watashi (naruto)

sanjuu

Blood mingled with the lake's water as the arm impaled the blond's torso, the excruciating pain twisting his face.

"You prevented me from piercing your heart at the last moment but. That was pointless." Sasuke hissed at Akurei and Naruto wheezed, each breath sending a massive wave of agony.

"I've pierced his right lung." He chuckled darkly and ripped his hand out of the Uzumaki's body, a gaping hole remaining.

Akurei grit her teeth and swung her left leg around, attempting to kick the shit out of him but he leaped back.

"You can't use your right arm now. Not to mention it's extremely hard to breathe. You can't make seals or use that jutsu now." Sasuke continued and appeared behind Naruto, grabbing his neck and squeezing it.

"It's over." He hissed but pain sparked up his arm when he saw Naruto grab his wrist, crushing it under his hand. The Uchiha winced and noticed the blond's blood flow back into the wound, healing and closing it up. Red chakra surrounded the Jinchuuriki as Sasuke continued to hold him up by the collar.

"No it's not." Akurei's voice said and the black haired genin was embedded into the cliff wall, a booming noise filling the ravine.

Naruto's shoulder was now completely healed, no scar, no nothing thanks to Akurei's help and the fox's power within him. Naruto looked up with his teeth bared and tears running down his fox-like face. Akurei stood next to him with her scarred left eye shut, her right eye glowing blood red. Her green hair whipped around amidst the red chakra clinging to them.

"Sasuke! You won't go to Orochimaru! Even if we have to break your bones, arms and legs, we will stop you!" Naruto roared and the red chakra glared around him wildly, perfectly reflecting on the blond's emotions.

Wild and unstable.

"What the hell are you guys?" Sasuke whispered and Akurei's eye widened as a thin stream of blood trickled down her right eye.

"Friends." The two replied, sending shivers down Sasuke's body.

Naruto leaped towards the Uchiha while Akurei trailed behind him with her hands in the Ram Seal, staring at the Uchiha with her Ketsuryugan.

The blond swiped his hand down towards Sasuke's face but the Uchiha managed to block it with his forearm, gritting his teeth at the brute strength. Suddenly, pain coursed through his arm as he felt his blood stop. The work of Hoshi Akurei.

Naruto forced Sasuke into the water, immediately pummelling towards him but Sasuke puckered his mouth, spewing a massive fireball at the blond. Akurei focused on her teammate and increased his blood flow, giving him a pump of adrenaline as Naruto used the Fox's chakra to blast the fire away, shocking Sasuke.

Naruto dove down into the water and started to land harsh punches and kicks on his friend, completely set on bringing Sasuke back. Akurei watched as water frothed around like a school of salmon trying escaping a net. Sweat dripped down her face as she concentrated on the irregular flow of Naruto, struggling to steady it.

Erupting from the water, Sasuke crashed into the wall with a crack, hanging there in pain and shock. Naruto emerged no longer and pinned the Uchiha against the cliff face, forearm pressed against his throat and  hovering over him.

"Wake up already. If you're still not sure I'll break you and bring you back immobile." Naruto threatened murderously and Akurei's small body trembled with exhaustion.

"Kukuku... shut the fuck up. What do you know about me? Someone like you without family or siblings... you had nothing in the first place bastard! What the hell would you understand about me huh?!" Sasuke demanded, activating his Sharingan. Akurei decided to start to heal her own body, multiplying her blood cells and speeding up the process of healing.

"We suffer because of our bonds! You don't know how it feels to lose them..!" The onyx haired genin kicked Naruto off, disrupting Akurei's gaze as her kekkei genkai diminished. The blond managed to stand back on the wall, his fox-like gaze softening.

"I don't understand real friends or brothers but... when I'm with Iruka-sensei, I wonder if that is what it's like to have a father. When I'm with Yami, I wonder if that's what it's like to have a best friend or something. And, when I'm with you, I wonder if that's like having a brother." Naruto explained and glanced at the Uchiha and Sasuke calmly stared back.

"Why would you go this far for me?" He questioned and Naruto smiled.

"Because for me, you were one of the first few bonds I've ever had. That's why, I must stop you." He reasoned and Akurei wheezed loudly, feeling her throat close up for no reason. Naruto glanced worriedly behind him but she sent her a reassuring smile, waving her hand in front of her face. Sasuke flickered his red eyes onto her as well but she shook her head.

The Uchiha scoffed and got up, sticking his hand down his pocket as he searched for something. Naruto flinched and Akurei unconsciously touched her own. Sasuke pulled out his forehead protector and wrapped it around his forehead while something unexpected happened.

His Sharingan was complete. The third wheel.

"Come Naruto, Yami. If you two are so caught up on our bonds, then allow me to break them." Sasuke announced and spread out his arms wide.

"Break them? Then why the forehead protector?" Naruto questioned.

"So that I will be able to admit you are strong." He replied and Akurei clicked her tongue at the uncertain glint in Naruto's red eyes.

"Because you are someone who knows the same pain of loneliness as I do. And that makes a person stronger. Therefore, severing these bonds will make me stronger than I am now. Especially ours, Yami. From now on, we all fight as equals but, Naruto. You won't even be able to scratch my forehead. That much has not changed." Sasuke smirked and tapped Akurei's old forehead protector with his thumb.

"No matter what you say is useless, Sasuke." Naruto growled and glared at him but Sasuke quickly dismissed it.

"The time for talking is over for now. Come." He ordered and Naruto sprinted towards him, Akurei pulling out her katana and following her teammate.

***

Naruto lay unconscious as Sasuke stood above him, staring down at him. Akurei quietly observed and felt a familiar chakra source hurrying to them at a fast pace. A rat of sunlight illuminated the two but quickly diminished, dark clouds starting to cover the sky.

Sasuke's scratched forehead protector unknotted itself and fell down next to Naruto's head, landing with a clink. The Uchiha looked up as rain start to pour from the sky, their hair sticking to their roughed up skin.

"Naruto... I-" The genin started but winced, his hand flying up to his shoulder and blood trickling out of his mouth. He knelt down behind Naruto's head and leaned forward, his forehead close to his best friend's.

"Suke." Akurei walked towards the boy and grabbed her old forehead protector, throwing Sasuke's arm around her shoulders. She didn't miss the glazed and defeated look in those onyx eyes.

"Akurei... tell Naruto... I'm sorry and... thank you." He whispered before his eyes rolled up to his head and slumped onto her. She nodded once and moved Naruto's hair off his face before leaping away with her best friend on her back.