoha were progressively failing in their missions more and more. I bedded all of them, personally examining those that were noticeably weak.” She sighed, and Gaara was bombarded with the notion that the worst was yet to come.

 “It would seem we have an infection, one I’ve never heard about, nor come across in my personal collection of medical illnesses. This ‘disease’ if you will, attacks chakra, and manifests heavily at the sixty-four chakra points. It’s a strange organism, once it’s there, the creatures that make up this infection will devour the victims chakra, and in turn, digest it.”

 She looked highly uncomfortable, and Gaara felt his muscles twitch involuntarily. He vaguely noted that Temari had sunk back out of earshot to keep an eye on the surroundings behind them. “Once the organism is manifested, it detaches several tubular connections that run into the persons bloodstream, as it digests its meals, it…well, it releases ‘waste’.” Gaara had the faintest mental image of something rather nasty floating down a river of blood. He tried not to laugh.

 “The waste is emitted through these attachments, and are deposited into the blood stream. The blood soaks up the waste, over a period of time, one we are unsure of at the moment, eventually, this…this creature, will absorb all of the persons chakra.” Gaara flinched, even a normal person contained some chakra, it was their life force…their will to move. He shook his head, to think that a ninja would be paralyzed; it was a prison that seemed worse then death.

 Tsunade continued to explain their nightmares. “The waste is eventually consumed to the point of thickening the blood, and in time, if the blood is allowed to thicken to such an extent that it cannot flow through the veins…death ensues.” She finished quietly, and all the two remaining Sand siblings were struck with the full impact of just what they were facing.

 Even in his stunned state, Gaara’s mind was racing. He knew now why the Hokage had requested anyone available, if Konohagakure suddenly stopped or built a reputation of failing their missions successively, neighboring countries on the warpath would think the Fire Country was vulnerable, and they would be right. He shook his head; “The sand will aid your ninja in subsequent missions.”

 Tsunade dipped her head in thanks, but Gaara was aware of how low their allies had fallen. To ask someone else to do your work was…well, disgraceful. “Thank you, Kazekage.” The blond leader whispered, but he spared her any further embarrassment.

 One important detail had been left out however, and Gaara continued to stare at the Hokage in expectance. She’d omitted something very important, someone in particular, which had captured the heart of Suna. “Hokage.” He finally said, and she could no longer hold back.

 “The more chakra the victim has, the more the infection consumes. The virus goes into overdrive and contaminates the blood at a rate of one ounce every twelve hours.” The red haired Kazekage’s stomach clenched painfully, surely she would have told him if…

 “Kyuubi is replacing every drop of chakra consumed, and he is receiving blood transfusions to help contain the infection.” Gaara breathed again, but Tsunade was not turning his world upside done.

 “Kazekage,” she sighed heavily, painfully, “…Gaara. Kyuubi is infusing Naruto with his own chakra…Uzumaki is not himself.”

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 He screamed at the fox shielded by unbreakable iron bars, the prison within him.

 “Stop it fox! Stop it! I don’t want to be you!” He screamed, grasping the impossibly tall bars and trying to shake them, he succeeded in rocking only himself back and forth. The giant fox demon merely laughed, “Foolish brat, I am keeping us alive!”

 Naruto shook his head roughly, clawing at himself and attempting to do the same to the fox. His blue eyes seared with tears, and streamed heavy with the hopeless feeling that had fallen over him, seeping from his cerulean irises.

 “I’m not a monster!” He screamed, tears streaming down his cheeks and splashing against both him and the floor. Kyuubi cocked his head, a strange expression on his features. “Yes you are…” He whispered softly, and Naruto froze, the walls around him warping as the legendary nine tailed fox demon continued to speak. “But so am I, were really not that bad are we? Us monsters?”

 Naruto shrieked as a blinding pain filtered through his mind, and he fell to his knees clutching his head as more hopeless tears, mingled with those of pain, fell from him. “I’m not a monster.” He whimpered, the world fading in and out, “I’m..n..t…ster.” A sigh escaped his lips as he collapsed, and Kyuubi shook his head sadly; black ringed eyes and a Sand forehead protector around his now human body.

 His spiky crimson hair glinted in the light, and Naruto watched him through half-lidded eyes.

 “Maybe not a boogey-man Uzumaki. Maybe just a wolf, as gentle as the rest, just misperceived.” Kyuubi whispered, and Naruto’s tears continued to fall. The world spun, and a flash of white so brilliant his blood ran cold blinded him. Had Kyuubi finally stopped? Had the infection claimed him so quickly?

