Author Notes:  this is a Naruto based story that I came up with in my free time.  I claim no rights or don't claim to own any of the characters featured.  As the character Yuki-Hikari belongs to yyh-ygo-fma as Ryokoto belongs to me.  The story however is completely my own idea!  Some of the characters that I will be using will be OCC so please don't hate me for it.......thank you!

Special Keys Used:  "regular human speech", 'thinking to one's self ', *mental/telepathic speech*, (author notes), -flashback scene-, {Yami no Tamashii (dark souls) language}, bold - demonic speech, italic - animalist speech, CAP LOCKS - ATTACKS/SPECIAL POWERS

Honorifics/Translation Notes: sama: higher social hierarchy, dono: lord, kun: familiarity or endearment for boys, chan: familiarity or endearment towards girls, sempai: senior/one who comes before, sensei: teacher/master of a profession, kitsune: fox, mate: wife/bride, hanyou: crossbreed, onii-san: big brother, onee-chan: big sister, hai: yes/alright/ok, tou-san: father, okaa-san: mother, arigato: thank you,  ototo: little brother,  imoto: little sister

Seventeen - trials

When Naruto regained consciousness he had found himself laying in a hospital bed in his human form.  His whole entire body throbbed in pain.  He wasn't the only one who was in the hospital.  In a bed right next to his was Sasuke Uchiha.  Everything was a blur as Naruto couldn't remember how he got there.  The last thing he could remember was Orochimaru attacking him and his team.

"Man my head..........what had hit me?" asked Naruto as he slowly sat up.

"So you finally came to Naruto-sama.  Don't move around so much.  I will let Kyuubi-dono know that you are awake." stated Tsunade.  Naruto proceeded to get comfortable as he awaited for Tsunade and his father to come.  A couple of minutes later Tsunade and Kyuubi entered the room.  The look on Kyuubi's face told Naruto that he wasn't too happy with him.

Kit..........do you have any idea of what you have done? asked Kyuubi angrily.  Naruto slouched in the bed as he could sense his fathers anger.  Slowly Naruto shook his head no.  During your demonic rage when you were fighting against Orochimaru, you caused another tail to emerge. growled Kyuubi.  This caused Naruto to sink further on his bed.

"I'm sorry tou-san.  Was anyone hurt?" Naruto asked sadly.

No..............thankfully I was able to stop you before you caused any permanent damage. replied Kyuubi.

"What happened to Sasuke?" asked Naruto.

"Orochimaru had placed a curse mark brand on him.  It seems that he wants my ototo's eyes to further his ambitions  I have a feeling that he is somehow tied into the murder of my entire clan." stated Itachi as he entered the room.  Hearing what happened to his team mate, Naruto snarled sharply as his demonic attributes began to surface.

Naruto......stop! snapped Kyuubi loudly making everyone jump even though they had no clue at what Kyuubi had said.  Naruto felt so ashamed as he turned be red.  Naruto you must remain calm.  You can't afford to get angry in your state.  Even the slightest bit of rage can prove dangerous considering that your fifth tail formed.  Until you learn control, you must remain in your human form.  Your powers are all ready unstable because of your fifth tail. stated Kyuubi.

"I am sorry tou-san.  I will do as you command." Naruto stated quietly.  Kyuubi scuffled up his son's blond spikes.  That's when they heard the younger Uchiha let out a soft moan.  Sasuke's eyes opened revealing the completed three comma SHARINGAN before he winsed violently closing his eyes tight.

"Sasuke, deactivate the SHARINGAN." stated Itachi.  Sasuke nodded his head as he did as his older brother commanded as he reopened his eyes to reveal that they were back to his normal jet black color.

"What happened onii-san?  Why am I in the hospital?" Sasuke asked in a weak voice.

"What do you remember last Sasuke?" asked Kyuubi.  Sasuke rubbed his neck where Orochimaru's curse mark sat.  Another seal sat around the curse mark preventing the mark from taking over Sasuke.

"That snake hanyou biting me.  He said that I was his.  What did he do to me?" asked Sasuke.  Kyuubi let out a long soft sigh.

"Orochimaru seems to be after the Uchiha's kekkigenkai power that resonates in your eyes.  He branded you with his curse mark.  Unless you grow stronger, the curse mark will force you to go to Orochimaru to gain power and to become his vessle.  We have all ready taken steps to seal the mark to prevent this from happening." replied Kyuubi.  Sasuke looked at Kyuubi in shock by what the Jinchuriki lord had just told him.

"Both Kyuubi-dono and I will be working with you and Naruto-sama to increase your powers and skills." stated Itachi as Sasuke turned his head to see Naruto in the bed besides his.

