The Windmill Turns Both Ways

Kyuubi

Naruto the younger was released from the hospital the same day he had been admitted. There was no hint of damage left from the Chidori, but he stayed bedridden in his room for a few days.

Sakura didn't know what to make of it. When he was awake, his eyes stayed half-lidded, and they rarely focused on anything in particular. They hadn't gotten much of an answer out of him so far as to what had happened.

To make matters worse, their time remaining in Suna was quickly running out. Whether Naruto recovered or not, and despite what they wanted, they would have to leave soon to join the other troops in the Lighting Country. The only people remaining here for him would be strangers. Yamato, Baki, and the Wind Daimyo would be the ones in charge of him then.

Sai sat down in the chair beside Sakura quietly. She glanced at him from her book and attempted a smile, but it never fully formed. Naruto was asleep on his back in his bed, head turned away from them.

"Has he woken up even once today?" Sai asked.

Sakura shook her head, biting her lower lip in worry.

Sai frowned. "Do you think..." he started hesitantly. "Could be possible Madara used Tsukuyomi on him?"

Sakura grimaced. She shut her book and gripped the edges of it. "I don't know. He is showing many of the symptoms, but part of what makes the recovery process so long is the physical damage to the chakra pathways caused by a heavy genjutsu like that." She flinched. "But we can't forget, it's... undeniable that he was hit with Sasuke's Chidori."

"It may not have really been him. Madara could be trying to trick us. Sasuke did say he would fight Naruto to the death, but do you really think he'd bother with the younger version? It wouldn't be a challenge for him."

"You're right..." Sakura said slowly. "But I'm not sure we should be relieved if it wasn't really Sasuke. Why would Madara bother doing this if he already had Naruto in his clutches? Why would he go through the trouble of traumatizing and then punching a hole through him if he's only interested in the Kyuubi?"

"Until Naruto tells us what happened, all we can do is guess."

Sakura buried her face in her hands. "Kakashi-sensei was right. We should have told him sooner. It still would have been bad, but... we have no idea what he saw, and now... if it was anything like what Itachi showed you..."

Sai looked away. "I thought it was the right thing, too. But it was naive to think the chances of the enemy reaching him were so low. We let our feelings cloud our judgement."

Sakura lowered her hands and curled them into fists on her lap. "It may be too late now, but I won't make that mistake again. And I don't know what Madara was trying to do, but he better hope we don't cross paths."

Sai laughed lightly. "I'm sure we'll get the chance for that when the war starts." he stood from his chair.

"What are Neji and Gaara doing?" Sakura asked him, turning in her chair to watch as he went toward the door.

"Negotiating, as usual," Sai said. "Ishida still wants to put suppression seals on Naruto until Yamato-taichou gets here."

Sakura stood, radiating fury in no time flat.

"Aha," Sai said nervously. "You know he can't really do anything. No one ever listens to him, not even the Daimyo."

"Maybe they'll tuck their tails and get out of here when all the strong shinobi leave," Sakura said furiously. "I don't even want to think about leaving Naruto with those guys around."

"Baki-san will do the best he can. Yamato-taichou will be here, too." Sai paused. "Are you coming to the meeting?"

Sakura slumped her shoulders. "I'm coming."