 A beep filled his ears, and Naruto turned towards it. His swollen eyes fell upon Uchiha Sasuke, who was walking away, into the light. “Sasuke!” Naruto screamed, running towards the Konoha betrayer, but his heart only cried one thing.

 ‘My friend.’

 His hand was out-stretched as he ran, but Sasuke was not getting any closer. “Sasuke! SASUKE!” He shrieked, but the raven-haired boy only paused. “Naruto.” He whispered, and his voice washed over Naruto like a painful memory that left his ears ringing. An agonizing moment later he collapsed to his knees, clutching his head.

 “Sasuke, why are you leaving me again?” He cried hoarsely, tears in his eyes once again as he watched Sasuke shake his head. “I’m not leaving you, Naruto.” He giggled, and Naruto thought his head was going to explode from the pitch. “I never thought I’d see the day, Naruto Uzumaki, future Hokage, giving up.” Sasuke continued, and the blond boy could only watch, and listen, in terror. “I’ve always thought of you as a friend…but do friends leave each other in darkness? I guess I was wrong.”

 Naruto was sobbing as he watched Sasuke turn and leave. A shriek to his left resounded, and Naruto whipped around, “Sakura?” He cried, but the pink-haired girl continued to wail, leaning over a body. Naruto edged forward, and upon closer inspection found, to his horror, the corpse of Rock Lee.

 Sakura shrieked, moaning as tear after tear fell from her eyes and she clutched at her chest helplessly. Naruto was trembling, “Sakura? Sakura!” He cried, but she did not notice him, instead her screams faded and he found himself alone again.

 Too much…this was too much, he screamed outwardly but found no sound was coming from him. Naruto clutched at his throat frantically, and a gentle cough rang out behind him. He whirled, staring wildly.

 Jiraiya…he was lying against something unseen, blood gushing from his neck. Naruto’s eyes widened in horror as he watched his mentor die. Then flashed Tsunade, Neji, Ten Ten, Kiba and Akamaru, Shino, Ino, Shikamaru, Hinata, Chouji, Iruka, and finally, Kakashi.

 All of them, curled up or lying spread-eagled, blood and other matter spilt around their bodies, corpses or their dying breaths, Naruto’s heart was beating frantically. He scrambled in every direction to reach them before they faded, but he could not. The last of the horrific scene came to pass, and Naruto thought he would lose his mind.

 Kankuro was wrapped around his puppet, part of his leg trapped within the dangerous wooden person, his hands facing upwards as he lie against it, trying to keep the blood from seeping from his wounds too fast. Temari was at his side, quiet, but Naruto could see the droplets of crimson from her fan. He knew her fate.

 He spun, trying to get the image of the Sand shinobi from his head. He would not succumb…he would not… His blue eyes opened, and he screamed as loud as he possibly could. Barely an inch in front of his nose was the new Kazekage, his eyes open, and glazed with the mask of death. His hands were lax at his side, swinging. Across his chest were three rip marks, spread from shoulder to hip. The kanji on his forehead was gashed open, skewing the symbol. But what tormented Naruto the most, was that he was staring at himself. For Gaara lay in his arms, and the red eyes that gazed back at him told him the story fully.

 His tail swished playfully, and his inner demon bent down, lapping gently at the blood that poured from his newest friend. The fangs jutting from his jaw sunk into Gaara’s pale flesh, and his claws dug into the corpse aggressively, spilling more blood. A second swipe of his tail, and the blond killer giggled, smiling back at him, blood dropping from the corners of his mouth.

 Naruto screamed again, but was quickly silenced as his counter part threw the bleeding body against him, and leapt backwards, tense, and ready to strike. Naruto sobbed openly, clutching the corpse of Gaara to his chest, staring at his broken face in agony. “I’m so sorry…I’m so sorry.” He whined, and laid the red haired victim at his feet.

 Across him, the demon that was Naruto grinned, licking a splatter of blood from his hand as if it were a snack. “He tasted the best of them all.” It hissed at him, and Naruto’s heart squeezed painfully in his chest. “Your friend? Your closest friend? The one you thought was like you? His blood tasted of pain, of bitter, bitter torment.” Naruto collapsed beside Gaara, drawing his body closer, and gently laying the fallen Kazekage’s head against his chest.

 He slipped a hand through his red hair, stroking the locks as he let his head fall forward, his cheek pressed against Gaara’s. The demon Naruto’s grin widened, “He tasted of shock, it’s not often one as guarded as he is so painfully betrayed.”

 Naruto's head fell back, and he howled.

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