Blood Falls, as do Tears 3

Naruto's beating heart beat faster. If the situation were different, he would be ecstatic. he wanted to be happy, but he wasn't. The small blonde grew angry. His blue eyes blinked once, then twice.

"Naruto...?" Sasuke asked.

Unexpectedly, Naruto turned to look at the older boy. His face was expressionless and cold.

"Ho ho!" Yoko laughed inside Naruto's mind. "Didn't I tell ya, kit?"

Naruto didn't answer as she went on. "A bit late, though. Stupid Uchiha." She stopped laughing. "Now, now, kit. You mustn't forget that I can see your thoughts." She chuckled. "I want to help."

Naruto smiled which startled Sasuke. Naruto's pointed teeth grew large enough to rip through flesh and bone. To Sasuke's astonishment, Naruto began to laugh.

"Is that so, Sasuke?" Naruto inquired. "Are you sure?" Tears were welling in his eyes. Not even Naruto knew if it was because of his laughing or the new hole in his chest.

"I just wanted to let you know that you're a tad late." This time it was the hole.

Naruto directed his next words to the kyuubi.

"Yoko-chan, no," he said angrily.

"Too bad, Naru-chan!" The Kyuubi’s voice said from Naruto's mouth. Naruto's chakra ears and tail appeared again. Her playful face turned annoyed. She lifted an arm to jab at her bellybutton. She waited a few seconds until she was satisfied. "Sorry, Naru-chan."

Sasuke backed up, confused. "What did you do to him?"

Yoko looked at her nails. "Nice to see you, too, Sasuke-kun." She looked up. "He just passed out, is all." She waved her hand airily. I wanted another turn to speak with you.

Sasuke glared at Yoko. He took out a kunai and his Sharingan.

"I'll have you know that that won't work on me as easily as Naru-chan. And I have no intention of fighting you. Yet," she purred.

Sasuke brandished the kunai anyway. He watched the fox pace around him.

“Naru-chan’s very upset, ya know. Do you know why?” She didn’t wait for Sasuke to reply and continued.

“I won’t kill you. No, Naru-chan would be even more upset when he comes to.” Yoko’s devilish grin unnerved Sasuke. “Broke his little heart, you did. And it takes a lot to break it; it was already in pieces!”

Sasuke wondered where she was going with this. And, strangely, he felt bad. But before he could voice his question, she disappeared and reappeared behind him. As she leaned in, Sasuke could feel her hot breath on his neck. Yoko frowned.

“Not very nice, Sasuke-kun. So very low.” She chastised.

Sasuke could hear her shrill laugh as she disappeared again. This time Yoko was nowhere to be seen, but her voice was audible.

“Revenge? Or the people you care about? The person you care most about. You could’ve gotten a power that the snake bastard could never teach you, you stuck-up brat.” She grew angry at this point. “Yet… You choose revenge on your brother.”

She gave disapproving clicks of her tongue and appeared on the river. She had Naruto’s hands on his hips and her tail swooped back and forth.

“Tut, tut, Sasuke-kun.” She shook her head mockingly. “But I’m sure the snake bastard could teach you a few tricks, eh?”

She seemed to space out and when she came to, her face was expressionless.

“Seems as if the kit’s not gonna wake up in a while.” She sighed. “Looks as if you’re free to go.” She jumped out of the river and onto land. She sat, smiled one more time, and performed the ninja sign; kai, or release. She slumped onto her back, passed out.