"You too Naruto?" he asked as Naruto shook his head no.

"My fifth tail emerged before I was ready for it because of my demonic rage." replied Naruto.

"In the meantime you are both to rest up here until your both physically able to undergo the training." stated Tsunade as both teens nodded their heads that they understood.  When Tsunade opened the door to their room, they saw their team mates Sakura and Sai along with their captain Kakashi.  Behind him was Haku as the Jinchuriki wolf was worried about Sasuke.  Seeing Haku caused Sasuke to blush a bright shade of pink as he never told the ice wolf how he felt for her.  Naruto was also blushing when he saw Sakura as he had very deep and intimate feelings for the human.  Seeing their faces turn a bright shade of pink caused both Kyuubi and Itachi to laugh which only caused Naruto's and Sasuke's face to turn even a darker shade of pink.  Kyuubi knew that because their was so little of their kind that it would have the Jinchuriki to mate with humans.  This brought a smile to his face as he knew how Naruto and Haku felt about their human mates.

"Please don't stay too long as they both need to rest." stated Kyuubi as he pulled Itachi from the room.  Before he left the room Kyuubi's hand touched Kakashi's arm.  *Make sure that you and Sai let the girls stay a little longer.  It will give them time to announce their feelings for one another.* Kyuubi whispered into Kakashi's mind using his touch telepathy.  He made sure that his son and Haku couldn't hear him.  Kakashi nodded his head that he understood as the Jinchuriki lord and older Uchiha left the room.

After Kyuubi and Itachi left both Kakashi and Sai wished the two teens a speedy recovery.

"Don't worry about getting well too quickly and use your time to fully develop you powers.  Sarutobi-dono had placed our team on stand by." stated Kakashi.

"Hai Kakashi-sensei!" the two replied in unison.

"Its not the same when you are both in the hospital because of what happened.  Jiraiya-sensei said that he will look into this Akatsuki group and try to find out what their intentions are." added Sai.  Both Kakashi and Sai had noted that the two girls where making in direct eye contact with the boys as they blushed lightly.

"We should get going.  Ladies please take you time.  Are you coming Sai?" asked Kakashi.

"Hai Kakashi-sensei." answered Sai as both he and Kakashi left the room.  Haku walked slowly over to Sasuke's bed as Sakura did the same for Naruto.  Both girls proceeded to give the boys a single flower of a iris.

"These are for luck and to wish you well." they stated shyly.  Before the girls could move away both Naruto and Sasuke lightly cuffed their wrists.

"Wait.........." they stated pulling the girls closer to them.  With one swift pull the girls lips met their own.  The look of surprise and shock stretched across the girls faces before they melted into the kiss.  Both Naruto and Sasuke pulled away from Sakura and Haku as the girls faces were flushed.

"Sakura-chan for a while now I have been meaning to tell you that I love you." stated Naruto.  This caused Sakura to turn pink as she matched her hair.

"Naruto-sama..........I love you too.  I had fallen in love with you the first time that we had ever met." Sakura stated shyly.

"Haku-sama......" Sasuke stated softly.

"I had a feeling for a while Sasuke-kun that you felt the same I did for you." stated Haku shyly as her ears dropped against her head in embarrassment.  Sasuke wrapped his had threading his fingers together with Haku's.  Sasuke brought her hand to his lips kissing it softly.  This made Haku blush even more.

"But I feel that you should hear me say it anyway.  I love you Haku-sama." stated Sasuke.

"And I you Sasuke-kun." replied Haku.  The door opened revealing Tsunade.

"Ok you two visitation is over.  They need their rest." stated Tsunade.  Both Haku and Sakura nodded their heads that they understood as they left the room.

The following day both Kyuubi and Itatch took both Naruto and Sasuke out of the hospital in order to begin training them.

"You both will have a long way to go in order to control your powers.  The training will be hard and difficult but if you are ready for this then we will begin." stated Kyuubi.

"I guess that I will work with Sasuke while you work with Naruto-sama." stated Itachi.

"How about the opposite?  I will take Sasuke while you take Naruto." replied Kyuubi.  Itachi nodded his head as he took Naruto away from his father.

"All right Naruto-sama........I understand that both you and Kyuubi-dono possess fire style chakra. I want to see what fire style attacks you possess.  I know that it is no where as strong as perhaps my own.  But who knows?" stated Itachi.  Naruto proceeded to show Itachi his powers as he still had a ways to go with his fire and wind style chakra.  Naruto was still working with his father in learning how to fully activate his kekkigenkai the CHISHIO KIKAN (BLOOD MIRROR).  Sasuke wasn't fearing any better with his training.

'This may take a while.' Kyuubi thought to himself.